Nebraska advertiser., 1881-02-10
Garfield as a Preacher.
entor Cor. Cincinr att Enquirer.

Menttr Cor CincinI ati Enquirer.
Half a century ago the renowned
Alexander Campbell founded the Chris
tian denomination, now generally known
as the Disciple churches. TWENTY-FIVE
years ago these churches were becoming
firmly established in northern Ohio.
They were aggressive, and enjoy ed the
full measure of opposition and persecu-
tion which is always given TO new and
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. organizations. The
membership If the Disciple churches i'm
the United States is now about 600. 600.
Gen. Garfield's parents were among
theearliest ofMr. Campbell converts in
Ohio, and from them he received the re-
ligious training which established him
for life in the peculiar faith of the Dis
ciples. Early in his school days he show
ed an aptness for public speaking, and
his interest in the study of the Bible led
his friends to believe that he would be-
come minister. The Disciple, hold
that every Christian should be a teacher,
and do not require in their candidates
for the pastoral Office a certain course
of theological training. They do not
license and "Ordain.n at least not In
the formal manner which prevails in
most Other denominations.
Although Gen. Garfield is spoken of
as having been apreacher, be was never
minister in the sense in which that
word is ordinarily used. After his grad
uation at Williams college he was often
invited topreach in the Disciple churches
in The region about Cleveland, and many
old residents tell me that he was a re-
markable speaker, earnest and fluent in
speech and fresh and bright in thought,
and so far superior to the uneducated
preachers who visited the country dis
trlcts in those days that he was regarded
by the people generally as most bril-
liant and accomplished religious teacher.
1t is not probable that he ever enter
tanned any serious thought of adopting
the ministry as a profession. He did
not enter upon any extended and thor
ough course of theological study, and
he refused several calls to act as pastor.
To friend who recently asked him for
the manuscript of one his old sermons
he declared that he never wrote one.
DE preached because he loved the ex-
citement of public speaking, and preach
ing was the only kind of oratory for
which there was at that time a demand
within the circle in which he moved.
Hewas natural, ,irrepressible orator, and
his speech naturally flowed into the
first channel which opened for it. But
the regular pastor work of the Disciple
churches had few attractions for one so
capable and ambitious as he was. The
denomination hadn great metropolitan
churches, in whose pulpits widespread
influence might be acquired and nation
al fame established. The churches were
nearly all small, and financially feeble.
The salaries paid to their pastors were
ridiculously small. There was no chance
for promotion. the preachers all being
of one order, and the churches strictly
congregational or independent in their !
ecclesiastical relations. To becom, a
Disciple minister was to accept COM
paratiye obscurity and unqualified pow
erty for life. 1t is hot surprising that |
young Garfield disappointed his pious
admirers by seeking larger and more
promising sphere of activity. If he had
held to the doctrine of divine call to |
the ministry, probably he would have
bravely entered upon the life of self
sacrifice which such call is supposed /
to require of those to whom it comes.
But ne had not been brought up to be-
lieve that certain men must preach or
be damned, and he felt free to choose
another profession. With the secretive-
ness that is characteristic of him,
he studied law privately, keep
ing the fact a profund secret until bis
admission to the bar in Cleveland made
1t public. Shortly after this event he
was unexpectedly nominated as re-
publican candidate for the state senate
of Ohio. This nomination practically
ended his brief career as a preacher.
Jut of respect for the public prejudice
which .ndemns the blending of religious
and political work, he withdrew as {
quickly as possible from the pulpit after {
Us party had placed him on the stump. {