"More Brains, Lord!"

1887

Rev. Dr. Sunderland, on accepting the pastorship of an American church in Paris, offered his farewell prayer as Chaplain of the United States Senate, a short time after. On this occasion he made some peculiar home-thrusts at the honorable gentlemen for whom, during four months previous, he had been daily interceding at the Throne of Grace. He uttered the following supplication very audibly:

"We pray Thee, 0 Lord! to give to the councillors and statesmen of America brains! More brains, Lord! More BRAINS!"

On hearing this very well-timed entreaty, but rather harsh criticism, Mr. Stunner dropped his bead upon his breast quite feelingly, Jim Lane rolled his eyes piously, Garrett Davis evinced signs of emotion, and a gentleman in the reporters' gallery uttered an emphatic "Amen!" by way of response.

Many of the honorable secretaries dropped their heads upon their desks to conceal a smile at the Chaplain's supplication, which smile extended to the dimensions of a broad grin, as the "Amen" was heard to proceed from the reporters' gallery. The worthy Sergeant-at-Arms, who was standing in his usual deeply reverential attitude, (with solemn countenance on religious thoughts intent,) turned the white of one of his official eyes in the direction of the self-constituted clerk in the gallery, but he evidently could not discover a countenance which did not exhibit the utmost decorum of expression.

—Anecdotes of the Rebellion, p. 21.