The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-01-30
DOGS BEFORE PULPIT
Preacher Quits Church to
Retain His Pets.
IS TIRED OF TOWNS GOSSIP
ReEentS Title of 'SpOFtinE PaFsOD,'
and VIII Leave scotch Plains, \. D.,
for Some Quiet Place, Where He
Can Devote Himself 10 the Breed
ing of FLOODED Irish Spaniels.

ing of FLOODED Irish SpanieIs.
New York. Jan. 29.-The Rev. e. Moore
Smith. pastor of the First Baptist Church
Of Scotch Plains, n j.. and breeder Of
thoroughbred dogs, who resigned his pas
torate because of criticisms of his devo-
ton to his canine friends, on April will
pack up his books and his kennels and HE
him to some quiet place, where he viii be
free TO indulge in his favorite hobby
that OF breeding blooded Irish spaniels-
and pursue his literary work.
at is absurd to say, as some of my
parishioners have been quoted as saying
or, rather. misquotcd, I am sure-that /
run dog farm. and that it has interfered
with my pastoral duties said Or. Moore
Smith, when seen at his home. Il have
always had dogs around me, but / have
never kept dog farm or anything APP
preaching one. ] think every man ought
to have a hobby, and mine has always
been dogs. ] have had dogs ever since
was a small boy. and ! hope l never
shall have 10 give them up. ! have SIX
now-an thoroughbreds. My dogs have
never been in any cne's way. They never
are allowed to run at large / have lit
tie pen for them at the back of my house.
they never even run in the front yard.
THE trouble started when / took sew
eral spaniels 10 the dog show at At
lantic City and carried of all the
prizes. A newspaper published pictures
Of the dogs and headed the article The
Sporting Parson Some Of the old
fashioned people out here did not like
that. They seemed TO think / had no
right TO keep dogs at all-but 10 take
them to bench shows and carry off
prizes was unforgIvable The feeling
grew SO strong that I made up my
mind 10 resign ] don't want to re-
main in a place where my personal lib
erty is interfered with. aud where
harmless pastime is condemned as if
j.. were something repreheusible.
Trouble Long Brewing.
This trouble has been brewing for a
long time Many Of my pensioners
have begged be 90 reconsider by resig-
nation. and at Christmas my congrega-
tion made me "A generous gift. But ]
prefer 20 so away rather than give up
my pets. 1 shall find some quiet spot
where 1 can breed sDaniels and write iu
peace. The best place TO live for one
who values his personal freedom Is IN
large city or in the real country
IN a snail country town one must livS
ing 10 what one thinks right oneself,
and the blue eyes of the pastor
twinkled with amusement
Dr. Moore-Smith lives IN picturesque
old manse made Of great brownstone
blocks The walls are two feet thick, and
there are deep. delightful window seats ia
the embrasure Of each many-paned win
dow The sitting room is simply fur
nished-a big. old-fashioned piano, many
books. and pictures Of dogs everywhere,
hounds on the table, spanieis on the
walls. and q group of fifty-seven varie-
ties Of thoroughbred CANNES on the man
tel shelf The doctors present hobby Is
for Irish water,spaniels. and he tells with
sparkling eyes OF the h0nors all his en-
tries have carried off at every show at
which he has exhibited from his modest
little kennels
Here is a picture Of Champion Erlns
Doctor Terry and Champion Erin's Molly
Malone" said he, taken at Mneola.
where they carried all before-took all
the cups and ribbons in their class. They
also took prizes in New York and At
lantic City. at Cedarhurst and in Boston.
Ny dogs never have been beaten, even
by the spaniels raised IN Canada They
breed a good many hish spaniels in
Canada. as they are fine dogs for wild
fowl hunting: but the Canadians don't
breed their spaniels scientifically. 1
would have shown my dogs in Philsdel-
phia, but this church trouble was just
beginning. and I did not wish 20 hasten
matters or precipitate an open rupture
/ dislike quarrels and dissension, and this
church has been associated with them for
a good many years I came here from the
North of Scotland three years ago, but
there had been a good deal Of trouble
with pastors before my time.
Dogs Well Behaved.
The reverend doctor brought two of
his pets for the visitor to see They
are great brown. curly creatures with
long, woIly legs and thin bare tails, like
turtles Their heads are shaped ike those
VI 4llsu HClltIe. AlrI btNlts are COW
cred with the exception Of face and tai)
with tight, brown curls. and they have
luxuriant curly "topknots" that many
feminine martyr to the curling iron would
be proud to own.
The two dogs showed their clerical
training and behaved with dignified ease
in the drawing room. although they are
not often brought into the house. Dr.
Terry licked his masters hand affection
ately and Molly Malone bestowed a fur
tive lick to the ministerial boot; but 9TH
erwise they managed to suppress the joy
Gus emotions which the very sight of
their master evidently awakened.
DIR. Noore-Smith is known as q lecturer
as well as a preacher and dog fancier.
His lectures on famous preachers of Eng
land, Scotland, and Ireland, and f1s pa
pers on Burns Browning, Bunyan. the
BrOntes, &c, have been given in many
towns I'm New York and New Jersey,
and gained for the pastor a name for wit
and elOquence-a reputation of which his
was very proud until the
dogs interfered with their sense Of what