The Republican journal., 1884-02-21
The Gift of Helpfulness.

Among the. gifts of the Spirit known in the
early church there was one called ''helps," by
which Dean Stanley thinks was meant the aid
and encouragement that superior Christians
can minister unto their interiors. Whether or
not this is a correct Interpretation, we are sure
that such lps' exist i'll the church.
Occasionally we meet with men in the Christ
ian ministry who possess, in addition to rare
intellectual endowments, the preeminent grace
of charity. and are in a peculiar degree the
helpers of their younger and weaker brethren.
Such was the late Rev. Wooster Parker,
whose death has been chroncled, and whose
life and character have been truthfully sketch
ed in this paper by the appreciatve pen of his
friend, the Rev. S. Ii. Hayes.
1t was my great good fortune to enjoy his
personal friendship and fatherly counsel during
the first years of my ministry. With deepest
gratitude | recall his helpfulness to me, at
time when [ needed the sympathy and en-
couragement of some strong minded and wise
hearted friend. My field of labor, at that time,
was one over which Mr.. Parker had formerly
had the pastoral care for a short period, and
the peculiar demands and discouragements of
which he well knew. He was then pastor at
Belfast, and was unqueStionably the ablest
minister in the Waldo Conference. His strength
of intellect was equalled by the goodness and
warmth of his heart. We younger men in the
Conference boJh loved and feared him. We
loved him because he first loved US; we feared
him because we well knew that he had taken
our just measure, and that our literary efforts
would pass with him at their true value. 1t
was worthy and a stimulating fear. and did
us good Mr.. Parker was keen, but never
mercileSs critic. Criticism from his lips was a
sharp arrow, but its barb was never poisonous;
it wisely compounded of justice and
mercy, and always designed as tonic for the
intellectual health of its subjects. He would
listen sracously to the weakest effort and il he
exposed its weakness, he would find something
In it to commend.
Mr.. Parker respected young ministers, even
though their mental qualifications for the min
istrv were not of high order. He rejoiced to
encourage and help such by his counsels. TO
those who did moi know him well he may have
appeared stern in manner, but no man ever
seemed to me to have more than he of the grace
of Chrat-ike condeScension.
In November 1882, Mr.. Parker was for
time my guest in this city. whittier he had come
for medical treatment, and was permitted to
spend many precious hours in conversation
with him. He felt then that he was crossing
the outer border of his mortal life. His heart
was full OF tenderness and affection and his
thoughts We're tinged with the glory of the
hereafter. My mind" he remarked, "dwe>
a great deal upon death. 1t is to me deeply
solemn subject 1t was not the fear of death.
but an unutterabe aWe.-an awe intensified by
profound convictions of the sOemnity of life,
and of its momentous issues. | shall never for
get his prayers uttered in my house. They
were to me most impressive, full OF holy tlp-
lifting thought | felt that | had one of Gods
true saints as my guest, and that the hallowing
power of the higher world was upon him.
And so the grace of his hepfulness came to me
again, as in the years that We're past
bless God that he gave me this strong and
true helper at the beginning of my work as a
Christian minister and that again, after years
of separation he permitted him to cross my
path, and brighten it by his counsels and his
prayers.
May the Lord mpart to U.s. who are growing
h1t GI Vrh wi an 10 H. tf
be the helpers of others, pass along our
earlhlN pilgrimage. [Christian Mirror