Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 December 1883 — Scotch Ministers’ Tact. [ARTICLE]

Scotch Ministers’ Tact.

I A- certain Wctlch noisier, who,though he had a Beak verifa! memory, kept i»© note-book; waa once »e hero of' a ludicrous incident. He made a pastoral call on a woman who, having lost her husband, was burdened with the care of a large family. His inquiries after the welfare of. the household were answered by the widow vity: „ ~ “Weel, we’roiill richt, except puir David he’s s|i| Wdh|>&d W « had leg, and not fiffoiWk/ ’ * The good pastor, thinking that Davie was one of the sons whom he had forgotten, prayed that Davie’s affliction might be blessed to him, and that it might be of short duration. On returning home,' he asked his wife, “Davie! Davie! which of the boys is Davie?” » “Hoot! hoot! mon, ye ought to ken wha Davie is,” she replied. “Davie’s nae son, Davy is just the cuddy” (donkey). But another Scotch minister remembered names too well for the peace of mind of one Jack Hammon, a scoffing infidel who lived in the same town. The clergyman’s piety and earnest ministry had prompted the scoffer to nickname him “The Grace of God.” < On a certain occasion the clergyman failed to be present at the opening hour of a public meeting, over which he had consented to preside. As the audience became impatient, a voice d from near the door shouted, "There’ll be no ‘Grace of God’ here this nicht!” Just then Mr. La# entered. Casting a knowing look on Jack Hammon, he took the chair, and began with an apology fpr being late. “My friends,” he said, “I had to preside at the examination of a village school, and the young folks behaved so well that I could hardly get away from them. I will give you a specimen of their answers. “I called up an intelligent-looking girl, and asked her if she had ever heard of'any one who had erected a gallows for another and was hung on it himself. ‘Yes,’ replied the girl, ’it was Haman.’ “With that up started another little girl, and she said, ‘Eh, minister, that’s no true. Hammon’s no hanged yet, for I saw him at the public-house door this forenoon, and he was swearing like a trooper! ’ ” Upon this the eyes of the audience turned to where Jack Hammon was sitting. The minister continued: “ ‘ You are both right my dears. ’ I said. ‘ Your Haman was reaUy hanged, as he deserved to be; and your Hammon, my lambie, is no. hanged yet; * and then, in a solemn tone, added, ‘by the Grace of God.’ ” The solemn rebuke awed the meeting at first, but then the humor t of the reply so tickled them that they burst into roars of laughter. Jack Hammon rushed out of the meeting, and, for a time, ceased making the minister the butt of his scoffs.