The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1892-08-06
SURGEONS MEMORY.
One Instance in which the Great Preach
er Was at Fault.

SURGEONS MEMORY.
One Instance in which the Great Preach
err Was at Fault.
The memory that served him so well
in dealing with American guests was
unquestionably an element of power in
influencing his own people. They
realized that they were not an undis-
guishable mass of humanity preached
at by the minister as a crowd, but
rather as a multitude of units for each
one of whom he felt a personal concern
and for each of whom he had direct
sympathy. A church is too big when
the members have to be dealt with as
vast herd of Texan steers, having each
the UNCONVENTIONAL brand indeed, but
unknown by face and name to the
jealous drover and his assistants who
are impelling them along the dusty
ways toward fat and fertile pasturage;
or, perhaps it were better to say, that
the pastor is not big enough himself,
unless he knows how to pro-
vide for the spiritual interests of
each soul, and can care for every one of
his numerous charge at first hand, or
by associates, as if that one were the
sole object of his solicitude. Very like
ly someone may regard my attitude on
this subject as extreme, and may reply
that such attention to detail. to such
trihing matters, ought not to be ex-
pected from clergyman whose mind
naturally is supremely occupied with
the latest phases of modern thought,
and with the marvellous riches of HON.
eric or Shakespearean genius But let
me illustrate:
A manufacturer bought the residence.
and the contents thereof, of a noble
lord whose misfortunes or misdoin:,,s
had resulted in his bankruptcy. When
the new owner took possession he
missed secretary from the collection
which he had purchased, and immedi-
ntely wrote to the former proprietor.
In substance he received this reply:
His lordship had taken the secretary,
not supposing that the wealthy buyer
would mind such trifie. The answer
sent, though laconic, was certainly ade-
quate. The merchant said: eff had
not cared for tribes, l never could have
bought your estate; and if you had
cared for them, you never would have
been obliged to sell it." The applica-
ton of the anecdote is hardly necessary.
| The trouble Is. in business and in our
religious concerns we are not sufficient
| ~ attentive to little things; we do not
think it worth our while to know one
face from another; to distinguish be-
tween the different sheep of the flock,
and consequently many who are lame
/, and who ought to be carried, perish by
! the way, and others who are dying are
+, left to loneliness and neglect. Can il
, be secret why clergyman does not
! succeed remarkably when he conducts
funeral, supposing that he is burying
the husband, when in fact the wife lies
dead before him, and he is not suf.
| ficiently interested in his vocation to
/ know the difference until the services
are ended? Strange as such an
! incident may seem to an ordi
nary reader, and possibly without
parallel in the veracious annals OF
| ministerial Observation-Disclosures, never
theless it is unquestionably true; and
what is of even more importance, goes
far to explain why so many of us
come short of the promise of our youth
and fail to leave a lasting imprint OF
the characters and careers of those
with whom we associate.
Into no such mistake as this could
Mr.. Spurgeon have fallen, though OF
course he was not infallible. The near
est that he ever came to blunder O
this kind, suppose, is recorded in {
very clever story related some months
ago in the North American Review. II
a throng of people an earnest mar
tried to grasp his hand, and at last
succeeding, inquired in a very vehe
ment manner whether the famous
preacher did not recognize him. Fol
once in his life the famous preacher
was at fault; he did not, however, hun
and haw and say, ''My dear fellow
the fact is have forgotten your name
but your face is quite familiar to me-;
but he owned right out that he had NJ
recollection of him whatever. Where
upon the excited individual replied
very much to Mr.. Surgeons amuse
ment- well, that is singular, seeinl
you re ndered me the greatest servic
one man could render another-yo-
buried my wife," We must, of course
do the bereaved husband the justice t.
suppose that he did not mean exactl
what his words denoted; but neverthe
less it was good job at the expense @
the usually exact and careful paste,
and one that have no doubt he mus
frequently have repeated with consid
cradle relish.-Rey. George C. Lorimel
ELECTRICITY PROOF.
The Subtle Fluid Has No Terrors for