St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1897-09-04

| 3A - ~ der want f1pes t0e
@>SsS~ weather was sweltry
| N<wM ~ hot. and it was q
= very good time Of
year for man about
my size and shape = take = few days
of and do nothin ut all for certain. s.
consequentially lit out by times Sat
urday mornin and went down there te
mix and mingle with them good people
and hear the Gospel dispensed WITH
AZ old Misses Standenmire use to put it
There Wns swallowin IN IL.
The first and mainest preacher on the
grounds was the Reverent Luther Ran.
die. and it was plum surprisin to me
the way he could quote the Scripture.
and hand down the word. You must
recollect that was right there in per
son at old Sweet Water church on the
very day and hour when Luther Randle
got his papers Of entitlement to preach
the livin truth accordin to the faith
and orders Of the Old School Baptists
They had what reckon you mought
call a committee to put the questions
and then report back il the candidate
was worthy aud well qualified and fit
ten for the nomination. And il my
recollection ain't dead wrong old Dea.
coz Ashcraft led of with the questions,
and amongst other things he wanted
to kn,w of Luther If he believed what
the Bible said about Daniel goin down
into the lions den and comm out sound
and well and without scratch.
ITO be certainly of course, brethren,
I do believe that" says Luther. II be
lieve it most in generally because the
Bible says it was 20. though raley
don't see how l could worry it down
ii had found it in any other book"
Then they wanted to know of Luther
il he believed the Scriptures in regards
to them three fellows with such hard
and curious names, which went
through the fiery furnace when II was
heated seven times hotter than any use
for. And Luther he believed it because
he had read it in the Bible.
Next then they wanted to know his
honest opinions touchin Jonah and the
whale-Did he believe all the Good
Book said about that?
"Ycs, brethren" says Luther. II be-
lieve that Jonah swallowed the whale -
Some members Of the committee saw
where Luther had slipped cog and put
the question to him oncst more as If in
the hopes that he would see the break
and mend it himself. But still Luther
maintained that he was plum satisfied
from what the Scriptures said that
Jonah did raley swallow the whale.
"You mean to cay. Brother Randle.
that you believe the whale swallowed
Jonah, for that II what the Scripture
says about it." put in Deacon Ashcraft.
''Of course, brethren, believe any
thing the Bible says about Jonah and
the whale" Luther went On. II Jest
only knowed there was swallowin some
where's in it."
Now after that about all recollect
for certain is that the committee found
Luther Randle firm in the faith and
sound in the doctrine. And from that
day henceforwards he has stood forth
as q mighty power for good in this
naughty old world here below.
The Reverent Luther Randle is . full
half brother-by consanguinity or
otherwise-to Billy Randle-which you
recollect Billy is the youngster who
told the preacher down at Ebenezer last
summer that he would ruther not be
borned again for fears he mought be q
gal the next time.
sThe Old Hen Was On.~
But when got down there to the
Sweet Water meetin Saturday mornin
who else do you reckon found-both
right in on the ground floor and havin
some '"felonious flush times" to hear
them tell it? Nobody but Blew Scrog-
gins and Andy Lucas. With me it want
in the least ways surprisin to catch
Andy Lucas down there, since the news
had went out broadcast that there
would be three sermonts q day and
dinner on the grounds. Wheresomever
you find 4 few good people gathered
together to hear the Word, with din
ner on the grounds. you are more than
= ~ " uuu Auuy AOS~o - VoS AZ soSA
midst. II rot the lead dog Of the pack.
but as to Blew Scroggins. that would
be the last place in the created world
for him il it want for the fact that
the human race was 6orned and bred
unto sin and sufferin and devilment
from before the foundations. And 50
when I first driv at old Sweet Water
church that day and found both Blew
and Andy there I knowed tremendous
well that the old hen was on. Next
to that naturally wanted to ind ont
If I could what she was settin On, and
when she would hatch and come Oh.
II have writ three letters, Rute-
three Of the gonebyest most fesvent and
love letters You ever heard
tell Of" says Blev to me when We had
ambled or down to the spring TO ind
out II that water would bear little
mixin.
'.If you recollect. Rufe. when ! vas
! candidate for high sheriff the seco3t
and last time the delegates from down
here in fuckers Mil Beat-which lie4h
over agiu Sweet Wster church. you un-
lersta nd-went back on me. even after
The old cat had punched her feet to
jump my way. Well. the three mainest
men IN that tight. which cooked my
Eoose to brown crisp. ~ + w<F. Vas
Ruck Collins. BABE Pstessoa ega elb
sepiEs LestAefNeet+