The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
THE MINISTERS DO0R-BELL.

We should like to write companion piece
to Schller's and to Poe's famous poems on
the bells. They both neglected one "tintin'
nabulation" which to city pastor brings
constant trouble and very little pleasure
Fairly seated iu the study, with "good, fat
text" ae DR.. John Ludlow used to call Ger.
tain passages of Scripture, with his pen just
dipped in the ink and his thoughts beginning
to & w, the minister is startled by the mourn
full peal below stairs, "a lady wishes to see
you" Away goes the sermon and down
walks the pastor to find stout, beaming
person with a small package in her hands.
She rises and greets you with somewhat set
smile, and in few moments introduces Lind
ley Murray's "Power of Religion" which
she is selling at only one dollar. The minis-
ter at last in despair buys the book and dis
misses the agent. He finds when he re-
mounts the stairs that the book has been
printed by the executors of the authors es
tate for graruitous circulation" which the
lady had probably overlooked. So the pas
tor sits down again to write on Christian
brotherhood, or the Importance of patience,
or some other excellent theme, when the bell
peals once more, GA letter for you" He
turns, tears open the envelope, and finds the
seductive pictures of pattern-maker. This
is soon disposed Of, but not so the gentleman
who calls for a subscription, the tramp who
asks for an old hat, the undertaken with a
funeral notice, the swindler who is 81 the son
of clergyman" the parishioner who "drop-
ped in to ask advice" the old friend who is
really welcomed. Every one breaks upon
the morning hour and hinders the work in
hand. And on the next Sunday the congre-
CATION think the sermon dull, and one critic
observes Sagely, that its parts were somewhat
disconnected. If the minister could only
print some of his discourses, and would print
honestly, instead Of slaughter" placed in
brackets like some famous Congressional
speeches, the readers might find door-bell," :"
"interruption, "unexpressed msledictions,"
following sentence after sentence on the pious
pages.
Some pastors fly, like the young man in
Excelsior" to the shades of night when
they want to do steady work. The painful
result is seen in early spectacles and splittin 6
headaches. Over very few study doors can
the old sentence be engraven, "Aurora Mu-
sis Amica." Hesperus has higher claims
than Aurora in modern times. Some pastors
fly to Europe. One absent from his flock
remarked, 81 could not stand that door-bell. i"
But where there exists conscientious dis
taste, or practical inability to take these
avenues of escape, what is to be done? The
enemy pursues a man who takes the bell
away. DR.. James Hamilton remarks on this
subject in one of his letters where he speaks
in reproof Of "the editing of books for people
who are anxious to publish without being
able to write, inditing poems for albums, and
all that sort of thing by which the devil under
false pretences, cheats clever but kind-heart-
ed men out of the time which was given them
for serving God and their, generation" Oar
wisdom fails US. Perhaps the best consola-
ton is to remember that patience as q virtue
often languishes when men are not worried.
The door-bell may then be classed with sum-
mer flies, fall mosquitoes and such like. The
character may develop sweetness even if the
sermon grows dull.
If an application were needed it can be
briefly stated. Don't call ON your pastor IN
the morning, unless it is absolutely necessary.
When you must call, be brief in your stay.
But this application will not meet the eyes
of those who need it most. Alas, no. We
had better put the advertisement on the
front door, for, there goes that beU!-Chris-
tian Intelhgsncer.