The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-18

his first Sundays appearance, did him no dis
service, for there is something always respectable
in the persistent endeavor of a single minded
man who is as modest as he is earnest. All es-
pecialy the older members, felt and SO expressed
themselves, that Brother Gums work was des-
tined to give general satisfaction and be produc-
tive of good.
That night he tarried at tho house of Sister
Aikens This pious and otherwise excellent
woman, among other much chat about the
church and about the village ways enlarged upon
the orgies of that gang" as she styled the Arab
club. 1t had been started, she exclaimed, by one
| Tom Rogers young man of about thirty, who
| had been brought up in the city Of Augusta, and
had settled in Raysville two years ago.
Hes one of the desperest men, Brer Gum,
anybody ever see He have some propty, and
some people say that what make him so Zalio-
like in his ways. and he even don't play keards
| like some, an in the daytime he's in genet
though he got tremenjuous temper;
an any body make him mad, there's fuss and a
fight, a-prowidin' the other man don't back
out, for he's puffec' julius Caesar about tighten,
an they say he can whip any body that'u fight
him, an he had the imperdence to tell Brer
Pitcher that if he weren't a preacher he'd whip
him for what he said about the gang, though he
didn't preach that he been one of EN-, nor that
he knowed any of EN-; an so, 10 an behold. they
shaved off poor Brer Pitchers hoses tail off, an
people say, some of em, that Tom Rogers driv
him off. An yet, if you'd believe me, Brer
Gum, Tom Rogers is perlite an a obligin' sort
O. Teller, notwithstanding his wildness, an he
give free not only to poor people, but he put his
name liberl to help paint an new weather board
the meetin house"
Mr.. Gum felt that the situation was grave.
He lay awake much beyond his usual hour after
retiring to bed and ruminated.
The house on the next day was crowded. The
Arabs were in unusually full force. Their pur
pose, it soon appeared, was to test the metal of
the new preacher He speedily recognized many
of them, especially their leader, by their mat
tenton to his words, their whisperngs and
gleglings among themselves and other unbecon-
ing behavior. Such conduct. so unlike anything
to which he had been accustomed in the simple
| minded people of his country congregations,
panied and embarrassed him much. Several
times he demonstrated In homely but not
offensive manner against what he styled onor-
derby behavior in some of the congregation. The
Arabs would suddenly come to order, and for
brief while appear to be almost painfully
attentive the sermon; but upon mute signal
from Rogers very stout, we'll dressed and
rather handsome man, they would speedily
relapse into FRANKS so patent as to be plainly
indicative of their meaning to be insulting and
defiant.
The confusion Of the speaker at last became
such that he foresaw that he must cut short q
discourse the threads Of which he was fast loos
ing. Stopping suddenly, he covered his eyes
with his hands for a few moments, then, remov
ing them and closing the Bible before him, he
said, in tone which it was evident that he was
striving with much difficulty to control:
"Brotherin' and sisters, | have took charge of
this church in the good hopes of the doing of
some good in place where it's mighty plain
that some good O some kind is monstrous bad
needed to be done by somebody. But you'll
have to be disappointed of a sermon from me to-
day. l amt been used to the behavior that's
, I'll have to get used to it, unless
} it can be stopped, before l can do
even. what little preachin' lays in my power
to preach. amt denyin' that my feelin's has
been hurried, not on y as a minister o the blessed
| gospel, but as one lone singuil, poor man by his
| lone SELF And they's of been hurried a heap
worse, exceptin' that I'm notused that some O
them onorderly people is nothin's but boys, and
| is led on in their mischief by older heads. Now
as for me, naterlly loves young people, and
special boys; because they got to be men some
time if their lives is spard, and I've in genl no.
fused that when they're uncommon bad, it's be-
cause they're led of by older heads that keers
nothin' for God, nor for man, nor for - L
| come mighty nigh sayin for who else l amt
| mad, brothern an sisters. For if l was to git
mad should 60 to cryin' first. amt mad, but
I'm sorry, and I'm disappointed. Let US pray"
This homely remonstrance. delivered in tones
that sometimes became tremulous impressed
all. Everybody looked at Rogers, some re-
proachfully, others amusedly, and his fol-
lowers sympathizingy and interrogatvely.
He was evidently in rage. When the con-
gregation was dismissed, he had brief con-
ference with his set at the back door, after
which all except himself went away.
The last to leave the church were the preacher
and his hostess AS they reached tho edge
of the building the for mer raising his eyes
adown the side that now came within view,
saw Rodgers standing just by the corner of the
further end.
SISTER Atkins" he said, ,"you go on; 7
want to step back little while in the meetir'
house, and pray 1 feel bad, an | jis know
that little prayin' right now, 4 help me.
You 60 on. / shan't keep your dinner a-waitin'
| too long
-
| I'D of some ruther," soliioquized Sister
| Aikens "that Brer Gunn'd of come long O me.
| He mout meet up 18th that Tom Rogers, an he,
mad as he is an big man as he thinks hisself,
| wouldn't das to give Brer Gum much O his
| sass before me-"
When Mr.. Gum had entered the house, he
sraightway assembled the steps of the pulpit, and
| kneeled his face as on occasions OF public serv
| ice, towards the further end. In very few
moments Rogers, who had re-entered by the
| back door, walked rapidly up the aisle through
the mens-side, his walking cane in hand, and
| when he had got within a few feet of the pull
pit, said buntly:
''Wish to speak with you, sir"
''Can you wait few seconds, sir. until 7 can
| get through with"
NO. sir; right now, sir"
The preacher deliberately rose, saying first
| audby these words:
Now, member, good Lord, what asst you. !"
| Then descending to the floor he stood before
! his antagonist and said mildly:
! Now, sir.
"When you was noratin' all that meanness an
| fooshness. sir, l want to know who you was a
meaning it at, an if you was a meaning 1t at
| me?"
II shall first stick pin right thar sir, whar
you names the preachin' O the blessed gospel, or
rather, the tryin to do it. You names it mean,
ness an foolishness, an I'll now asst you your
name, although hain't a doubt but what it's
| Rogers That so?"
my names none O your business, sir Ans
| wer my question"
Rogers-Ill call you that, jes for the sake O the
| argument, so to speak, that when one man asks
| question, sometimes before he git his answer
| he's liable to have moren one question askt of
him hisself I'll put you another Wern't you
! or wernt you not the one that chawed paper
an rolled it in wad, and looked at me, an
| hpped it from your fingers. an leetle more,