American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-07-16
Religious.
THE FISHING P1RSOM

NE IoHfNo - Wv.
In II quiet vilIge far away,
The pulpit was vacant many Il day.
Candidates came from far and near,
Every sabbath Iur nearly year.
Some were too awkward; some preached
with ease;
But no one was able them all to please.
At length there came from n distant place
A man of unusual power and grace.
His frame was strong and his eye was clear,
And all were pleased who came to hear.
"This is our mani said the eli lcrs all,
And old aud young united to call.
The call was accepted, and early in May
The rev prison came, with his household.
to stay;
But after the toll of settling down
In his pleasant home in the little town,
The parson was ono day seen to stroll
Across the street with basket and pole,
And take his way, Ger field and brake,
To a ripli stream that entered the lake
Just below the town. s"what does 1t mean?''
Asked the gossips and all who had seen.
:" 4 fishing pdrson," exclaimed the men,
" How could we so deceived have been?"
The spinsters said: "'Twas shame and
sin
" A pdrsOn to be engaged in
Such ,corldrp sp ,rts." Twas late IN the day
When the parson took his homcward way,
With wel-flled basket, and better still.
A glowing cheek and a healthful thrill,
Caused by the blood that flowed through his
veins
As torrents flow after summer rains.
Some said, with boldness: "They never more
Could respect and love him as before"
" 4 fishing pdrson, Who ever heard
OF a fishing man preaching the word?"
Thus spake the elders and deaoons and alI.
And before them at once the parson they
call.
A painful duty" the eldest said.
"Devolve' upon u.s. and he shook his head
In a serious way. "Never before,
For eight and seventy years or more,
"Have we as 4 church been called upon
To reprove our pastor for what he bias done.
J" You went a fishing the other dayl
eve think it unseemly in every way.
Twill injure the cause with the young and
IT'S scan,idlotas, What have you to sayI'
A smile came over the parsons face.
As he rose to respond with becoming grace.
He spake of Peer and his brethren three,
Who once were fishermen on 0aiilee.
" These were the men that the Master chose
To carry His gospel to friends and foes
He spake of Bethune and he spake of Todd
" Fishing pdrs0ns!' but men of God.
d" Fishing parsonsr' aye: but better men
To preach the Word and WELD the pen
The church has not known for MANY a day.
They loved TO preach, they loved to pray;
Nor their Lord the less because as well
They loved the mountain-stream and dell.
. And as for myself, can boldly say
z preach the better, fromday to day,
While casting my fly for the speckled trout.
God speaks to me, and am blest.
( No.more was said. bit as time rolled on
The pews in the church filled, one by one,
And as never before. from far and near,
The people locked to the church to hear
" The fishing ,,a,Sonr' for so he was known
By boys and girls and men full-grown.
And at length the Westinghouse, which be
Had held them all, with room for more,
Became so crowded that ERE the fall
An effort was set on foot by all
To build new house. with ample room
For all the people who wished to come
And though the years rolled swiftly by
Inc IRE stu glOWed IN the parson 5 eye;
And he often said, in his pleasant way,
As he labored on from day to day, fs-s
That his power to work with n steady plod
Was due to his love OF the basket and rod.
The parson lived long. and reioiced to think
OF the souls that were saved from Ruins
brink
True fisher of men, hn had tried to be-
As faithful as those of Galilee.
Twas at eighty and three, and preaching
still,
And serving his Master with heart and VIII,
That the welcome summons at last was sent
To call him home from Punishment.
And this they cut on his tombstone deep,
When he at last had fallen on sleep:
.. Here lett the fishing pdrsOn!r' and then,
e His Master made him q fisher of men,
james III. HOddicy, in n. Y. Independent.