The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-09-11

end OF the sermon and her eyes had
taken on themselves an unusual
brightness. Everybody wondered
how she would take it and they ranged
themselves along the edge Of the aisle
she would have to pass through and
gathered in knots in the vestibule to
see if she showed any visible signs OF
perturbation, and their unanimous
verdict was that ''she was game.
There was an official meeting OF the
various church boards and commit,
tees the next Tuesday evening, and
just before their adjournment the
Rev. Israel Weston read to all the pill
lars and lights there assembled letter
from Ruth Temple in which she tor
mallv expressed wish to sever her
connection with the Methodist Epls-
copal Church forthwith and forever,
They pondered the matter and set
forth all the reasons as to why they
should and why they shouldn't com,
plv with the request. and the upshot
o. their deliberations was that they
decided to let her 60 her hereto way
in peace if she could give some we'll
grounded reason for wishing to cut
loose from her present church rela-
tons. The minister was appointed a
committee Of one to call on her and
probe her feelings on the subject. He
chose the following afternoon to per-
form the duty assigned him. Miss
Ruth sat by the west window, with
the report and general history in her
lap when Israel Weston, under the
chaperonage of the landiady's little
girl, tapped at the door for admit
tance.
She laid the red backed book, open
at the rs in the membership directory,
on the table, and let him in. The
minister rubbed the palms of his hands
together with a gentle friction which
served as sort of lubricant for the
flow of his words, which never came
quite so readily in house toulouse Wis.
ting as in the pulpit, and then he said
abruptly:
''At the meeting of the church di-
rectors last night l presented your
letter as you requested. 1t is needless
to say that it produced not a little
surprise among US all I have under
stood that your relations with the
congregation were very pleasant.
Nevertheless, we have decided to grant
you a letter of withdrawal in good
standing if you can give us satisfac-
tory explanation of this extraordinary
move on your part. Why do you
wish to leave us, Miss Temple?"
The crimson spots that had burned
in her cheeks the previous Sunday
famed into sudden life again and her
sensitive lips trembled.
When woman whose only crime
is that she has never seen fit to give
herself wholly into the keeping OF
any man is assailed promiscously by
both her pastor and his parishioners
for that one grievous fault think 1t
is about time for her to cast her lot
with some other denomination which
will be willing to take her just as she
swithoutconstantly reprimanding hel
in public for committing the error OF
remaining in single blessedness.
The Rev. Israel Weston crossed his
long legs and coughed nervously.
Perhaps you allude to my last two
sermons, Miss Temple" " he hazarded,
with an uneasy smile.
II do" was the emphatic reply.
"And this also" she added, takin :
the red book from the table and hold
ing it out before him while her index
finger again pointed to the tear-blotted
name, Ruth Temple, Spinster."
And you think-'he commenced,
looking at her half-wonderingly, half
pityingly.
Il think she cried, letting the
book fall to the floor with crash and
choking down a sob of mingled grief
and anger, that the committee that
got up this report are a lot of precious
numbskulls. I may be unduly sensi-
tive about some things, but have my
reasons for feeling so, and I can't help
it, and I think you are equally obstuse
and far more unfeeling than they, for
YOU publicly set me up as an object OF
ridicule because I hold station IN
life the why's and wherefores Of which
you nor anybody else has any busl-
nessto pry into"
The minister had arisen and stood
staring at her in silence at the end OF
her impassioned outburst.
sBut can't you seel" he said a:
length picking up the book from the
floor and turning it round and round
mechanically, II thought you would
understand"
81 do see," she retorted; Il do un,
derstand, and that is the reason ask
for a letter from the Methodist Episcc,
pal Church.
His own face flushed family.
"You do not see or understand, he
said deliberately, 'sand that reason the
letter cannot be granted.
''But for all thatI am through with
both you and your church, she said
decisively, and there the interview
ended.
Ruth Temples name was not erased
from the membership list, but she
lived up to her hastily made vow and
kept away from the Methodist Church.
Perhaps Israel Weston,s sermons were
quorted more frequently and with more
accuracy during the following month
than they had ever been before or ever
will be again, for all Ruth Temples
interested friends considered it their
bounden duty to recall to hec every
idea of each discourse at so much SEN
satlon per sentence, and she was kept
as well informed of all matters IN
which she had still been regular at
tendant at the meetings.
Hes eternally harping on the mar
riage question" said Miss Temples
landlady one day, critically. Some.
times he gets his text from the Old
Testament. sometimes from the New.
What on earth he means by it don t
know. He must have an object, but
what it is not one of the congregation
is smart enough to find out. y