The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-07
BILL ARP'a LETTER.

BILL ARP'a LETTER.
Apps Homilv on the Combination OF HUI
mslity and Poverty.
ATLANTA Constitution.
In every community that has popu-
lation large enough to divide there are
circles of society, circles of politics,
circles of secret associations and circles
of the church. The first and last named
especially embrace the wives and
daughters OF the community. Women
make up society and are more particu-
lsr than men about who they admit
into their circle. These circles are graded
like the pupils of a public school-grad"
ed according to wealth or education or
occupation. The dividing lines are not
fixed nor we'll defined, for sometimes
q Door woman who is smart and we'll
hammered and of good family is ad-
mitted into a higher circle. know very
bright and beautiful lady who once was
rich, but is bow milliner, and yet she
is never omitted, never slighted by the
charmed circle, as il is called. She
mingles freely with those above her
and those below her. This is the tribute
that all classes pay to refinement and
good breeding. A good woman who
has been we'll raised, and has a good
education can live in place that is
higher than the aristocracy of wealth.
She has more social influence in the
church or out Of it than all the swells
whose diamonds are their chief pass
port, and when she dies she has more
nourners at her funeral.
But I was Illuminating about the
church society-the good will and chari-
ty that prevails in church circles among
all its members. IF they don't mingle
together on week days they do on Sun
days, for the charity the church
teaches brings all its members on
level. Among Christians q don't mean
pretenders or hJpocrites) there is no
aristocracy. A soul is soul and the
humblest on earth will take the high
est place in heaven. am not going TO
preach sermon. These thoughts were
provoked by little episode that hap.
pened in our church last week. Our
preacher and his sister went to keeping
house. They dident have much to
start on and we were behind with his
salary. Our country churches are al
ways behind. For forty years I have
been hunting for church that was not
behind.
So it was whispered around that our
preacher had to borrow money to buy
q cooking. stove and he dident have no
more furniture than Elisha had in his
little room that the Shunamite woman
fixed up for him by the wall. He is
sort of half yankee-born North and
educated South, and his sister has been
teaching school up there. He is smart
and handsome and humble and the
most devoted man in his calling ever
saw. The poorest people in the town
and vicinity knowhim, for he has been
to see them. and everybody loves him
Just becaus = loves everybody. He
owes q balance on his education and
has gone in debt for some books, but
we dident know it. All ofa sudden we
found out that he was distressed finan-
eially. We told him when he came
that if the Lord would keep him hum
BILE we would keep him poor.
But at last our church people became
aroused. The ladies improvised a dona-
tion party and the men hustled around
and raised his back pay and 80 last
Friday evening the good things began
to roll into the preachers house. The
ladies of the town sent -four and coffee
and tea and rice and oatmeal and sugar
and syrup and canned goods and some
furniture and everything else nearly,
and the country members sent chickens
and turkeys and lots of potatoes and
pickles and jellies and all sorts of good
things, even down to popcorn and per-
simmons from the children. never
saw the like for two people. We are
afraid be will quit preaching and open
8 family grocery, When the first load
came be told the draymaD it was a
mistake-he hadent ordered any such
things and he must take them back.
But the drayman smiled smile and
said: "I is gwine to leave em here any
how-dat's what dey told me-" and
leave them he did. Soon another load
came and then another and there was
nobody's came on anything. The poor
man was bewildered. BE had just
bought twenty-fve-pound sack of
-four and here were $50 pounds more.
"Whst did he say?" asked of dray-
man. "He never said nothin', but he
looked sorter imposed on"
That nighe our people began to drop
in on the parsonage unawares and by s
O'Clock the house was full Of men, wo-
men and children. They found hearty
welcome, though they were not asked
to take q seat, for seats were scarce.
Everybody was happy, for they had
done good deed, and deeds always
make Us happy. The ladies slipped q
purse of $40 in the sisters hand and the
men another purse of s8Gin preachers
hand, which was enough to pay his
back salary, and then we bade them
good night with good wishes, and all
went home, where there were chairs
enough to 90 round. That's the way
to do the preachers. It lifts him up and
renews his zeal and increases his faith.
! I'll bet there isn't another preacher in
the State who dsres to be like ours in
one respect. He dares to play baseball
with the boys and is by far the best
player in the town, for he was captain
of a team in college and like the sport.
Now boys" said he, II will be glad to
play with you, but you must promise
not to use-a oath nor an unkind or
ungentlemsnly expression during the
game" And they promised.
After the game was over he thanked
them and invited them so cordially to
come out to prayer meeting that night,
that they went. His gentle influence
over our town boys is always for their
good. They respect him and admire
him and 60 to preaching more than
has been their custom. And Paul said
unto Timothy: my son magnify thine
Office" Our preacher magnifes his
Office and dig1ifes the pulpit and in
spires reverence for the sacred place.
Our preacher can beat any body marry
ing any body except himself that ever
4 II