St. Paul daily globe., 1888-01-29

and ninety-nine are set down in the
same category. The truth in the mat
ter Is that the ranks of the ministry are
largely made up of minister's sons and
are being constantly replenished by
them.
Rev. Dr.. S. G. Smith, pastor Of the
Peoples church, was rather preco-
cious pulpiteer, gathering his playmates
to church service at eight or ten years
of age. His father was clergyman in
the Methodist Episcopal church, ana
his ancestors were of that faith from
the days of Wesley. In his teens Dr..
Smith became member of the church,
and felt strongly drawn towards the
ministry, but even then rebelled at the
itineraney of which he had chance to
know good deal. Living in a village as
a boy at home, he one day said to his
mother, 1--WE can't even plant trees
like other folks. for we don't have
time to wait for them to grow up" 1t
never occurred to him that he could
enter the ministry of any other church,
for the lines were drawn pretty closely
in those days. During his college
course, the doctor set his affections on
the profession of law, and read Black
stone, Parsons, Greenleaf and other ele-
mentary textbooks. Just before gradu-
alton his sense of duty towards the min
mined, itinerancy or not, to be Meth
OdiSt minister. He entered the upper
Iowa conference in 1872, and remained
there until coming to st. Paul in 1879.
1t was happy circumstance that led
Rev. John Wright, pastor of St. PaufS
church, into the ministry. From the
time he was fifteen years of age until
he was eighteen he was engaged in
business in the city of Philadelphia
with excellent prospects for success.
One day while on his way to church the
thought impressed itself upon his mind
that he might be useful in the ministry.
After the Service that morning his min
lister sent word that he would like to
see him on /. matter of importance. He
Obeyed the summons, and was much
surprised when the pastor informed
him that he had been think
ing of him as candidate
for Holy orders. The circumstance
seemed providential and the call clear
one. He gave up business, began his
studies, and Was soon ordained a minis
ter of Christ:.ifHe has always taken a
great interestin young men, for he can
never forget it was the interest which
his minister took in him as a young man
that, to an extent, influenced him to en-
ter the ministry. Mr.. Wright believes
that if every rector had personal SYM
pathy with his young men. and entered
into their plans and hopes, there would
be no lack of earnest, faithful priests to
serve at the affairs of the church.
Rev. S. Nj. CrOthers, OF L nifty church,
took to the ministry naturally. When a
mere boy he expressed himself as desir-
Gus of one day becoming minister, and
his parents did everything to aid him
i'll the consummation of his devOut
wish. Having graduated at Princeton
college at the age of seventeen, he took
three years course in the Union The
illogical Seminary of New York City,
and was ordained a Presbyterian min
iSter. After preaching four years in
the Presbyterian church, he found
himself out of sympathy with
the confession of that faith
and, at his own request, was
dismissed by the presbytery of Saera-
mentO, to which he belonged. He then
| entered into the work of Unitarian
minister. Both his choice of the minis
try as a profession and his subsequent
change of ecclesiastical relations were
determined by gradual processes of
thought and feeling, so that at the time
they seemed natural to him.
His present position is simply the de-
velOpment OF purposes which, more or
less dimly, were in his mind from the
| time of his school days.
Rev. Robert Forbes. d. d., pastor of
Bates Avenue NJ. E. church, says that
thoughts of the ministry mingled with
the dreams of his earliest b0yhOod He
was converted at an old-faShioned re-
vival meeting in little country town
when eighteen years of age. He was
then devoted to business and was EN-
thusiaStic as well as successful, and
| hri inh ntc hnf hi
The call of God to the work of
the ministry was clear and
unmistakable. He Immediately
abandoned business life and went
back to school. He devoted the next
eight years to study. Part of this time
he spent in teaching, and was so she
cessful that it looked at one time that
his life work was to be in that profes-
sion. A continual drawing towards the
work of the ministry. and at the same
time shrinking from its vast response
bilities, caused conflict that was not
easily settled. At last, when twenty
six years of age, he was providentially
led to the point where he could hesitate
no longer. He says the shrinking from
addressing large congregations, the
timidity that he felt at first has not Ell
tirely disappeared, even to this day
The love of his work as preacher o
the gospel, the ineStimable privilege OF
being an ambassador of Jesus Christ
and the underlined shrinking from tht
responsibilities constitute part of his
experience that few can understand
He declares that while the actual ex
perience of his life has not been what
he looked for in the enthusiasm of hi:
youth, yet he is glad to be {
Methodist preacher, and he cheer
fully makes it his life work
The pastor Of the Philadelphia Baptis
church, Rev. E. P. Savage, had no Wisl
or intention Of entering the ministry il
early life, although it was ever the de
sire and earnest prayer of his parent
that he should do so. At the age o
eighteen he went to the war, but afte
serving year, was discharged for dis
ability. Meantime, his father died with
out seeing the wish of his heart gratified
In the fall of 1868 Mr.. Savage entere,
the same class in the University o
Chicago with DR.. H. G. Mabie, preSen
pastor of the First Baptist church O
this city. 'Neither of u.s." says MI
Savage, ''had any intention of becoming
ministers. l was looking forward to
business life; he, [ believe, to that of
physician" But a very remarkable re
ViVal occurred which turned the Who'll
current of their lives. They recognize
the call of God to the ministry an
obeyed it. M. j. D.