Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-01-13
PLEADING FOR THE BOYS.
A Philanthropic Boston Clergyman's Graf
flying Victory.

flying Victory.
here is one of our churches
won do. for reasons of state, to tell
which church it is-that has an entry
way OF vestibule, with fight of stone
steps, which is found very convenient
by small street urchins. newsboys and
the Ike to rest in, to fall asleep in
sometimes, and, horrible to relate! to
crack peanuts in. The litter of shells
left by this juvenile congregation was
the occasion of terror and disgust to
the honored sexton of the church,
person OF rather set notions, who pro-
ceeded to take the necessary steps to
clear the vestibule of the nuisance,
driving the boys away and warning
them with dire threats never to come.
again.
1t happened, however. to the sections
great astonishment. that the pastor of
the church showed disposition to side
with the boys. He liked to find the lit
tie fellows there; he liket to think of
the church over which he ministered
providing a safe harbor, with nothing
in it of evil influence or suggestion. for
these human waits. Somehow the old
church seemed to be, in his mind, full
filling the purpose for which it was
designed when it sheltered from the
wind the street boys with its old walls
in the winter, or cooled and rested
their hot and weary bodies with it,
dark stones in the summer. The min
ister talked to them some ines. and
felt that their resorting there gave him
sort of friendly hold upon them.
So he protested with the sexton.
Couldn't you come around once in
awhile after the boys have been Their,
and sweep the steps OFF," the pastor
venturcd to ask.
Sweep the steps off for the benefit o
those young hoodlums! The sexto,
managed to restrain his emotions, blu
with difficulty. No; he thought il
would be quite impossible for him to
keep the steps clear of the rubbish
that those boys left there. 1t was too
much to ask. and, as the matter was.
the condition of the steps was scan
dial to the church. He proposed that a
railing or some other means be pro-
vided that would effectual'y shut out
the interlopers.
1t was the minister's turn to be stub
born. He intimated that the bows
should have a chance to come there a.
long as he remained pastor of the
church. He asserted his authority
The sexton appealed from the decision
of the pastor to the governing commit
tee of the church. There the matter
was argued; and in spite of the pastors
appeal in the boys behalf, and his in
sistence that their habit of resorting to
the church steps might give him an OPP
portunity to do much good. the COM
mittee thought more of the church
steps than they did of the boys, and
decided the dispute in the sections ia
vor, instructing him to drive the boys
away and take the necessary steps to
keep them away.
Then there was ministerial crisis
right away. The pastor appealed the
matter to the church. A meeting was
held, and the question considered in all
its bearings. The pastor pleaded the
case almost with tears in his eyes, and
certainly with humanity in his heart.
He carried the day, and was triumph
antly sustained by the church. And
now, it is said, you may find plenty of
boys, almost any day lingering around
the steps of the church resting and Cos
siping. but few peanut shells. AS the
minister's particular friends they do
not betray his confidence in them
Boston Transcript