Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-09-01
THE SUMMER TINE PAR.SON


/ We have arrived at the blissftil sea
son Of the year set apart for the ap
pearance upon the platforms of railroad
depots, in steamboats, and stage coach
es, of sleek complacent gentlemen with
high-buttcned vests, linen busters and
debonnaire slouch hats. They arc
ministers of the gospel going to enjoy
thelrvacations at some pleasant seaside
resort or in some little quiet country
village where perhaps in their early
youth thoy robbed s5slOiiatun ana Uifus
-.~-a~ 7. "a ef no -..ss Zoe tho peroon
on his travels to attempt to conceal his
identity; his profession is written on
every lineament of his features, is Wis
in the placid smile he constantly wears,
in the delicate whiteness of his hands,
and, if he be a Benedict, in the majestic
carriage of his admiring spouse. Wait
ers, porters, coachmen and hack driv-
ers instinctively recognize him and
sigh when he engages their services,
knowing full well that he is clever
financier and will not be bullied or coax.
ed out of one cent more than the legit-
innate fare or fee His congregation
has kindly determined that he needs
rest and relaxation from his arduous
duty of preaching salvation and de-
pravity twice week and paying pas
toral visits, so they have made up q
purse for him and he goes to econom-
ically distribute their ducats far away
from the busy hum of the city. His
flock will not miss him much, for the
major portion of it have become scat
tered about the country, at fashionable
watering places and summer resorts,
and the few who cannot afford to
follow the custom of the wealthy must
iain be content with the ministrations
of a strange shepherd employed pro
tom.
1t is amusingto note the holiday par
sons struggle to appear reclslessly
jolly; how strenuously he endeavors to
induce us to believe that he is the
most careless and free of mortals, and
how strangely he fails, for an expletivc
from the stage-coach driver directed
at balky leader causes his mouth to
become rigid and a shocked expression
to steal over his amiable countcnance.
On the croquct lawn at the country
hotel the vacation minister comes out
especially strong, TOR his mild jokes arc
appreciated by the ladies, and the
game is one that may fairly be classified
as quite innocent and harmless. Ere
quently he may be noticed upon the
grassy bank of some winding river, rod
in hand, and then the members of the
iinny tribe are in great danger, for
when parson goeth angling the odds
are in favor OF the lardcr am,l against
the fish.
The clergymen of to-day differs very
much from tho poor, jealous, over
worked curate or circuit-rider of twen-
ty years ago. If he be a favorte
preacher and his church is u rich one,
he can afford to take trip to Europe,
California, Florida or any of the show
places of the world a weeks retire
mcnt at some sequestcred farmhouse
was the only holiday of the year the
old-timo pastor could obtain. But the
clergy nowadays are moro delicate
than their predecessors in the pulpit,
and when summer comes they are
subject TO all kinds of ailments, from
hay-ievcr up to bronchitis, which
neccssitate change of air and rest
from their labor of saving souls. Many
of them prove excellent company on a
long journey, kcenly apprcciative of
the ludicrous, living storchouses of
anecdote, and fluent takers but some
times the vacation parson proves a
terrible wct-blanket at o merry making,
especially if he be of the Chadband
stripe, and deems all pleasure, unless
of the most sedatc description, the
pastime of the ungodly.
When the Indian summer is ending,
and the gorgeous leaves are rustling
down TO earth to rot beneath the
winters SHOWS, the churches will grow
populous again, the collcction-plate
will once more 20 merrily round, and
the vacation pastor, stout and sun
burned will resume his place in the
pulpit and grow poctical over the
beauties ofnaturc as seen in his travels.
And very likely he will exhibit a
tendency TO preach about the loveliness
of Paradise and neglect mention of the
sulphurous cavity where Satan sways
his sccptrc, until the yule log burns TO
the and-irons and frosty weather makes
the idea Of place in which high
rate of temperature is always main
tanned rath or pleasant than otherwise
--PhId. Times.