Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-03-29
Raising a Church Debt.
Burlington HaWkeY

NOt long ago brother NlmDall found
a small church in Central Iowa that was
staggering along under comfortable
debt, and it looked to him as though it
would just be recreation for him to lift a
little country church out of the depths,
after his experience and success with
the big churches in the great cities, with
their overwhelming Indebtedness. SO
he tackled the quiet little rustic Eben-
ezer, and shook it out of the debt he
knew OF, in about ten hours, and the
building was clear of incumbrance.
Then, before the benediction was pro-
nounced, the senior deacon arose and
stated that there had been only one pay
ment made on the organ, and that the
accrued interest on the deferred pay
ments now amounted to about double
the principal.
Well, they raised this amount and
Brother Kimball was on the point of
picking up his hat when the sexton rose
and remarked that the man was around
last week and said if the furnace wasn't
paid for, the notes having run a year
over time, he would take it ont before
next Sunday
Mr.. Kimball laid down his hat, took
off his coat, and the furnace debt was
| lifted.
He got one arm into his coat sleeve
and nodded to the pastor to dismiss the
congregation, when the President of the
Woman's Aid Society said she wished
to remark that the society had been un-
able to pay for the pew cushions, and
the upholsterer had, several times dur
ing the past year, served a notice on
them, and she believed suit would be
commenced next week.
Brother Kimball groaned, slid his arm
out OF the coat sleeve, headed the sub
scription in his usually generous man
ner and soon cleared the cushions,
throwing his coat over his arm and
starting for the door on the run as soon
as this was accomplished.
But the chorister called out that he
would like their dear Brother kimball
to remain and assist them in an effort to
pay for the hymn-books, and also for
having the organ tuned. The dear
brother groaned, stopped and assisted.
Once more he started for the door,
but Deacon Ophiltree said he believed.
while they were trying to clear off the
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to remember that the sexton had not
been paid anything since 1874, and that
the interest was running up on his back
pay all the time So Mr.. Kimball halt
ed once more, and struggled along until
the sexton was made happy.
Then he got to the door, but some one
had locked it, and while he was hunting
for the key a good sister arose and stat
ed that the baptismal robes had never
been paid for, and the woman who made
them wanted her money. Inquiry on
this subject revealed the startling fact
that the robes had all been loaned to
neighboring churches and lost, long ago,
but they had to be paid for all the
same
The money was raised, and Mr.. Kim
ball was trying to climb out of a win
dow when he was pulled back and in
formed that there was an old tax title
on the lot when they bought it, that had
never been cleared off
Mr.. Kimball got this little flaw clear
. ed up with neatness and dispatch, and
was running briskly down the aisle when
he was collared by Trustee, and in
formed that the man who grained the
pulpit and calsomined the ceiling, last
winter, was there and wanted his mo-
ney.
He was paid, and good Brother Kim
ball was half way out of the door before
he learned that the chandelier must be
paid for that week, or they would sit in
outer darkness Sunday night, SO he
went back and frightened up the chan
delier.
He ran out so quickly then that he
didn't hear the man who repaired the
front fence present his bill, but while he
was walking down to the depot with the
senior deacon, that official suddenly
halted, while look of grave concern
overspread his face
Well, well, well, he said, IF that is
not too bad
What is it?" nervously inquired
Brother Kimball
Why" responded the Deacon dole
fully, we forgot all about the pastors
salary; he only gets 500 year, and we
amt paid him nothing but two donation
parties since year and half ago"
And when Brother Kimball climbed
on the train he resolved that the next
time he tackled strange church he
would demand certified statement be-
fore he took off his coat.