Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-01-29

rConmunicated.l
The Country Minister.
He Is not great man--not always an ed d.
ucaed one. When say great man, use
the term in its ordinary sense. don't
mean, necessarily, that he has not great
heart, strong sense Of drly, and deter
nrinaton to do it to the best Of his knowl-
edge. don't mean that he is not possessed
of strong mind, good logical powers, and,
above all, Of sterling good sense; but rath.
or that lie Is not like those we call great
men. Perhaps he breaches az good doc
trine as any; perhaps he knows AS well
how TO influence the people for good; but
he certainly is not one of our great mon
not one Who could metanIorphoSe himself,
for instance, into star lecturer and retailer
ofancient ideas and stale sentiments. In
fact. he would never think, even among
his plain parishioueIs. ofgetting up Ice
tur0 on Temperance or Wuman's rights,
because he would have sen,e enough TO
see that he could say nothing that the pco-
pie did not know throu h and through
He may be great in tue true sorse of the
word, in extensiveness, pr6hcnsiveness
of intellect and heart; he may be truly one
of "naturo's noblomen;" but he Is not
what we call great in the sense that some
the men are who have come into pruml-
hence for the last fifteen or twenty yeats at
the bar, behind the pulpit, or on the plat
form. This, fancy, is because he happens
TO live at the wrong time. He does not
strike popular vein. He may bc too
solid, or too rigid he may honestly be.
4
to Christian minister than retailing jokes
behind the pulpit. At any rate, there is
something about him that units him for
preacher in our city churches, with all the
attendant emoluments and advantages; so
he settles down, with a meagre salary and
more meagre accommodations, to life
work among a palmer kind of people.
Still there is much in his life that will
bring into bold relief his better qualities
aud deveope moro fully his manhood.
The city pastor comes around once a week,
delivers Il prctlily written sermon, thor
oughly gassy, being particularly careful,
meanwhile, that his hair I've well comhed,
his moustache well waxed, his coat well
brushed and his boots well backed, and
considers his duty well done. Or, if he
deem it necessary that he be little more
attentive 10 the welfare Of his society and
the size of his salary, he makes an occa-
slonal call upon some paying member of
his flock. But he gets only parlor view.
The lady of the house receives him, a
common place remark or two is made, a
compliment or two passed, smirk or two
Ncntured, French bow made, and he goes
his way. His life may he the easier, and
am not sure but that 1 should prefer il if
choice of the two were offered but there
Is little doubt that the life Of the country
minister is the better for building up the
man, If not the effective preacher. The
latter has far more opportunities for doing
good. He has chance to view human ma |
lure, with all its strength and weakness, |
on more sides. He can the better take |
measurements of minds and souls, The |
practical part Of his Christianity is more |
largely developed. His pastoral duties do |
not end with Sunday, or even with the |
prayer and conference meeting. lie has |
chance TO exercise a beneficial supervision |
over social matters. lie can take an active |
part in educational affairs, shape, to a GER
Tain extent, the reTding and thought Of his |
people, and encourage a bright youth or
two about town, who is DESTROYS of making
a man of himself, and who is in need Of
his advice and instruction. In short, there
are thousand ways in which lie can better
the morals and condition Of his people.
The country minister is often very
practical person, can drive a fair bargain,
and do good days work. He is some
inn fNs,1 ga