The Minneapolis Tribune of the 1890s wasn’t shy about labeling stories as “gossip” — but “gossip about the clergy”? Scandalous!

GOSSIP ABOUT THE CLERGY

Rev. Albert K. Harsha, the popular young pastor of the Highland Park Presbyterian church, stole a march on the female portion of his parishioners during October. When he came among them a year ago his blonde mustache completely captivated the young ladies of the church, and on their part there immediately began a game in which hearts were trumps, if it is allowable to mention cards in connection with the clergy. It is not recorded how many pairs of slippers the young dominie received, but the regularity with which the young ladies attended upon his Sabbath and other ministrations was something pleasing to behold. It took an extraordinarily stormy Sunday to keep them at home.

Along mid summer it began to be whispered about that the pastor had fixed his affections elsewhere. The people at his boarding place noticed missives written in a delicate feminine hand. Then it was noised abroad that he had purchased a lot and was about to erect for himself a domicile. Later the ministerial abode became a substantial reality and the maidens were indeed disconsolate. The only comfort they found was in wondering what kind of a woman she was who had captured his affections. Then followed a trip to Canada, a quiet wedding, a brief tour and the return. Now the reverend gentleman is comfortably ensconced in his cosy home and devoting himself with this usual vigor to his pastoral work. The young women of the church voted unanimously to forgive him when they saw what a charming little Canadian he had brought among them for a helpmeet.

mnhs.org photo

In an accompanying gossip item, the Rev. Dr. David James Burrell of Westminster Presbyterian Church (shown here in 1886, at Seventh and Nicollet, Minneapolis) was described as a skilled debater who was “plentifully endowed by nature with a pretty good quality of brains.” The gossip? This towering intellect was put in his place by the Rev. Dr. Abbott of Albert Lea College in a discussion of the temperance question at a recent Presbyterian synod. “In a few witty sentences,” the Tribune reported, Abbott “placed his opponent hors du combat and took the audience by storm. Dr. Burrell essayed a humorous rejoinder, but it fell flat on his fellow preachers, and he was compelled to sit down discounted.”

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