Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1935-01-25
~
from the
Democrats Pen

Well. Sir, this here Teller, Ripley,
conceived the idea of hunting up a
lot of things to tell which people could
"Believe it or not" and he seems TO
be making a living out of it, at least.
I know this: he had something in his
department one time that couldn't
believe, and I wrote him about 1t.
After a long while, he sent a reply
to my letter saying, he knew that
what I noticed was all to the "wet,"
but-"Believe it or not"-he published
it to see whether anybody would de-
tect the error. Blest if l believed
him-he simply made slip-up, that's
all.
Then somebody else took up the
idea and came out with wonderful
nothings under the head of "Strange
as it may SEEM; they weren't willing
that Ripley should get rich too quick.
Then. again, the profits were split
bv a guy who writes under the cap
ton: ''This Curious World" and he's
milling in few shekels. Then comes
the periodical Judge" which makes
an awful effort to be funny and it
plunges in with the title: "Don't you
Believe IT," This, of course, is an
entirely unnecessary precaution. The
fact that it's in Judge" is warning
in itself.
think I'll start something like
that myself and name it after one OF
thes "skeesicks" on the Weather Blu
reau. If those birds can't tell you a.
plenty, then it's no use for Ripley
or anybody else to become globe trot-
tiers to find material. What the wealth
er bureau prints every day for the
believing or un-believing public to
read, is about as equivocal as anything
seen under Ripley or anybody else
"It's Believe 1t or Not" "This Curious
World" "Strange as it may seem,
and "DC : you believe it," rolled into
one and lien some. If the weather
prophets can't keep you guessing, no.
body else need try. If proof of this
is lacking, all ask is for you to com
pare predictions with results during
the past week or ten days. Well,
guess they don't ask you to believe
what they tell you-and we don't.
I saw under Strange as it may
semi think it was-that preach
er had been preaching in the same
church for sixty-six years. Well,
agree that does sound rather strange
and I couldn't help wondering whether
he was still preaching to people OF
pews, electric lights, stained glas.
windows. pipe organ, and empty col
lection plates. If he has anything
in front of him that seems to be hui
man beings either they are mighty
good or he is. Maybe he owns the
building and he means to camp there
for the remainder of his mortal life
You know, it seems as if a lot Of
stress is laid these days upon how
good the man in the pulpit is; if HI
doesn't suit the congregation the1
there amt no congregation-that's all
What the Church stands for, doesn'
count. Looks like a good many PEG
pie worship (or opposite) the clergy
man, rather than the Man of Sorrows
They attend church not for the goot
Of their souls, but of their minds
Spiritual food is subordinate to intel
lectual mauna. Personal likes ant
dislikes regulate their Sunday presence
at the sanctu1 Try. Entertainment
seems to be the main motive in OCCUPY
ing a pew rather than the seeking o
an hours separation from world.
thing for the purpose of communion
with Him who said: "Come unto m
all We that labor and are heavy laden
and I will give you rest"
However, I don't want anybody t.
think Pm after a job. You know
sometimes think the Methodists hav
the best method. If one of thei
preachers don't suit, he is just toll,
by the Bishop or the President to tax
up his bed and walk. We Episco
palians (and some others) use a mat
ter of months and years to brin,
our spiritual leader to the realization
that some other climate would sui
him better. Then we call somebod
else and began a new regime. Thi
is a funny world.