The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1874-08-15
THE MODERN MEETIN'.HOUSE.
ny WILL 5. HANs.

Howdy, Davy light ana hitch: thhf's no
one home but me,
Thar amt II mana iivin', sir, ia sooner
like ter see;
For Nance and Llddy's gone 10 see SICK
man ON the hill,
An Hram's gone 10 get his grst ut Jason
Turner's mill.
was in town las sunday, an my heart an
To go to meetin'-ef youIl wait III tell you
The bells were toiling lively on the balmy
mOrnin' air,
An folks were in u hurry, like the rushn' to
fair:
The meatin' house was built of stOLc, the
steeple pinted high,
The windows they We're painted all tlc COL
An runnin' up the steeple was n great long
lightnin rod -
| kinderthought the members lacked con-
ndence i'll God.
The big bell sorter huShed itself an then 1t
rung some more,
An peop e come in carriages an got out at
The wimmen flxed their dresses like they
ment to make u call,
Thar faces showed they warnt thinking oN
their souls at all.
Wall, Davy, thar stood and thought-'twas
Some 90 to church to close their eyes, an
some TO eye thar clothes;
overheard old Missus Swell TO Missus Steb-
bins say:
"My darter Becly's dress want done-she
won't be here to-day"
stood thar hesitatin' llte%hat sort of move
to make.
/ felt that should go inside for my salvation
sake;
started meekly in the house, knew it
Wan'tn harm,
With NV old broad brlnl hat in hand aud
Je ms coat on my arm.
went along bout half way up the velvet
The men and wimmen shut their gates, and
they begin to smile;
| see one open ust a bi went In ana pulieu
When Brown, the banker, riz and said,
"This 'ere's II rented pew"
got out of his "rented pew" an sot down
near the door,
Expectin' for some man to say, "This 'ere's
u rented floor"
A fine-dressed stranger he cum in, the mcn-
But every feler jumped at him and opened
wide his gate.
The parson rz an raised his hans with
cold and naughty air,
An everybody in the house stood up an
, beard his prayer. ,n,,, ,,on, so,oonow
always feel
I'm d0im' God injustice when get too proud
to kneel.
Then all sat down an stared about, then Mt
the parsons face,
While he put on his specs an said, "LetS
sing 0mazin' grace"
An organ busted loose rIp-stairs-the music
IL WAS gay,
1t ticlilcd him rs couldn't sing and them
wot had To pay.
The music quit, the paTSnn rlz--thcy passed
the hat rOui neXt--,
An when the dpckins snt them down, the
parSOn took his text,
He prea ched ninust two hours bout his
faith in TOD tu keep
The wimmen folks were noddin' while thar
husbands war asleep.
One gal said to ANOTHER, "Hev you seen my
bow to- ay 2" ,,
Shed nod her head and then say back, "Vhe
pa ty 1t was gay"
One whispered loud enough behind her fan
forme TO hear,
"That bonnet S5fty Tags got on Is one she
had last year."
The parson quit and then sat down-the
organ played ogin
! thought If that was servin' God, the tunes
they played Were thin
I've heard the bands ut circusses play jest
The parson, when the organ quit, dismissed
'em all with prayer.
Now, DaVy, II tle angels SEED Wnat ulu, 1
believe,
There war'nt one among 'em all but what
latfed in thar sleeves;
For God don't smile on Christians who His
bessins will abuse;
He hain't no use for organs, and He don't
like rented pews.
He rings no bells to tell em that the Sab
baths come once more;
The angels have no carriages TO drive up to
His door,
an sweetly smile,
An say, ~ send my soul, dear Lord, I'm
cummin' after u while"
Our Master up in Heaven, Davy, sees-hears
everything;
He likes To see Ills children kneel, an loves
to hear 'em ling;
For whar He lives the angels sing an Chris
tia get their dues
! Ills a. usiC Gusts HIM nOLAIn ana lie mas 10
rented pews.
Thar Amt no use o. foolin' long the road
down To the grave;
Thar is no way of d"dgin' when you've got
your soul to save;
Fine churches, organs, cartridges, clothes,
rented pews aud 'pelf;'
Don't count that day-it lays between yer
Maker an yerself.