The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-08
Mighty Weak Sister.

Col. Mortimer Taylor. who Is the Col. Billy
Lyons Of ST. Louis clubdom, and a lawyer. bon
vivant and raconEeur besides, was in Chicago
the other day. and after dinner vas carrying
on desultory conversation with a little party
Of friends. man from Michigan had been
telling story In which parson figured as one
too many for would be wit, and Col. Taylor
blew a wreath OF smoke from his perfeCto,
leaned back and had the floor.
That reminds me, he said, "of a story l
heard when lived in Alabama Down there
in it there once resided an old lady known to
every body as Sister Weems Sister Weems IS
long since dead, suppose, and l hope she died
In the peace and consolation of the church, for
never was soul more unsettled and disturbed
during life on this earth. Locust Point, like
most southern villages, was a very religious
town. In fact, about all the society and recrsa-
ton OF the place was in some way connected
with the churches, Of which there were four.
SISTER Weems was old, very old, and
she was powerful theologian in her
Own way, She had belonged to the Hardshell
Baptist congregation till she came to the con-
cluslon after much reading and prayer that i'm
mersion wasn't an absolute essential 70 saliva
ton, and she had then gone over to the Meth
odist church south until her soul was perturbed
by the schism which occurred between it and
the church north during the war. She couldn't
reconcile the difference in tenets on the pro and
anti slavery question, and so left the Methodists
Tor the Presbyterians. She stuck to the church
OF the covenanters until a preacher there dis
coursed upon his belief in the coming Of the
heaven right here. and then in righteous wrath
she took her letter and went TO new Baptist
congregation which had just formed and put in
her application for mem bership. OF course all
these changes OF Sister Weems had been fruit
ful source OF gossip in the various circles of
Locust Point society, and the old lady's tickle
ness OF soul had been pretty sharply criticised
IN every sewing circle and more than limited at
in the exhortations at various prayer meetings
But all this had not disturbed Sister Weerns
VINO was honestly engaged In seeking for the
light her soul desired
when she applied for membership into the
new Baptist church the elders, or session or
whatever they are called, met with Sister Weems
and questioned her categorically on her articles
OF faith and her orthodoxy. Then they retired
to star chamber discussion and at the end of
an hour returned to the room in which the
supphant still sat. Brother Wickham, q tall
man with Whiskers like a goat and a bronchial
affection, was the spokesman.
Ststsh WeeIns,' he said, 'yo' all hev applied
ION communication in this congregation an
these two brothers an myself. as the session Of
this hyah ehu Oh, hev questioned you an hev
then discussed in brotherly love an communion
Vo' application. We hev canvassed yo' belief
and yo' wuks, Ststah Weems an we hev prayed
ION nght an ressled mighty hard with the cues
ton. am mighty sorry, Sistah Weems but vo'
record as Jiuah OF every oUhah chuch in 10
Gust Point an a blaoksmidah from the conven-
LIONS OF en- all, one by one, is aRin you. an
aftah long discussion an brotherly Communion
accordin' to what light hev bin givin' to u.s. we
all are bleeged to deny yo' all admission to com.
munion IN the Locust Point new Baptist church
Sistah Weems, on the grounds that yo' all are a
pow full weak sistah, Sistah Weems, a pow'ful
weak sistah.'
SISTER Weems sobbed IN her disappointment
but wiped her eyes on her apron, and as she
rose to go turned and replied:
"'Brothah Wickham,' she cried, I reckon
you are all Christian men, an hev lodged ac-
cohdin' to 70 lights. It's mighty disap'int
ment TO me in my ole age, but l amt got moth.
in to say aRn you all, nothin' at all; only this.
Brothah Wickham, of 20 all wuz 70 yeahs ole,
an had been pestered with rheumatic like hev
bin TO- the last fo'ty yeahs, yo' all I'D be a
mighty weak sistah, too, Brothoh Wickham,
mighty weak