The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-04-24
WRITING FOR A PASS.

since half-fare permit, which please
fully permit me to thank you for. Half
fare permits are usually sent to preachers
and perhaps you have mistaken my
calling. At all events as you have
classified me with preachers Though /
am not one) will take the liberty of
quoting Scripture to you and of drawing
such conclusions from said Scripture as
seem applicable to our relation to each
other.
If my authorities are inapplicable and
my conclusions unsound, please remem-
ber that the principal of an asylum for
feeble-minded children is trying to
preach, because an individual labelled
Strong, very early In life by his parental
or maternal ancestor, has insinuated
that he is preacher.
/ respectfully call your attention to
the following passages of Scripture
Exodus, 6, 10" With strong hand
shall let them go.
Judges, IA, 4-Out of the strong came
forth sweetness.
II. Chronicles, Is, 9-Strong in behalf
of them.
Half in this case means, not the half
1 now have, but the other half of the
permit, SO that shall have full free
pass for the year,
Psalms, 81, 28-He hath showed me
his kindness in a strong
1. Kings, 2, . Be strong and show
thyself man.
/. SAM, a, 10 (Wm,) B(e) Strong
and quit yourself like a mau.
/. Cor, 4, love are weak, but you
are strong.
Jere., Is, IA Il will make thee to
pass.
Ezekiel, 81, q And caused me to
pass.
Joshua, %, 19--Then pass over.
Special comment is unnecessary.
If the above passages do not find or
reach some responsive chord in your
bosom, other language will of course
utterly fail to impress you.
A few practical applications, and am
done.
First.-What l want, and think you
might send me, is an annual pass over
the Michigan Central Railroad and
Great Western (if in your power), be-
cause Samuel, jeremiah, Ezekiel Joshua
and Judges plainly instruct you to do so
las 1 construe them).
Secondly.--The aforesaid roads will
not lose anything by it, but probably
gain, for If 1 have this pass it is more
than likely that shall go East once or
twice this year and take parties with
me, who will otherwise go by the Tole-
do, Wabash and Western, and the Lake
Shore, If they are deviated from that
course to accompany me.
Thirdly and lastly lin order that 1
may, as Mr.. Moody recommended to the
preachers of Philadelphia, not exceed
thirty minutes in my discourse and lose
something of its power by excessive
lengthy, / would suggest that desire to
operate upon Michigan, to see if / can
not stimulate them to build an asylum
for idiots. have succeeded In getting
the Legislature, of Illinois to give $685.
600 for new building for its asylum;
and as this is the process of construc-
ton, 1 would like to visit the charitable
institutions in Michigan, Canada, and
the East, to see what should be done to
make ours what it ought to be. 1 can
not go unless get passes.
You probably can, if you will, get me
the aforesaid, but if you do not, in the
hereafter when you are seeking free
pass to the better world, look out that
somebody don't send you halfway
permit and land you considerably short
of your desire. Pardon me-"
THE REPLY.
DEAR SIR: My absence from the
city last week prevented a prompt
answer to yours of the End inst. 1t is
an old experience that the Scripture can
be made to sustain any doctrine or dog
ma if it be ingeniously applied, but /
confess that was astonished at such an
array of texts upon which to base a
claim for travel over our road, and the
more so because in sending you the half
fare permit thought was complying
strictly with the most liberal offers Of
transportation to be found in the
| Bible.
Early in the history of the Jews we
find the account of their emigration
from Egypt, and certainly going in such
numbers they would be entitled to as
low rate Of fare as could be consistent
| lv asked hv or granted 10 anY one: vet