The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-11-18
A MORAL VICTORY.

-Hdr1sTs Weekly.
A MORAL VICTORY.
Rev. DR.. Carroll had always placed
great stress upon the value of moral
victories; not judging people by what
they were at the present time, but bv
their condition as compared with what
they had been; claiming that Ie-
formed sinner deserved more credit
than pers N Leading an equally exem-
plary lite who had Always kept within
the bounds of rectitude. This mode
of reasoning had led the good minister
into numerous difficulties with his
weather. and more aristocratic parish
toner's, for he would seek out the most
vile and degraded of persons. talk to
them OF the unseitishness of the Savior's
love. how that He came to save that
which was lost. not reviling them for
their past sns, but endeavoring to
make their present and future lives bet
ter; and then taking them into his
church on Sunday, seating one or more
of them in his own pew, and preaching
sermon especially for the benefit of
that class. This was all very well in its
place. but as Mr.. Carroll congregation
was made up principally from the So
called better classes of society, his
church being located in a suburban
village, the home of merchants and
9TH = doing business in an adjacent
city. this style of working and preach
ing had not proved altogether satisfac-
tory. The parish had been washed of
all the coarser filth of iniquity and
needed only, in their estimation, little
finer spiritual polishing up than could
be obtained from the rough scrub-brush
which the pastor must necessarily use
in order to reach the sensibilltles Of the
lower strata, who were so enveloped in
moral obloquy as to require the most
vigorous treatment.
But expostulation was all in vain with
DR.. Carroll. He was man of large
person. large heart and brain, and, what
is rare in the ministerial profession,
large means, also, so that he was not
obliged by pecuniary reasons t. stitle
his natural tendencies. He had inher-
tied his property. and. having no turn
for business. had chosen the ministry
from pure love of doing good, and had
married and settled among the friends
OF his Youth. But the dissatisfaction
grew stronger as the years rolled away,
and his parishioners grew weather. in
pocket if not in spirit, so that the home
" tru' hs became more and more irk-
some. and seemed as bitter pills to the
delicate palates IF the refined listeners.
And so it came to pass that DR.. Carroll
began to realize that he had outlived
his usefulness in the church which had
grown SO dear to him from long asso-
citation. and, as he could not forsake his
Master. he gave notice that he should
resign within the year, after nearly .
score OF Years of conscientious labor.
Much regret AMI sorrow were manifest
ed outwardly. and he was urged to con-
tinue his pastOrate.
But Dr. Carroll was a decisive man,
and remained firm in his Intention. He
should retire from the ministry and de-
vote his me to his family which con-
sisted of wife. son of eighteen, and
two daughters, ten and fifteen years old
and to charitable purposes. The lib
eral salary paid by the wealthy church
soon filled the pulpit with a man more
congenial to the higher tastes of the
congregation; but the ex-minister could
receive but little spiritual nourishment
from this fount, aud after nearly two
years of comparative inaction his soul
hungered t. labor once more in his
Master vineyard. And SO he looked
about him for field. The pleasure
and salts action he had experienced in
ministering to lowly PEG lie led him to
the conclus on that he was better fitted
to be a poor man guide and counselor
than the spiritual adviser of wealth.
Visiting a friend one summer in q lit
tie village in Maine. he found that the
church OF his persuasion was vacant.
and, though the people of the parish
we're not suffering from poverty, there
was q comforting lack of that high
toned, self-righteOus polish which bars
The gates of the heart except to golden
kew. He at once offere his services.
pay being no object, preached q sermon
or two to the satisfaction of the entire
church, and had been installed six
months when we find him one fine
May Sunday afternoon standing upon
the piazza Of his neat, white wooden
hou e, drinking in the quiet beauty of
his surroundings. He was happy; the
past half-year's work had been very
satisfactory, his amiable wife had
adapted herself at once to the WAYS
of the villagers, his son, now nearly
twenty-one. was in college, and his
Oldest daughter at . young ladies'
school. though both his elder children
were at home, having arrived late in
March. 30 as to visit the maple-sugar-
les or sugar-camps q few miles out of
town. and bringing with them q couple
of friends, brother and sister, the for
mer a cla,smate of young Carroll, the
latter . schoolmate Of the daughter.
The minister's youngest girl had al
ways remained with her father. her
tuition being mostly unde- his personal
supervision.
AS he stood there in the May sunlight
ne saw the three girls, who had been
out for q stroll with their brothers,
walking hurriedly up the street toward
the house, as though labOring under
great excitement. As they neared the
house, Efie, the minister's Youngest.
ran ahead and up to her father, all of
culver.
'.Oh. papa, papa" she cried, catch
ing for her breath, ''we've had a
dreadful time. A lot OF rough men met
US and said insulting things, and Hugh
struck one of them, and he tumbled
down in the road, and his face was all
bloody, and he's gone back and they'll
kill him. and Mr.. Clifford has gone
with him." and the child stopped
from sheer exhaustion, and burst into
tears.
What is the meaning Of thisP'' said
Mr.. Carroll in amazement. Ibid
Hugh fall ia the road with Ma face