The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1907-01-30

Bsr-radiant, rollicking March! Blu
with the bursting of the buds, tn,
ringing melodies of the birds and
the dawning Of the first bright verna
suns, there came rude awakening
to the little church of Butchers Bar
Having grown from a mere min
ing camp of red-shirted, hairy citi
zens to the dignity OF a prosperous
town, Butchers Bar had changed Its
name 10 Paradise Vale, built 4
schoolhouse, courthouse and 8
church, and was now in the throes OF
calling a minister to save its pioneer
soul.
The Reverend Paul Henry Pen.
nington, late from the States" had
filed the pulpit several Sundays on
trial, and had promptly convinced
the younger and more progressive
contingent of the congregation Of his
especial fitness for the place.
Then the Reverend Ezra Broad
side. Brother Broadside, as the old
er-fashioned faction called him, had
preached to them on trial And the
"old fogy" faction, as Miss Sallie
Salisbury called it, had unanimously
declared in his favor The fact that
Miss Sallie, the organist and leading
soprano, had not been consulted by
the official board ranked deeply in
that young persons heart. For,
as she explained Indignantly, when
l have to be there three times week
and listen to six prayers and two
and a half sermons, l would like at
least to have a voice in the matter
Dr. Paul Pennington. every one
was ready 10 agree with her, was an
Interesting speaker. 10 say nothing
OF his very attractive personality
Added to this, Sallie was always sure
of being properly escorted home
after the evening services when he
filed the pulpit, which made his in
stallation a matter of vital impor,
lance to the fair young soprano.
Brother Broadside, on the other
side, was of the good, old hell-tre-
anddamnation school of theology.
He preached the necessity Of sud
den conversion from the sinfulness
OF sin, of being born again into the
Kingdom of Heaven, and receiving
therefrom q new heart. Also he
preached the wickedness of dancing
eard-playing, theater- going, Sunday
excursions, horse-racing, always end
ing with heated and intimate de-
scriptions of the tortures of hell
and, for the unregenerate, eternal
and inevitable damnation.
To the oli-timers in the coRgrega-
ton, this good old doctrine came
Ike an echo OF their lost youth.
For they sighed, the churches
are getting SO worldly you can hard
ly tell the sheep from the goats. And
it is many long day since we have
heard such rousing, soul-stirrine
sermons Moreover, Brother Broad
side proposed to inaugurate, should
he be installed as pastor of the con-
sregation, sweeping, soul-saving re-
yival.
With This gratifying announce
ment, the sentiment in favor OF Mr.
Paul Pennington began TO turn, leay-
ing the younger, more liberal mem
bers Of the congregation clinging IL
him alone.
Thereupon, the congregation thai
mad struggled so yalianuy together
raising money with strawberry festi
walls, bed-quilt raffles, and holida,
bazaars, now split into two Opposing
factions Each faction. moreover
gathered recruits from the lukewarn
outsiders until every man. woman
and child was hotly either for o.
against one OF the candidates. Tit
feeling ran so nigh, as is usual il
such cases, that there was no hope 0
= compromise
1T is only because you have hear
Mr. Broadside last" the Pennington
faction argued, that you prefer him
You forget how we'll you liked hir
at first
But when the gray-heads bent to
gether TO consider the question. tn
lfberality and progressiveness Of tn
younger man counted against him q
shortcomings.
Mr.. Pennington is a very pleasan
speaker the Broadside tactic
agreed. "but he is too easy In hi
doctrine. After all the sermons h
preached to us we do not even kno'
his position on hell"
Perhaps he doesn't believe In he
at ALL" yentured Deacon Sinpkin