Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-01-11
THE STORY OF TWO CENTS.

thirty years ago told this story in
one of my letters. A generation has
passed by, and Irepeat it. for the moral
of it is quite as timely as it was then:
My first settlement was in Ballston
Spa, n. Y, where congregation had
been recently organized, and was wor-
shipping God in the County Court
House. When Presbytery met for my
ordination, Rev. DIR. Kirk, then of
Albany, afterwards OF Boston, preach
ing the sermon, it was commended to
oil its churches that they should take
collections to ass st this new conCrega-
ton to build church. / was furnished
with a copy of this resolution. and was
advised to make pilgrimage from place
to place, till had presented the claims
OF the infant organization, and received
contributions. Our people then assem-
bled, and first tried to see how much
they could raise among themselves.
There was not a rich man, as we count
money now. among them. The richest
man was an old bachelor farmer, and
burdened with bodily infirmity. He
subscribed three hundred dollars, and
no one else gave more than two hun
dred dollars, but the donations were so
many that one-half the required sum
was pledged on the spot.
Now was the time for me to 90 forth
and raise the remainder by appealing to
the neighboring churches. With great
care | prepared a sermon showing by
undeniable facts and arguments that
our cause was the most important that
ever sought the aid of good people; that
n church was imperatively demanded
at this point, that other denominations
were rapidly growing up in the village,
that our people had done all thew pos
sibly could afford TO do, and unless help
came speedily from outside the thing
would be failure, disgracerul and dis
astrons. This was followed by an APP
peal that was meant to stir the heart
under the ribs of the stingiest, and to
make the gold and silver leap out of the
pocket into the plate. Having armed
myself with this "eloquent" discourse,
| selected the church in Johnstown,
Montgomery County, N. Y, as the
largest and wealthiest rural congrega-
ton in our connection. 1t was some
thirty miles away, and 1 had to drive
the whole distance on Saturday across
the country. Elder Mix entertained me
with great kindness, and told me many
pleasant things of old Dr. Mairs, the
former pastor.
The congregation was large and solid
looking. They were chiefly farmers
and their families, and the sight Of them
was refreshing. / preached my first
sermon in view of a collection: do
not call it begging sermon, for it was
addressed TO the Judgment of the peo-
pie, with drive at their feelings in the
end of it. When it was over, was
very anxious for the. result. The pull
pit being of the old tub pattern, could
sit at the side and, resting head on
hand, look down and see the streams of
benevoience flow into the plates as they
were passed into the pews. In the slip
in front OF the pulpit sat a stout and
aforementioned father of a family with
him, and opening his hand over the
plate, he dropped upon it large cop
per cent, one of the old-time coins not
yet wholly extinct. 1t fell like a lump
Of ice on my glowing heart. The plate
was passed to the next pew, where sat
another well-to-do Christian citizen,
looking as If he were rich, increased in
goods and had need Of nothing. He put
forth his hand and with painful re-
luctance, as if he hated TO part with
his earthly treasures. dropped into the
plate hugh copper cent, which lay by
the side of the first. both coppers star
ing up into my face in the pulpit. A
cold chill smote me. / withdrew my
gaze from things below, and felt GER
tain that my cause was lost. Elder Mix
told me at noon that the collection
amounted to eleven dollars. Covered
with modification and confusion of
face, journeyed home the next dav,
piling up resolutions TO keep my own
vineyard as well as could, and HeUer
to 60 again to another place TO ask
money for our new church. A meeting
Of the congregation was speedily called.
made my report. stating the facts as
have here been related, and / closed by
saying: "And now. brethren, IL there is
any more begging done, you will do it:
my work is here. and my duty is to
preach to you, not to the churches scat
tered abroad"
To my qualification they said they
would see what more they could do
among themselves. Then he who had
given three hundred sat down quickly
and wrote one hundred and fifty more;
and he who had given two hundred
added one hundred to his subscription,
and it came to pass that in this way.
each one giving one half more, the
third quarter OF the required sum was
raised The house was built and dedi-
Gated, and when the seats were sold the
fourth quarter was received and the
church was paid for! To my knowledge
nothing was received from abroad.