The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-27
THE G
rMY MINISTERIAL FRIEND.1


The other day while searching the die
tionary for the forgotten meaning of a
word, my eye caught the letters "hypocrits"
at the top of apage.
1t is curious how little things will some
times hit ones brain. That word, for some
unaccountable reason, thrust itself into my
thoughts at frequent intervals during the
remainder of a busy night, and at times
I found myself writing it in place of Mr..
SO and 80, who had arrived in town and
would N axe a short visit with his many
friends,.o or in place OF Mrs. SO and so, who
had recently given birth to a t%en-pound
boy. At n rate it started a pleasant
reminiscence, which may be worth the
telling.
After the last page of telegraph manifold
was in, preparatory to the locking of the
last form, and the last proof had been read,
I consulted that reliable friend of all news
paper men, DIR. Noah Webster. and found
that the briefest and tersest definition
of a hypocrite is one who ap-
pears better han he is" Now
if this be true, + take it that all worldlinQs
are hypocrites to a greater or. less degree,
though we are fond of applying that term
to a man who tries to be good, but does not
always succeed, as he would like. Why is
it that IN place of giving q Christian credit
for good deeds, We turn on the cold hose
when at times he betrays the weakness of
common humanity. We call him a
hypocrite when he falls from grace for a
brief space, but returns to his new life.
tt is hardly to be supposed that
Christianity eliminates human passions,
purees the slime of all his sins or creates
ar ideal being. If it makes a better man,
and it does, why should we not have sufi-
cient charity to at least sympathize with a
man when he slips an occasional cog in
in the circle in which he is honestly en-
deavoring to exist. But alas, it is human
nature to scott at the man who fails,
whether in business, profession or religion.
OF the trio of graces, charity is the greatest
and least exercised.
But to finish his bit of moralizino.
though it is Sunday morning and a good
time for such things, I may add that I
started out to tell a little story recalled BY
this word 'hypocrite."
once had a college ohum. who was to me
an ideal good fellow, though, like the rest
of US, he had his weaknesses. We were in
the same class. had similar tastes, except
That he was preparing for a ministerial life.
his parents died hen he was an infant,
and for several years he was dependents for
existence on the charity OF not over kind
relatives. But he had a remarkable intel
lect, and what is not always found In con-
junction., the elements of thorough good
fellowship. He worked during the sum-
mers, and made his way through the pub
lie school where he graduated at the top of
his class. During this time he had been
converted to religion, and had united with
the Presbyterian society. His faith was so
earnest that he decided to fit himself for
the ministry, and work as best he could in
the vineyard of his Master. Ma
ture had fitted him for this
work to Il certain degree. He WAS
gifted with p fine presence, q melodious
voice and an easy use of language. Then
besides he was n studious fellow and was
popular. The church decided to send him
through the college and theological sem
mary; a scholarship was procured for him
and he was duly entered on the rolls in
September, 1854.
We met for the first time on the Gamma
at the opening day Of the term. 1t was n
hard day for freshmen. Hamilton was the
last college to shut down on the historic
custom Of "hazing," a sport that had bean
recognized by college auttorities for mora
than a century, and it was only because Of
the unusual roughness during this %particu-
lar term that the custom WAS finally aban-
doned at this college. The %sophomoros
outnunhbeted us two to one and had thinoa
pretty much their W way, Whom tho
first lush came ] fell III tho line and in n
flash there Rora forty men on top. The
next L know this young theologian had
picked one sophomore after tho other
throwing them bodily, until he lifted me-
in Il faintirR condition. Several tirnea
afterwatd he helped me out of narrow
holes. | recall a night when ho was caught
out alone by the other class. They took
him to u ROOM. stripped him and placing
him on Il table, ordered him to dance.
This he declined to do, although there were
sixty men about Inn. In order to copx
his te~rpischorean abilities into action thew
pounded has feet with heavy oak canes
known az knockers" He stood this for
some time without the change of a muscle.