Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-07-25
SPEAKIN' OUT IN MEETIN'.
A Sisters Dialogue with Mr.. Reecher
And the Big Organ,

1t was a sister who spoke right out IN
meetln' in Plymouth Church yesterday.
AS soon as the last word of the short
prayer after Mr.. Beecler's morning ser
mon was uttered, she stood up-an elder
ly and somewhat dyspeptic-looking
Woman--ln front pew of the rear gal
lery, and brandishing her fan, said acid
ly, with evident determination to secure
a hearing, II want to ask question"
She continued in an excited manner,
| although Mr. Beecher said in louder
tone than usual, "We will sing the
fourth hymn"
Inquiring Female-But want to ask
a question.
Mr. Beecher-But we want to sing
the fourth hymn.
Inquiring Female-But [ mast ask a
question.
Mr. Beecher-But we must sing the
fourth hvmn.
Inquiring Female (brandishing her
fan and gesticulating vigorously with
both hands, amU ask question.
Mr.. Beechar (motioning to Chorister
Camp to push things )Sing the fourth
hymn. ~,
By this time nearly all the congre-
cation were stretching their necks to-
wards the gallery, and most Of them
were laughing Mr., Beecher grew very
red in the face with excitement Of the
moment but seemed to enjoy the fun.
Old John Zrlndel at the organ, struck
up a lively prelude, which was too
much for the inquiring female and
drowned her voice. She remained
standing during the singing of Chine
earthly Sabbaths, Lord, we love-" with a
determined look on her angular face,
but during the singing she got no
chance When the last words of the
hymn died out Mr. Beecher adroitly
put in the benediction. Then a torrent
of discourse began to flow from the
gallery, accompanied with continued
Establishment of the fan. AS soon,
however, as the woman resumed,
which was at the moment Mr.. Beecher
finished saying "Amen," the full power
of the $4,000 organ was brought into
requisition for the ungallant purpose Of
quenching the sound of her voice.
This made her indignant, and increased
the efforts she was making to secure a
hearing. She seemed resolved to keep
on until the organ voluntarily should
stop; and the organ sounded as if it
meant to keep on all the afternoon.
The congregation appeared to be forget
full of dinner in the desire to stay and
see the thing through. A crowd of men
and boys surrounded the woman, and
presently Usher Beach, taking her by
the elbow, told her she must go out Of
church This brought forth fresh
torrent of eloquonce, and gave rise to
new brandishings of the fam The con-
gregation regretfully gazed ON the wo-
man as under the management of
Usher Beach she assembled the gallery
steps and vanished through the door.
Leaving the church by the Orange
street exit, she went around the block
till, in state of violent Indignation, she
reached the rear door on Cranberry
street, where she watched for Mr..
Beecher, in order to give him in per
sonal argument the views which the
organ had deprived her Of the power of
uttering in church. A waggish brother
told her that Mr. Beecher had gone out
the other way and she departed, BRAN
dishing her fan She is stranger to the
congregation.
Mr. Beecher in his sermon had con-
tended that the danger to the Church
and to religion was quite as great from
undue rigor and severity in the presen-
tation of gospel truth as it was from
overlaxity of preaching, and perhaps
it was this that troubled the sister.
-NeW York Tribune.