Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-05-02
JUSTICE AND PASTOR.
From the Christian Apologisr, as
Quoted From Reformed
Church Paper.
Translated from the German /

found in Justice Smart. Two
chapters in the Bible were particu-
larly pleasing to the Justice, name
ly: the 10th of Matthew and the
10th of Luke. In the presence of
the pastor he never tired in COM
menting on certain passages in
these two chapters. He boasted
that no minister had ever answered
his argument. He generally closed
as follows: preachers who live
on salary I despise; let them
work as Paul did, and make liv-
ing as other honest people do.''
About ten years age it was pro-
posed to build a parsonage in
Hlckorytown. The members of
the church and congregation were
all willing, except Justice Smart,
who proceeded to address the peo-
pie assembled on his hobby or fa-
vorite theme. Said he: Il would
like to know if St. Peter, or any of
the holy Apostles ever had a par
sonage. l am not opposed to
preachers, my dear friends; ON the
contrary, l esteem and love them.
But they must be like the Apostles.
Where do you read that the Apos-
ties wore fine broadcloth coats, and
lived in parsonages? They had
nothing of the kind. The Lord
said to them: Provide neither
gold nor silver, nor brass in your
purses; nor scrip for your journey,
neither two coats, neither shoes,
nor yet stats. And when ye come
into a house salute 1t, saying:
Peace be to this house! And in
the same house remain, eating and
drinking such things as they give.
CHOW, I ask, where do you find
the parsonage? I challenge any
one to show me anything in the
Bible in regard to a parsonage, or
to prove that the preachers of the
present day are any better than the
Apostles. If the Apostles had no
parsonage, then our preachers
need nome"
This speech convinced the breth-
ren, and the Iarsonage was not
| built.
Now, for twenty years many
preachers had been sent to Hick-
orytown, all of whom found very
poer accommodations for them
selves and their families; for Jus
tice Smartt continued his convinc-
ing arguments in church circles,
and in saloons as we'll. None of
these pastors could, or even desir-
ed to prove that he was better than
the Apostles; and hence no par
sonage was provided.
But "the pitcher that is often let
down in to the we'll, will be broken
at last" And so it was with JUS
tice Smart.
A new pastor came to Hickory
/ 0I
and he was an intelligent, unassum-
ing man, about whom there was
nothing uncommon or noteworthy,
except his poverty. He had a
wife and three children; but, ow-
ing to the agency and influence of
Justice Smart, there was no par
sonage to receive them, and they
were obliged to go into a cheap,
unhealthy tenement house. The
rent was cheap fer several rea-
sons. First, On one side OF the
house was the Fairgrounds of the
village children. On the other
side was a pond of foul, stagnant
water. Besides, the house had the
reputation of being "haunted."
In this mouse lived Pastor Solo
mon and his family; but soon they
were all sick of fever. The pastor,
therefore, appealed to his congre-
CATION, and urged them several
tunes to erect parsonage; but in
every instance he was confronted
with the argument of Justice
Smart.
| FINALLY, he met the Justice him.
self on the street, and by him be
was accosted thus: "You, also,
ask for parsonage. Did the
Apostle Peter, or any other Apostle,
ever have one? Have you never
read the 10th chapter of Matthew {
Do you consider yourself better
than the Apostles ?"
The pastor said that he did not
believe the ministers of the present
time are better than the Apostles
that there was much truth in the
argument OF the Justice, that he
had seen new light; that he would
take the matter under considera.
tien, and then give his opinion.
! The brethren, when they heard
of this, were all satisfied; ant
Justice Smart was especially hap
py in feeling that he had convinced
the pastor of the correctness of hi.
views.
| But "who laughs last, laughl
best A few days later, whei
Justice Smart had hardly finishes
his morning smoke, he heard ,
loud knocking at the door. As h,
opened the door, he saw Pasto
Solomon, his wife and children, al
on the veraada, and before h.
could greet him with the usua