The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-02

shouting was in order. and, as for tell
ing people what they ought or ought
not to do he had no equal in his
church or in the community, in which
he lived. AS seen and heard by
strangers. who didn't know him as
we'll as his neighbors and fellow
church members, he was first-class
saint but it did not take one long TO
find out how thin the veneering was
stinginess, worldly mindedness and by.
pocrisy. which were the chief ele
ments of his makeup.
He was the proprietor of a country
store, and of course, in that day and
time a country store was a place OF
importance i'm q neighbOrhood as ii
was there the politicians met to dis.
cuss the issues of the day, the farmers
to brag on their crops, the women to
sell their chickens and eggs and buy
spun cotton, and the young people to
see what was going ons while not a
few went daily to get Whiskey and
have their usual sprees, swap horses
and otherwise have a good time; for.
be it remembered that while the pro-
prietor of the store was a very noisy
and outspoken church member and
was always ready to deliver an eXhor-
tation TO sinners, he nevertheless was
a dealer in intoxicating liquors and
maintained that they were Gods good
creatures and, that, In order TO show
their appreciation of those good crea-
lures men ought to use them, but,
moderately of course.
And to show his faith by his works,
he took three drains each day; but.
to guard against possibilities, he used
the same glass and always filled it to
a certain point-in other words, his
dram, he said, was a moderate sized
squirrel load-just three fingers. He
didn't always confine himself to his
store. There were times when he
thought it would look better for him
not to be about, when. for instance, q
drunken crowd was about and fight
ings had commenced. He would
feign headache, or some other physi-
cal trouble, and go TO his dwelling
leaving things in the hands of clerk
who knew how to deal with drunken
men. He was too righteous TO witness
fights and hear men quarrel and
swear, but, he would have been very
much disappointed and no little dis
satisfied, if his clerk had not made
Il big sale Of liquor during a Saturday
evening. He would sit up until mid
night, and after the last drunken fell
low had staggered Off or fallen into
Il fence corner. and gone to sleep, he
would go down TO the store to aScer-
tain from the clerk the amount taken
in for whiskey-for little else had
been sold. Many men who came to
buy pound of coffee and a few
pounds of sugar, staggered off that
night without either, and went home
to abuse his wife and children; but
the merchant, after he had counted
and put his money in the safe, went to
bed feeling very pious and thanking
God for his prosperity.
Sunday morning, bright and early,
he was making his arrangements to-
go out to preaching. He wanted to
be there on time, as he was one of the
pillars of the church and delighted in
the services of the sanctuary. He let
each newcomer understand that he
was the first man on the ground and
the remark that "a days
work is a days work" and maintain
ed that a man should give the whole
OF the Sabbath to the service of the
Lord and not stay at home till just
before preaching time reading the pa
pers, or perhaps going around the
field stopping holes in the fence which
the hogs had been getting through.
Yes" he would say, Il believe in
what old Solomon said, Whatsoever
thy hand findeth to do, do ii with
On one occasion, while he was tell
ing the bystanders what an earnest
and ardent follower of Christ he was.
the preacher unobserved. by him,
came into the crowd that was stand
ing around the church door. Just as
he had finished the remark that "a
man ought to do all he can and give
all he can to support the gospel" ad-
dressing him the preacher said: Il IN
glad to hear you say that brother for
some people, / am sorry to know.
neither work nor give. but, seemingly.
are expecting to have a free passage
to heaven Addressing the crowd
standing around. the preacher con-
tinued: LAS our brother has brought
up the matter of giving, and has
spoken SO correctly and fOreibly on
the subject, / guess now is the best
time I'll have today to make up my
missionary money" and taking out MS
pencil and drawing memorandum
book from his pocket, he said Il
want each one of you brethren to say
how much you are willing to give to
send the gospel to the heather, and
I'll begin with YOU" addressing the
merchant of the country store.
Il make it a rule he hemmed and
hawed, never to put my name on Il
Taper for anything, but pay the cash,
and have no hereafter about the mat
ter
"a mighty good rule" answered the
preacher, who imagined from what
he had just heard the country mer-
chant say, that five dollar bill would
soon make it's appearance.
II left all my money at home" said
the merchant. so you'll have to pass
me: but I'll hand you the money this
evening, as you pass my house going
down to Zion; you'll be sure to get it,,
for my word is as good as my bond.
I'm mighty poor, it's true, but l al
ways feel like ! get little closer to
the Lord when | give, and what l do
give | give cheerfully for, as the good
Book says, the Lord loveth cheerful
givcr'''
''All right, brother said the
preacher. "Pll call as | go by this
evening and get your donation" Then
going around with his pencil and
memorandum he got in subscriptions
and cash nine dollars and ninety-tive
cents. The amount he wished to raise
was fifteen dollars, and he felt very
sure that he'd get it, SO he mentally
added the FIVE dollars, which he felt
confident the merchant would pay, and
brought the collection of the day up
to fourteen dollars and ninety-fiVe
cents And every preacher can APP