The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-12-16
The Advent Preacher and the Balloon

There occasionally occurs an incident
in this world that will make person
laugh Though the laughing may border
on the sacriigioUs. For instance, there
is not Christian but #ill smile at the
ignorance of the Advent preacher MP in
Jackson County who, when he saw the
balloon of King, the balloonist, going
through the sir. thought it was the Sec
ond coming of Christ; and got down on
his knees and shouted to King, Shc was
throwing out sand bag, while his COM
panion was opening bottle of export
beer, go, Jesus, do not pass me by"
And yet, it is wrong to laugh at the
poor man, who took an advertising agent
for a Chicago clothing store for the
Savior, who he supposed was making his
second farewell tour. The minister had
been preaching the second coming of
Christ until he looked for Him every
minute. He would have been as apt to
think, living as he did in the back woods,
that fellow riding bicycle, with his
hair and legs parted in themiddle, along
the country road, was the object of his
search. We should pity the poor man
for his ignorance, we who believe that
when Christ does come he will come in
the old fashioned way, and not in a
palace car, or straddle of the basket of
balloon. But we can't help wondering
what the Adventist must have thought,
when he appealed to his Savior, as he
supposed, and the balloonist SHE'D sand
bag at him and the other fellow in the
basket threw out beer bottle and asked,
"Where in ----- are we2' The Adventist
must have thought that the Savior of
mankind was travelling in mighty queer
company, or that he had taken the other
fellow along as a frightful example.
And what could the Adventist have
| thought when he saw message thrown
out of the balloon, and went with trem-
bling limbs and beating heart to pick it
up, believing that it was command
from on high to sinners, and found that
it was nothing but hand bill for Chi
cago hand-me-down clothing store He
must have come to the conclusion that
the Son of Man had got pretty low down
to take job of bill posting for rever-
sible ulster and paper collar bazaar. 1t
must have been food for reflection for
the Advent preacher, as he picked up
the empty beer bottle, SHE'D at him
from the chariot that he supposed
carried to earth the redeemer of man.
He must have wondered if some Mil
waukee brewer had not gone to heaven
and opened brewery. Of course we
who are intelligent, and who would
know balloon if we saw it, would not
have had any such thoughts, but we
must remember that this poor Advent
preacher Thought that the day had come
that had been promised SO long, and
that Christ was going to make landing
in strong Republican county. We may
laugh at the Adventist's disappointment
that the balloon did not tie up to q
stump and take him on board, but it
was a serious matter to him. He had
been waiting for the wagon, full of hope,
and when it came, and he saw the
helmet on Kings head and. thought il
was crow Of 81 Dry, his heart beat4gitl
JOY, and he plead in piteous accents
not to be passed by, and the COMPOUNDED
gas bag went on and landed in cram
berry marsh, and the poor, foolish.
weak, short-sighted man had to get il
his work mighty lively to dodge the
sand bags, beer bottles, and rolls OF
clothing store posters. The Adventist
would have been justified in renouncing
his religion. It is sad, indeed. -Peck's