February 7, 1902

I do not wish the subject, which I am going to touch upon briefly, to be taken to heart by any one person, as it is of a collective nature, and not an individual arraignment: I once asked a minister if he could tell me how it is that many of the persons who appear to be most zealous at the time of protracted meetings and other big occasions in church affairs, are more irreverent and loose in morals than any other of the church members, when the excitement of these occasions are over. He said he could not fathom the mysterious cause, for mysterious it was to him. He had noticed this class of persons, in their everyday life, and on many occasions had been horrified at their conduct, exceeding, as it did, the actions of many persons who held no church attachments and were members of no religious body. They appeared to be far away from the-fold of Christianity, and wandered in the wilderness of sin, associates with the “canaille[i],” and others who were doing the work of the devil. No-one would shoot one of these persons for a Christian. They might go to China with perfect impunity, and without any fear of creating a Boxer uprising. But let a protracted meeting commence and begin to get interesting, and these men and women count. They come from, you hardly know where. People are astonished to see them mingling with those whom they are persuaded are faithful, and the cry is, “I didn’t know he was a member of church.” Their zeal (?) if possible, exceeds that of the Christian workers in Navy Street, or the missionaries in the Chinese quarters in New York. This excitement and show, is kept up as long as the meetings last, and then comes the inevitable, or chronic relapse. “The dog returns to its vomit, and the sow to its wallowing in the mire.” Certainly this spasmodic overflow does the community some good; it assuredly does it no harm; this class of people are known, and their annual ebullition is expected; the true members of the church are as much mortified over their enforced association with this class of what—do-you-call them? as the outsiders are disgusted. But what can the church do? To accomplish its mission on earth, it must accept those persons as members, and put up with them. But, O, it must be a cross to the minister and the faithful members!

One of our citizens bought a hog last week, and after dissecting it the feminine portion of the family commenced to make the indispensable sausage. They procured a grinder and went to work; but the meat would not feed into the machine. It all came out at the place they put it in. After many efforts to make the machine work, they called the head -of the family, who, after investigation found there were no knives in the grinder. “Be sure you are right, then go ahead.”

Mr. Josiah Culver, station agent, and D. M. Conwell, patronized the excursion to Baltimore on Thursday.

On Sunday, at the M. P. Church, the Rev. H. S. Johnson administered the Sacrament of Baptism to four young persons—one male and three females. He also admitted into full membership of the church two probationers—one male and one female.

The annual election of the officers of the Sunday school will take place at the M. P. Church on next Sunday afternoon.

There is a superfluity of dogs in this community. On last Sunday morning we noticed four on the sidewalk, standing at convenient distances, and passing the compliments of the day one with the other. And this is not all; these same dogs, with many others, make merry times of nights in their diagnosis of the weather and other things that do not suit their canine instinct.

Last Sunday was Ground Hog Day, according to time-honored tradition, and if the little fellow saw his shadow, .it is more than any of the rest of us did around Milton. About three o’clock in the afternoon the sun came out for a while, but we think the hog had more sense than to come out in such weather.

The Missionary Society of the M. E. Sunday School, held its monthly meeting on Sunday afternoon. About $8 were raised.

As the late snow storm has been general, it is nothing new—everyone knows we have had one. In Milton there has been sleighing plenty, and slipping galore [several paragraphs partially or totally missing here.]

The extra services continue at the M. P. Church; and should there be slim attendance on any evening, why you know—-it is” bad weather.”

Nancy Deputy died near Statenville on Wednesday of last week, aged 83 years. Funeral services were held at her son’s residence on Friday afternoon by the Rev. Mr. Buckson, of Ellenda1e, and the remains, deposited in family burial ground. S. J. Wilson, undertaker.

Sallie Carpenter, wife of Lemuel Carpenter, died at her home near Fairmount on Sunday of tumor, aged 60 years. Funeral at Coolspring Presbyterian Church by Rev. Mr. Outten, on Tuesday, and interment made in that cemetery. S. J. Wilson conducted the funeral.

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[i] Derogatory term for “the masses, ordinary people”