Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-30

/ The old man went to meetin Ior the oay
wis bright and fair,
Tho his step was slow and totterin ana
twas hard to travel thcfe'
But he hungered for the gospel 81 w
trudged the weary way,
On the road so rough and dusty, meath
tie suns hot burning ray.
BY and by he reached the buiidinS. 10
Then he paused and wiped the sweat
drops from off his wrinkted face;
But he looked around beWlidereu, iof thc
old bell did not toll,
And the doors were smut ana poited, ana
he did not see soul.
So he leaned upon his pilgrim staff, and
said, .'What does IL mean?
And he looked this and that way till IL
seemed TO him a dream.
He had walked the dusty highway tand
he brcathed Il heavy sigh
Just to go once more to mectin' ere the
summons came to die.
on the meetin door,
So he limped along To read IT, and he
read IL DER and Ger;
Then he wiped his dusty glasses, and he
read il Ger again,
Till his limbs began To trcmble and his
eyes were full of pain.
As the old man read the notice, how i;
Hdut Nla sI'-iiL pi4
Pastor absent on vacation--church
is closed till his return"
Then he staggered slowly backward and
sat MIN down to think,
For his soul was stirred within him till
he thought his heart would sink.
So he moved along ana wondered; to
himself soliloquized-
Il have lived tin almost eighty. and was
never SO surprised.
As ! read that oldest notice stuck III
on the mcetin' door;
Pastor absent on vacation" never heard
the like before.
Why, when first joined the meetin',
very many years ago,
Preachers Travelled on the circuit, in the
heat and through the snow:
If they got clothes and vittals Ctwas but
little cash they goD,
They said nothing 'nout vacation, but
were happy In their lot.
Would the farmer leave his cattle, or the
shepherd leave his sheep?
Who would give them care or shelter, or
provide them food To eat?
So IL strikes me very sinGlar, when
man of holy hands
Thinks he needs 10 have vacation, and
forsakes his tender lambs.
Did 81. Paul git such a notion? Did
Wesley or a knoXy
Did they in the heat ~ summer, turn
Did they shut up their meetiB just to
90 and lounge about
Why, surely, then. If thus they did. Satan
would raise a shout
Do the taverns close their doors just to
take a little rcst2
Why, twould he the height Of nonsense.
for their trade would be diStrcst
Did you ever know il happen. or near
anybody tell
Satan absent on vacation-and closed tht
doors of hell
Ana shah preachers of the gospel pack
their trunks ana 70 away,
Leaving saints ana dying sinners to get
along best they may?
Are the souls ot saints and sinners val
ued less than selling beer?
Or 90 preachers tire quicker than the rest
az mortals herc2
Why it is ! cannot answer: but my feel
ings they are stirred;
Here I've dragged my lettering footsteps
to hear the gospel word;
But the preacher Is 4 travciin ana the |
meetin'-houSe is closed.
| confess it's very tryin-hard indeed TO
keep composed.
Tell me, when I tread the valley ana 20
UP the shinin' height
VIII ! hear no angels sinEinS'-will / see
no gleamin' light?
VIII the golden harps he silent? VIII | |
meet no welcome thcre2
Why the thought is most distresSin |
'twould be more than ! could bear.
Tell me. when l reach the city. over on |
the other shore.
VIII | find n little notice tackled up on
the golden door
Telling me. mid dreadful silence, writ |
in words that cut and burn
Jesus absent on northumberland closed |
Till His return?
The Methodist.