Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-04-21
4 MEDICINAL ROW
Not Quite Ready for Saints.
From the n. Y. Star.

Nearly every seat in the lecture room
of Plymouth church was occupied last
evening by an audience that seemed
disposed to be very inattentive. Ev-
cry time the door at the rear opened
a majority present turned to look at
| the new corners. During the singing
OF the second hymn comparatively
I few voices were heard, until Rev. Mr.
Beecher said sharply;
II wish the brethren would be kind
enough to attend to the hymn and not
to the people coming in. There is not
one in ten looking at the hymn"
Then the brethren suddenly discoy~
cred something very important in their
hymn books and started to sing Justify,
while sardonic smile stole over the
pastors face at the success of his re-
| proof.
After three sings and two prays," as
a member present told the Star report
er was the order of exercises, Mr..
Beecher inquired if any one had any
thing to confess.
people often ask about my success
in horticulture. Well, can say that
my mistakes were more profitable
than my successes; so a recapitulation
of errors is often beneficial. The
things that we often hide are most
| luminous"
Then brother arose and said that
some present did not like the hymn
| Just sung.
"Wel, | never quarrel with my
neighbor because he don't eat what l
do" said Mr.. Beecher. People must
! give up something. | remember an
old Virginia preacher, strong Abolit-
ionist, who told story like this. He
said the richest man in the county, and
the largest SHAREHOLDERS, was Il Metho-
dist, with sort of hitch in his
| speech"
Here Mr. Beecher gave sort of
"ahem, which caused smile to creep
over the faces of his auditors.
Somebody once told this man: 'If
you don't get that niger wool out of
| your throat you will never be able to
speak - This set the audience on a
broad grin. Then he showed how the
man prayed.
"Ahem got down on my knees
in the field and prayed-ahem-and
my black niggers rose up-ahem-b
| fore me, and | said-ahem--I will give
| them liberty-ahem-and then | got
| the light-ahem.'
The irresistible comic manner of the
preacher was too much for the risibilit-
les of those present and a subdued
laugh went through the room. The
acting Of Mr. Beecher, although not so
energetic as that of Talmage, was fully
equal in character and in presentations
Then Rossiter w. Raymond, who new
er negIects an opportunity to "orate,"
made some remarks. and Mr.. Beecher
told about certain cellars from which
malarial odors arose, and said that first
one of the family died and then an
other from these odors.
'They called it mysterious Proyi-
dence," said Mr., Beecher "No such
thing; God knew it was rotten onions.
Man is selfish. An editor of "A New
York paper" he continued, "once bor-
rowed money of friend of mine, and
1t saved him from destruction. A few
years later, when an attack was made
on my friend, he was told that he had
an opportunity to show his gratitude.
Yes he said; i was thinking which
would help my paper most, to attack
him or TO defend him No man is a
SAINT. We don't want saints. We are
not ready for them yet.
After a gentleman told how Mr..
Beecher's prayers had saved his son
from a sinful life, a hymn was sung,
and the congregation, well pleased with
their evenings entertainment, passed
out.