The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-26

the dead fox above his head, he blew
his horn, he shouted and jumped up
and popped his feet together; he ac-
tually cried and laughed at the same
time. 1 sat there on my buggy look
ing and wondering what he would do
next At last, however, he cooled
down somewhat, and we started on
towards his house; he riding behind
me, and, giving me, as we went along
an excited account of the race, from
the trail to the death, telling me which
dog struck the trail where, and by
what dog the jump was made; how
long the race lasted, how many ditch
es his horse had leaped, and, so eX-
cited was he that, until | asked him
why he was bare-headed, he didn't
know he had lost his hat.
By the time that supper was over
he had greatly calmed down; he be-
came entirely calm during the pray
ers; so that, when he escorted me to
my room he was his old-time self, and
remarked as he set the lamp on the
table: 4 don't want you to forget,
Brother Herman, to speak to my wife
relative to the matter L mentioned to
you the last time you were here.
What matter, brother? | asked,
for | wanted to make him repeat it.
About my wife's shouting every
time she gets happy he said.
You shout every time you get hap
py, / answered; and you ought to be
willing for your wife to do as you do.
81 never shouted inc my life he
replied.
II saw and heard you shouting at
least ten minutes, and cutting up all
sorts of foolish capers, this evening
beating anything your wife ever did
and all because you and parcel OF
21,l Ii
poor little fox. You shouted longer
and louder than your wife ever did
and lost your hat, besides. And, you
are so hoarse now you can hardly talk.
When you quit shouting it will be
time enough to ask your wife to quit.
Shouting is shouting whether in
church or in a fox chase. The differ
ence between yours and your wife's
shouting is-She rejoices when she
thinks of Gods great love and mercy;
YOU shout because you've taken the
life of a poor little animal. Yes, when
you quit shouting I'll ask your wife to
quit also"
THAT was the last, +" said the preach
er, 81 ever heard of the matter,
though the good sister continued to
shout as usual"
/ know it's very unpopular thing,
even among Methodists, to have too
much to say about emotional religion,
and it's also quite as unpopular, in
certain quarters, to talk about reli-
gion, otherwise than as a theory. The
masses, i'm the church, seem to be sat
iSfied with forms and ceremonies, and
the preachers, instead of correcting
the tendency of things, are, in many
instances, adjusting themselves to the
unfortunate condition
Two men were discussing the rela-
tive spiritual conditions of the two
churches of which they were members.
One asked the other:
what is the state of religion in
your church,"
Freezing cold; almost down to
zero" he answered.
And what is your minister preach
ing about?''
He is laboring to show the danger
of animal excitement in religion
animal excitement, indeed! He'd
better preach on the danger of being
spiritually frost bitten" he replied.
and / guess he was right.
I'm sorry to learn from a recent
number of the Raleigh Christian Adj
vocate that "Bildad Akers," who late
ly attended prayer-meeting at Eden
ton Street Methodist church, left the
church, and the city, with a mighty
poor opinion of Raleigh prayer meet
ingS. If ! could have seen Brother
Bildad and explained to him that we
town people are good enough, and
have done enough, | might have been
able to make him understand that we
don't stand in any special need OF
prayer. like they do in the country
and, that, we keep up prayer meetings
for the benefit only of q few oId-time
people who are so supplemented as to
believe that Jesus meant it when he
said: Men ought always to pray" If
Brother Bildad will come to see us
often, he'll see how nicely and pleas
antly we get along without prayer
meetings.
Raleigh, N. c.