Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-07-05
SURGEONS MEMORY.



One Instance In which the Great Preach
er Was at Fault.
The memory that served him so we'll
In dealing with American guests was
unquestionably an element of power in
influencing his own people. They
realized that they were not an undis-
Suishable mass of humanity preached
Mt by the minister as crowd, but
rather, as multitude of units for each
one of whom he felt 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 q
vast herd of Texan steers, having each
the UNCONVENTIONAL brand indeed, but
unknown by face and name to the
Jealous droveS and his assistants who
are impell ing them along the dusty
ways toward fat and fertile pasturage;
or, perhaps it We're 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 We're the
sole object of his solicitude. Very like
ly someone may regard my attitude on
that such attention to detail, to such
tritling matters, ought not to be ex-
pected from a clergyman whose mind
naturally is supremacy 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 misdoings
had resulted in his bankruptcy. When
| the new owner took possession he
missed a secretary from the collection
which he had purchased, and immedi-
| ately wrote to the former proprietor.
In substance he received this reply:
los lordship had taken the secretary,
not supposing that the wealthy buyer
would mind such a trife. The answer
sent, though laconic, was certainly ade-
| quate. The merchant said: "If had
not cared for trifies, 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
ly 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 mo-
succeed remarkably when he conduct.
funeral supposing that he is buryins
the husband, when in fact the wife lie
dead before him, and he is not suf
ficiently interested in his vocation I,
know the difference until the servicei
are ended? Strange as such AZ
incident may seem to an ordi
nary reader, and possibly withou
parallel in the veracious annals o
ministerial Observation-Disclosures, never
| theless it is unquestionably true; ant
what is Of even more Importance, goe
far to explain why SO many of III
come short of the promise of our youth
and fail to leave lasting imprint OF
the characters and careers OF those
with whom we associate.
Into no such mistake as this coulc
Mr.. Sturgeon have fallen, though OF
course he was not infallible. The near
est that he ever came to a blunder o
this kind, 1 suppose, is recorded in ,
very clever story related some months
ago in the North American Review. IL
throng Of people an earnest man
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 nc
recollection of him whatever. Where
upon the excited individual replied
very much to Mr.. Surgeons amuse
ment. well, that is singular, seeing
you re ndered me the greatest service
one man could render another-vor
buried my wife" We must, of course
do the bereaved husband the justice to
suppose that he did not mean exactly
what his words denoted; but neverthe
less it was good job at the expense o.
. the usually exact and careful pastor
and one that have no doubt he must
FREQUENTLY have repeated with consid