The sun., 1893-05-02
RED PENNIES AND BUTTONS.
HTFN THEY WE'RE BETTER THAN
FUMBLES IN THE BASKEE

There Are Too Many "Nnsty R.s Th,ns,
8. che Coiiectior," Conpisiaed the Bii.s
Evangeiist = Then He Ordered the Bas
kets Passed and Got $500 SPOT C.sh
| The John Knox Presbyterian Church OF Jsr.
| sey City was started three years ago through
the generosity Of George Mckenzie and ths
| faith and labors OF Mr.. Houston. who 10 blind
and who 10 known as the Blind Evan gelist' u
The church is located In poor section OF the
city. and mono OF the m embers are wealthy.
some six months ago the trustees noticed
that more pennies than silver coins or bills
were dropped In the collection boxes and that
the church was running behind. Later some
OF the trustees noticed as they passed the
boxes that some ofthe church m en- bers ha Bit
ually fumblsd their hands around In the boxes
and stirred up the pennies already there but
did not add thereto
Later still on Sundays they counted among
their assets more or less valuable collection
OF buttons which careless or sly people had
dropped In the boxes.
AS the Sundays passed more pennies were
dropped. more buttons were gathered, and
tho same people continued to stir up the
pennies. or those happenings the pastor was
ignsrant for he could not see the buttons or
see the people stir up the pennies. He only
Knew that the collections were getting smaller.
Affairs two months ago.
Mr. Houston is a shrewd man. He went
through Union Theological Seminary with
ho1ors He is a plain talker and knows how
saa des ~ Ws sae psopea in his church He
thing to his people. The church would ceie.
ASr and Thought Would b. ,ss an sen spnro o.
s .sas Ri;ss sSsSs ;sSI p,
fpa for the
on AZ nsas .snss And SSSs;SI asy StS W.
from the spiritual to the material sids 81 tRe Re
shi.. Shnissh he said: iesS than three months
building must 90, under the hammer" H'' '"''
odae, He SAID the church was $500 IL debt and
trastses asa have hbSSsa9n b9ousht
thn.o th,s cfGndtiGn OF affairs to my attention Il
must also say that unless the conspesation ]
sssRS0nds sssS sbnfsS mU5S lFSsra Fss Won't
our usual collection it is so small"
and nj shu.sn m'mefis HsussSn SsSnn es1Ss to SSss
and al then he burst ou! WITH. There are too
in the collection plates. it takes rss great
w;,p mapy sa,.t.an, Of them tS make a dollar. and
expenses Of the church. fhen egain some Of
plate turn their beads nway when the plate
stick their hand In the plate and push tho
money around under the pretence that they
are putting in something" Then Mr. Hous-
ton referred to- the button.
At the end OF his remarks Mr.. Houston said
that Q collection would be taxi en- up at once.
He also said that anybody that wanted to
eafs be4ess to gys
Bills and silver coins large and SIN all. and some
ot pennies. which MI. Houston was glad to get,
though he preferred silver. were dropped into
the boxes. and when 1t WAS all counted thore
was the $500 and a neat surplus to spare. In
the mean time mum bers OF the people signed
pledges for SO much Sunday and some paid
In advance Mr.. Houston says he supposes
the guilty ones gave as smilingly and as freely
rs the others.
After the congregation had been dismissed
many many gathered about Mr.: Houston and told
thought 1t would do much good. So did Mr.
Houston. He said last night he thought the
peorlss nesdsd s Il little stirring UP He said 10
such q way that tho church would not run be-
that 1t won't.