Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1905-09-02
THE PARSONS VACATION
By LOUIS EIsENBEIs.


The old man went to meetin, for the day
was bright and. fair,
Though his limbs were very tottern, and
twas hard to travel there
But he hungered for the gospel, so he
trudged the weary way,
On the road so rough aud dusty, meath
the summers burning ray.
By and by he reached the buildin, to his
soul holy place
Then he paused, and wiped the sweat
drops off his thin and wrinkled
face /;
But lie looked around bewildered, for the
old bell did not toll
All the doors were shut and boIted, and
he didn't see soul.
So he leaned upon his crutches. and he
said, "what does it mean ?"
And he looked this way and that, till it
seemed almost dream
lie had walked the dusty highway, and
he breathed heavy sigh
Just to 60 once more to meetin, ere the
summons comes to die.
But he saw little notice, tackled upon
the meetin door,
So he limped along to read it, and he
read it DER and o'er;
Then he wiped his dusty glasses, and he
read it o'er again,
Till his limbs began to tremble, and his
eyes began to pain.
As the old man read the notice, how it
made his spirit burn
"I'txtor absent on racation, church is closed
till his return"-
Then he staggered slowly backward, and
he sat him down to think,
For his soul was stirred within him, till
he thought his heart would sink.
So he unused aloud, and wondered, to
himself soliloquised-
81 have lived to almost eighty, and was
never SO surprised,
As | read that oldest notice, sticken on
the meetin door
Pastor off on vacation'-never heard
the like before
Why, when l first jined the meetin, very
many years ago,
Preachers travelled on the circuit, in the
heat and through the snow;
If they got their clothes and vitals, (twas
but little cash they got
They said nothin bout vacation, but
were happy in their lot.
Would the farmer leave his cattle, or the
shepherd leave his sheep?
Who would give them care and shelter,
or provide them food to eat?
So it strikes me very singler, when man
of holy hands,
Thinks he needs to have vacation, and
forsakes the tender lambs.
Did st. Paul git such notion, did Wes.
ley, or Knox?
Did they in the heat of summer, turn
away their needy fiocks?
Did they shut their meetin houses, just
to go and lounge about
Why they knew if they did, Satan GER
tainly would shout.
Do the taverns close there bar rooms,
just to take little rest?
Why 'twould be the height of nonsense,
for their trade would be distressed.
Did you ever know it happen, or hear
anybody tell,
Satan takin vacation, shutin up tie
doors OF hell?
And shall preachers of the gospel, pack
their trunks, and go away,
Leavin saints and dyin sinners, git along
as best they may;
Are the souls of saints and sinners, val
ued less than sellin beer?
Or do preachers tire quicker, than the
rest of mortals here?
Why it is, | cannot answer, but my
feelins, they are stirred
Here I've dragged my totterin footsteps,
for to hear the gospel word,
But the preacher is a travelin, and the
meetin house is closed
l confess it's very tryin, hard indeed to
keep composed.
Tell me, when tread the valley, and go
up the shinin height,
Will hear no angle singling-will see
no cleaning light?
Will the golden harps be silent-will
meet no welcome there?
Why the thought is most distractin,
'twould be more than | could bear.
Tell me when reach the city, over on
the other shore,
Will find little notice, tackled upon
the golden door,
Tell me, mid dreadful silence, writ in
words that cut and burn
Jesus absent on ydcation-HedreA closed till
his return p"