The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-11-21
Hannington's Saints.

"Sir, if We don't mind, we shall die
of dignityH' said DR.. Chalmers to one
who was maintaining that clergymen
should "stand upon their dignity"
When James Harrington became
the clergyman of Hurstpierpoint, he
determined to win the men, women
and children, Of the village to Chris
tian life. If he could do it, and "stand
upon his dignity" very well; if not,
he would appear as undignified as the
occasion demanded.
One day he was walking in the VIII
lage street with a very dignified
ecclesiastic, and who was attired in q
clerical dress, which Mr.. Harrington
seldom wore. Suddenly he felt tug
{ at the skirt of his coat. He stopped
and looked around, and saw q blusing
little girl.
"Please, SIR" said she, timidly, for
she was afraid of the dignitary,
"haven't you got bul's-eye for me?"
1t was his habit to walk the streets
in an old faded doating-coat, TIE pock-
cts of which were filled with goodies
for the children he might meet. He
would stop child, give to it a brief
lesson on "sneaking," telling lies and
using bad language, and then dismiss
the child with a cake or bulPs-eye.
The next time the minister and the
child met, Harrington would ask,
"Now, then, what were the three
things you were not to do. eh?" If the
answers were correct, the rewarding
candy was never wanting.
The wild boys were hunted for and
caught. The faithful minister would
find out what interested a bad boy
and then show himself to the boy as
interested in that pursuit. If boy
had a liking for curiosities or natural
history, he was invited to the rectory
and allowed to examine the parsons
cabinets.
One boy fancied himself a young
Mozart. Harrington offered him the
use Of his own harmonium.
"But when shall I begin, sir?" asked
the boy.
"Oh, WE'LL" answered Harrington,
looking at him with quizzical smile,
II shall be out on Tuesday"
The lads loved him the workmen
called him among themselves
Jenny" But to no one in the
country did they raise their caps. more
respectfully than to their ''own
Jenny"
He gathered lads and young men to-
gether into Bible-class and temper
apce association. The members were
nicknamed "Hannington's saints"
but they greeted the scof as a compli-
ment.
+: He was fond of riding, and would
gallop for miles over the downs, or
ride straight across the country, clear
ing everything in his way. But one
day, needing money for some benevo-
lent purpose, he sold his horse, knock
ed the stable and coach-house into one,
papered, carpeted, and hung lamps in
the large room, and turned it into a
mission hall.
A boy was seized by the smallpox.
His people were forsaken by their
neighbors. The parson visited the
. cottage, supplied the inmates with the
necessaries of life, and prayed with
the boy. The people of the village
were excited.
An officer called to warn the pastor
not to 60 near the place. AS the man
went out of one door, the parson went
out of the other and called at the in
fected house.
He would take lad for his servant,
transform him by his own example
and instruction, and then pass him on
to something better. He had in this
way a good many servants, all of
whom turned out we'll.
1t was the possession of these ster-
ling qualities that fitted him to be the
, missionary bishop Of Central Africa
to which continent he carried the same
zeal he had shown as a young rector {;
and his body now fills martyrs
grave.
A correspondent of the Ohio Farmer