The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-10-21
The Old Man In the Stylish Church.
By. JOHN II. YATES.

4 Well wife. I've been to church today-beer
to q stylish one
And, seein' you can't go from home, I'll tel
| you what was done;
| You would have been surprised to see what
saw there to-day;
The sisters were fixed up SO fne they hardly
| bowed to pray. '.~ ..t
had on these coarse clothes Of mine-nol
much the worse for wear
But then. they knew I wasn't one they call q
millionaire;
| So they led the old man to q seat away back
by the door;
Twas bookless and uncushioned, a reserved
seat for the poor.
| Pretty soon in came a stranger with gold ring
and clothing nne; "
They led him to cushioned seat far in ad-
vance of mine;
thought that want exactly right. to seat
him up SO near. Co.
When he was young and was old and very
hard to hear. -.t ls.-a
people do; -t.
The finest clothing now a days oft gets the
finest pew;
But when we reach that blessed home, all IN
deHled by sin.
Wen see wealth beggin' at the gate while
poverty goes in
couldn't hear the sermon. ] sat so far away,
So through the hour of service, 1 could only
watch and pray"
Watch the doin's of the Christians sitting
near me round about;
Pray that God would make them pure within
as they were pure without. ut --
While sat there look in all around upon the
rich nd
kept thinkin' of the rich man. and the beg
gars ut the gate;
How. by all but dogs forsaken, the poor beg
gar's form grew cold,
And the angels bore his spirit to the mansions
built of gold.
How at last the rich man persisted and his
spirit took its hight
From the purple and line linen to the home Of
endless night;
There he learned. As he stood gaIin' at the
beggar in the sky. ....
ut isn't all of life to live, nor all of death to
die"
doubt not there were wealthy sires in that
religious fold. .=--..--a-sa -'e
Who went up from their dwellings like the
Phartseo Of old; y ,sss- a - -le
Then returned home from their worship. with
their heads upliftcd high.
To spurn the hungry from their door with
ss naught to satisfy. #rtHEe t-.
Out, out with such professions! they are doin'
more to-day afy p $50
To stop the weary sinner from the gospels
shinin' way. f.
Than all the books of in1dcis. than all that
has been tried ti
Since Christ was born in BcthIehem-smce
Christ was crucifed.
How simple are the works of God, and vet
how very grand
The shells in ocean caverns-the flowers on
the land
lie gilds the clouds of evenin' with the gold
light from HIS throne, #-a.
Not for the rich man only; not for the poor
alone. -t
Then why should man look down on man, |
because of lack OF soldI r
Why seat him In the poorest pew because his |
clothes are old7
4 heart with noble motives-a hsart-thst God |
has bIest-
day be beatm' Heavens music meath that
faded coat and vest.
IN old may be childish-but love sim.
plicity;
love to see it shinin' In Christians piety;
Iesus told in His sermons, in Judea,s
mountains wild.
lie that wants to go to Heaven must be like |
little child.
)ur heads are growin' gray, dear wife-our
hearts are beatin' slow
n a little while the Master will call for us to
When we reach the pearly gateways, and look
in with joyf full eyes.
Ven see no stylish worship In the temple Of
the skies.