The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-08-23
SEVERAL MEAN PEOPLE.
REV. DIR. SMITHS EXPERIENCE.
From, tie Ncp York Observer.

ON'N'
Near me, in The Harlem train, 4 few days
| ago, was seated the Rev. DR.. Smith, and as
| VIC sped past sweet country homes and
smiling farms, we conversed together OH
various things, and finally got on the subject
| of mean people. He gave ne Some of his
personal experience in this connection.
Not long ago he was on his way to
Martha's Vineyard, when he was requested
| to turn aside from the direct route 10 sup
ply . little church for the Sabbath, involving
| thus cost alike Of time and money. On
Monday morning the man who had induced
| him to come, said: "What do you charge
sir, for preaching?" My friend replied that
he never charged for preaching the gospel,
but left it to the people to give what they
| could afford. The man then inquired how
much it had cost him thus to turn aside to
preach for them instead of going direct.
My friend said one dollar and thirty-tive
| cents. The countryman took out his pocket
| book and selected II two-dollar bill. He
looked at it moment, then replaced it i'll
| the pocket book. He next took out Il one
dollar bill and handed it to him. Fun
bling i'll his pocket among a quantity of coin,
| my friend feared that the man was going
to give him thirty-tive pennies; so he said
| promptly: You had better let me con-
tribute the thirty-tiye cents, sir. Suit
Yourself" was the mans answer, as he
carefully buttoned up his pocket.
tried to account for the mans contempt
ib!e meanness by saying he might be poor,
or represented Il poor church.
81 think not" he said; but, anyhow, |
can tell you as good story Of covetous
| rich man:
| MANY years ago was sent ont West to
| represent one of the great Missionary Boards
of our church and to make collections. n
meeting was to be held one evening in a
| town nine miles from where | had been
staying. A farmer agreed to drive me over
| in his buggy. On the way l learned many
| particulars of the mans history. He was a
| member of the church; owned seven hun
dred acres of land; had seventy horses, aud
cattle and sheep almost beyond enG;ner:t-
ton AS near US | could ascertaia he was
worth 500, 900. | said to him l hoped he
rclnem bered that he was only Il steward for
these things and That he was careful to con-
tribute Of his ample means TO the treasury
of the Lord.
"Oh, yes" he said, 81 ain in the habit OF
| giving more or less
| suspected it was less rather than more,
and so, for the purpose OF testing the man,
| asked what he had given.
After IL few moments thought, he said:
"There was Il man here who wanted to put
| Il Bible into every house where there was
not one; don't know what the Society was
| called
| suggested that it was the Bible Society
probably.
"We.l, whatever it was, gave the man
a dollar
GLOW long ago was that ." inquired
| lie seemed i'll deep thought for some time,
and then said "As near AS can recall, IL
| is nigh on to zine years ago.
And have you been starving your soul
| all these nine years on that dollar?
| m ~ ba said. - | have TO other
things"
What other things, and how much ?"
inquired.
This seemed 10 stump him for a moment,
but after pause, he said: "Well, some
time ago, they put Il fence. around the par
souase, and | subscribed fifty cents to it,
and when the work was done they were five
cents short, and gave that too"
After a good hearty laugh ut the mans
story, said, But | have known mean
ministers, too, and cited the following case
A well-known publisher once told me that
having issued the life of Il celebrated divine
he invited the ministers Of an ecclesiastical
body then in session to call at his place ano
receive u complimentary copy OF the book
Nearly the whole number awaited themselve:
of this kind offer. One clergyman, aftel
getting his book, turned to the gentleman
who waited on him, and said:
81 am greatly obliged to you for this, bu
TO tell the truth, l bought copy of this
memoir the day before this kind offer was
made: now, wish you would exchange thi:
copy for some other book
The exchange was made.
"One Of tho closest men ever knew"