Evening journal., 1898-01-08
TWO FORGETFUL DiVISES.
THEIR EFFORTS TO ASSIST WITH
THE SINGING WE'RE SO LUDI-
CROUS THAT THE ENTIRE CON-
NDr,r,I rrrONr rIkr krrfirrrrf,


THE SINGING WE'RE SO LUDI-
CROUS THAT THE ENTIRE CON-
GREGATION LAUGHED.
A number Of ministers, all OF whom
are of national repute, were seated to-
gether In a moment of relaxation from
more serious business. Just by acci-
dent they fell TO relating each the fun
niest thing that ever happened to him.
One of the most noted of them told this
story: He, with another prominent
minister Of the same denomination,
both of whom are pastors of metro
poiitan churches, had gone of into the
woods to hunt and fish. They stopped
at big hotel in a mountain region,
where trout streams were abundant.
and during the week inquired for a
church. The proprietor Of the hotel
tod them there was Methodist church
in the nelghborhood. and, as the min
lister had been called away for the next
Sabbath, doubtless the congregation
would be glad to have one OF the visit
ing ministers preach. They consented;
but when the Sabbath came the pastor
Unexpectedly appeared. They declined
his polite invitation to preach when he
was there to do II himself, since they
had come away from home for rest.
But when he mentioned the fact that
there was no one present who could
raise a tune, they very readily con-
sented to undertake leading the sing
ing There was no instrument.
The minister gave out the hymn,
Salvation, o the Joyful Sound" The
first minister started Il to the tune of
Cambridge" but, at the end Ofthe first
line everything he knew aboutthattune
deserted him. And go farther he could
not Started it again, but with the
same result. And the third time only
increased his confusion. WhereupOn
he gave it up as bad job.
His brother minister was, of course,
very much mortified and, thinking to
save the reputation of the city visitors
and to to restore a feeling of devotion
started out to sing There Is a Foun-
tain Filled With Blood" He was aa
familiar with this as with his a, D.
C, and never had a doubt but that, il he
were walked up in the middle Of the
night, he could sing it with his eyes
shut But failure seemed to be con-
| tagious, and before he got to the end
of the first line, he. too, wavered, lost
the track, struck off across lots, and
| landed nowhere.
This second failure was quite toe
much for the audience, who were un'
able to restrain themselves longer
Laughter burst ont all over the houss
/ like water out OF a barrel with th'
hoops knocked on.
/ The two unfortunate victims of mo-
mentary ALTERATION of mind looked a
each other and their gravity com
pletely overcome by the ludicrOusnes
of the situation, they, too, burst int
laughter. Then, heartily ashamed o
themselves, they sobered up. But tn
first time their eyes met they lost self
control again. This would never dc
They picked up their hats and starte'
for the woods.
1t was fully half an hour before thei
laughter had spent itself, and the.
were able to look over the situation
calmly. What were they to do? The
had too much at stake as gentlemen T.
ignore such a breach of decoTu.m a
had been committed by them. Certain
ly an apology was due.
But the more they thought OF it, tn
more absurd it seemed to try to apollo
gize Neither Of them could claim tina
he didn't know how to sing, or that h
was not familiar with the tune whic
he had attempted to sing or had nc
sung it hundreds Of times. How coul
they make anybody believe that the
both had been seized with an inexpli
cable panic which had suddenly de
prived them Of their sense Of time an
tune?
The more they thought of It, th
more it seemed to them like adding in
jury to insult for them to go back an
say anything about it. And 50 instea
they sneaked off to their room. quietl
packed their belongings, and took thei
departure for the most remote and iso
lated cabin they could possibly find o
the mountain side.-Christian Ell
deavor World.