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Show ' Ufl FOR CHURCH SLIPPED BY. Tho Minister, Absorbed In a Book, Was Heedless of It. Tho morning servlco at tho First Congrenntlonul church was delayed In a somowhat peculiar way Sunday. Tho hour for tho opening enmo nnd passed, nnd no ono appeared In tho pulpit. Tho congrecatlon waited, expecting ex-pecting every mluuto to seo tho Itev. Charles II. Williams, who Is occupying occupy-ing tho pulpit until tho arrival next month of tho new pastor, tho Kov. Albert J. Lord of Hartford, Vt. Sovernl of tho Itov. Mr. Williams' friends bcrnn to grow a bit nnxlous, fearing that ho was 111 or had met with nn accident. Finally a messenger messen-ger was dlspntchcd to Mr. Williams' notch Thoro sat tho good man, earnestly earn-estly perusing a book, wholly oblivious oblivi-ous of tho passing of tho tlmo. Ho was greatly surprised when told that t congregation was anxiously awaiting await-ing his appearance Hnstily tying his cravat and changing bis coat, ho hurried hur-ried to tho church. Mr. Wllllnms In a fow pleasant words npologlzcd to tho worshipers for keeping them waiting and causing any anxiety, and stated thnt for tho first tlmo In his llfo ho had allowed tho hour to arrlvo without his knowledge. knowl-edge. It would also bo, ho said, tho list time. As Mr. WVIIams Is tho soul of punctuality, his lapse was some-talng some-talng of n Joko on him. Merlden (Conn.) Journal. |