Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-06-25
A THOUGHT AwAKENER.

In highly respectable and not wholly
unintelligcnt congregation was won't q
assemble for worship In that congrega
ton the pastor had no enemies. while b,
could boas, 81 large number Of thor
ough going and ardent admirers The
man was admittedly well fitted Tor hi'
post lie was kind hearted. liberal
minded. quick witied. a fiucn, speaker
and. In the opinion ~ many. n thought
ful n well a. nm eloquent preacher.
but. In truth. thoughtful" was just
what Dr. Sparkle was not Ills great
iihicuty-and one that increased weekly
was about IDEAS When he know what
to say be ccOuld say u well. Soinan could
produce more brilliant "coruscation'
or effective ilarcup from a paliry amount
u material. bui then the fuel had to coms
from somewhere. and that was the doo
tors difficulty. lie had a reputation q
maintain. and he was fully. almost pain.
FULLY. conscious ~ the fact When Mr
Jmndy. the peoples warden. invited q
irirnd home Tor Sunday b. would say,
The missus will DO the bcst shc can q
provide bii of dinner. and We can prom
lsc you a gorl sermon, at all events.
Jrndy. who was a good fellow though
q icrry builder. uss,l to rcp-at his little
Joke a. the parson. and no doubt be- wa'
a fair representative % many otheS IN
lhe congregation.
Under thc-e circumstances. and being
sorcly hansscd by the rrcurrcnt drying
ip ~ the well spring - hi. ideas, Dr.
sparkle had his attention arrested one
morning by an aTifully worried circular
which be found among his letter. IL
began n follows;
"SuucrLY PRIvArT-Ad Clerum.
"Moyc,l by the spirit of sympathy and
.ctuaied ~ be humbly hops. by a de-
dr O. ppmoio the highest ends, tia
sutcr addrrssss himself to his over.
srough, and -orcly oppressed brethren.
HAVING had an exceptionally wide er.
sri,ncc ~ parish work In town AMI
,uuntry. 'among rich and poor, e,luca-
si anil ignorant. be believes himself
~ H. iully convefsant with the tastes
,nd requirements ~ each separate clas-
n tic community. No one better than
,he prr.cni writer knows what u y u
have a. prcparc-amid multitude Il
other ,ccaiions-tWo. three or more ser.
mons a vcck. lie has suffered himself
anil can therefore feel for his brethren
sho arc suffering Accordingly be- Is
anxious. a the lowest price that will
'oycr actual outlay. 10 imnr o. hi'
5r,thrrn the insults - a system - ser'
mon production which has bccn Ier'
icctrd by himself after year. of anxious
loil aud profound study
After a ruol deal more ~ this sort oi
hing. thr circular went on % explain
that clients could h. provided either tll
with the finished article. l. e., a lilho-
graphcl sermon ready Tor immediate
delivery. AMI carefully adapted a. any
specified class of hearcr.. or 90 with a
''thouehi awakcncr or skeleton. con'
iaiuins uuthncs. illustrations. applica.
tiou.. etc. which could IT, iilled In 90
amplin,l according to the tastes and
talent. II the purchasers Finally a
guarantee was given that the same scr'
mon ~ holy u notes would never hc
scut a. two clcrgymcn residing within
nfty mile. ~ ,lch other. and that ~ far
a. rs--ihlc n yrt wider arca - distrihu'
tion would hc Observed
Dr. sparkle smiled ne be r,ad the
bomlastic document. and was about n
throw II into the waste paper basket
when something STAYED his hand.
Il wonder whether many clcrgymcn
avail theinsclyc. 81 thi. sort ~ thing.
my dear be- ,ail. tossing the circular
IN hls faithful wife. Who gynemlly 1T
with him for an hour 81 a morning.
TO deliberately get up and read anoth'
CO mans sermon sccms To me absolutely
sinful"
Bat al men are not gifted like you'
Lcihc. dear. aud SUPPOSE there are
sDmc who find IL very difficult 60 preach
g,-ri sermon. suggested Mrs Sparkle.
1T !, the dishonesty of the thing that
shocks mc." explained the doctor. III
a man can't write a sermon or hasn't
time. lci him honestly say ~. 1T him
take a printed box and read from it.
bu, 10 80 into the pulpit with a lilho-
graph and deliver Il as his own i a
thing canno, conceive any Christian
man daring to do"
lit would H. different II IL we're only
the not,s. said the lady. who had bsen
examining specimen thought awak'
encr" that had bocn inclo-ed with the
circular.
Il don't like the idea at all; Il savor
Of untnithfulncss." replied tho vicar IN
q lofty tone.
Mrs. Sparkle felt rebuked. not so
much for what shc had said ~ for some
thing she had veniurcd to think.
some time after this the vicar found
II necessary 10 appoint a new curaie, th,
old one having married n rich wife and
forthwith kicked over the trac,s. The
requirements for the vacant o;iice were
gcu,lemanly presence, n good clea'
voice and Just such an amount of preach
ing ability n would satisfy the cOngr,s
CATION withou, endangering the Wears
asccndcncy and popularity. Among th'
several applicants the doctors favorit'
was the Rev. Jonathan Cribbcr. But a'
IL was necessary. in appearance at least,
10 consult the wishes Of the congregation
(who were expected Ia find the funds. II
was arranged that, before arriving at
decision. the young man should be In
yiied 10 preach on a certain Sunday even
ing. Not. Of course. n trial sermon.
the vicar was careful to explain. "tha'
IL thing | abominate and would alSay,
set my face against. but just 10 let yoJ
see my people. try your voice. and thai
sort Of thing" Crbber. being prudent
young man. was quite satisfied with 'hu
way Of putting II.
When the day arrived on which Nr
Cribber was Ito try his voice" Dr
Sparkle was suffering from a had cold
In the morning. being single handed. h'
had no choice but To get through th'
service ~ well as he could; and being
man who. when put 10 II, was Away
equal 10 the secession. he acquitted him
self very crediiably. lie delivered q
striking and pathetic address from the
words. 'tho foolishncss of preaching
and the ply steal disability under which
he was evidently laboring only served to
heighten the effect Of his allusions 10 the
"earthen vessels" 90 which celestial
treasures were 80 often intrusted. But
In the evening. obedient to his doctors
orders. the good man stayed at home
leaving the whole service 10 Mr. Cribber
- ..,l l....,,s..,. hs,.,..lf ,.atio,tlv ta sueh