Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-04-16

III luSlOIlOuS SSuueHCe. AS the COUUTl-
button for any cause never amounted to
more than few cents, the recipients
would not have gained much if the col
lection had been made, but the negroes
were disappointed even of a penny.
Can I say word, Brother Fisk %
asked Jake VanDyke after the pastor
had closed his soul-stirring address.
Certainly, Brother VanDyke," replied
the obliging dominic. Now Jake was
the greatest traveller of the town. He
had once been to New Orleans for his
health, and he was never tired of spin
ming yarns about his adventures in jim
Leeds's shoe shop and in Bill Rowe's
store, while he reserved his abundant
religious experience for the prayer
meeting. Jake arose accordingly and
merely remarked: Bretheren, I've
trahveled out there considerable, and a
| lazier, cusseder, shiftlesser set o. whelps
| than them niggers be ] never see no.
where; don't give 'em a red y This
appeal was exceedingly effective, as
Jake's side of the question was the eco
nominal one, but he was never al
lowed to "speaK out in meetin'" again.
Our people we're excessively parsi-
monious. In fact, they had little occa.
sion to sperd money, as they required
no luxuries for body or mind. The
necessaries of life were fuel, pork, pota-
toes and preaching. Fuel was reduced
| to minimum by the use of those
abominable stoves unfortunately socom-
mon throughout the country, causing
diseases unknown to our ancestors, who
knew the value and comfort of the open
fireplaces which threw their ruddy glare
about the room. Not only have they
long since disappeared, but cheerful
faces have departed with them. Pinched,
weazened and tailow-visaged counte-
nances of the present era have succeed
ed, and have impaired gloom and melan-
choly to the souls within. Pork and
potatoes were indigenous. Turkeys and
chickens were never eaten except on
Thanksgiving Days, nearly all that were
raised being sent TO market for sale.
But preaching was imported, and was,
nominally, a cash article. say nomi-
nally, for by every available expedient
| payment for it was gotten rid of. The
dominie's salary was always in arrears,
| although they took especial care not to
be cheated out of all the service he
could possibly render. His sermons
were accurately timed, and woe befell
him if he stopped one minute short of
an hour. To be sure of being up to the
mark he generally spread out his repe-
titions half an hour longer. Dominic
Gilfllan had convenient way of max
ing favorite phrase apply to every
subject. He would observe : p" In rela-
ton to what has been said, these con-
siderations have various relations to
you all. In relation to the aged, in
relation to the middle-aged, in relation
to the young, in relation to saints, in
relation to sinners, | may say in all the
relations of life, it has relations in every
direction" There was no end to his
relations, and by an accurate computa-
tion they were made to do DUTY for the
space of thirty-five minutes in every
discourse.
OF course his attendance at weddings
| and funerals as well rs at prayer meet
ings and lectures during the week was
considered as obligatory as the three
hours of solid preaching on Sundays.
Then the poor dominic was expected to
make parochial calls and to pray with
every family that he visited. In re-
vival times these multiplied duties were
multiplied again, and there was no rest
for the soul of his body or for the soles
of his feet. All this time the calcula-
tion of his parishioners was how they
could get it all out of him for as nearly
nothing as possible. They would not
pay his salary and they would not re-
pair his dilapidated old parsonage.
Dominic Oswald was independent enough
to claim his rights. He preached often
from the text, "The laborer is worthy
of his hire" He read from the Scrip
lures t.: G story of Elijah and the ravens,
interiecting the remark that the ravens
of the present day did not carry around
provisions in their beaks. He was an
outspoken old man, and he actually
threatened to shut off the supply of
preaching if he did not get enough to
eat and If the roof over his head was
not shingled.
His predecessor, Dominic Beck, was
one of those mlld-tempered men who
never claim any rights that others are
bound to respect. He was at one time
actually in a state of starvation, beside
being nearly drowned out. Brethren,
he said, piteously, "you have seen fit
to reduce the salary from eight hun
dred to six hundred dollars, but do
not complain. If you conld con-
veniently give me a part of that y At
another time he attempted to work
upon their sympathies by stroke of
humor. Hesitating in his sermon he
apologized by remarking: 81 hope you
will excuse me for some delay in read
ing my notes for the rain fell on my
paper, as I was writing last night, and
1 do not own an umbrella" Still, they
would not pay up the salary, but they
benevolently instituted series of
sociables, with the object of raising
money in any other way than by the
direct payment of cash. They would
have given their notes for any amount,
but the notes would never have been
collected. So these able financiers,
like some political economists, sought
to accomplish their end by a species of
| indirect taxation.
The sociables were supposed to be
parties for social intercour e. AS there
was no dancing and there were no plays
allowed, the social nature of these
gatherings was not apparent in society
where the common topics of converse
tion were neither literary nor edifying.
/ The men sat In one row and the women
in another. There was little said and
still less thought till meal was served,
chiefly Of cake and those innocent
| etimulanka weak rOffee and tea for