“BE CAREFUL TO ENTERTAIN STRANGERS.”
By Wm. Penniman
On one occasion Bishop George, of Philadelphia, called at the home of one of his Methodist brethren, who lived at a place not far distant from the city, expecting to preach at a quarterly meeting to be held there. The old gentleman was quite plainly dressed; and this was generally the habit of both preachers and laymen among the Methodists of that time, which was about forty or fifty years ago. He was also plain and unassuming in his manners. There was a party at the house, and a sumptuous supper was in preparation. The society people of the town were present, as was also the circuit preacher in charge. The preacher, who expected to be examined by the bishop at the coming quarterly meeting, was no doubt much more fashionably dressed than his venerable superior. Little attention was paid to the bishop. He was not invited to the supper, but left in the kitchen. Finally he said he would like to retire, and they told him he would have to sleep with a young preacher who was there. “Very well,” the bishop said. The young preacher then came into the room and said, “Let me see the old man; yes, that will do. I notice he is clean.” The old preacher then went to his sleeping-room, and spent some time in reading his Bible. The young preacher soon came into the room, and jumped quickly into bed, planting himself in the middle. Soon after, the bishop, having offered up a silent prayer, also got into bed. His religious turn in reading the Bible and prayer set the young man to thinking. He asked the old gentleman where he was from, and he replied, “From Philadelphia.” The young man then said he expected Bishop George from Philadelphia, and then he hitched along a little in the bed. He next inquired if his companion knew Bishop George. “Yes,” he said, “I shaved him this morning.” The young man then, giving another hitch, inquired his name. He replied, “They call me George when I am at home.” “What! you are not Bishop George?” “That is what they call me.” The young preacher asked, “Have you had supper?” He jumped out of bed much more quickly than he had got in, and went and ordered it. But the bishop refused to eat; neither would he take any breakfast; and who can blame him for refusing, as no doubt he wished to teach them a lesson. The bishop left in the morning, and after getting his breakfast at another place, went to the meeting-house. He gave a plain sermon on Christian duties, including the injunction to “be careful to entertain strangers.” Then he gave the young preacher a powerful exhortation, including an examination, which effected his conversion, or at least a reformation in his character. The bishop left the preacher and the church in a much better spiritual condition than they were in when he went there. Wm. Penniman.