Sr ste
21 lines✦
T. PISGAH’S CHRISTMAS ’POSSUM No more happy expedient for raising the rev-enues of the church could have been found thanthat which was evolved by the fecund brain ofthe Reverend Isaiah Johnson. Mr. Johnsonwas wise in his day and generation. He knewhis people, their thoughts and their appetites,their loves and their prejudices. Also heknew the way to their hearts and their pocket-books. As far ahead as the Sunday two weeks beforeChristmas, he had made the announcement thathad put the congregation of Mt. Pisgah churchinto a flurry of anticipatory excitement. “‘ Brothahs an’ sistahs,” he had said, “ you allreckernizes, ez well ez I does, dat de revenuesof dis hyeah chu’ch ain’t whut dey ought to be.De chu’ch, I is so’y to say, is in debt. We hasa mo’gage on ouah buildin’, an’ besides de int’rus’on dat, we has fuel to buy an’ lightin’ to do. 125
✦