West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-02-27
A PREACHERS MiSHAP.
Why a Prominent Minister Did Not rreacl
sunday Evening.

WY Prominent Munster Dld Not Preach
sunday Evening.
Rev. DR.. Blank has been for several
years the pastor of one of the most
popular churches in the city. lie i, div.
niiied almost 10 excess. aud "a, rrclt
care which hc give, to his personal ap-
pearancc is very noticeable SUNDAY.
after an eloquent sermon, he ,tcppcd
into his study to look over hi. evening
discourse. A quarter of an hour spent
IN this task was sufficient to clear the
'hurch of all persons cNccp, himself
md theagcd iouilor
The clergyman butloncd his oycrcoat
sromd his woll propoytjoucd body. and
carefully placed the m1uusc~ipi of his
sermon in the skir. pocket or hi, over
coat started tor his SUNDAY dinner.
gong ont 10y a privat door opening iu
side stree. As hn swung tn, door
open, gust of wind and rain made
him >hiNcr and ne hu-Ul, raised his
umbrella. This operation took him but
moment, but 10 was lone cnouoh To-
allow 20 still spring tp SWING the door
violently shut, catching ,he skirts OF
Dr. Blank turned around "a, far as hi,
situation would permit and attempted
To open the door a ~prug l,rk. which
could not be- opened from the outside
without key. held the door. and hc
had uo key. lie tried to pull the inn
pri~oncj coat through huI the sermon
IN ms pocket wa, uu thr inside lie
leaned forward and tore Oh. lining OF
the coat, but i'm vain lic rom lyd the
door with his heels, hut th, mnitor
would not have heard camuuadc
lie tried 60 Stirac. the attention ofpl,s-
ers by, by calling out "hcllu.' bat hi.
position WA, hidden from the street IAN
front, aud no one came down the side
street
Five. ten minute, passed and the con
dltion OF thin, wa, not changed The
minister was sill outside and the skirts
OF ms coat aud the sermon WAS inside
AT length a simple solution of his diiT-
Guilty occurred TO him, and hc wondered
that he had not thought of il before.
lie slipped oil iho sleeves OF his Oycrcoat.
intending 10 leave the coat while he
should gain entrance by another door
and release hi, oyDrcoai, hut tp hi, hor-
ror he found chat hi, undcrcoIt wa-
fast, too. His face was covered with
great drops of pc-piratjou as hc real
lzed the gravity oi hi, situation. 80
human ear was there 10 receive m.
words thut came from his lip-. but he
asserts that hcusol no stronger Ian
guage than "dcar me.
About "a block away ON the side stree.
Is church which would Dee called "a
rival # such "a thing were possible be-
tween religious SDci,tics. and there doc,
not exist the most cordial relations be-
tween these two societies.
About the time the door closed ON
the clerical coat tail, ihr minister of the
latter church wa, reading the closing
hymn and the congregation was u,t
passing ont as DR.. Blank had resolved
TO abandon both his coats and reach
place of shelter, and with Glance up
and down the street ~ far as hc could
see from his position i'm the doorway me-
pulled his arms through tho sleeves aud
made frantic rush for tine sidewalk
Ills hair stood erect ON hi- head a- hc
saw, about twenty feet away the con
grcgauOn OF the nest church coming
mp the street The people %, once rec
OgniIcd DR. Blank. and their anne
ment took their breath away as they
saw the dignitieI minister ion his shirt
sleeves run wildly up fhc street and turn
into the front entrance pl ths church
\ clergyman on the -t.c't i'm 70 rain
storm without coat f. liable 10 Or
casion remarks. and tine chur.h-gocr-
stopped tO discuss the matter Ihcv
were sure 10 was Dr. Blank and the,
thought ho must be- in .8nc. Finally tho
coat. were noticed lying i'm heap D.,
the door. and the true explanation If
the eccentric h.i..ipr Of fn. .t...,. .... .