The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-07-11

hurt our pastors wife at all to lend
helping hand, when we are working 80
hard to raise her husbands salary"
Other remarks of like character were
made during the afternoon, as one and
another came, burdened with the idea that
she was doing more than her share, and
some other sister was not as faithful as
she out to be; but at length all things
were in readiness and the guests began to
arrive.
Very few outside the regular church
members and members of the congrega-
ton were present. OF course, each brother
present felt in duty bound to buy some
strawberries and cream, no matter how
much his wife had donated for the festi-
val. Good Deacon Fuller was 80 strongly
impressed with his duty in this direction
that he actually ate three dishes, and
bought several more for others. The
evening wore away, and yet the supply of
strawberries and cream was in excess of
the demand, and it was feared that the
receipts would hardly cover the expenses.
AT this critical iuncture the chairman
or rather chairwoman of the executive
committee was struck with happy
thought, which was speedily commune
Gated to other members of the committee,
and a subcommittee was hastily ap-
pointed to present the thought to the pas
| tor for his approval. 1t was this cit is
quite evident that our receipts for the
evening will but little more than cover
our expenses, unless something can be
done to increase the number of our Gus
| toners. Now the firemen are having a
dance at the town hall can't we send a
committee over and invite them to come
here for supper ? Do you think it would
be wrong 2"
"Well," said the sstonished pastor.
"what do you think ?"
| "The dancers will have some refresh
ments somewhere, and if they don't get
them here, no doubt they will go across
the street to the eating saloon, and liquor
is sold there" said the committee.
While this discussion was going on with
the pastor, it became noised over the room
that an invitation was to be extended to
the dancers to take their refreshments at
the church. Immediately there was divi-
sion of opinion, and the tide of argument
ragged higher and higher, and earnest
words gave place to bitter ones. At length
the pastor was obliged to get upon chair
and announce that such proposition
could not be entertained for moment.
But this did not heal the division, nor
was it healed for many weeks. Those ia.
voring the proposition stoutly accused the
opposite party of making the festival a
failure; while the accused retorted that
they had saved the dignity and sanctity
of the church.
When the proceeds were counted, it was
found that the net gain in cash was about
twenty-five dollars, which was paid ovel
to the pastor to apply on his salary. But
the pastor kept private account of the
affair, which fully convinced him that the
whole festival business is vanity-ever
worse than vanity aud vexation of spirit
No doubt more than three-fourths of the
receipts of the festival came out of the
pockets of the church members and othel
items not usually taken into the account
are the following;
| CASH ACCOUNT NOT REPORTED BY THE " FINAN
| CIAL COMMITTEE"
Twenty cakes (donated), at 75c. ...... SIS OF
Thirty quarts strawberries (donated), at
| loc. .!...... ...''......''...''. o.
Sugar (begged). Observation-Disclosures. l 81
Labor Of Is women two days. .......... % 81
Other labor (donated) ................ On
Total. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. $48 5,
| MORAL ACCOUNT.