The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-02-24
Beecher And The Devil.

Hug Fnbo .tne iuture ana iaSt week
'Ghblished a long account of the sale
Of Plymouth pews in January, 1877.
The bidding was slack but when q
elosely hooded person, bid twenty
thousand dollars and paid the money
down tho congregation were astonish
| ed. Nobody recognized tho "new
parishoner" and could find out moth,
ing about him. He attended servi"
ces regularly and contributed liberal
ly to all charitable 'purpc ses. After
a while Beecher and Brother SherA
mani put tlieiy heads together and
determined to find out ho the man
was. They laid their trap and caught
q tartar when the following interest
ing little dialogue is said to occur be-
tween the Plymouth brethren and
the "new parishioner":
"Who the devil is he2" thought
Mr.. Beecher, but he did not say it
who the devil is heP thought
Sherman also.
o. Precisely gentlemen. Preciselyl'
exclaimed the stranger answ ering
the thoughts that had not been ex-
pressed in words.
/ Then the stranger slowly unbutton.
ed his ulster and stood up, leaving
the overcoat fastened to the bench
by the willy Shermans two screws.
Then he tapped the floor triumphant
ly Will, his cloyen foot and whisked
about d tail: nearly as long as Mr..
Evart's speech, Then he took off his
queer, shaped skull cap and revealed
two. horns of his own dilemma. Then
he smiled serenely upon the astonish,
edpastor and the confounded weep
er. N~rf ....t,..
~'Gentlemen,' began the no longer
SHAMELESS parishioner, lit is long
time since | have been to church and
prayer meetings. l haven't exactly
liked the style Of pulpit talk you
know, and Martin Luther and Thorn
as Knox and some others I might
mention have used me pretty rough
in their time. But since | read the
report of the Great Trial in The Tri
bune-a paper, by the way, which l
have purused with infinite pleasure
ever since Jay Gould bought tt
have taken q strong fancy to you Mr..
Beecher, and to the Plymouth style
of religion. Your are manly telo
low, Sir: q man after my own heart,
sir. Your aduitry was d fno stroke,
an artistic stroke, egad. can't show
anything prettier on my books. Your
perjury, too, was delicious. Couldn't
have done better on the witness
stand myself. assure you it made
q great sensation in hell. 1t revived
interest in church matters to an a
niasing degree. In fact, Mr.. Beech>
ct, wegot up aSlittle church of oul
own and voted unanimously to give
you call. No denominational con-
nections; work light and agreeable
total freedom in your personal rela-
tions; no illiberal theology to hamper
yon; climate warm; and salary $10O,
600 every year. Pve fixed up a nice
little parsonage (unmortgaged) fol
you in the cellar under the bottom
less pitt" And the devil stood pa
tiently awaiting an answer, and
scratching his LETT ear with the sharp
end of his tail.
'But,' cried Mr.. Beecher, 'this is
very suddenl This is very"
'Comc, said the delegate from be-
low, in louder and more authorita-
tive tone. The leonino face was very
shecplike now.
Brother Shearman threw mp q
window sash, jumped out and ran
away in breathless haste.
i am afraid l must decline,' said
Mr.. Beecher. | fear the climate isn't
good for the hay fever"
i