The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-01-02
The Podunck Society Meeting
BY ga COUNTRY PARSON."
". Y. Observer.

Inc regular oOClety meetlng OF 70
dunck church was called for Monday
evening. This was an annual meeting
at which time the business of the church
for the year was transacted. 1t wa:
quite often the case that the attendance
was mserably small; hardly quorum
present for the legal administration O.
the usual business. Podunck Society
like many others, in ordinary times al
lowed its matters to 60 on without much
interference. But an extraordinary oc.
casion had arrived and the Society wa:
we'll represented. Deacon Joel wa:
there from the chill" and Uncle DAME
from the "street." The people from
the "butternuts" were all on hand, led
by the colonel, who kept rubbing hi:
grey head, as if uneasy. Deacon NOAH
Higgins must not be forgotten. He
was the pillar of the church. Tonight
he appeared to hold a secret, which he
regarded as personal property.
The Rev. John Morehouse was "sta
ted supply" an ecclesiastical position
never contemplated by the polity Of
any church. Because of the hardness
of peoples hearts it has been allowed,
quarre1s. It has pleasant suggestion
of the farm, in a rural community, when
the word goes about that "we have hir
ed our minister again." The old-fash.
ioned relation of pastor and people is
obliterated; feeling of uneasiness pos
sesses both parties. Parson Morehouse
understood all this, but he could moi
change it. One or two narrow-mindec
men really decided the policy of the
church, although it belonged to an or.
der that rejoiced in republican system
Rev. Mr.. Morehouse had ministered al
Podunck for ten years-a long pastor
ate in these degenerate days-years O.
good, honest, prayerful work; year:
when beaten oil had been brought to
the sanctuary and offered as unto the
Lord. This good man had not remain
ed country parson because he was moi
Intellectually equipped for larger field
prepared by grace to minister to many
souls. He was an original preacher ir
the best sense. He had large spiritua
insight, and in every sermon he wrote
he tried to do his best. He believed
that not only are sinners to be invited
to Christ, in the work of preaching, bu
Christians are to be instructed in divine
things. With these ideas of his work
his study was place of toll. Deacon
Joel said "ministers had an easy time
1t was no work to write sermon when
you were trained for it." Uncle DAME
had added, "He thought ministers ough
to labor like disciples, without a salary
If they were engaged in spiritual work
they should be spiritual themselves. y
Uncle Daniel always put quarter into
the contribution box, and prayed "thy
kingdom come" Aunt Betsey, who
heard this remark, told Uncle Daniel
''if the congregation were more spiritua
their minister would have pleasantel
time"
Our good brother was trying to edu
cate his children on a salary of eight
hundred year. He found it called
for the grace of contrivance to approach
it. To supplement his salary he wrote
for the press in his leisure moments, and
his wife had taken two boarders in the
summer months. The people of Pc.
dunck was sure their minister was max
ing too much money. He might reduce
his salary a hundred dollars year very
we'll. 1t had been talked up about the
parish for six months. Uncle Daniel
said "some action must be taken at the
annual meeting" Some of the sisters
remarked, elf Mrs. Morehouse had any
time she ought to get up festival to
help raise the salary" eyes," said
Aunt Betsey, with peculiar CLEAN in
her eye, sit is her duty to keep her hus
bands house and beg too."
But Monday came as all Mondays do
They had heard a suggestive sermon the
day before on the text, eye know moi
what day will bring FORTH" They
were going to do their part in illustra
ting the thought of the sermon. A
church society in its collective capacity
is very uncertain body. 1t can stulify
itself without any effort. Podunck peo
pie liked their minister. They were
proud of his abilities. They did moi
desire to be mean. They wished to gel
the gospel cheap. They would have
been better suited if they could have
had it "without money and without
price" The brethren assembled and
chose Deacon Noah Higgins as moder.
ator. He was the most Influential
member. Somewhat narrow-minded
and set in his way, he was sound at the
core and had great weight among the
people. Deacon Joel made quite 6
lengthy speech. Times were hard, il
was purity close year; he didn't have
eight hundred to live on. Minister.