The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-01-28
TRIALS OF A PREACHER.
Incidents in The Life of a Meth odfst
Minister at Poor appointment.

One of the clergymen in the New
York Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church tells this story about
himself
when l was the pastor of small
church in Delaware county, this State,
/ had hard time in trying to keep
soul and body together. My labors
were arduous and the salary only $400
a year, and if we had not received
various donations of provisions from
parfshioners almost equally poor as
ourselves, we would in all probability
have starved to death.
''It was what is known as a back
woods appointment being eighteen
miles from railroad and located in a
valley created by thickly wooded hills.
To give you an idea of our reduced cir
cumstances I am compelled to say that
there was but one white shirt in the
house, and that was shared in common
by my eldest son and myself. When
he wore it l went into the pulpit with
out one and made up for the deficiency
the best could.
Zone Sunday we had the presiding
elder of the district with us. He had
come the previous night. Early in the
morning he was disturbed by this shrill
question from my son:-
"Father, father, who wears the shirt
to-day; you or me?'
well, I was in doubt who was en-
titled to encase himself in that useful
garment on that occasion, but in a
spirit of self-sacrifice l shouted from
the confines of my room, L think it's
your turn, my boy
Il thought no more about the mat
ter until after breakfast and family
prayers were over; then the elder took
me aside and asked if there was only
one white shirt in the house. OF course
it was an mbarrassing question and |
tried to evade making a reply, but he
was persistent and l finally was forced
to admit the truth. Tears welled up
in the elders eyes and he offered to
part with some of his meagre hoard of
money, but l assured him that l did
not need it, and as l refused absolutely
to accept q cent he did not press the
| matter further.
Still, although the elder was kind
hearted man and receiving but little
more salary than myself, yet he loved
| to indulge in practical jokes. On an
other occasion he accepted an invita-
| ton to dine with us and my wife, who
always seemed to stand in awe of the
bic, dignified elder, made an extra
| effort to prepare tempting repast.
OYSTERS were scarce and very high in
that section, and consequently lux
ury, but my wife concluded that for
| once we should have oysters.
We'll, thanks to recent wedding
fees, she was able to buy them. Then
| she exercised all her ingenuity to place
them on the table in every conceivable
form that would please the eye and
crafty the taste.
well, when we sat down to the
table we saw oysters stewed, oysters
fried, oysters roasted and oysters on
the shell. 1t was literally a wilderness
of oysters.
Outside of oysters there was, in
fact, but little to eat except bread,
butter, apple sauce and, l believe,
some sage cheese. Still the little
woman sat with beaming courto.
nance, eagerly anticipating the elders
delight at the unexpected treat:
After a blessing had been invoked
I, as a matter of form, turned to our
guest and inquired:
".Elder. will you permit me to helE
you to some of the oysters?'
The elders face assumed a severe
expression as he slowly and deliber
ately replied:
"'Well, Dominic, 1 hate to say it.
but the truth of the matter is l very
seldom eat Them
Il glanced at my wife. Her face
was almost crimson hue and tear:
were starting from her eyes. [ think
I felt just a trifle savage, but / be-
trayed no sign.
'.After a few seconds of the mos
painful embarrassment l ever eXpe
rienced the elder broke the silence, by
saying with unruffied deliberations:
You see, Dominic, very seldom
eat oysters, because very seldom get
them,' and he burst into tremendous
roar of laughter that almost made the
dishes rattle.
"Of course he did ample justice to
the dinner, which at the best was fru-
gal enough, but l don't think that my
wife ever quite forgave him for those
| painful moments of suspense"