Mower County transcript., 1889-11-13
THE CHURCH QUARREL.
Parson Frater's Wa. chword and the
Good It Did.

IL all came, SO tyranny haley SAID,
*'iong O that young parson, ez war too
young ter know right from wrong,
anyhow" But public opinion was di-
vided us to the cause of the Bear Cove
trouble. The young preacher himself
declared it was simply 1.-The natchril
result Nv the effort ter mix sin an re-
igion, which every body knows air no
more give ter mixin' nor lie an water"
Old Grandad McElroy asserted that
"the corn-shuckin' down ter 81 Lar
kins' war the hull cause O. the disturb
mint Not" he said, THAT corn-shuck-
ms air not lawfal an good entertain
mints theirse'ves, but when they be
turned inter dancin' parties an dram
drinain' hit air time ter stop"
So grandad ''sided" with tho preach
or. who Threatened to "unchurch" the
revelers. old and young; while Granny
Haley took sides with the young folks,
who ''aimed ter thrash the parson out
the day he done sech. -
So the matter Stood until it sudden
ly occurred to one of the offenders that
Parson Lyle had no jurisdiction over
them, since he was a Baptist. when in
vestigation showed that none but Meth
odists had been guilty of violating the
church law.
The news was promptly reported to
the young preacher fretting over the
sins of the Bear Cove brethren. and
he recognized at once the f. ct that he
was powerless to execute his threa
One meeting house did not make them
one church. although the Bear Cove
worslippors had been a very united
and friendly p ople. So much so, in
deed. that Parson Lyle had entirely
overlooked the fact that there were.
indeed. two nominations composing
his congregation. He recognized it
now. ho" ever. as he sat in his lonely
little cabin under the shadow of the
mountain. trying to discover if possi-
be, some other means of 'circumven-
tin the WORKS O. the evil one." Il
might preac., 'em sarlnoa." he said !.
''an' pint uut sech ez air not ftten ter
enter tn; Kingdom. Hit air a union
m et'n'-house an I s;,rtinly hev M4l
right" s.
The information as to the parson' 3
intention went t g rounds of tn neigh
borhooI. exciting, if possible. moro in
dignation than the threat of expulsion
had done. =
He air a meddlesome young roost-
er." Granny Ha ey declared.
To which expression of opinion
Grandad McElroy added: He air q
game on anyhow; .ye air boun' ter
admit that air. He sartinly air game. -
{ ''WaaI." retorted granny. Il didn't
know ez the chur:5 war a-needin' NV
prize-fshiers." ~.-.
''la,s. it, air, said graudad. "A
preac er hev ez niue. call ter defen'
his principles a h cyarpinter an a
blacksmith b Y. Ef be don't do it he
air ap' Ter le plump Overria, I'm
a-thinkin'" ~r;t~s-'
All OF the conversation. of which
these remarks were a part, was duly
and elaborately reported TO the young
preacher. who felt no little gratif. a.
ton at Grandad McEIroy's approval OF
his spirit. He determined. therefore,
TO proceed freely and boldly III the
course which lie felt the situation de-
Iuanded. ( If T.
The little log church, tucked costly
under the wing of tie mountain at the
head Of the cove, was y new venture.
The people had done very we'll with
out it, some of them said, the Scratch-
gu. meeting -house. I've miles distant,
being quite near enough for all their
needs and purposes. But one prog-
ressiye spirit among them had set the
baSl Of innovation rolling. and it had
rolled on until the new meeting. house,
q m;ryel Of cedar logs and fresh daub-
Ing. splpad itself under the elm and
ash trees like = hen waiting ITO gather
her brood under her wings.
II was union meeting house, open
70 .ny shepherd kind enough 70 come
and brpak she Bread of Lite e the
hungry 9ock without money md