OBSERVATIONS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 435, 9 December 1876, Page 2

OBSERVATIONS.

ON CHURCH GOING. Do any of you know Smiff? He was at one time a regular churchgoer, but somehow lately he seems to be falling away ; I could not help remarking this to him, and asked how it was. “Oh, the seatsarc uncomfortable,” he said, “and the congregation now numbers that wretched low couple Bugginsand his wife.” I didn’tfeel satisfied, or convinced,andlhave sincediseoveredy that his parson gave a“ smalland early” and didn’t invite Smiff and family; so he knocked off going to church. Whereupon I observe, and I trust you will all agree with me, that Snuff's parson has been guilty of a heinous offence, and ought to be tried by Court Martial, or Club law, and, as Smiff was heard to remark, “If he don’t support me, I can’t support him ; we helped bis bazaar ; we took more scats than we wanted for the sake of appearance ; attended his church ; put our. money in the plate, and after all this, he gives a party, and don’t ask us, it is most presumptuous.” I said I thought it was decidedly. —

Then there was little Yelloliammer, he had a notion that he could sing, but others thought he couldn’t, and they wouldn’t let him into the choir, so he knocked off too. And, lastly, the wife of my buzzum; seeing no preparations for going to church at the usual hour last Sunday, I ventured to inquire thusly :— “ My dear, areyou not going to church ”? To which shekillingly replied,” Oh John, could you desire me to go to church in that bonnet, and that dress, the same which I had a month ago: while there’s Mrs Jinglecash with a splendid new silk velvet, and that pert little upstart, Miss Ogleman, with a “ pull back,” and every thing in the latest fashion.?” Of course I was convinced, but against my will, and I further ventured to state that my account at the Bank wasrather overdrawn ; and (happy thought) as, owing to the late Hood, I could “ get no money in,” economy was necessary during the present state of things. “Well then, John dear," she said sadly but firmly “ I’ll wait,” “ But,” I suggested, “ Your dress and bonnet are very good of their kind, and nearly new; and as a Christian woman, and the small mother of a large family, you should remember that people .go to church to pray, and not to shew their finery and dress, or to criticise that of others.” This was indiscreet, on my part; and feeling I had gone to far, I retired to my room, and communed softly with myself for five minutes, which resulted in some damage to the furniture and three panes of glass ; I felt relieved, but was subsequently much exercised in mind through discovering thisinconsistency in the bosom of my family; and I arrived at the conclusion that “ all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” Cartouche.