The Infidel and the Preacher
A WELL-KNOWN minister delivered a series of discourses against atheism, in a town some of whose citizens were known to be atheists, or unbelievers in the supernatural origin of the doctrines taught in the Bible. A few days afterward he took passage in a steamer ascending the Mississippi River. On this boat were several of the citizens of the town in which he had delivered the discourse against atheism, among whom was a notorious infidel. So soon as this man saw the clergyman, he began to talk boisterously against the Christian religion, and perceiving the minister reading at one of the tables, he proposed to his companions to go with him to the opposite side of the table and listen to some stories that he had to tell about religion and professors of religion, which he said would "stir up" the old preacher. Several drew near to hear his vulgar stories and anecdotes, all of which were pointed against the Bible and its ministers. The preacher did not raise his eyes from his book nor appear to be the least troubled by the rabble. At length the infidel walked up to him, and, rudely slapping him on the shoulder, said, "Old fellow, what do you think of these things?" The clergyman calmly pointed toward the land, and said, "Do you see that beautiful landscape spread out in such quiet loveliness before you?" "It has a variety of flowers, plants, and shrubs that are calculated to fill the beholder with delight." "Well, if you were to send out a dove, it would pass over that scene, and see in it all that was beautiful and lovely, and delight itself in gazing at and admiring it; but if you were to send out a buzzard over precisely the same scene, it would see in it nothing to fix its attention unless it could find some rotten carcass, that would be loathsome to all other animals. It would alight and gloat upon that with exquisite pleasure." "Do you mean to compare me to a buzzard, sir?" said the infidel, coloring deeply. "I made no allusion to you, sir," said the clergyman, very quietly. The infidel walked off in confusion, and went by the name of "The Buzzard" during the remainder of the passage.—New York Christian Advocate.