The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-03-31

| pleasant voice
Welcome, friends, 20 our new
Methodist church. have rented 1.-The
CO. ote," and will conduct meetings
here until we build ourmeeting- house
have invited you here tonighG to as
s.st me i'll defeating our church. We
will spend most of the time in singing
We have song card for every one
After we have sung awhile we will
have some short speeches and then we
will conclude with q love feast of sand
wiches and coffee. We must save a
choir TO lead us Who in the audience
ever sang in a church choir?'
As Il half dozen hands we're raised,
the Parson shouted merrily:
THAT'S right! I.kLew we could
raise choir. Will the gentlemen
who raised their hands please come
forward and take seats at the left of
the platform. We have a quartet of
instruments from the local brass band
and we will manage to get along beau
tifully.'
The ready tact of the Parson ard
his pleasant, genial manner captured
the rough crowd the first minute. The
| volunteer singers were rough lot.
Their vocal gifts had been exercised of
late in the various saloons, earning
rec drinks by singing comic and OBJ
scene songs. But when the parson call
ed them Gentlemen and with a daz-
| Ziing smile invited them to special seats
by his side, they hurriedly accepted his
invitation. They were really very fair
singers. They managed to divide the
parts so as form a pretty fair male
| choir. The brass instruments were a
Ii tie harsh and occasionally discor-
dant, but they were loud, and noise
was at a premium with the crowd that
filled The Coyote
| For half an hour there was such
singing as is rarely ever heard. The
songs printed on the card were simple,
| and fitted popular airs with which
every body was familiar. The singing
was hearty and made up in volume
what it lacked in harmony. The Par
son was a very shrewd man. He kept
| the crowd in a roar between the songs
with his pleasing and witty speeches.
After one funny little story, At which
the audience laughed uLtil thought
they never would stop, one red-faced,
| blear-eyed old ruffian sprang upon the |
seat and, tossing his brimles5 old hat
to the ceiling, shouted: ,
"'This Methodist revival knocks a |
circus silly. Three cheers and tiger |
for the Parson
Tine shouting seemed like pande |
| moniutn let loose. When all were out |
Of breath, and The noise had partially |
| subsidized, the Parson, with beaming |
| smile, said:
Anybody would know this was a |
Methodist meeting by the shouting
Again pandemonium reigned. The |
Parson waited patiently until the
shouting ceased from sheer. exhaus-
ton. He then changed his tone to
Que of quiet soberness. At times lie
spoke with a tender pathos that
hushed the audience to painful ST.
lence punctuated with suppressed sobs
as here and there II head was bowed
upon pair of dirty hands, and hot
tears streamed to the floor
"'1ou may think l have tricked |
you by announcing my Church as
is really meat and drink. What is
meat to the hungry man? II is salts
faction. What is drink to the thirsty
man? 1t is satisfaction. Your soul
gets hungry and thirsty as do your
bodies. Sin never satisfies us. We
feast upon its dainties and only whet
our appetties. We drain to the last
drop sins sweetest cup only to find
our thirst burning with hotter fire. I
offer you bread from heaven. If you
eat it, you will never hunger. l
offer You the water of life. If you
drink of it. you will never thirst
He played upon this thought for
few moments, and by several apt and
thrilling incidents vivified the brief
address until his rough audience sat
enchanted and breathless. He said in
conclusions:
~ am about to illustrate my SER
mon by practical object lesson.
will give you coffee instead of beer, and
first-rate ham sandwich instead of
sage. AS | must have help in serving
lou, l will appoint a committee who
will wait upon you and see that every
one is supplied
He had alrefdy picked out the
ring leaders of the crow3. They were
the powerful, reckless fellows, whose
audacity and determination CON-
PEELED the common mob to follow their
leadership. With unerring instinct
he called them all to the front and
loaded them down with great platters
of sandwiches and huge buckets of
fragrant coffee. While the crowd
was eating and drinking the Parson
told stories, had a cornet solo, and g.
selection by Jack on the hand-organ.
The congregation grew frantic with
enthusiasm. and stamped the floor
until the rickety old Coyote trembled
as if it would tumble down. AS the
end was res ched the Parson sang a
couple of touching little songs that
transformed the brutal men into tear
full children.
HE then said
1--WE are to have no rev rents in
this church. Everything is to be free
Every time we open the doors every
body is invited without money and
without price. But as we have moth
ing with which to run the church, we
will ask you who enjoy these privi-
leges to be generous. OF course when
n collection is taken no one will give
less than the price of a glass of beer.
We will have no penny collections.
The committee who has SO kindly
served you with refreshments will
now receive your offerings
1T was amusing 10 see how faith
fully the collectors passed their hats
to everybody. They allowed no one
to escape. They refused all coppers
and demanded a nickle at least from
every one. The receipts were gener-
GUS sum, and provided neat little
surplus dooNe eApeuses lOT IIle luGuTe
| work of the church. AT the conclusion
of the service the Parson thanked the
men for their presence and hearty CO.
operation in the church dedication.
He said:
"'Tnis church is now dedicated to
the worship of God. We will welcome
you whenever you honor us with your
presence. When you need minister
L am always at your service. Let US
receive the benediction.'
The audience dispersed in an
orderly and reverent manner. The
Coyote was still the most popular
resort in town. The Methodist church
from that hour bore no other name
throughout all the surrounding coun-
try than 1.-The Parsons Free-Lunch
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