Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-01-17

A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
BY CHARLES NoRDHoFF.

1t was the last day Of the Indiana Confer
ence. ALI business was dispatched, ard the
assembled preachers Matted only for that last
and most important announcement which
should decide for each the scene of his next
years labors. In our Methodist communion
the bishop who presides over the annual meet
ing called the Conference wields the appoint
ing power. His word, in this matter, has been
wisely made supreme; and though, with as
degenerating Methodists of the East, the body
of presiding elders prompts the wisdom Of
their superior, while the larger and wealthier
congregations 90 one step farther and ask
privately beforehand for the man of their
choice, in the generous West they stick to the
primitive mode, trusting to the experience Of
the bishop that he shall so fit the men to the
churches that neither may be wronged.
Nor, let it be said here to the honor of those
venerable men, who have now for more than
half century exercised this somewhat arbi-
trary power, has there often been found Just
cause Of complaint.
The list Of appointments is prepared during
the session Of Conference, and is kept strictly
secret; SO that no one know, nor could form
even aprobable guess at bis fate. The muir
muir OF voices was therefore hushed, and all
listened rs with one ear when the bishop rose
TO solve their riddles for them.
One by one the willing servants bowed their
accepting heads, with sigh of relief or sor-
row, and lost their general curiosity in their
particular interest. Presently was read out :
"oHoTrovER STATIoN-PAUL CLIFTON"
Whereat a few Of the elder brethren looked
over toward the young man so named, scrutin-
lzing him with critical eyes, as though meas
uring his fitness for this 'Shottover Station"
while others, the younger preachers, looked
up with eyes in which pity for him vas mingled
with ill-concesled joy at their own escape
For they were hard cases at Shottover Sta
tioD. The church was small and weak; the
outsiders a turbulent set irreverent to the
1oe Il
the preachers weak points, and very ready to
take advantage of them. A very stronghold
OF Satan was ShOttover, where the poor min
lister need hope for but small pay and less re-
spect, and might think himself lucky if he got
of with whole bones. Once or twice, indeed
IN years past, they had driven the newly -ap-
pointed man away by force Of their brawny
arms and leathery lungs; and once, taking an
exceeding dislike to young fellow just from
college, and serving here his first year, land
who, as they complained, 'knew everything,'0 y
they had combined together and literally
starved him out.
Therefore Shottover was place to be avoid
ed by all means; plague-spot which had
driven several tender hearted men into other
Conferences; and to which now for some years
the youngest member was, by general agree.
ment Of the bishop with his subOrdinates, sent
to make trial Of his budding powers-just as
boys who have run away from home to sea are
on their FIRST voyage, placed in charge of the
sky-sails and royal studding- sail, to loose and
furl them. Whereby at least those whose ro-
nance lies but skin-deep, and who were in
deed called, but not chosen, grow to hate the
glorious sea-life in the precise proportion as
they scrape the skin off their tender shins, and
are glad, at the first port, to run away home
again.
Which take to be q fine example of Mr..
Darwin's recently advanced theory Of " Natu-
raj Selection"
i
ness little on one side of the room, like q
young bear, all his sorrows before him. was
recent acquisition to the Conference. He had
graduated with honor two years before at
theological institute in the East; had preached
experimentally, and very acceptably, on va
riOus occasions, and to different city and coun-
try congregations; had taken a run over to
Europe" and was now counted a promising
young man, whom any Conference would be
glad TO receive; when 10, to the surprise and
disappointment of his friends. he set his face
Westward, and eschewing the hesh-pots of
New York, resolutely wandered into the des-
ert of Indiana. Another John Baptist, said
Miss Thomasina Dobbs, romantic young lady,
who was shrewdly suspected Of designs upon
the reverend Paul's heart-though very unlike
John Baptist indeed, thought the rough Hoos-
ierPreachers when they saw him pull of his
neatly y-ftting kid gloves on ceming into Con-
ference room, and spread an immaculate pock-
set-handkerehief on the dirty floor whereon to
,kneel at prayers.
e. The fact is poung Clifton had been bred in
ease, and had the outside of a gentleman,
which is disadvantage sometimes: particu-
larly if the inside does not correspond. He had
a.young mans natural longing TO 20 out into
the world, and see a little Of the rough side of
ito try his own wings, which he had now for
some years been impatiertly futtering on the
edge of the paternal nest. Add to this the
honest enthusiasm of the young fellow wis
believes himself called to show the heavenly
road (not as a fnger-post, as Jean Paul sug
gests, which only points the way, but does not
move itself) And this tempered, perhaps, by
the modest thought that it would be easier for
him. young and inexperienced man, to lead
rough Hoosiers up this steep and narrow path
than the more refined intellectual congrega-
tiOns at the East-a little mistake I have
known wiser men than the Rev. Paul to maxi e
as though the widest horses did not need
the best drivers. Pat these together, and you
have, suppose, nearly the mixture of motives
which brought him to avoid the soft ease of a
"irst-clsss city appointment" and join him.
self to this unknown future Of the back-woods.
The bishop regarded him with mild pity IS be
read him his fate. A set custom could not be
violated on his account; nor, indeed, did the
venerable man believe that this trial had best
be spared the young preacher. When the last
bymp was sung, and the prayer and benedic-
tion had dismissed the members to their homes
NO Wdhcu OfCf W NuoIO NiAlUu odJ, anu sud-
kind his hand encouragingly, said:
Keep up your spirits, brother Paul, the
sword of the Lord is on your side-'the sword
Of the Lord and of Gideon"
"Yes, yes" remarked an old fellow who
overheard these words; II wish there was q lit
.. tie more Gideon though, /" while hard -featur-
ed circuit-rider growled to himself; '"Taint
right, hardly, I've q mind to change places
with him; he looks like good young fellow d
"You leave him alone, interrupted the old
Father Sawyer; probably the bishop know.
what he's about. Let the young man take hi,
chance. The Lord viii provide
al don't believe the Lord knows anything
about Shottover," retorted the circuit-ridsr
who had enough Of Gideon about him, at any
rate; and who probably would have rather en-.
joyed q tussle with that devil Of misc hief, who
was said to be 30 strongly entrenched in Pau
Clifton's new station.
In which regard be differed much from Paul
who was not what you would call muscular
: Christisn, forcing people hesyenward by th'
fear of the Lord and big fist; but eminently
a mild-mannered man, slender, and more
given to his Greek Testament than to hii
: dumb-bells. Old Peter Cartwright would have