Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-09-16
Ipuzsied.
No word came from Adam Carr.

puzzled.
No word came from Adam Carr.
Sunday was at hand. The Satur-
day Courier had announced the pro-
gram for the services at the First Con-
gregational church. There was to be
q solo In the morning by the popular
Miss Smith. with flute and cello OBJ
igato. More wonderful still, a cello
solo during h collection by the IA
nous Professor Parker. Of Boston. In
the evening a song service, with a
snort sermon by the minister, the Rev.
Mr.. King.
And all this In the First Congrega-
tlonal church of Corinth. Horace Blag-
den's church!
At 1890 o'clock Mr.. Blagdon put on
his tall hat, took up his gold headed
cane and announced to the two Mid
thornes that 1T was time to be off to
church. Mrs. Blagden was not up to
1t, so they were leaving her behind.
The bell hasn't rung yet. Uncle
horace, observed Eric, who had been
waiting for he r%esounding peals of
that well known sumnone Of the
faithful.
Mr.. Kings orders, my dear boy,'
sald horace as calmly as If the silenc-
ing OF that venerable and never fail
ing bell was the most trivial thing in
the world. He pondered a moment and
then added, with a queer little shake
of his head; MI. King Is really a hu-
ma sort of a Christian. A sensible
one. might say. Come along. please.
We can't afford to be late after what
ne SAID at the board meeting last week"
He seemed nervous and quite anx-
ious to be off.
You see, my dears, there's a very
SICK child across the street from the
church. Assesses in the ears, I under
stand. Ihey've got tan bark along the
entire block. Last week 1 attended to
having the heavy teaming stopped on
that part of the street. The child's
mother informed Mr.. King that the
frightful changing of the church bell
almost set the little girl wild with pain.
King promised her that-er, ahem-it
should not ring until the. little sufferer
was quite fully recovered. Most UNI
usual. Most extraordinary. Me bell
hasn't missed a service, morning or
night, in SO years."
He is he right kind of a Christian.
l don't see why the foolish old thing
has to ring, anyway"
Mr.. Blagden looked hurt. Really,
Mary. that isn't just the proper" He
caught himself up with one Of his rare
smiles, albeit was rather a shame faced
effort. Mr.. King did not put 1t in just
that a my dear. but he was quite
convincing and-er, ahem-very posi-
tive. He said that IL the members of
the First Congregational church did
not know the hours for service, 1t was
high time they were learning them. It
isn't necessary to ring a bell in order
to ret the people to the theater on time.
said he, so why bring them to church
In that way. Really, he was quite en-
phatfc about 1T. Somehow, we agreed
with him. l believe it is his intention
to make note of the tardy ones today,
for--er, ahem-missionary purposes. as
he put 1t to the board"
Mr.. Blagden looked at his watch, and
accelerated his speed quite ~noticeably.
Eric and Mary could scarcely credit
their senses. Truly, a wonderful thing
had happened in Corinth. A new gos-
pei had supplanted the old. A rock
bound, half-dead spirituality had been
shaken into life by a process Of en-
lightenment that was positively be-
wildering. An up to date minister,
with an up to date gospel, nae COM
pletely upset the religious calculations
of $50 years, and Corinth was sur
viving the shock!
Eric could not help wondering how
long it would be before one Of the
great, progressive n covetous met
ropolitan congregations would extend
a call to this amazing Mr.. King-and
get him at a vastly increased salary,
with perhaps a pension for his wife
when he became too old to preach, or
1T got tired of him and wanted a
change.
The new CongregationaTism had at
last forced its way into Corinth. 1t
had taken many years. I venture the
opinion that the First Congregational
church did more. toward proving the
blindness of faith when it called MIR.
King than anything that has been done
In the name or the history Of religion.
A congregation SO settled and stead
fast in its ways could not have ac-.
complished a transition so complete as
this except by accident. Mr.. King was
truly an accident, quite as much Of an
accident as. the stroke Of lightning
which never strikes twice in the same
place. If anyon had told the trustees
IN advance that he was going to tweak
traditions nose until 1t slipped entirely
out of joint. those excellent gentlemen,
preserved the tenets of the church SO
cival King would never nave been
On faith, and they had been taking
him on faith ever since, without q
murmur Of dissent.
He was the modern Congregational
list Good bless him!), and as strong as
Samson when it came to shattering
pillars. The old church fell down
about their heads, without hurting
anyone, and a new one went up in Its
place SO swiftly that before the cor.
gregation knew what 1t was about It
was reformed, rejuvenated, human
lied. He was giving. 1t something to
think about, something to enjoy, some-
thing to grasp