Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 January 1880 — Humors of Plagiarism. [ARTICLE]

Humors of Plagiarism.

As A rule, says the Cincinnati Commercial, it is not safe to plagiarize; but to this rule, as to most others, there are exceptions. A minister of Western New York had been accused of preach-

tog Mwy, and waa brought before the Presbytery to account ter hlx ottaaes. Ha asked permbrion to deliver before the Presbytery a carefully-prepared discourse, in which he would set forth the doctrines he held. Permission was pven hiw and at the appointed time the sermon was delivered. At its close the members were called to pass judgment upon it. Borne denounced it, several said it contained the rankest heresy, others considered it orthodox, and a few wisely declined to express an opinion. Before the final vote was taken the accused was permitted to make a statement He told them that the sermon he had just preached was one of Dr. Chaimen’s, and directed where it could be found: and remarked further that if they declared him « heretic on the strength of it they must declare the great Scotch divine to be one, too. Some of the brethren then got mad at the trick played upon them, out all concluded that the proceedings against the accused had better be Another case of justifiable plagiarism was that of an eminent minister who outwitted a brother minister equally eminent. No. 1 entered the church of No 2 just as he was about to announce his text. No. 1 tried to sit near the door, but No. 2 spied him, and invited him to a seat in the pulpit No. 1 once in the pulpit No. 2 whispered to him, “You must preach for me this morning.” No. 1 said, “ I came to hear you, and I am going to.” No. 2 insisted, and No. 1 finally consented. So No. 2 removed his sermon from between the leaves of the Bible, placed it on a little shelf under the pulpit, and took a seat in the congregation to enjoy his friend’s sermon. Np. 1, as rose to preach, took the sermon from the shelf, and went through it word for word, no doubt greatly to the edification of. No. 2, who wrote it