The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-05

Asuem per wei now much IL cheered me ana
sum uiated me to highe, things, even as a child,
20 nave glance Of recognition and kindly
now Go you do?" and especially warm hand
shake from the minister
LET me hint. also, that this IL q good thing for
everyone In the church to remember and prac-
uce- Keep close to the little ones! II We are to
make our church and Sabbath school what they
ought TO be we should make every child con-
nected with US feel that he or she is not only
oaeans we shall win the heart, and winning the
near' means loyalty and devotion in after life TO
very high and holy principle.
wen DO L remember about three years ago,
"nen returned to the place where spent my
ooynood days, that after an absence OF nearly q
score Oh years men and women who passed me
oy az lad were eager 10 have a conversation
VAIN me How much more had enjoyed the
interviews II had had the recollection that
such persons had shown an interest in me- as
was yet child OF tender age 1t impressed me
more than ever before that must never neglect
the little ones
And here / am constrained to make another
remark, even at the risk OF appearing common
place, although as q matter OF fact it must be
borne in mind that the commonplace consti-
tutes the larger element in life.
Do not hold me too strictly TO account IL I fail
to recognize every one of you on the street.
am AFRAID shall pass a good many of you by
until know you all You have the advantage
over me. You all know me- as I am only one
ior every one OF you to burden your minds with,
out remember you are many. Help me, ii you
Please 10 become acquainted by coming up to
me Wherever you meet me, il the church or out
OF 1t, when it IL convenient for you so to do
10 NOT, however. mind 1t. II We only shake
nands at times and pass OF. 1t Ia not healthy
th'ng to stand and speak the street, especially
IL the weather be damp, or the location street
corner. More colds and serious ailments are
caught In this way than many suppose. Again,
90 not consider me cold or Indifferent If, in
coming to church, should pass any one on the
street without speaking, or, If on entering the
church should go directly to the pulpit with
out recognizing any one. do not say shall
90 this always, or even frequently. All / wish
Is that at any time l may do so, it will not be
thought anything OF.
When minister goes to tho pulpit, espe-
claiiy II he is one who breaches with
Out manuscript, he sometimes prefers not to
have his mind disturbed by anyone or anything
until the close OF the service
ms Is why it Is SO desirable that a pastor
should nave private room close to the pulpit,
from which he may enter the sacred desk. This
Cannot be enjoyed here at least for the present.
Again. be kind enough not to look for me to
visit you all the first week OF even the first
month. hope, as soon as get settled, to begin
cording to some fair and equitable plan, which
1 shall announce 4 little later.
kindly remember. however, that whatever
plan may devise, some one must be last Do
not forget. either, how far you are apart and
how numerous you are These two facts make
1t an absolute necessity that the last person Wis
ited shall not ses me for considerable period
after have called upon the first Ii l were to
start out tomorrow to visit the congregation
ali the members and adherents-I could not
overtake all the families in several months, for
this, II must be remem bered, is q very large and
scattered congregation.
In this connection let me say that l am ex-
pecting great service from my excellent session,
the members OF which, in anticipation of my
coming, have been devising generously in this
direction, of which you will also hear later on.
Again, so far as my own individual visitation is
concerned, let me impress upon you that
1 can only give about two afternoons
a week to pastoral visitation. II l can, i
VIII give three. Sermons have to be prepared,
you know. at the rate of two a week, and Sun
days come pretty often Do not imagine that
can use old sermons. That have never found
satisfactory. When went to my last parish
took several boxes with me filed with old SER
mons. They were not opened until was pre-
pairing for the present removal My wife, in
looking into them found that time had laid its
decaying hand upon them.
She did me one OF the best services of the
many she has done ME by consigning them.
without consulting me, to the flames. No
doubt many of them produced more warmth on
tina. occasion than :hey ever did before.
No. ii is a mistaken notion that q minister
can use his old sermons in new parish. Ii he
Is a student he outgrows his sermons have
the greatest respect for my first charge that en-
dured for five years the kind OF material ] then
gave them under the name and title of ser
mons
No doubt can make some use of old material,
for do not mean to say that old sermons are
of no use. but / do wish to emphasi &c the fact
that they are by no means reliable as time
savers as many of you may think. This IS the
experience of every faithful minister OF the
Gospel, of every preacher who desires to do his
best and ablest work every Sabbath and TO take
beaten oil into the sanctuary. And any other
kind of minister, am sure, would never satisfy
a people possessed of the int .ligance and cult
ure of the First Presbyterian church OF Seattle
No do / say this with any desire 10
fatter The fact that / have accepted your
call is the best evidence may adduce that be-
lieve exactly what say.
II Is my heartfelt desire to b. a faithful pas.
tor-that is. to meet you In your homes as well
as your pews at least once a year; but if am
compelled to be negligent in any part OF my
work, would prefer il to be in the parish rather
than the pulpit. ] would ,ther be called, if
must be one or other, "a poor pastor" than "a
poor preacher" In the last analysis it is the
province of the minister to preach: to preach
the everlasting Gospel is his special duty. alt
hath pleased God by the foolishuess OF preach
Jug 20 save them that believe is the decara-
ton of the great apostle TO the Gentiles. "By
the foolishness of preaching" he says, not by
foolish preaching
If your minister should be spoken OF in this
bright and thoughtful age aud in this enter
prising city as a feeble expoundsr OF tho sacred
oracles. he shall have become a Samson shorn
of his locks
Kindly, therefore. allow me the privilege of
doing the best can in the way of pastoral visi-
tation, without being too strict 10 make inquiry
in the line of failure at this point / am es-
peciaily DESTROYS TO call upon the sick. / shall
esteem it a favor, indeed, 10 he notified rs
promptly as possible regarding any who are i'll.
1t is not possible for a pastor Il know of such
unless he is informed. Your physician has
to be sent for otherwise he world not be with
Won on occasions of indisposition. Your min
lister only asks the same attention in regard 20
such matters which you give To your medical
adviser. ! shalt also feel greatly indebted TO
any one who shall bring me in contact with
strangers.
There must be great many Presbytsrans in
this city who have not yet located themselves
in q church homo. II is our duty 70 ind them
out and welcome them heartily to idea;ify
themselves with Us. In every community We
should DO ali we can to increase the number of
those who unite with the church on profession
OF faith. Bat in d new city ike this, inceasing
al the rate of not less than loC00 II year I pre-
sumo, there is no greater strength 10 cur com
muniop than those who come 20 Us from other