The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-02-19
His First Sermon
in Morning Dew

" DUNG ministers, like young
schoolmasters, often make their
frst public efforts with fear and
trembling. When the youthful
~theologue' receives his FIRST 'call,'
aud sets off to preach his trial SER
mon among strangers in distant
town, he is sometimes "A very anxious
and lonely youth. The annals of the
clerical profession contain amusing
accounts of the various trying cir
eumstances under which such SER
mons have been delivered.
In the west. in mining-camp days,
ltiucrant clergymen sometimes adj
dressed crowds in queer places and
in unconventional garments. II is
safe to say, however, that no clergy
man, young or old, ever began his
pufpit career in such strange attire
as did clasSmatc OF mine at Bloom
ingvale seminary, who had accepted
4 call to go to Morning Dew, Mont.
For he preached his first sermon
there in coat of tar and feathers!
Et came about in this way And /
may add here that Marvin-that was
my classmates name-afterward be-
came one of the most popular and
most respected ministers in the west.
Moreover, he was made a doctor of
divinity and a bishop, honors to
which few men attain there, under
the itinerant system, unless pos
sessed of sterling character. The
events of my story occurred 81 years
ego, when Marvin was not quite 90
years of age.
At that time he lacked n full term
of his ordination, in the usual course,
but the bishop and professors got
over the difficulty, as is sometimes
the case, on the ground of eXpedien-
cy. Marvin. himself the son of an
itincrant minister, had been earnestly
asked to go to Morning Dew by Il
yenera BILE itinerant, who had been la
boring hard to improve the miners
there and at Sink-or-Swim, another
embryo ''city" on the other side of
the butte" three or four miles dis
tant.
Like sire like SON." the veteran
preacher wrote. 81 knew your IA
tNcF well. ne was an tuTIcsl' itdT-
less soul, and | hear that you are like
him. If so, the Lord needs you here,
and needs you greatly
Marvin read this appeal, consulted
with his instructors, and wrote to
say that, God willing, he would
preach in Morning Dew on the fol-
lowing Sunday. five days later.
He set off on the following day,
and reached Snk-or-Swim late on
Saturday afternoon. The old minis
ter, Mr.. Hendricks, received him with
enthusiasm, and after supper sat
down to tell him the kind of an audi
ence to which he would have to
preach on the next day.
"By the way" he added, you will
have to preach in "A saloon. They
have no Westinghouse yet"
The evening was bright, and before
retiring Marvin went out for walk
through Sink-or-Swim, to think oveI
his sermon and to rearrange some
points in it, in order to meet sugges
tions made by his venerable FRIEND
and mentor.
There was nearly a full moon, aro
he proceeded along the road lead
ing to Morning Dew Presently ht
met a man on horseback, riding at &
mad gallop; and he had gone on fol-
no more than half a mile when thu
same man passed him, riding bacl
toward Morning Dew, accompanied
BY eight or ten others, apparently
recruited at Sink-or-Swim. They
were in furious haste; and as MarviI
strolled on he began to hear distan
shouts, and soon after saw the CLEAN
of fire in the direction of the scen'
of his prospective pastorate.
Curiosity led him to hasten tha
way, and as he drew near he foun'
that the whole "city" was astir. Th'
fire, however, proved but bonfire
in the street, made of the debris o
some rude dwelling which the mol
had demolished. Over the embers th
energetic citizens were heating ket
tie. containing a dark liquid whicl
diffused the odor of tar.
The intent of the crowd was sool
disclosed. HAUL him out here!
shouted n burly fellow, who appeared
TO be the master OF ceremonies uii'
Immediately trembling implorlni
wretch, who had lost most Of hi
clothes, was dragged forth into tn
street.
"Whos got a feather pillow?' erie
hoarse voice. Fetch it out and ri
IL open!"
These picturesque exclamation
made the purpose of the proceeding
so apparent that Marvin, in his chai
acter of moral guardian to the place
felt called upon to say something II
spoke from impulse. There was III
tie time for reflection. The Hrs
Iadleful of hot tar was already hoin
applied to the luckless victim
''For common decency's sake don
do thatl" exclaimed the young cie'
gyman, pushing resoluteiy FORWARD