The NEW BERN
Hi memory serves us correctly, it
\^’as just about nine years ago that
strange things were happening at
the Centenary Methodist parsonage
here, Moses, a pet cat, had shown
signs of turning Baptist and there
didn’t seem to be much that the Rev.
John A. Russell and his family could
do about it.
Not that the good parson was par
ticularly disturbed. His reputation
tor tolerance was exceeded only by
his remarkable knack for getting
churches built, while holding earlier
pastorates at Roxboro, Four Oaks,
Snow Hill, Durham-and Wilmington.
While at Dunn he didn’t get a new
church erected, but the old one was
thoroughly done over. At Hamlet the
church debt was paid off and the
mortgage burned, and here at Cen
tenary , he successfully launched a
program for a new educational
building that now bears his name.
But let’s leave the subject of the
Rev. Mr. Russell, and get back to
Moses. Having filled up and filled
out on choice Methodist vittles, the
carefree cat decided to hibernate in
the parsonage’s upstairs bath tub.
Freely flowing faucets fascinated
the fatted feline, and a fish wouldn’t
have been happier as long as there
was enough water to tide him over.
But for the minister’s granddaugh
ter, Miriam Duncan — then 12 —
Moses would have switched denomi
nations. He adored her.
Long before the cat became a star
bom'der at the parsonage, Miriam
had her heart set on acquiring a
kitten. The rest of the family took
a dim„vi^ when her desire was an
nounced, but the hankering persist
ed. --i. -"i” ’ - -•
Fate stepped' in, and brought
things to a climax.. One day Miriam
accompanied her grandfather when
he took the family laundry to a wash
woman who lived across Trent, river,
in James City. There, in bull-rushes
near the wash-woman’s little house,
she found the kitten she had dream
ed about and begged for.
In the Bible, Miriam found Moses
in the bull-rushes, so when the
Miriam in this story carted her cat
home to 'the parsonage it was un
animously agreed that he should be
named Moses too.
Moses was purr-fectly happy in his
new surroundings. If he disliked be
ing a Methodist, he certainly didn’t
make an issue of it. He grew like a
weed in a flower garden, and soon
took charge of the household.
A few months later another cat,
a scrawny stray, became acquainted
with Moses, while the two were
meandering in neighboring back
yards. Moses invited the stranger to
come live at the parsonage, and it
looked as if another Methodist had
been added to Centenary’s roster of
1,500 members.
Since there was no mistaking the
close friendship between Moses and
the newcomer, it was decided to
name him Joshua. Unlike Moses,
Joshua got quickly fed up with liv
ing in a Methodist parsonage, and
headed for St. Paul’s Catholic recto
ry across the street.
And then Moses turned Baptist,
and took over the aforementioned
bath tub. Never let it be said, how
ever, that the Baptists don’t know
good food. 'They invariably prove
their gastronomical enthusiasm at
Sunday schooj picnics. Since such is
the case, Moses elected to continue
his residence at the Methodist par
sonage.
His monopoly of its bath tub prov
ed to be a great inconvenience to
members of the household. However,
the Russells, being life-long Metho
dists, knew full well that you can’t
win an. argument with a het-up
Baptist, so they didn’t make an is
sue of the cat’s selfishness.
That was 1®^ no means the end
of the story, although the future
editor of The Mirror figured it was
and did a. story about Moses for the
Raleigh News and Observer and oth-
(Continued on Page 8)
S'. ■
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
IN THE HEART OF
EASTERN NORTH
'-*“OLINA
Copy
VOLUME 4
NEW BERN, N. C„ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1961
NUMBER 28
THEY HAD FUN—Amateur radio operators from three r the group that attended. Host ior"thfr'e¥ea8'»wa»'*o do—"'
states are'seen here enjoying a ‘‘ham'fest” staged by the of tar Heel hams, New Bern’s nationally recognized Al-
Carolina Coastal Net at Union Point. This is only part of 1 bert Parker.—Photo by Billy Benners.
JUDGES LIKED IT—Pictured here is one of the prize-win
ning exhibits at the first annual Craven County Jaycee Fair
and Exposition held here. A creation of the Pleasant Hill
4-H Club, the display embodied expert carpentry, originali
ty and clever presentation of the theme. Local Jayceea are
to be commended for the fine start made with their project.
—Photo by John R. Baxter.
■TOT