Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-11-22
WIT IN THE PULPIT.
Preachers With a Sense Of NJ.
mer Or the Git Of Repartee.
A DUEL BETWEEN PvNsTERs.

HN FNsb,k '
The Exchange a. Compliments That
epiosd the 9srmsns Of Rev. Mr..
Walker and Nsv. Mr. Read-orethsr
Nessrs's Grim Rstsrt.
When the march Of pulpit oratory
and humor vas less advanced than
at present = number Of plous parish.
toner's resolved to compliment their
beloved pastor with a horse. After
. great deal Of scraping together they
accumulated funds sufficient to pur-
chase u saddle, which was forthwith
dispatched to the minister, with an
animation that the horse would b.
sent at a more convenient season.
Week after week. however. passed
On. and no word Of the minister's nag.
This dilatOriness would never do,
thought the reverend gentleman. and
accordingly ~ Sunday afternoon he
took occasion to introduce the sub
ject In winding up a discourse on the
unspeakable loneliness OF charity.
Nov. my friends" said the preach.
o.. IL that said horse be ma nipping
grass yout by at the manse In = day
or twa, l ken what III do"
Here the minister smote the pulpit
In = manner that made the hearts of
the congregation melt within them like
wax. while he. stern a continued
his appeal to their pecuniary feelings
70 long, aud repeated the fearful
threat. Il ken what I'll dol" 90 often
that n frightened hearer said:
And what wull you do, sirT
"Why. man. said the minister coolly.
"Ill just sell the saddle"
The Rev. Mr.. Walker Of Connecticut
saw his friend, the Rev. Mr.. Read.
sitting In one of the pews on q Sun
day morning and, leaving the pulpit,
went to Read and urged him to preach
for him. Read begged of, al he was
providentially detained In town over
the Sabbath and had no preparation"
with him. But Walker was pressing.
and at length his friend yielded to his
opportunity and entered the pulpit.
But be had no text. and after some re-
Election pitched upon Job /, z. Then
Satan answered the Lord and said.
From going to and fro In the earth
and from walking up and down in it."
From this passage he drew the doc.
Ao;ro n nd onnp,,n0ol ~ holA1vy that TIM
devil was a great Walker. He rung
the changes on the name Of his friend
till the people signifed their notice by
q general smile.
Walker took the pulpit In the after
noon and returned his friends compli-
ments by taking for bis text Matthew
ri, :, "A reed shaken with the wind"
'.The doctrine Of the text" he said. lis
the instability Of Reads" On this
theme he discovered till Read wished
that be had never ventured his wit in
the pulpit at the expense Of his friend
Walker.
In the south Of New Jersey some
years ago there Travelled W some of
the hardest counties a good. faithful,
hard working brother named James
Moore. He was devoted to the timer
,ancy and a true loyal Methodist. plain.
pointed aud sharp in all his preaching
and exhortations. He had been labor
ing u year on one Of bis circuits, and,
before leaving for his new field. he
gave his people his farewell sermon.
At the close he said:
.Aiy dear brethren. this is my last
address to You. I am going from you.
and you may never hear the voice Of
James Moore again."
"ArpAny,' came loudly from the seat
before him. 81
He hooked atsthe man with : little
surprise; but, thinking It was a mis-
tale. went on. my days on earth
viii soon be numbered. I am an old
man and youSnlay not only never hear
the voice Of James Moore. but never
nee his face again"
"Amen" was shouted from the same
seat, more vigorously than before
There was no mistaking the design
now. The preacher looked at the man.
He knew him to be a hard, grinding
man. stingy and merciless to the poor.
He continued with his address: May
the Lord bless all those Of you who
have done your duty, who have hon
ored him with your substance. who
have been kind to the poor. and" paus-
Ing and looking the intruder straight
III the eye aud pointing to him with
IBIS finger. may his curse rest on
those who have cheated the Lord and
ground the poor under their heels!
Say amen to that. brother"
He as:not interrupted again.
Il, was the Rev. Rowland HIS habit
to ride to church In an old family
carriage. a practice too aristocratlc. IN
the Judgment OF one OF his dock. who
Undermined to rebuke It It vas Gus
itomary In his chapel for notes to be
sent to the pulpit. requesting prayers
TOR various objects. and one Sabbath
!Hill was proceeding with the reading
of these requests as usual when he
himself IN the midst Of one to
the following purport:
prayers are requested for the Rev.
HMr. Hill. that he may be more humble
and. like his divine Master. who. in
stead Of riding in a carriage. was con-
Etent to be borne on an ass"
Hayinc read the notice. he lifted