The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-12-19
"REMINISCENCES BY REV PETER HER.
BRUCR.

| Va ouhuhy' DecemDef lbI helu ADVENT ser
vice In my congregation for the 47th time, and
thus began also the 47th year Of my pastorate
over the Canton charge. In the month OF No.
Vember, AID, 1882, my predecessor and preceptor
Rev, Benjamin Faust, died Immediately after
his death the congregation chose me as ts pastor,
which office at once accepted and have held
ever since.
Forty.six years may seem to many long time I;
to me 1t seems very short Oh, how rapidly the
| years have fed, fed as though they had taken
wings In this short time what changes have Ia
ken place In my congregation and also In me !
Forty.six years ago the membership OF my con.
gregation was small. At my first communion In
1881 before that time could not celebrate IT, be.
cause had not been ordained) there were only
twenty six participants. Last Easter three hun.
dred and forty four eager guests hOcked around
the table Of the Lord and on! PenteCost quite
a number more communed. Forty six years ago
the congregation had church IN common with
Lutherans, and therefore services only every
other Sabbath To-day II has q nice roOmy church
with tall spire burdened with two heavy bells,
a large organ accompanies the voices Of strong
choir and numerous worshipeB, and services are
held every Sabbath. Fortysix years ago the con
gregation had no sundayschool, to-day It has
one numbering about two hundred scholars.
They who were fathers In the congregation forty.
six years ago have all fallen asleep none is left.
And even Of those who were then youths, only
two remain, like the last leaves of Autumn.
Forty.six wears ago stood before the congrega.
tiOn STRIPPING of nineteen summers, to-day
stand here pastor with the snowfakGs of sixty.
six years on my head. Such and other changes
have taken place In me and my surroundings.
How varied has been my experience and how
much have endured In all this time. When all
the adverslties, all the dangers which threatened
me- all the cares which so often burdened my
heart pass in review before the mind | feel con.
strained to confess with David 20, Lord, what
am and my house that thou hast brought me
thus far?"
The first two years especially were difficult ones
for me. My entire property consisted Of debt
Of fifty six dollars. No horse, no Overcoat no
mantle we're mine. In light, simple garments l
visited my congregations two of which were
twenty.four miles from here) In winter as well as
in summer sometimes wading in snow knee deep.
How 1t stood with che matter Of my support at
that time can easily be seen from the following
examples: In one congregation, eight miles dis.
year. The salary, which amounted to twenty, one
dollars was collected, But the treasurer, a per.
feet Peabody, retained II for himself, so that
never received "a penny. In another Congrega.
ton, nine miles distant, I preached ten
times, walked there and back each time, dis.
tance amounting in all to one hundred and eighty
miles, and received as a remuneration the enor
nous sum ofone dollar and fifty cents The con.
gregaton still exists, though at present vacant,
and its liberality has not at all diminished. If
any young brother has desire to accept q call
will cheerfully recommend him.
At the end Of the second year was able to
purchase horse, but like Don QuixOte only to
get into difficulties. The animal was only three
years old unframed and foolish and was no
rider. Through my awkwardness around horses
1t acquired several bad habits, which served me
quite ILL., One fault was, that whenever 1t fright
ened at anything, II would run away with me at
q rapid speed suddenly stop, lower the head, ele
vate the hind legs and-the rider, five foot TEN
lay sprawling in the road not seldom In a pud.
die. There were days when this occurred two or
three times Another fault was that the young
thing would occasionally become stubborn, and
instead Of going forwards move backwards. The
LuOlC LLlSN ulbO VII tu0 4ubbSl ~ WOulu I6"
treat A farmer who was once an eyewitness in
this maneuver, cried out to me In the Pennsyl-
Vania dialect: PARE, los den zlegel fohre, setz
dch herum und nimm dem gaul sci schwanz In
die hand, der werst schue der kummest besser
fort" (Parson, drop the rein, turn around and
take hold Of your horses TAIL and am sure you
will make progress). Amid all these experiences
comforted myself with the thought that mine
was not the only horse that had faults. I was
once called upon to officiate at a funeral %
miles from here. A neighbor was kind enough to
offer me his horse and buggy for the occasion
The offer was accepted. At my departure, how.
ever, he said: "Herbruch, ich mus dir ebbes soge;
das pferd wenn eshard zichen mus werd es mouch-
meals stobbeTick und blebt stehen, wann mers
| aver wenig coaXed' damn gehts wider" (Her.
bruCk, will tell you something; when the horse
has TO pull hard it sometimes becomes stubborn
and refuses to move but with little coaxing 1t
will proceed). "Never mind, will get along"
was the reply After about three miles OF the
journey had been made came to q very quag-
mire, several rods long and as wide as the road,
depth not knOwn) l halted and besitated
thinking that II the horse should become stub
born while passing through, 1t might be trouble
| some 10 get out AIler long medltau0n az 10 WnaL
might be done, a brilliant thought at last arose.
The neighbor had said, when the horse must pull
hard 1t becomes stubborn. How would 1t do to
get out of the buggy and mount the horse, then,
of course, 1t will not be drawing you, but carry.
ing you on Its back2' No sooner thought than
done. In moment l was out Of the buggy and
on the horses back. With good cheer rode into
the puddle, regarding myself conquerer. But
when about half way through the horse stood
still. Remembering the neighbors advice, Itried
coaxing but all In vain. Finally, having lost all
patience, gave him sharp lunge in the ribs
with the foot. There was "a thud, splash, and
the horse lay in the mire, but the parson, com.
ically eBough held his seat, twas a ludierous
position Nothing was to be done but to get off in
the mud and, with the aid Of man who had
witnessed the whole affair, to unhitch the horse
and lead him out and then return for the buggy.
At the nearest village a friend was kind enough
to lend me dry pair Of pantalOons, socks and
boots, and the journey was continued without in
terruption. Many more similar experiences
might relate, but suffice this for the present
P. HERBRUCK.