The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-03-22
The Dead Church In Chasetown.

Mrs. Nellie FISHER, In ". 7. Weekly.
The Dead Church In Chasetown.
The interior of the church was almost
as dreary and forlorn as its exterior The
two rows of low backed, comfortless
pews. with an unexpected aisle separating
them, looked forbidding and homely
The gallery opposite the pulpit was deco
rated with wooden ornaments in very bad
repair, and the moon faced clock had
broken long pointer and crooked short
one. A red curtain drawn over q brass
wire, just above the gallery-rail, revealed
small melodeon, weighted down with
half-worn singing books. The little square
Of carpet in front of the pulpit was glar-
ing in color, and offended the minister's
sensitive eyes. But he caied little for the
appearance of the church. He turned
aaxiously to the congregation, and glanced
over the men and women who sat await
ing his remarks. They did not even seem
inclined to look at him now, although he
saw many faces whose owners had stared
at him curiously enough at the depot
The church windows were open, and
delicious breeze, laden with the perfume
OF lfiacs in neighboring gardens, of the
apple blossoms on the adjacent hills,
rustled gently the leaves of the HYMN
book which the minister was opening.
MIR. Argent longed to spring TO his feet.
and 70 address the congregation with burn
ing words which should infuse life into
their fainting souls. For he we'll knew
that their souls were faint. A kind of
spiritual paralysis had, two or three wears
previous to his arrival, fallen upon both the
Congregational and Baptist Churches in
Chasetown, and thus far all efforts to heal
it had been vain. Gradually the attend
ance fell away, and by and by 1t became
difficult to secure preaching in either
church. The Congregational minister,
who had for twenty years contented him.
self with meager salary and small ap-
proval, had call elsewhere, and, despair
ing Of Chasetown, accepted it. The
church thenceforth became dependent on
trial preachers. The Baptist brethren
were reduced to the same precarlous meth
cd of obtaining spiritual susfenance, and
Redman, the rich manufacturer and
prominent worker in their denomination,
had thought to do them great good by
sending Mr.. Argent among them. The
young clergymah's fame had preceded
him, and dozens of the Congregational
lists had thought it worth their while, on
the occ aston of his first appearance, to
visit the Baptis. Church. They secretly
longed f or that spiritual awakening the
hope of which had almost vanished from
their bre asts. Would it come from him
The lit tie church was not filed. There
were great ugly gaps in the very mid
die of the congregation. Here and there
half dozen bright, handsome girls occu.
pied pew together, and, conscious of the
contrast Of their beauty with the hard
features nd angular outlines of the far
mers' wives and the farmers scattered
about them, they looked coquettishly at
the new minister, as if surprised that he
did not notice it. As for the farming
folk, they appeared gloomy and unsym.
pathetic; the husbands sat apart from
their wives; each person seemed to shrink
into his or her corner, as If some wrath to
come was concealed in the gathering twi-
light. A few elderly, red-faccd, square
iawed men looked critically at the minis
ter. as if won dering why he were so pre-
sumptuous es to delay his beginning.
When Mr.. A rgent arose, he felt as if he
had the whsl congregation upon his
back, and it was crushing him. But this
was only for a. moment He prayed; and
his prayer foa nd an echo in many heart.
The old cracked bell in the beifry had
ceased ringing but minute or two before
he began, and his voice, coming after the
metallic dissDnance, was like sweetest
music. His prayer was short; rustic
swept over the congregation. Its mem
bers had expected longer supplication.
They began to, fear that they We're to be
called upon to aid In the work Each man
eyed his neighbor suspiciously.
MIR. Argent gave out hymn, which
was sung by the young girls and the
"choir, (" whose singers arrived late and
hustled into the front seats with consider
able ostentation. The new minister saw
that there were tyEo beautiful faces among
those of the sing srs who aided the choir
most skillfully. One was that of woman
of twenty-four or twenty-five, a delicate,
pain-laden, even wrinkled face, with
pleading, protesting eyes, timid lips and
a broad, high forehead; the other, that of
girl, thin, sensitive, passionate, the
lovely oval face Fl AIMED in folds of chest.
nut hair; face ca pable of almost infinite
variety of expressi on. After the hymn,
Mr.. Argent annou ICED that there would
be preaching in tina church. morning and
afternoon on the MORROW, and Sabbath
school concert in th e evening, after which
he read chapter fir ON the Gospel of st.
John. He then laid. aside the great Bible I
and stepping down from q low platform
began to sing sim pie melody with which
be had been wont to awaken religious
the far West. The nselody was inspiring:
the words appeale d; the singer was
natural, graceful, effe Give. It was q song
to move hearts, to awaken souls. But i
seemed to have little or NO effect on the
When The song died sway. 4
Mr.. Argent fancied til 1t he heard sounds
is Of sobbing here and there in the church.
but the mass of hiG auditors looked
straight into space before them, almost as
Il they were determined to ignore him and
his song.
Mr.. Argent resumed his seat, saying:
Il Will some brother leall us in prayerf's
There was NO answer The twilight had
ieepenec into dark now the breeze was
cooler; night had come. Mr.. Argent
waited in vain. Itwxs evident that there
would be no response His heart over
lowed with pity and SORROW for those cold 4
md unlovely souls that could not even
warm themselves With his enthusiasm.
BE addressed them frsely, with burning |
nd eloquent words he urged them to re- |
urn to the higher life from which thev]
1ad departed, and to consecrate them /
,e1ves anew Still NO answer. Both men
md women listened uncasfly. Some were |
Wiling to respond, hut they desired 4 (
: more convenient season. Is Mercy
,akes! he fIustered everybody cen Almost !
o death, . Aunt Nancy Brown said, after /
Fard, relxting the history Of the meeting |
n 1 rsfn0anfa1 0OgsiD over 4 slnakfn0 chr, |