The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-02-27
A LETTER FROM REV. WHITNEY.
DETROIT, Mich. Feb. IS. g

Editor Free PreSs.
| Under the hospItable roof of your
former townsman, g. f. Piper, my
thoughts naturally turn to the far
away Minnesota home. Possibly a
few words from this pen may not be
amlss, at least to a portion of YOUR
readers. | was suddenly called away
from Mankato on Jan. 18th, by a tele-
gram, requesting me to visit Adrian,
Mich, with view to the pastorate.
l had the good fortune to have the
Grand Army comrade, Gen. Pope, for
a travelling companion as far as Chi
cago. As night closed in upon Us the
ground was thickly covered with
snow Before we reached Wfnona we
were sound asleep, and the first town
OF any size visible in the early morn
Ing light was Harvard Junction in
Illinois. We had passed the limit of
the recent storm and the ground was
bare. Bidding the General good morn
ing at the station in Chicago / was
transferred to the Lake Shore s Mich
igan Southern depot, and in another
hour was leaving the great city be-
hind me. Stopping over Friday night
at Goshen, Ind, l found myself sur
rounded by the friends of other days,
and had the privilege Of preaching to
them in the evening. Reinforced by
the companionShip of one of my form
er parishiOners, the next day found
me on the last stage of my journey.
We reached Adrian at about four
o'clock on the afternoon of Jan. 3Ist,
and now the beauties of ''candidating'
begin TO appear. A stranger in
strange land, with only one known
friend at hand, and here for the eX-
press purpose of being looked over for |
good points or bad. as the case may
be. What gauntlet TO run! Who /
would not be a Methodist at such a |
time, and let the Bishop choose for |
both pastor and people. Over the /
succeeding two weeks let us draw the +
veil. The less said about I
some things the better. Alone, for /
the friend has returned to Goshen, the /
trying ordeal is endured. Invitations /
to dinner, to tea, for the night. to lee
lures and entertainments, TO social
gatherings follow each other in quick
all for the purpose of get
ting acquainted, and in all of which i
one poor mortal is conscious that he
IS the observed of all observers. Fine
gather on the Sabbath /
days, yet even there the omnipreSent
thought obtrudes: weighed in the ball
ances-what if found wanting? At
last, by Invitation, shelter is taken in
the home of an old college chum, past
DR. of the Baptist church at Flint,
Mich. Restraint is thrown off, and
Did memories Of twenty years ago are
revived. At last the message comes
over the wire, Large attendance, I'M
animous call. Papers by mail And
the following morning the official
document is at hand. The suspense
IS over. The courtship has ended.
BarkiS is willin', and all is well.
Just a word or two now in regard to
The place which is to be my home.
Adrian is the place to which brother
Little first removed from Mankato. !,
Perhaps that made it easier for the
present candidate. At least we heard
)nly kind words for Brother Little,
from Presbyterian or Baptist
ips. The town falls a little short of
o, 900 population. Is supplied with .
electric street railway, which / am !
old is paying investment. Adrian !
College, a fourishing literary institu- !
ion, is located here. Also an Indus !
rial Home for girls, supported by the :
state. 1t is called the Maple City be- ,,
.ause Of the abundance of its shade !
rees. 1t is clean city with many |,
beautiful homes. 1t is the county
eat of Lenaue county. The church
o which your scribe has been called /.
las record Of nearly sixty years, with !
lever quarrel in all its history. The
resent superintendent of the Sunday !
chOol has occupied his position for a :
Ialf century. They have a building ;
OSting upwards of SO, 900, seated with !
hairs and supplied with pipe organ. :
The membership numbers nearly 500.
The Sunday school $50. There is an
fectfye organization among the young
eople nearly $50 strong. 1t is evil :
ent from these figures that there is a :
rand opportunity for aggressive
Tork- The pastOrate is to begin !
Iarch l. 1t seems best, though the !
chooIs at Adrian are excellent. that
UP children should remain at Manka- .
o till the close Of the present school :
ear. We shall therefore hope to greet :
ur old friends once more in June, and +
~ the final good bye. l leave it to }
be good Judgment Of We editor wheth-
r this finds its way into print or into
be waste basket. +
Respectfully yours, +
W WHITNEY,