Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-16

Rev. DR.. Wallace Radcliffe.
his pastoral work DR.. Radcliffe came to
Washington last June from Detroit, where
he had charge of one of the large and in
fluential Presbyterian churches Of the west
The employment of a private secretary as
well of pastors assistants is rather mere
general in the breezy and progressive west
than 1T is in this part of the country, and
the only wonder on the part of good many
is that more of the ministers who are over
burdened by the work of big churches do not
avail themselves of the assistance Of a man
who can practically take charge of their
correspondence and much of the routine
clerical work necessary in the conduct of
important city Passionate.
Several of the ministers in the city are
compelled to give so much time to their cor
reSpondence and to matters of that sort that
they find it a severe tax. On the other hand,
by devoting themselves strictly to church
work they find themselves way behind in
routine matters. the details of which a
bright young stenographer and typewriter
could relieve them altogether. A Young man
need not even be stenographer to be Of the
utmost assistance to pastor, for nowadays
there are too many typewriterS who are
able to take from dictation directly upon
their machines about as fast as the average
man can compose his sentences.
When DR.. Radcliffe came to this city it " as
understood that he should have a private
secretary to do much of the onerous work
attaching to the position, but in addition to
Church authorized DR.. Radcliffe to engage
a pastors assistant. This position is some
ching of novelty in this city.
DIR. RndcliTe's Views.
Speaking Of the advantages that accrue
to a church from the employment of a pas
tors assistant, DR.. Radcliffe said 10 a Star
reporter yesterday:
I'VE used to hear q good deal about the
assistant pastor. The time has come for
the pastors assistant. The genius of the
American church takes less and less kindly
to the idea of two or more pastors of CO.
ordinate rank and office. When two en-
ride horse, one must ride behind, and
even when these men are ministers their
unprotected human nature will generally
suggest as the providential fitness of things
that the other man ride behind. The CO.
PaStorate works well in Europe, but in the
American church recent years have de-
veloped the pastors assistant as apparenlls
more suited to our genius and methods. He
is preferably layman. Hence, there can
be no question as to his place in official
acts; no intrusion of preferences or rival
ries; no excuse for sinking in the pulpit
and no divided responsibility.
THE pastor remains the administrativ tive
head and unquestioned representative of
the church. But he is thus enabled to
throw off great many details and secure
time for study and his distinctive public
work, and the innumerable outside engage
ments which phila1thropic and other
schemes impose upon ministers. 1t goes
without saying that the pastors assistant
should be not only an intelligent, earnest
Christian, but interested in and committed
to the doctrine and method of the church
engaging him. His work is in part that of
a pr vate secretary. Few of the laity have
any idea of the immense burden of cores
pcndence which falls upon many pastors,
especially of prominent or wealthy churches
Wide Range of Pastoral Work.
I'm the non-episcopal churches it falls to
a few pastors to assume duties which in
other churches are committed to the bishop
with his secretaries. In my recent pastor
ate in the west 1 know 1 gave as much, II
not more. time and labor to the churches
of Michigan than 1 did to my own pastor
ate. And all pastors are besieged on all
manner of subjects by all sorts and conii-
tons of men. The assistant looks after the
correspondence, meets the callers, makes
appointment and thus relieves the pastor.
His office should be in the church building
which, among other benefits, would relieve
the door bell Of the manse and make the
church more and more the center of &C.
tivity. The assistant can also be of service
In consulting the libraries and other liter.
airy work. He acts as secretary of the
church and of the different societies. He
ought to be superintendent Of the Sunday
school and be in intimate touch with the
young peoples work, and, If he is also a
stenographer, he can put the pastors ser
mons and addresses into parchment form
and thus do a good thing always for the
pastor and sometimes for the church. The
Springfield Training School and Moody's
Bible Institute at Chicago send out men
certified for these positions. The Presby-
terian churches best manned in this respect
are the North Broad Street Church of Phil
adelphia and the Westminster Church of
Minneapolis, and their remarkable success
is largely attributed to the ability, faith.
fulness and efficient organization brought
about through these assistants.
MANY other churches are adopting the
system in modified form. 1t pays a church
financially and in every way to adopt the
pastors assistant. New York Avenue
Church authorized me to engage such an as
slstant, but l have been unable, thus far
to secure the man to fill The bill. The posi-
ton is comparatively recent one, and the
few first-class men are held at larger fig
ures than I can offer. But the supply is
increasing every year. I have an excellent
private secretary. who relieves me in my
correspondence, and in a great deal of my
clerical and library work. and reports stem
Geographically all my sermons and addresses.
AS prepare my sermons only in brief and
speak extemporaEeously, this latter work
is of great advantage. But I and the
church, and, 1 doubt not, nearly every
Washington pastor and his church, need