The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-06-07
PREACHER MEETS STRANGER.
Advice from an Unusual

| Quarter Stnri1es him.
Chicago Trlbune: The congregation
had been dismissed and the church was
nearly empty. but the tall and some
what angular man who had SATIN one
OF the middle seats and listened a.ten-
lively to the serman had had so much
trouble in getting into his overcoat that
when he stepped into the aisle the
preacher, having shaken hands With
nearly everybody else, was waiting for
him. IL N
You are a stranger. Think" said
the preacher.
Yes, sir, presume am. have been
In your church before, but not lately"
Il thought not. 1 seldom forget a
face. should know You II you did not
come again for n year. but l hope to
see you ofterer than that"
Thank You. You are very kind. You
VIII not take 1t amiss. however, II say
ITS doubtful"
Sorry to hear that. hope there was
nothing In the sermon to offend YOU"
"Oh, ] never take ptfense at any
thing 1t Isn't worth while. Still, l
have some rather positive IDEAS about
things. don't suppose. now. that you
have the least Idea your opening prayer
was fifteen minutes long?"
You astonish me. Was it?"
Fifteen minutes by the watch"
That Is too bad. II It occurred to YOU
10 hold watch on me ] dare say you
didn't Join with much Eear,!ncss In the
exercise, and. go far as You are concern
cd, may consider that prayer wholly
wasted"
II hope not. I learned n lesson IN pa
thence, and didn't ynwn, as the brother
sitting next TO me did"
You were not SO absorbed In devo-
ton, then. as to prevent you from no.
tlcinS the brother yawrinS?"
We'll, shouldn't have noticed It II
he had not made such an effort to sup
press Il. But he couldn't. II had to
come. You can't expect an audience to
maintain devotional strain for a
whole quarter of an hour It's different,
! of course, with the minister. After
he has fairly begun. and the fer
vor of .extemporaneous oratory comes
upon him, he enjoys It. He undertakes
to instruct the Almighty. he"
How long would you have preacher
pray?"
In public. of course?"
In pubic, certainly"
well. IL he can't round everything
| up In three. four or five minutes he'd
better use the printed forms. It's con-
! siderate. OF course. for the preacher to
walt until the congregation has sat
down before he says. Let us pray be-
cause people have got out OF the habit
or either standing up or kneeling. in
| most of the churches. and in my op!n-
| Ton ttn at -ohi Il,
| that have driven them to It. Ever hear
Moody pray?"
Yes"
Then you must have noticed he
never wastes any time in prellmlnar,es.
He plunses into the midst OF things at
the start and It seldom takes him lon
ger than two minutes to file his petit
t!on. Moody. l believe, Is counted a
| fairly successful preacher"
AR. Moody, Is hardly what spu
would call regular preacher"
Maybe that accounts for flIs-"
Hes remarkably successful revi-
| vallst. grant you. but"
But he wouldn't suit such a congrc-
CATION as yours. see"
May | ask how the sermon struck
y0u?",
well, It was alce little Sermon. q
comfortable, reassur!ng sort of little
sermon, well written. read with all the
graces OF orat0ry possible In written
sermon. the sentlmeT; was lofty, the
voice was naturol-I'll do you the jus-
tlce TO say you DIDN'T put on the
clergyman tone as II there were any
| peculiar sanctity In throwing an artii-
| c.al and unnatural strain on Tour vocal
| orgars-and It was about the proper
length. ! can't undertake to say how
long man should preach. for that de-
ponds or the quality OF the sermon"
You will pardon me Cor saying. my
friend. that you speak With consider
able assurance, not 10 say Conceit."
oh, that's all right. Don't apologize.
l have younger brother who tries to
preach. have 10 talk to him the same
way sometimes. Well, good day. Glad
TO have met YOU"
He looked at his watch. shook the
ministerial hand with much heartIncss,
and walked out OF the church with his
chin held q little above the level.
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