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PINEY WOODS SKETCHES
PLAIN IGNORANCE.
All over the country, from pulpit and
pew, the question is being asked:
“What is the cause of so much in
difference and inactivity among Chris
tian people?”
The cause, as I see it, is just PLAIN
IGNORANCE. Impossible! you say, In
this age of unparalleled culture and
free education. I do not mean ig
norance of that type, but religious ig
norance; the ignorance that lets con
science sleep, and breeds the gross
indifference you And among the Do
Nothing Christians; the bench-warm
ers ; the well-all-the-week-but-sick-on
a-Sunday contingency. The members
of your church who constitute a free
ice plant, who freeze every enterprise
looking to the larger development of
the church, spiritual and temporal.
The members who belong to the “tin
horn telescope brigade.” With the lit
tle end to their eye, and the big end
on their text, they read, with pious
exultation: “FREELY YE HAVE RE
CEIVED,’’ then quickly reversing the
horn, to make the balance of the text
as small as possible, so small, in fact,
that it would outrage their sense of
politeness to appropriate any of it for
personal use, they read on to the end:
“freely give.” The admonition to
“give” is always addressed to the
other fellow.
My grandmother used to tell me of
an experience my grandfather had
with a ghost—which illustrates the
point I want to make: It seems the
negroes on his plantation had become
very much exercised and excited over
what they thought were “hants,” or
ghosts. He had reasoned with them,
telling them no such things existed
and that the sights and sounds which
had so alarmed them were only imagi
nation. On Sunday night after this
interview, my grandfather received a
message saying his neighbor, who
lived about a mile away, was very
ill. Being a good walker, he did not
wait to harness a horse, but took a
short cut through the woods, which
furnished better walking than the
main road. The little path led past
the negro church, and as he passed
it he noticed that the lights were out
and services over for the night. The
sight of the empty church recalled to
his mind the nerve harrowing ghost
stories the negroes had been recount
ing to him for weeks past, and the
wish came to him all at once that he
might meet one of their ghosts, so
he could prove to them there was no
foundation for their fears. As if an
swering his wish, a white semi-circle
about six inches wide swished into his
path out of the darkness and floated
on ahead of him. He was too startled
to move for a moment, but soon sum
moning his courage together he
started in pursuit, determined to over
take and capture the object, whether
spirit, beast or imp. He had evidently
reckoned without his host, hovzever,
for the faster he walked, the faster
it floated, when he ran it ran, when
he paused it paused. His anger was
fast overcoming his fear now. Grip
ping his walking cane in one hand
he started again, running as fast as
he could. Instantly the white object
sped up the path ahead of him; on
he went, his feet making but a muf
fled thud in the soft carpet of pine
needles. He was gaining, the phan
tom was only a few steps ahead, a
sound as of heavy breathing caught
his ear; gathering his remaining
strength and courage, my grandfather
By Violet 'Ross
said he bounded over the intervening
space and brought his cane down with
all his might upon the mysterious
white circle. An unearthly shriek of
terror brought him up with a shock.
“Oh, help, murder, come here and hep’
your po’ old mammy”! This plaintive
wail from the supposed ghost was fol
lowed by a shout of laughter from
my grandfather. “Mammy Sue, why
Mammy Sue, it’s just your Marse Joe,”
he called. Mammy Sue dropped down
in a soft heap right in the path, sob
bing and laughing hysterically.
“Marse Joe, wha’fore you want’er
skeer yo’ po’ ole mammy to der for,
honey? Doan’ you know yo’ mammy’s
too old fer you chillun’ to be prankin’
wid lak dat?” Grandfathei’ soothed
her injured feelings as best he could,
and then asked her what she was do
ing out at that time of night, and
where was that white thing she had
with her? “You go’wn off here, chile,”
answered Mammy Sue, indignantly. “I
reckon things is cornin’ ter a pretty
pass when yo’ ole mammy can’t lay
off der Sunday shoes o’ her’n what’s
mighty nigh ruin’t her ole feet, and
h’ist up de onliest black frock she’s
got dis side o’ jedgment to wear to
meetin’, kase who’s gwinter buy her
any mo’ when she tears dis one off’n
her back, I’d lak to know”?
Mammy Sue’s . indignation soon
spent itself, however, laboriously she
rose to her feet, gathered up the
skirt of her “best dress” in both
hands, and coming up close to grand
father’s face, she continued, her voice
almost drowned in laughter: “Marse
Joe, I ’low it’s about time to call er
halt on dis ghos’ biz’ness, es hit’s got
to de p’int whar you has’ter git out
and run yo’ po’ ole mammy’s petti
coat all over dese woods while she’s
mighty nigh bustin’ all de buttons
off’n her has’ trying ter out run yo’
shirt front.”
.■ ; I
We present to our readers the pic
tures of Private C. P. LeVert and
Private T. H. P. Bloodworth, of At
lanta, who have decided to join their
hands, their tongues, their gray
beards, their “war-time” experiences,
their patriotism and their eloquence
on the lecture platform.
Mr. T. H. P. Bloodworth, Confed
erate soldier, linguist and charming
entertainer, can recite a “war-time”
poem until you can almost see Bull
Run, Gettysburg and Appomattox,
and he can tell a Scotch story until
you catch a vision of the land of
The Golden Age for March 25, 1909.
TWO OLD CONTTDS
Now, you see the application, don’t
you? These luke-warm Christians just
get a glimpse of religion. A ghost of
eternity flitted across their path
somewhere and frightened them, so
for safety’s sake, they applied to
the “Free Salvation Company” for a
policy that would insure them a com
fortable seat in heaven, after their
long neglected and over-worked pastor
had borne their poor little empty
souls on the wings of eulogy to the
Golden Gate which leadeth into the
Celestial City.
Oh! if they only would take the
Bible and search out the verities of
the religion of Jesus Christ, and be
gin to let their lives work out the
grace that God works in, the ghosts
of emptiness, unrest, heartache and
doubt would vanish when their hands
and heart came in touch with the liv
ing, pulsing, joyous REALITY. Our
Home Mission Board would not have
to spend weary days and long, sleep
less nights in agonizing prayer for
more money to carry on the great
work that lies at our very door. The
foreign missionaries would not plead
in vain for more help to feed the
hungry multitudes who are clamor
ing for the Bread of Life. Our min
isters would not turn from then' pul
pits with breaking hearts because of
the indifference of their flock, and
the lack of sympathy and co-opera
tion which steeps their weary souls
in the bitterness of death.
*
Cuban Pepper Salad. —Sliced pota
toes, shredded red cabbage, shredded
green peppers in equal parts, one cup
ful of “pencil strips” of cooked cold
corn beef, half a chopped onion, one
sliced cucumber. Mix all with ma
yonnaise dressing, season to taste;
serve on lettuce leaves, garnished
with quartered hard-boiled eggs.
Wallace, Bruce and Burns.
And as for “Comrade” LeVert, we
measure our words when we say that
his lecture on “The Private Soldier
of the South” contains some of the
most magnetic, thrilling sweeps of
martial eloquence to which we ever
listened, John B. Gordon not excepted.
His description of the Battle «f
Franklin fairly makes your hair rise
on end. It makes you think of Victor
Hugo on Waterloo. These two “Old
Confeds” will make a great hit on
the platform. Send for them and
see!
ENTERTAINMENT OF SOUTHERN
BAPTIST CONVENTION.
Hotel and Boarding House Rates For
the Convention—Louisville, Ky.,
May 12-17, 1909.
Prospective Messengers and Visitors,
Attention!
The Galt House, First and Main
streets, will be headquarters. It has
direct car line connection with all the
depots, also to the Coliseum, the
schedule time being fifteen minutes.
It is run on the European plan, but
after some effort on the part of the
committee, agrees to the American
plan on the following terms: Rooms,
without bath, accommodating not less
than two persons, and more when
space justifies, $2.50 per day, each
person. Rooms, with bath, as above,
$3 per day, each person. To secure
the American plan and these rates,
at least two hundred must signify
their acceptance of them by not later
than May 5. Reservations for rooms
at these special rates must be for at
least four days. If less than two
hundred signify their acceptance of
the American plan rates by May 5,
then the European rates, which range
from $1.50 to $3.50 per day, will pre
vail. This hotel can probably care for
some four hundred of our people, and
it is very important that all who want
to stop there write as below for reser
vations at once. Please indicate how
many you want entertainment for, and
whether a room with or without bath.
The Seelbach, Fourth and Walnut,
rates are $2 per day and upward, Eu
ropean, but this hotel, though having
four hundred rooms, is usually sold
out in advance for May. A hint to
the wise is sufficient.
The Louisville, Main street, be
tween Sixth and Seventh, American,
makes a rate of from $2.50 to $3.50,
without bath, for each person; and
of $3.50 to $4.50 with bath.
The Old Inn, Sixth and Main streets,
European, rooms without bath, two
in a room, $1 per day. Rooms with
bath, $2, $2.50 and $3 per day, with
additional charge of $1 for each extra
person in the room.
The Victoria, Tenth and Broadway,
European, $1 per day.
The Willard, Jefferson street, be
tween Fifth and Sixth, American, with
four in a room (two double beds), $2
per day. For one wishing a bed to
himself, the rate will be $2.50 a day.
The Fifth Avenue Hotel, Fifth ave
nue, between Green and Walnut,
American, with two or more in a
room, according to its size, $1.75 per
day.
In addition to these hotels we are
arranging with a large number of
boarding houses and private homes to
entertain guests. We can provide en
tertainment all the way from $1 a day
up. Many boarding houses and pri
vate homes will make a rate of from
$1 to $1.25 for lodging and breakfast.
The Convention will meet in the Co
liseum, at Fourth and A streets, and
a large official dining room just south
of the Coliseum will serve good meals
at noon and evening for 35 cents a
meal. We suggest that all who stop
at boarding houses and in private
homes just arrange for lodging and
breakfast.
For those wishing us to make reser
vations for them we will gladly do the
best we can. Write as explicitly as
you can as to what you want and we
will take pleasure in trying to serve
you.
It is absolutely essential that all
who want to stop at headquarters, the
Galt House, write us at once. Do not
fail to state the number for whom
you want reservations made, and
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