Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-20
MERRY MINISTER'S
AMONG METH0DISTS
Old. Timers Of the Cloth Can Enjoy
Good Jokes and Indulge In
Lots of Fun

WASHINGTON, March 19.--"Don't
you think for an instant that we old
Methodist preachers can't enjoy good
jokes and indulge In a whole lot of fun
once in while. You know there is a
time to laugh and a time to consider
only, serious things, SAID an oid
Washington dominic. And then he told
story of christening party that ne
had the felicity of attending in the
southeastern section Of this city re-
Gently.
1.-THE child that was to be baptized"
said the preacher, "had long line OF
Methodist ancestors on both sides, and
these included several preachers. some
of whom were at the bountiful supper
that followed the naming of the baby,
and several of the elders in the party
told tales of past days that certainly
set the table roaring with laughter:
Some of us had anecdotes to relate OF
that old pioneer of Methodism, the
Rev. Peter Cartwright; some concern
ing the preacher himself, and some that
he related in his time. He used to tell
story of a Dutchman's cross.
"a preacher as the late Brother
Cartwright told it, was expatiating on
the text. Except man deny himself
and take up the cross he cannot be my
disciple In the congregation was
good-natured but Woodworking native
of Holland. accompanied by his frau,
who had the reputation of being the
worst scold in the neighborhood, and
she led her husband a hard life. :.
"They both seemed much interested,
as we'll as touched, by the sermon. and
after the service, as the preacher was
riding home on horseback, as preach
ers generally did in the backwoods set
Elements in those days, and after he
had taken dinner with member of the
congregation, he saw a little ahead of
him man trudging along with a
woman on his back. The man was
rather understood and the woman
very large and heavy. The preacher
laughed and asked the man II he was
exercising.
".Oh, no. said the little Dutchman,
for he it was. You did tell us that we
must take up the cross or we would
not be saved: and this woman is the
greatest cross 1 have, SO suppose
must carry her or can't go to heaven
Another of the clerical gentlemen
told a story of party OF preachers
who were travelling in a northern city
where O. church dedication was to be
held. They started at night, so as to
be able to reach their objective point
early in the morning and get a good
nights rest. 1t was in midwinter and
intensely cold, with very heavy snow
on the ground; and as furious wind
and another snow hurricane began be-
fore the train had proceeded very Iar
1t became blocked in the snow, with
some of the cars off the track.
1.-THE conductor coming through the
train, and mixing up among the rev.
erends, not knowing that they were
clergymen, felt impelled to refer to the
discomforts and perils of the night.
and said: I tell you what, gentlemen.
we came very near all going to h
last night
nf
take him I'D. You doubtless speak for
yourself, sir he said: but as for me
and my friends here, we are. ticketed
for another station
"Talk about jolly boys" said the
clergyman who was relating these
stories, IT never saw merrier crowd
together than at this christening sup
per. Good provoking yarns
were the order of the hour, and every
body, preachers and all. believe. went
home happier and better because of
this little baptismal symposium"