The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-04-22

converts declared they wouldn't I've "
she was
jed Morrill, said they'd have ~ hul,l
her under water quite spell to d.
any good" chhckled Uncle Rart from
the front seat
We'll, ! wouldn't repeat II. Bnrthnlu
NEW. on the Sabbath day. not IL il,
did say II. Jed Murrilrs responsible
for more blasfhrmiouS Jokes than any
man in Edgcwood. ! don't approve Of
maxim light NJ nuybody's religious ob
scrvanccs IL they're ever So foolish,
said AUNT Abby. somewhat cnigmnti
cally. "Our minister keeps rcmindn'
us that the BnptiStS and MctholiSts
are cur brethren. hut I wish hc', lie n
little more anxious 10 have our scie.,
| keep ahead of the others"
'I,J's bout right in sizin' up IN,
Wilder Tillson." was Mr.. DAYS timiu
contribution to the argument II ain'i
rcndin' man. hut from what folks re-.
port | should think she was one ~
| them critters that set on ~, KS bcwil
| dern' an bcdcviin' men folks out a.
their scnSes-syrrcnS. think they call
'em-a regular syrccn is what that wo
| man Is, ! guess
There. there. Abel. you wouldn't
know u syrcen IL you found one in
your baked beans. So don't take away
womau's character on hcnrsny." And
Mrs. Day. having shut up her husband
rs was her boundcn duty M wife
and n Christian. tied her bonnet strings
little tighter and looked distinctly
pleased with herself
abel amt Startin' any new gossip"
was Aunt Abby's opinion. as she
sprang to his rescue zone or two
more holes in cOlandcr don't make
much dif'rence- Bartholomew. we're
certainly Coin' to Ice late this mornin' :
we're about the last team on the road"
and Aunt Abby glanced nervously Ice.
hind Elder Boone amt begun the
openin' prayer. though. or we should
know II. You can hear him pray
mile away, when the winds right. I
do hate to he late to meetin'. The
elder alters takes notice: the folks in
the wing pews alters gapes an stares,
and the choir peeks through the eur
tain. takin' notes II everything you've
got on your back. I hope to the land
they'll chord and keep together little
mite better'n they've done lately. that's
all | can say. IL the Lord is right In
our midst. Us the Bible says. he can't
think much Of our singers this sum
mer!"
They're improvin'. now that Pliny
Waterhouse plays his fiddle" Mrs.
Day remarked paciticalIy. There was
times In the anthem when they kept
together considerable wen last Sunday
They didn't always chord. but there.
they chor,ied some, We're most there
now, Abby. don't forget. Cephas won't
ring the last bel! till be knows his own
folks Is croSsin tue common
Those were days of conscientious
churchgoing. and every pew In the
house was crowded The pulpit was
built on pillars that raised ii six feet
higher than the hoor. The top was
cushioned aud covered with red velvet.
surmountei by a huge gilt edged Bible.
There was window In the tower
through which Cephas Cole could look
into the church and while tolling the
bell could keep watch for the minister.
Always exactly on time, he would come
In. walk slowly up the right hand aisle.
mount the pulpit stairs, enter and close
the door after him Then Cephas would
give one tremendous pull to warn lott |
erers on the steps, a pull that meant. |
Parsons In the pulpit and was act
ed upon accordingly. Opening the biz |
Bible, the minister raised his right |
hand impressiyeiy. and, saying. Let |
US pray" the whole congregation rose
In their pews with a great rustling and |
bowed their heads deyoutly for the in, |
vocation.
Next came the hymn, generally at
that day one OF Isaac Watts. The |
singers, fifteen or twenty in number.
sat In a raised gallery opposite the pul
pit. and there was. rod in front hung
with red curtains TO hide them whsn
sitting down. Any one was free b. |
Join. which perhaps accounted for Aunt |
Abby's structures as TO time and tune
Jed Morrill,. "biasphemious" as he was
considered by that acrimonious hdy, |
was the leadec, and good Que too.
There would be a great whispering |
and buzZing when Deacon Sumner. |
with his big fiddle, and Pliny Water.
house, with his smaller one. would !
try to get in accord with Humphrey |
Baker and his clarionet An went well |
when Humphrey was there TO give The
sure keynote, but in his absence jed !
Morrill, would use his tuning fork.
When the key was finally secured by
all concerned Jed would raise his stick.
beat one measure to set the time. and
all Joined In or fell In, according To
their several abilities. Ii was not al
ways a perfect thing in the way of Il
start, but they were well together at
the end OF the first line, ana when, as
now, the choir numbered goOdly nun
Der of voices and there were 800 or 400
In the pews nothing more inspiring In
Its peculiar way was ever heard than
the congregational singing of such
splendid hymns as "Old Hundred"
"Duke Street" or Coronation"