Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-12-17
yom OF {" c1zaa1.

Re>asAers Are Coed Nsrrators ~
An Usually Quick Wittee.
The cleric will at all times be fo0no
4 rood raconteur and quick to crac1 Q
Soks, with tn sharp sting. too, II No.
apsary. OF course. when the jeseer =
4 ruler. one must be satisfied WITH ~
humor at all hazards, as was the ~
diencs / the faithful whom q Mosas0
ruler spoke to ono Friday from ~
pulpit in the market place.
"People, what shall I preach to -
about to-dayT' I'VE do not know"
they replied. We'll, IL you don't know
I shall not tell you" and down he eans
from the pulpit There was no seem0
that Sabbath.
The next week tho old inquiry ~
made and the people reJotnsA
know" when the royal preacher saId
IF you know, you do not need me -
tell you" And again an abrupt ooes
b the services.
The third week the people were more
wary, and replied. Some of u 6o4
and some Of w do not know" I'D
now they expected to trap the man, ~
hs was wiser than they thought -
those who know tell those who Do ~
know came his u%tterance, and TIE
people were trapped instead.
It must have been an Arab c1srss
or q holy man who, passing a moeQuA.
heard an unpleasant voice rec1dn8 the
Koran. How much Is thy monthly a.
lowance?" the a 6 inquired. ALLOW
ance!" replied the reader. why. l
get nothing" why. them the sa0e
asked, "dost thou take all this laboo
or thyself?" 81 read" came the ~
1oinder. Tor the sake Of God" "Wel.'
the sage answered, ''for Gods nes
don't r. d my more!"
In TIL, "Gulistan" are other ulustra-
lions of clerical wit; but what could
be 2 re suggestive than the following!
A reader in a mosque had SO bad IN
accent that his master, the chief sage,
said. my good young man. we have
several old men who receive five d1nan
monthly for their services. l VIII gfve
thee ten dinars to go elsewhere. He
went away, but soon returned. "WnV
didst thou send me awayT" he saI1 d
the sage. In the place to which I
went they now desire that l b ta6
twenty dinars and go away but I have
not consented" Don't accept" ts
sage rejoined; '.for after a while thav
may offer thee fifty"
Rabbinical wit is a vital eaemsnt II
The Talmud and Midrash, entering n
10 the discussions Of the sages n ~
pealing to the people with magic pow
er, when dry disquisltions and hou&-
lies without such spice would hGSS
driven the people away.
A preacher in those okien days %
ticed that his audience seemed 10 b
asleep despite his %eloquence. ~OncA'
he cried, there was a Jewess who had
100000 children" The people were q
wide awake now, and demanded 10
know the woman's name. "Jochabed."
was the response. WAS not hec so
Moses equal to 100000 who came from
Egypt7" There was no lack of s<1ea-
lion for the rest of the m
An English rabbi was asked by -
congregation if there was any wdEhH
reason against having a clock in 10
by no Weaus, WAo -
reply. "Have your clock; but Pot It
outside the building, and then you on
tell how late you come to the service"
Two rabbis were passing the .beAud-
ful synagogue in which on of them Of
aciated. "How l envy you!" said The
first you must be In a paradise"
"IIold, friend!" the second exclaimed.
HIn the original paradise there WIS
only one serpent; but In this congresa-
ton are many of them"