GOT TO PAY FOR IT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 702, 23 December 1909, Page 3

GOT TO PAY FOR IT.

The coloured parson had just concluded a powerful sermon on ‘‘Salvation am Free,” and was announcing that a collection would be taken up for the benefit of the parson and his family. Up jumped an acutely brunette brother in the back of the church. “Look a-year, pahson,” he interrupted, “ yo’ ain’t no sooner done tellin’ us dat salvation am free dan yo’ go askin’ us fo’ money. If salvation am free, what’s de use in payin’ fo’ it! Dat’s what I want to know. An’ I tell yo' p’intedly dat I ain’t goin’ to gib yo’ nothin’ until I find out. Now ” “Patience, brudder, patience,” said the parson. “ I’ll ’lucidate : S’pose yo’ was> thirsty an’ come to a river. Yo’ could kneel right down an’ drink yo’ fill, couldn’t yo ’ ? An’ it wouldn’t cost you nothin ’, would it ? ” “Ob cou’se not. Dat’s jest what ” “Dat water would be free,” continued the ■ parson. “But s’posin’ yo’ was to hab dat water piped to yo’ house ? Yo’d have to pay, wouldn’t yo’ ? ” “ Yas, suh, but ” “ Wal, brudder, so it is wid salvation. De salvation am free, but it’s de havin’ it piped to yo ’ dat yo’got to pay to’. Pass de hat, deacon, pass de hat.”