Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1875 — Getting the Best of His Parishioners. [ARTICLE]

Getting the Best of His Parishioners.

Old Dr. Strong, of Hartford, was not often outwitted. On one occasion he had invited a young minister to preach for him, who proved rather a dull speaker, and whose sermon was unusually long. The people became wearied, and, as Dr. Strong lived near the bridge, about the time for the commencement of the afternoon service he saw his people flocking across the river to the other church. He readily understood that they feared that they should hear the same young man in the afternoon. Gathering up his wits, which generally came at his bidding, he said to the young minister: “ My brother across the river is very feeble, and I know he will take it kindly to have you preach to his people, and if you will do so I will give you a note to him, and will be as much obliged to you as I would to have you preach for me, and I want you to preach the same sermon you preached to my people this morning.” The young minister, supposing this to be a commendation of his sermon, started off in good spirits, delivered his note, and was invited to speak most cordially. He saw before him one-half of Dr. Strong’s people, and they had to listen one hour and a half to the same humdrum sermon that they had heard in the morning. They understood the joke, however, and said that they would never undertake to run away from Dr. Strong again.— Worcester Spy.