Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-09-22
A Day yyitsa EaEsgscEs .Boaans.
BY REV. T. w. HOOPER.

BY REV. T. W. HOOPER,.
The recent death Of this venerable and
beloved imam Of God" has wildly recalled
most delightful day which we enjoyed
together many years ago.
! The writer WAS at that time pastor of fhe
Presbyterian Church i'll Christia2sbure
Va, just OIL the summit of the AlleghanF
mountains. There ale but two churches,
in the town, but quite d number OF Epis-
copal families We're scattered through the
| county Of Montgomery, Of which Chris
tiansburg is the county-seat. Quite a
number of these desired an "lpiscopa1
visitation" for the ordinances Of baptism.
confirmation and communion. Receiving
| q very kind letter from Bishop White,
| asking the use of my church during some
week nights for such q purpose, [ had
written q most cordial invitation. asking
him to occupy the pulpit on any Sabbath
he might select, both morning and night
This he WAS compelled to decline on ac-
count Of previous appointments, and when
the set time came, Bishop Johns came in
place OF his assistant, Bishop Whittle.
I met him at three O'Clock i'll the morn
ing at the depot, and rode with him to my
house, where he retired and slept soundly
the rest Of the night.
The lady who led my choir was al Epls-
copalian, and had been the leader of q
choir in her own church The organist
had, also, in her girlhood, WOrshipped al
ternateiy IN the Presbyterian and Epis-
copal churches of her native village. In
this way it was but q small matter for
them to practice, with the other members
Of the choir, all the music that was ne
ff.-.+ f-p y
Bishop knew nothing Of this, and his ad-
miration was pnbounded when, after rob-
ing himself III ny study, he walked up the
aisle, opened the service, and found all the
chants and hymns and responses as hand
Somely rendered as if he had been in one of
his own churches.
In the meantime his wife and several
young ladies had come up from the A lie
ghany Springs, ten miles distant, toattend
the service, and expecting to take him
back immediately after it had closed. But
instead OF this, our parsonage was thrown
open to them all. The best dinner we
rlous ministers OF my own church, who
were soJournlng for the summer, were
glad to share the Inequalities Of the oc-
casIon, and l am sure none of us will ever
forget the solemn sermon, the delightful
service, and the social conversation that
followed.
But the most enjoyable part of it all to
me was to see what unspeakable gratitude
and surprise our little klndnesses had ava
kened in the Bishops heart. He seemed
almost as playful as a child, as he kept al
luding to the church, the music, the en-
tertainment. And after several hours OF
delightful intercourse, he took both hands
Of my wife in his, and said: "Good-bye,
my dear sister; you have treated me So
kindly that if [ had not known that you
were q Presbyterian preachers wife, I'd
take you to be an Episcopalian." 10 this,
my wife pleasantly retorted: ''Good-b bye,
Bishop; you have acted SO much like our
preachers, and preached SO much like
them, that, if did not know you to be
Bishop Johns, I'd take you to be a Pres
byterian.' At this he laughed heartily,
and went away. When we meet again, it
will be where there is .'oNE FOLD AND
ONE SHEPHERD"