Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-12-16

Texts have often been chosen with
the view of conveying a gentle adj
monition to some one Of the preach
er's VINO might be supposed in spe-
clal need of it. The best story in
this connection is perhaps that Of the
very evangelical old canon who had
son of advanced ritualistic tendpn-
cies. In due course the younger
cleric obtained a living, and was very
anxious that his father should preach
IN his church. At last, after long
delay and much persuasion, the canon
consented, and the rector was de-
lighted. His joy was, however,
short-lived; for when the old man
gave out his text, it ran, Lord,
have mercy upon my son, for he is a
lunatic." One minister in u New
England community once felt il nee.
essary to reprOve money making
pariShioner who had stored and was
holding in reserve with the hope of
higher prices) large quantity of
corn which was sadly needed for con-
sumption in the town. The parson
preached from the very appropriate
text in Proverbs, He that with
holdeth corn, the people shall curse
him." AS he grew warmer i'm his
application of the text, he expected
to see some signs of penitence i'm the
corn-dealer; but that worthy only
sat up stiff and defiant. At last the
preacher could bear it no longer and
roared out, Colonel Ingraham
Colonel Ingraham you know mean
you why don't you hang down your
head ?" The ColOnelshould have be-
longed to the congregation of the
colored preacher who deplorpd that
he could not say word to his ueO-
pie about stealing, because cit would
throw such a coldneSs ober de meet
ing"
There is at least one case on record
OF man finding a libel In the words
OF hymn given out by his minister; :;
and, no doubt, if we had some of the
old humorists in the pulpit in these
days there would be instances Of H.
bel in the sermOn-teXt, too. a cler-
gyman in the West Country had two
curates, one comparatively old
man, tho other very young. With
the former he had not been able to
work agreeably; and on being in.
Vited to another living, he accepted
1t, and took the young curate with
him. Naturally there was fare.
we'll sermon; and we can imagine
the feelings of the curate who was to
be left behind when he heard the
text given out, " Abide ye hers with
the ass, and and the lad will go Won.
der and Worship"
Sterne once declared in regard to
the widely respected maXim. De NOR.
tuts nH nisi 6OnuIn, that there was
nothing right about it but its Latin.
This view was evidently shared by a
certain Edinburgh minister, who.
being asked to preach the funeral
sermon of miserly brother cleric,
chose as his text the words, "And
the beggar died" He NAV, how
ever, have done it unwittingly, for
many mal-apropos texts are on re.
cord. Mr.. SpurgeOn once warned his
students to be very particular i'm this
matter. One brother, he declared,
had once preached on the loss of e
ship with all on board from $50 He
bringeth them to their desired ha-
ven )" while another, returning from
his honeymoon trip, took for his
text, "The troubles of my heart are
enlarged oh bring me out Of my
distresses." These instances of Mr..
Spurgeon's can only be capped by
the text of the country minister who
had been appointed chaplain to a
Jail: - go to prepare place for
you J" There is story of another
chaplain who addressed the prisoners
en- one occasion from the words, 1T
is good for us to he here ;" but this
case wants Authorization.
Texts can very often be made Pc
culiarly appropriate to the passing
circumstances Of the time. A year
or two ago minister in the neigh
borhood of Glasgow, who had been
an unsuccessful candidate at the par
ish council election, took his revenge
on the Sunday morning by choosing
for his text the words in Job, "No
doubt but ye are the people, and wis.
dom will die with you. But l have
understanding as we'll as you. am
as one Knocked of his neighbors; the
just, upright man is laughed to
scorn." Any congregation might
we'll be excused for smiling when the
fact was recalled that the preacher
In his address to the electors asserted
that only men of "upright charac-
ter" should be chosen. The text was
excellent, but not quite so pointed as
that chosen by Rev. III. Paul when
he was leaving church in Ayr,
land they fell upon Paul's neck
and kissed him."
When the old repeating" tunes
were first introduced they so scan.
daliZed many Of the clergymen that
the latter felt called upon to preach
special sermons against the innOva.
tl0n. One belligerent parsOn found
his text in Amos, "The songs of the
temple shall be turned into howl
ing;" while another discovered what
he wanted in Acts, " Those that have
turned the world upside down are
come hither also" There is very
good story told of certain ancien,
clergyman who had undertaken a sea
voyage for the first time. He was
very sick for three days, but was able
to preach on Sunday; and the worthy
man could think of nothing better
for subject than the text from Reve
lation, "There shall be no more sea. y
He was thoroughly persuaded that
the drying up of the ocean was a
part Of the heavenly blessedness to
come-for had he not been very sick
on the Atlantic
Another Clergyman, the Rev. Ed.
Ward Massey, was persuaded that
vaccination was an evil to be de.