The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-12-29
SHOUTING AND BARKING;
DOGS IN THE MEETING
How a Dog Stopped a Colored Sisters Shouting,
After Putting His Nose Into the Sacra-
mental Bread.

horse cool off. 1t was a borrowed sad
die, and he had To hurry out afte- it.
He returned and was getting fairly under
way again when there was a general
breaking loose Of horses, caused by one
horse paving up a yellow jackets nest,
and he, breaking loose, covered With yell
low jackets, and running among the
other horses scattering the singers as
he went, caused nearly every horse, the
preachers with the rest, to break loose,
and such running and kicking were never
before witnessed in Chatham county.
After a long while the horses were caught
and order restored. The preacher said
on resuming, 1T looks like the devil is
working against me today. l came out
here to try to harmonic and to restore
this church to its old time christian way
OF living, but twice / have been inter
rupted.' He warmed up 10 his work,
however, and getting under a full head
OF steam he asked in the language of
the text: WHO is my n~eighbor?" Al
answer came back from just outside the
door: My name is Ezekiel P~endorgrass,
ii you're talking about me-
Everybody turned to look, and there,
standing on the step, leaning against the
dOOrfacing, was a man IN his shirt sleeves,
his pants rolled up and his old hat Eop-
ped over his face. The preacher had TO
laugh, and so did everyone except &c
kiel;' he didn't see anything to laugh
about. He thought the preacher spoke
to him. when he asked. who is my
neighbour and he told him the best he
knew how.
'Brethren," said the preacher, II came
out here to preach. and although It does
look like the devil is against ne, am
dctornjipa6 to finish nm baforo 7 ouit >
And for awhile he went on as if he would
&c through sure enough; but a q eat big
dog came to the door and planting his
fore feet OH the top step and grOWled
as he saw another great big dok lying in
front of the pulpit. That dog raised up
on his f~orefeet and groWled pack. The
dog outside came in and grOwleG again.
The pulpit dog got up on ali his feet and
eroWled back. It was not a moment be-
fore the two big dogs hitched, and
they literally took the church. Men, Go-
men and children went through the win
dows as if the house had been on fire;
and not until somebody threw a bucket
of water on them did they stop fighting.
No, | don't blame that first North Caro-
lima Assembly for making a law against
throwing chicken and other bones down
under their oak.
Speaking of dogs, l will say what has
been on my mind for a long time. and it
is this: From the bottom of my heart
l am sorry for a woman who has to lead.
or be led about by a pug dog. When
, 1 see a woman and a pug dog pitched
together, it raises the question in my
mind whether the woman or the pug IS
| honored by the association.
Way back years ago l was in a church
and saw while the preacher was trying
, 70 jp1pTacc bic 01IHionoo with n cto1rai
: message, that. over on the mems side.
there seemed to be some merriment
! among the boys. l discovered # was
: caused by a fellow holding a dog in his
: lap with an open book IN front OF lie
dog as if he were reading. The preacher
discovered the merrlment and took IN the
; situation. For a moment the preacher
I stopped and fixed his gaze on The fellow
who held the dog in his lap, until every
= eye IN the house was turned IN that di
= r%ectlOn, when. in an authoritative voice
Il he said: Put that dog down. One deg
is enough for one pew!' The dog disap
I peared while the fellows face looked
( as if the blood would pop out. i was
: pretty rough on him; but he deserved
" it. After preaching he said something
about calling the preacher to an account
: for the insult, but, when told how sever,
the law was against disturberS of rcli
giOus worship, ana it was pointed GU
to him how grossly he had sinned agaiusu
good behavior, he quoted down and wen
J home, feeling very much like a whipped
dog. Ever afterwards he behaved yer.
well at church. and often went 10 hea,
hat same preacher.
k Now, I hope the reader will not con
clude that I am opposed TO dogs, or tina
d | do not appreciate a dog that knows hi
place and learns to do and be what a dos
o. ought to do and be. Thus far, in thi!
II article l have intimated a dislike 10 onl,
d two classes Of dogs, the dogs that go t
church and misbehave, and the nugs tha
= lead women around. Against the latte
class / ought not to be too harsh, as
d after all, the women and not the dog
"a are to blame. And T have to admit ais
IS that all church going dogs do not misbe
have, as the following story. which
Il heard a Methodist preacher tell. Will dc
monstrate.
II In acertain town, a preacher said
II there was a dog that for several year
d went regularly, with the children Of
,g Presbyterian family, to Sunday school
[e would go into the church, quietly an
d orderly, take his place under the pew OF
L, which the home children sat. and kee,
s. perfectly quiet until the doxoicgy wa
TO being sung, when he would come GU
* and stand in the aisle to be ready t
n march out with the children when schoo
le closed. His good behavior must Of course
e be attributed to the fact that he was
2 Presbyterian dog. He not only went t
lie the Sunday school but was a regular ct
&c tendant on church services, and went
y whether any of the family did or rot
1t always occupying the same place. an
er always remaining until the doXology wa
sung. But a strange thing happened. Q
Is a certain occasion a Methodist bishoI
d went to that town and preached in tn
IS Methodist church, and the Fresbyterla
{, family who owned the dog went to tn
4 Methodist church to hear the Bishop, an
50 did the dog. He followed his maste
y into the church and hid himself unde
II the seat where he could hear the who'll
lc O. the service, especially the bishops SCI
mon. As, on other occasions, he stoO
o up during the dOxOlOgy and went quietl