Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1885-02-19

lOl uph tuIhh lHdl uullHS lcul ~
time was allowed to enjoy twoi
months of my dearly bought privilege. !
At last, finding that | could interest
no one in my cause, | decided to
preach, anyway. The neighboring
minister agreed to let me take his
place for one day. This was my first
thrill of genuine happiness. The fear
of facing an audience'could not mar
the quiet Joy felt, that is, until |
reached the church. Then, with n
sickenng sensation | saw my nnclo
drive up with wagon-load of his FAM
lily. More than year had passed since
| had seen him, but without any
demonstrations of surprise or gladness,
he began talking to me as though but
few hours had elapsed since we part
ed. Drawing me to one side, he said:
"Havc you got one of them bloody
sermons you used to write with poke
berries?"
"No, slr."
"Glad to hear it. brought an ex-
ira check-rcin along and thought
that if you were going to deal in red,
I'd tie the horses faster"
81 should think, sir, that your perse.
cutiOns of me would cease"
"Oh, I'm not pestering you. Preach
all YOU want to- boy. You cant hurt
anybody"
"Unclc, have no ill-feeling toward
you, but believe that you are mean.
man. Here you are now, trying to
throw obstacles in my way. If you
don't want to hear me preach, you are
at liberty to go away. No one, | am
sure, sent YOU an invitation"
"How did know that you were 90
ing to preachP Do you think that the
whole country is excited? I've got u
right to 20 to church
| felt like knocking him down. |
could now see, more than ever before,
that he was mah totally unacquinted
with generous impulses.
When | arose in the pulpit, my un-
Gle, with half smile parting his to-
bacco-stained lips, sat gazing at me.
His wife, a woman whom | had never
liked, turned up her long, keen nose,
tancicd, and one of the youngsters,
seeing me, exclaimed:
"lIo, look at ole Luthm
Instead OF boxing his jaws, my uncle
laughed. The old lady pinchcd the
little rascal.
"Quit that now," he whined.
When began to talk, my throat be-
came parched and my words were so
hot that they almost burned my mouth.
My ideas became confused, and losing
control of my hands, / knocked Il
pitcher of water of the pulpit. This
would not have been so bad, but in at
tempting to catch the pitcher, hurled
it over the audience, and, rs the most
aggravating of luck would have it,
struck well known old gentleman on
the top of his bald head. The blow
rang out with sharp sound, and my
uncle who had not lost sight Of sin
gle feature of the performance, leaned
back and laughed, while my aunt stuff
ed yellow handkerchief in her mouth
and grew red in the face. The old
gentleman, whom | had accidentally
struck with the pitcher, had not seen
me when Knocked the pitcher from
the pulpit-as he had habit of clos
| ing his eyes and leaning his head for
ward during scrvices--and with an ex-
clamation which sounded rather harsh,
he Sprang to his feet. Some one who
was sitting near him, | have since
been told, whispered to him that
| had thrown the pitcher to awake
him.
"You young scoundrel !" he
shouted "What do you meanP"
at WIS an accident, sir" replied.
"Accidrnt the thunderation What
right have you got to carry on in this
way? Is that the way to preach,
singing pitchers around the house?
Want to save souls by breaking heads"
! assured him that it was an acci-
dent; that in making gesture | had
knocked the pitcher from the pulpit.
"Do you make a gesture as though
YOU would knock down steer? Don't
You know that there should be differ
ence between the faction of man who
is preaching and one engaged in get
ting out saw-logs? Come, get out OF
this house. have always encouraged
young preachers, but | cannot cOun-
tcnance ball game in the house of the
gospel. Come down, young fellow. |
am in earnest"
came down and my uncle grinned
like n wolf when | passed him. My
modification was so great that | was
tempted to commit suicide, but in
mentally debating as to what means
of Self-destruction snould be employed,
| found myself, almost before was
aware of it, urging the propriety Of
again attempting a proclamation of
the sacred word. was resolved,
though, not to go back to the farmer
for whom l had worked; and without
informing any one of my intention,
walked away.