Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-01-23
AN OLD TIME MINISTER.

AN OLD TINE MlNlsT ER.
A brief sketch OF the Life of lsev. Jonas
Clark, of Lexington, Mass.
The pastor of New England church a
century, and a half ago was often a diligent
and successful farmer. He needed what
ever his well managed acres could al3 to
lis srpport, for his salary was small. That
Of tine Rev. Jonas Clark, who was ordained
nastor Of the First Parish Church OF Lexing-
ton. in 1855, was $50 and twenty cords OF
wood. The money was often SO deprecated
AS to be worth little more than the wood |
An interesting sketch OF. Mis- life, and Incl !
dentalIy of the village life at the time, is |
contributed to the Unitarian Review.
At blowing, planting, hoeing, haylng,
harvesting and cider making, Mr. Clark
worked with his own hands and had the
help of his boys. Through the season,
from the first peep of dawn till dusky eve,
he was at work in the garden or the held,
at the woodpile, in the barn, OF in the
study His wife and daughters were
equally busy, spinning, weaving, caring for
the dairy, or making the clothing for
twelve children.
When the town wished to instruct It's
representative in the general court, or in
the provincial congress, or when CORE
spoudeuce with committees of safety in
other towns was to be carried on, Mr..
Clark was generally intrusted with the
drawing up Of the necessary papers. His
house became rallying place for the
patriots of Middlesex county. He assisted
in sending forward men and supplies from
the town through all the dreary years of
the war.
He averaged fifty-six sermons a year dur
ing the fifty years of his ministry. These
were strong in logic, fearless in denuncia-
ton of tyranny and wickedness and ire
mendous in their length. His grandson
has seen one of them which must have re-
uuired three hours for its delivery 1t is
recorded that he was emphatic in his man
ner and pounded the cushion without
mercy.
In 1892 Governor Hancock offered to give
the society an elegant Bible for the pulpit,
if the church would consent to its being
read as part of the service, as it evidently
had not been up to that time. Mr.. Clark
announced the proposed gift to his congre-
cation, and asked them to take action in
the matter.
One of the deacons arose and said that
he apprehended the innovation would not
be acceptable if it should increase the
length of the service, as the people were
anxious to get home to do their chores be-
fore dark Mr.. Clark promised that it
should not The Bible was accordingly ac-
cepted, and the reading established as q
part Of the church service.
Mr.. Clark had pair of fur gloves which
he wore in winter while preaching. A slit
in the thumb and forefnger of the right
one enabled him to turn the leaves of his
sermon readily When it was first proposed
to put stoves into the meeting house the pro-
iect was stubbornly resisted, and one man
was so grievously offended that he refused
to enter the church again. After the stoves
were put in q lady actually tainted on ac-
count Of the oppressive heat, although it
was a cold day. She was not little cha
grined on learning that no fire had been
kindied in the stoves.
Mr. Clark was II companion to his boys.
They toiled together in the fields. They
set nets together for pigeons, and the min
lister carefully noted in his diary how many
were caught.
The president and professors Of Harvard
college, brother ministers iourneying to
and from Boston, the great leaders OF the
patriotic cause, Samuel and John Adams,
John Hancock, Joseph Warren and Gov
ernor Brooks, together with numerous
uncles, aunts and cousins, were entertained
under his hospitable roof. How food and
lodging were found for such a multitude
| it puzzles us to comprehend.
Mr.. Clark's fee for Sundays preaching
when supplying a vacant pulpit was s..
| For a wedding the fee was commonly 81.
In exceptional cases he received 50, but
oftener only 80 cents. For days labor
on the farm he paid 35 or 40 cents. Board
was dollar a week in the best families
A farm of fifty acres, with buildings, rent
ed for $40 1t required two days labor to
pay for q bushel OF corn, and three days
for pair of shoes. These details serve te
show how hard were some of the conditions
| of life then.
Mr.. Clark's diary ends with FINISHED
haying today" The parishioners CAME
and gathered the harvest which he hae
sown, and the bright, soft days OF the In
dian summer, November, 1868, were hi:
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