Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1880 — The Deacon Wins on the Homestretch. [ARTICLE]

The Deacon Wins on the Homestretch.

Place -—Baptist Chapel, Saturday covenant meeting. Persons present, the church members belonging to the society —presided over by the pastor. An interesting meeting followed, as this was the last covenant with the elder. Pastor—And now, brethren and sisters, as this is the last covenant meeting I expect to be with yon, you will allow me to talk with great plainness. (Here followed some rather sharp r qwoof.) Brethren, will you keep up the Sunday morning services and the Wednesday evening prayer-meeting ? I will take a vote on it. (Vote almost unanimous.) Now, then, vho will you appoint for leader? (Deacon F. chosen.) Presently, with great deliberation, rose the stately old deimcii. “ I accept with reluctance the place assigned me ; my health, as you know, is not good. I don’t like to be out nights, but I will try to do my duty, and I hope the brethren and sisters will do theirs. But, brethren, bo assured of one thing, if, xvhen I do come, I find only two or three of you here, I shall cease coming regularly.” Pastor, with reproof in his tone and a self-satisfied twinkle in his eye, “ Have you, deacon, forgotten the promise of our Divine Master, ‘Where two or three are gathered together in My name there I am in the midst to own and to bless?’ ” I thought, a» I looked at the glowing and egotistical countenance of the zealous pastor and then at the discomfited deacon, “He has got yon now, sure.” But not so. The d“acon came to his feet before the minister sat down, and, eying him sharply, said, “ Elder, those two or throe spoken of by the Master I can find m m v house, and thus the blessing may be secured without traveling through the miro.” The minister kept his feet soln ■ limo, but not one Word could ho reply. —-Lapeer (Ohio) C'arioit.