Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1904-06-04
"ANDlDArlNc"
ByF. r. c. ROE BINS.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

HC< Pease passed AWAY III
March, and for my part
re had enough. It's considerable or
strain this sitting in judgment every
sunday, though some appear to like II.
he fact is, there are lot OF our people
hats dreadful hard to- SHtt,s Whit:
din a minister. but they are all set
IN one point-and that it, not to take
Up with anything short of the best
hat can be found"
Haven't you heard any one yet that
eemed to give general satisfaction!
.sked Miss Eleanor Banks, who was
,aying her annual visit to her aunt.
well, no, not to say satisfaction.
Or, yes, there was one minister came
, Sunday in August that made good
Impression, on the whole. People
alked it over between services. while
he minister had gone to dinner with
Abel Hayes, and there was quite II
ceiling that perhaps he'd do. There
vas some objection to him, though.
;ome thought he wasn't quite young
nough, and some found fault because
le didn't stand outside Of the pulpit
II the time while he preached. Some
f are folks are pretty particular on
hat point. They want minister that
an preach eXtemporaneous, and they
want him to stand far enough away
rom the pulpit so's't everybody can
zee that he has no chance to take
,eek at any notes. And Adelaide
rinkham didn't like him because he
leld his head little on one side. But
here was something sort of interest
ng about him. and guess he could
AVE got vote.
But when Abel came back in the
afternoon he got round word on the
luiet that 1t wasn't any use. 1t ap-
reared that he was city minister.
aking his vacation down to the Hol-
ow, and he had just come up for an
accommodation, because the candidate
sc We're expecting was little under
he weather that day. We heard af-
erward that this minister had thir-
y-five hundred, or some said four
thousand, salary. and you know we
ant pay over six hundred and fifty
There was the least twinkle in the
I'D lady's eye in response to her niece's
Rugh, but in other respects she pre-
'erved solemnity BETTING a serious
But must tell you about last Sun
lay" she resumed. pushing her knit
ing needles to their highest speed
IS she warmed to her theme.
I'VE had youngish man for can
lidate, and you could see that he was
rying hard but it didn't take me long
o find out that he wasn't going to suit.
When you've been to church in one
,lace as many years as have, there
ire little signs that you can't help
ioticing, 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
'tance. He had put on his reading
classes and picked up hymn-book
Ind was studying over the hymns. He
,lways does that when he isn't pleased.
.hough don't suppose the dear man is
conscious Of it. And then Brother Bas-
'ett-he always looks at his watch
when the sermon begins and again
when it is done, and you can see him
reckoning UP the time. Some say that
1e used to tend out on the races pretty
constant before he Joined the church
cut likely enough that is only talk.
"Weh, when Brother Bassett isn't
.dified, instead of just taking the time
It the beginning and end. he'll keep
Ooking at his watch every now and
hen all through the sermon to sec
low the minister is getting along
Last Sunday morning he would twitcl
hat watch out every two or three
minutes. till got so worked up watch
ng him that thought I should fly.
And then people all over the house
Kept glancing at each other with q
ook that said as plain as words
That man will never do Even your
Uncle Andrew every once in a while
would shake his head slow like, ant
klnu OF neaVe sign.
ut was all sort of depressing, ant
40 doubt the minister noticed it, ant
felt as If he had an uphill job. HI
ooked pretty discouraged by the tint
meeting was over.
But somehow he appeared alto
yether different when the service be
gan in the afternoon. and the yer!
frst words that he said almost tool
our breath away.
"'My friends said he. I preached
to you as candidate this morning
but this afternoon shall try to preacl
as minister Of the gospel. I'm no
a candidate now says he.
"Then he went on to say that tn
church was a place for worship ant
instruction, but he thought that W
had almost forgotten that at the morn
ing service. He said he was afrai
that he was thinking all the tim
about the appearance he was making
and as near as he could judge, tn
rest of us were thinking about 1t, too.
But that is all over now he sale
You have already made up you
minds that you don't want me; and t
tell the truth, friends says he. III
pretty sure I don't want you. So d
not let us waste another service.
shall not think of you now rs poss
BILE parishioners. but as brothers an
sisters that hope I have some me!
sage for. And l trust that you wi
not think Of me at ALL but only OF til
message
"Then he went on with the SCI
vice as II nothing had happened.
"Well, I don't know what he had
shy was really any better than he ha
given us in the morning. but 1t ce
tainly fell on better soil. so to speal
I presume to say that there Is con
fort and strength to be got out Of an