The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-07-04

great big Presbyterian church that | had heard
so much about IN my own benghted land SO far
away-that church that was going to swallow no
everything that was supposed to own the whole
celestial country, and to hold the gates of Para
disc besides? Where they? Are there none
of them here?'
"Oh, yes,' replied the Colonel; they are all
here, and you've seen a large number of them al
ready. Some of them in that Carter and
Coyle Contingent Indeed that Contingent wa,
made up almost exclusively of them There are
some IN that rather small crowd that you see Won
der, with their banners inscribed The True Blues
And there, pointing in entirely different di-
rectlon, "yonder where you see those women
pranc1ng and capering about and gesticulating so
violently and eXcitedly; some on the lecture plat
form and some i'll the pulpit, passing resolutions
and running things generally. A very large pro-
portion OF them are down there
But what they doing there?"
Oh nothing much, anything very unusual
1T S Just an important political campaign now be-
ing carried on, and they down there to en-
tighten the masses, inform the voters how to vote
see that they do it, make deverances as to the
duties OF patriotic citizens, decide all questions of
loyalty or dislOyalty to the flag, settle the great
moral issues OF the campaign, save the mperilled
country and boss political matters generally"
Oh says l, that's it, is it? But | continued
i thought that they had quit all such things long
ago-had done with political deliverances and
were now conducting themselves as devouty and
orderly and respectfully anybody else"
hey have, said the Colonel, Except on extra
Ordinary occasions, when important issues are
involved or the cOuntry's in danger"
But this seldom happens does it?" saws L
NO, never, only on State national elections
or similar occasions"
Oh, see, says [; Il see But, Colonel" again
inquired, for L felt that something was lacking
and something that | had confidently expected to
find somewhere in that vast Continental Co-opera-
tive Association and those camping grounds
Where is the Southern Presbyterian Church?
Is 1t not represented here? l had been led to be-
heve, that through the terrifying apDaritiOn of
isolation, the frightful sin of 'schsmatc sepa
ration, she had been dragooned or inveighed into
the grand conglOmeration some where Is she
not here at ALL"
ooh, yes" said the Colonel smilingly "she is
mere Youu see her pretty soon, or rather what's
lett OF her, for she's sorry-oOking thing now
l can assure you, and she finds her becoming
place at the tail end of every procession"
But has she standing at all-no influence
whatever III this colossal combination arrange
ment?"
None to speak Of" replied the colonel with
an air OF great dignity. she has simply been alb
sorbed and swallowed up, and you can see what
IS lett OF her and judge for yourself Wonder
comes the remains now" And sure enough thew
did But sakes alive! What sorry-looking set
l never would have recognized the poor thing so
differently did she appear from what she did when
! had last seen her A half-famished woe-be-
gone, dlapidated-ooking body of men passed
YEARLY before me- with bandaged heads black
ened eyes, crippled limbs and various other un-
mstakable evidences of fierce and sanguinary con
Hict. But Colonel, dear Colonel" | gasped in
holy terror, how did all this happen! This is
not that body that went so joyously and exu
family into that vast cooperative union that they
all might be one. Where are the rest of them?
And what means this cripped-up condition. these
bandaged heads and blackened eyes? Tell me
all about it, for can't conceive how such tbino,
could have happened"
ION, easy enough" smilingly replied the Colo
mel "Ihe long and short OF [ is ir.t thi. A.