The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-12-31
A TRUE STORY.
CHAPTER Nv
WHAT FOLLOWED AN UNEXPECTED
APPOINTMENT.

WHAT fOLlSOWHD AN UNGArHCEO
APPOINTMENT.
"Br0. NJ. there was \ telegram In
the paper this morning which con-
Germs you. What does II mean ?"
said one Of his prominent church
mem hers, ~ he stepped from his
pulpit one Sunday In . large east.
ern city. "Whst! l d" not under
stand YOU" said Brother M. "Y""
have been appointed ma pro'ni'
nent position In tn regular army
was the response. "lndeed! That
il news to me / have made no A..
p ication," said the preacher, Sand
l have no deSir to rriinquish my
present position. "Well you arr
appointed, will you accept" ~ do
not know. The following morning
the Hon. Mr.. -, United States
Senator, called and informed him
officially of the appointment. 81
thank you most sincerely for your
Kindness and courtesy, but l can
not see my way clearly, and d" not
see how I can accept the position"
WAS the polite reply. "Well Mr.. M.
] had the appointment In my hands
and had to make 1t Ur some one
else would have received 1t. I
thought II you did not desire 1t, you
could easily resign, You ar get.
ting pretty well advanced in age
and sM,n will be passed s-rvice In
your ministry. thought you
could serve In this capacity few
years, and then retire with an an.
nuity for the rest Of your life" said
the Honor bic gentleman, with the
desired effect. In few days the
newly appointed officer was upon
his journey, to his field Of labor
west Of the great Rockies, and the
years that followed showed the wis
nom Of the appointment. In the
meantime the health Of Brother II.
WAS again undermined and he wa
compelled to seek recreation from
the hard toll of his ministerial Ia.
b"r. He made q tour In the far
west, and his passage through the
r ckies was one Of much profit to
him. The views of grandeur sur.
passed all description and were 80
'nvlgorating that he regained much
of his lost physical and mental
strength. One day as he was stroll
ing about in a large western city,
he CHANGED to step into a church
door, and finding himself in a meet.
ing If his own denomination he BE-.
came a patient listener to what was
going on. In short time after he
had seated himself, an elderly gen.
tleman, whose silvery locks, frosted
beard, and slightly wrinkled brow
told Of the toll and anxiety Of years,
began speaking Of the Mormon
question, which the church had to
deal with. AS he proceeded M
called up an experience of his first
years ministry. ~ wonder" said
Brother A. to himself, "if that is
Brother NJ. {" Another and anoth-
er evidence developed that he had
met his long lost friend. The beau.
ty an power of his youth were
gone, but there was yet tingle of
the eloquence Of earlier days
visible in his language. AS he took
his seat Brother A. advanced to the
platform and said: "Mr. Chairman
pardon my Intrusion, and though
an unlimited guest allow me a few
moments Of your time. Many
years ago, while living in distant
city, / often had the privilege to
call at the shop of hard working,
but noble man, among whose chill
dren was boy Of good promise.
Very early in life he started out in.
to the world in the ministry. My
path has largely diverged from his
but though he lost sight of me long
years ago, I have kept track of him.
1 have watched him through life
from the time of his leaving home
through his early ministry, to his
city pastorates. have seen him in
the balls of Congress, leading in
devotions. In my imagination l
have followed him through the
many interesting and painful
scenes of the war; 1 have seen and
read a letter of his writing dictated
by a dying soldier who was once
one of my most loved pupils. l
saw, years ago, that he was away in
the distant west, leading the soldier
to higher thoughts than the conflict
Of arms. Aye, l nave seen far
more of his noble work, bat l must