The Ottawa free trader., 1849-10-05
From the New York Organ
The Circuit Preacher.
ny KATE soUTHERLAND.


The Methodist Circuit Preacher
is in the way ofseeing human nature
in many rare and curious aspects.
Under the itincrating system, the
whole Of these u. States are divided
in conferences, districts and circuits.
The conference usually embraces a
State, the districts a certain division
Of tie State or conference, and the
circuit portion of the district. To
every circuit is assigned preacl er,
who is expected t. provide himself
with horse, and his duty is to pass
round his circuit regularly, at APP
p inted seasons, through the year,
and meet the members of the church
at the various places of worship es-
tabllshtd within the circuit Every
year he attends the annual confer
ence of fpreachers, at Which one of
the bishops presides, and is liable to
be assigned new circuit, in tie
selection of which, as a general
thing, he has no choice-the bishop
making all the appointments. And
so term after term he goes to II, "
place, among strangers before any
strong attachment can be formed.
the relations between him and his
people are severed, and lie hegins.
as it were, life anew, hundreds Of
miles away, it may be, from any for
mer field Of labor. To single man,
this system is one invoking great
self denial and sacrifice e; but TO a
man having a family, the self denial
and sacrifice assume often a painful
character.
In those circuits that embrace
wealthy and popular sections of the
country, the Methodist preacher is
well taken care of; but there ere
many other sections where the pco-
pie are not only very poor, but in
different to matters of religion,
Ignorant in the extreme, and not
over burdcnd with kind or generous
feelings. On circuits of this char
actrr, the preacher meets sometimes
with pretty rough treatment. and
II, for his years services, he is able
to get, being we will suppose, sin
gle man, ; 30 or $50 in money. he
may think himself pretty well off.
To one Of these hard circuits a
preacher whom we shah call Rev.
Mr.. Odell, of the New Jersey con-
ference, found himself some wears
ago, assigned by the bishop, who on
that occasion presided at the annual
conference. The change was felt as
pretty severe, he having been on a
comfortable station for two wears.
But, as he must take the evil with
the good, Mr.. Odell conscientiously
repressed all natural regrets and
murmnrlngS, and, as in duty bound,
started at the close Of conference
for his new field of labor. \ day or
two before leaving. and after the
appointments were announced, Mr..
Odell said to the brother who had
ridden this circuit during the pre-
viouS ycdr-
80 | am to follow in your foot
,tcps?'
'lt appears so,' was briefly re-
piled.
'ilow did You like the circuit?'
4 am very welIpleasedto to CHANGE
'Not much encouragement in that
answer
we can't all have the good
places. Some of us must take our
turn in the highways and byways Of
the land
True. | am not disposed to com
plain. ! have taken mp the cross, and
mean to bear it to the end, irposSiblc
without murmur.'
As we all should Well, brother
Odell, ifyou pass the year on the
circuit without murmur, your, faith
and iirmness will be strong. | can
assure you that it will be more than
| dld-a great deal more
'Pve been among some pretty
rough people in my time
so have | But 'and he checked
himself; 'however, | will not pre-
Ijudice your mind. 1t would be
wrong. Tney do as well, | suppose,
as they know how, and the best can
do no more
'Truly said. And the more rude,
ignorant, and selfish they are, the
more need have they of Gospel in.
s'ruction, and the more willing
should we be to break for them the
bread oflife. If our Master had not
'even where to lay His hcad,' it i'll
becomes us to murmur because every
natural good is not spread out before
u.s.
In this state of mind, Odell went
to his new circuit. Having depos-
tied his cnmily ,nneist;,,r ,r , ,,:c.