The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-06-03

BY p. r. c. BBINS.



T0~ Pcase passed away IN
March aud for my par
I've had enough. It's considerable OF
n strain. this sitting in judgment every
Sunday, though some appear 10 like IL
The fact is, there are lot Of our people
that's dreadful hard 10 suit They
don't all agree as TO Just what is want
cd In a minister but they are all set
on one pOnt-and that il, not to take
up with anything short Of the best
that can be found"
"IIaycn't you heard any one yet that
seemed to give general satisfaction
asked Miss Eleanor Banks. who was
paying her annual visit 10 her aunt.
"Well, no, not 10 say satisfaction.
Or, yes, there was one minister came
n Sunday i'm August that made n good
Impression, on the whole. People
talked it over between services, while
the minister had gone to dinner with
Abel Hayes. ana there was quite o
feeling that perhaps he'd do. There
was some objection 10 him. though.
Some thought he wasn't quite young
enough, and some found fault because
he didn't stand outside Of the pulpit
all the time while he preached Some
OF are folks are pretty particular on
that point. They want minister that
can preach cXtcmporancous. and they
want him 10 stand far enough away
from the pulpit so's't everybody can
see that he has no chance to take a
peek at any notes. And Adclaid"
/ Tinkham didn't like him because he
held his head Il little on one side But
there was something sort of interest
ing about him. and | guess he could
have got vote.
"But when Abel came back I'm the
| afternoon hc got round word on the
quiet that it wasn't any use II ap-
/ pCarcd that he was a city minister.
/ taking his vacation down TO the IIOl.
low, and he had just come up for an
| accommodation because the candidate
we were expecting was little under
| the weather that day. We heard af.
terward that this minister had thir-
| ty-flve hundred, or some said four
thousand salary. and you know we
can't pay over six hundred and fifty"
There was the least twinkle in the
old lady's eye I'm response 10 her niCCc's
laugh, but in other respects she Irc.
served a sOlcmuity bclitting a serious
topic.
"But | must tell you about last sun
day" she resumed, pushing her knit
ting needles TO their highest speed
as she warmed TO her theme
eve had younGish man for can
didatC. and you could see that he was
trying hard but ii didn't take me long
to find out that he wasn't going to suit.
When you've bcCn to church i'm one
place rs many years rs | have, there
are little signs that you can't help
noticing. any more than the weather
wise can help taking account of the
clouds or the way Of the wind.
There was Deacon Lang. for in
stance. lie had put on his reading
glasses and picked up a hymn.bOok
and was studying over the hymns. He
always does that when he isn't pleased.
though don't suppose the dear man is
. ''''''' i''H VI ~ anu AhNh ihA''iNt lflN-
sett-hc always looks nc his watch
when the sermon begins and again
when II is done, and you can see him
reckoning MP the time. Some say that
he used 10 tend out on the races pretty
constant before he Joined the church.
but likely enough that Is only talk.
We'll when Brother BaSsctt isn't
. nIina1 fpggnoI ,F L.. l,f
at the beginning and end, he'll keep
looking at his watch every now and
then all through the sermon. 90 sec
how the minister Is getting slong.
Last Sunday morning he would twitch
that watch out every two or three
minutes. till got SO worked up watch
ing hiE that | thought should fly.
"And then people all over the house
kept glancing at each other with a
look that said as plain rs words
That man will never do Even your
Uncle Andrew every once in while
would shake his head slow like. and
kind OF hcsve a sigh.
"It was all sort OF depressing. and
no doubt the minister noticed 10. and
. iFll ~ II nv uau IN NInlU JON. lit
looked pretty discouraged 10y the time
meeting was over.
"But somehow no appeared alto.
gcthor different when the service be
gan iu the afternoon, and On" very
Grst words that DC said almost took
cur breath away
"Ny friends said ne I preached
to YOU as candidate this morning
but This afternoon shall try 90 preach
rs q minister OF tho gospel I'm not
candidate now says hc
"Thcn he went on 90 say that The
church was place for worship aud
/ instruction. but he thought that We
had almost forgotten that 40 tho morn.
/ ing service. lie said he was afraid
that he was thinking al the time
about the appearance he was maxine
and as near as h could judge the
rest Of us were thinking about Il. too
"'But that is all over now he said
You have already made up your
minds that you don't want me; AMI "a
tell the truth. friends. says DC. Tn