Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-01-17
CHAPTER w.
In Which the Parson Cruises In
Strange Waters.

1
inside, almost, as it was without Bare
wooden walls, a beamed ceiling,
raised platform at one end with a
table and chairs and the melodeon
upon it, rows of wooden settees for
I the congregation-tha was all. As
the minister entered, the worshipers
were standing up to sing Three or
four sputtering oil lamps but dimly
illumined the place and made recogni-
ton uncertain.
| The second verse Of the hymn was
just beginning as Ellery came in Most
of the forty or more grown people in
the chapel were too busy wrestling
with the tune to turn and look at him
A child here and there in the back
row twisted a curious neck but twist
ed back again as parental fingers
tugged at its ear. The minister tip
toed to a dark corner and took his
stand in front of a vacant settee.
The man whom Ellery had decided
must be Captain Eben Hammond was
standing on the low platform beside
the table. A quaint figure, patriarchal
with its flowing white hair and beard,
puritanical with its set, smooth-shaven
lips and tufted brows. Captain Eben
held an open hymn book back in one
hand and beat time with the other.
He wore brass-bowed spectacles well
down toward the tip of his nose.
Swinging a heavy, stubby finger and
singing in a high, quavering voice of
no particular register. he led of the
third verse:
'oh. who shall weep when the roll is
/ called
And who shall shout for joyT'
The singing over, the worshipers
sat down. Captain Eben took a fig
ured handkerchief from his pocket
and wiped his forehead. The thin.
near-sighted young woman who had
been bumped over the keyboard of the
melodeon, Strengthened up. The wor-
shippers relaxed a little and began to
look about.
Then the captain adjusted his spec
tacles and opened a Bible, which he
took from the table beside him. Clear
ing his throat. he announced that he
would read from the Word, tenth
chapter of jeremiah:
THUS saith the Lord. Learn not
the way of the heather, and be not
dismayed at the signs of heaven; for
the heather are dismayed at them"
"A-men!"
The shout came from the second
bench from the front, where Ezekiel
Bassett. clam digger and fervent re-
ligionist, was always to be found on
meeting nights. Ezekiel was the ia
ther of Susannah b. Bassett, "Sukey
B." for short, who played the melo-
deon. He had been, by successive
seizures. Seventh Day Baptist, a
Second Adventist, a Millerite, Regu-
lar, and was now the most energetic
of Come-Outers. Later he was to be-
come a Spiritualist and preside at
table-tipping seances.
Ezekiel's amen was so sudden and
emphatic that IT startled the reader
into looking up. Instead OF the faces
of his congregation, he found himself
treated to view of their back hair
Nearly every head was turned toward
the rear corner Of the room, there was
a buzz OF whispering and, In front,
many men and women were standing
up to look.
Ezekiel Bassett stepped forward
and whispered in his ear. The cap
taln's expression Of righteous indigna-
ton changed to one Of blank aston
ishment. He. too, gazed at the dark
corner. Then his lips frightened and
he raped smartly on the table.
my friends" he said. "let US bow
in prayer"
John Ellery could have repeated that
prayer, almost word for word, years
after that night. The captain prayed
for the few here gathered together:
Let them be steadfast Let them be
constant in the way. The path they
were treading might be narrow and be-
set with thorns, but 1t was the path
leading to glory.
"Scoffers may sneer," he declared,
his voice rising; they may make a
mock of US. they may even come into
thy presence to laugh at us, but theirs
IS the laugh that turns to groanin'."
And so On, his remarks becoming
more personal and ever pointing like
a compa"~ needle to the occupant of
that seat in the corner.
20 Lord" prayed Captain Hammond.
the perspiration in beads on his fore
head, thou hast said that the pastors
become british and have not sought
thee and that they shan't prosper.
Help us tonight to labor with this one
that he may see his error and repent
in sackcloth and ashes"
They sang once more, a hymn that
prophesied woes to the unbeliever.
Then Ezekiel Bassett rose to testify"
The testimony was mainly to The eff
feet that he was happy because he had
fed to the ark Of safety while there
was yet time
Captain Eben called for more testi-
mony But the ties ifiers were. to use
the old minstrel joke. backward in
coming forward that evening. At an
ordinary meeting. by this time, the