He comes but seldom now , being laid up in the home dock , tranquilly waiting till his turn comes to go out with the tide and safely ride at anchor in the great harbor of the Lord . Our crew varies a good deal . Some of 'em have rather rough voyages , and come into port pretty well battered ; land-sharks fall foul of a good many , and do a deal of damage ; but most of 'em carry brave and tender hearts under the blue jackets , for their rough nurse , the sea , manages to keep something of the child alive in the grayest old tar that makes the world his picture-book . We try to supply 'em with life-preservers while at sea , and make 'em feel sure of a hearty welcome when ashore , and I believe the year '67 will sail away into eternity with a satisfactory cargo . Brother North-End made me pipe my eye ; so I 'll make him laugh to pay for it , by telling a clerical joke I heard the other day . Bellows did n't make it , though he might have done so , as he 's a connection of ours , and knows how to use his tongue as well as any of us . Speaking of the bells of a certain town , a reverend gentleman affirmed that each bell uttered an appropriate remark so plainly , that the words were audible to all . The Baptist bell cried , briskly , ` Come up and be dipped ! come up and be dipped ! ' The Episcopal bell slowly said , ` Apos-tol-ic suc-cess-ion ! apos-tol-ic suc-cess-ion ! ' The Orthodox bell solemnly pronounced , ` Eternal damnation ! eternal damnation ! ' and the Methodist shouted , invitingly , ` Room for all ! room for all ! ' '' As the spirit imitated the various calls , as only a jovial bell-sprite could , the others gave him a chime of laughter , and vowed they would each adopt some tuneful summons , which should reach human ears and draw human feet more willingly to church . `` Faith , brother , you 've kept your word and got the laugh out of us , '' cried a stout , sleek spirit , with a kindly face , and a row of little saints round his cap and a rosary at his side . `` It 's very well we are doing this year ; the cathedral is full , the flock increasing , and the true faith holding its own entirely . Ye may shake your heads if you will and fear there 'll be trouble , but I doubt it . We 've warm hearts of our own , and the best of us do n't forget that when we were starving , America -- the saints bless the jewel !
-- sent us bread ; when we were dying for lack of work , XXXXX opened her arms and took us in , and now helps us to build churches , homes and schools by giving us a share of the riches all men work for and win .
America Baptist Bellows Methodist North-End Orthodox bell-sprite chime rosary suc-cess-ion