The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-25
The Worldly Specuaons uonne Preacher and How They PANIED

vine was the recipient OF many dividends,
SO tnat his field of spiritual labor was not
oVergrown by the weeds and thistles of
worldly growth.
no" frequently do we notice confirma.
lions OF the OLD saying that misfortunes
anu DRESSINGS never come singly. Super
sutton mas inverted this adage, with a sig
h'ncance bordering on the supernatural.
SO that IN many instances causes of nbe.
nomena II not unknown are entirely over.
looked. About this time there died in an
Eastern State an old lady who had
adopted III former years an orpban child
and educated and schooled her in the dp.
ties OF life. The foster m other of the
child manifested her interest and affect;on
by the bequest of a considerable portion ~
| her estate, which was now being distrih.
uted among the heirs. This orphan child
became the wife of our parson. so that
here was an important addition TO his in
creasing stock of worldly treasures. Nor
was the influx of prosperity arrested
here.
The period OF his labors in the land of
gold was bout expiring and the success
OF his mission as a minister and peace
maker was probably instrumental in his
being assigned a church near the bay
shore. with good salary. The treasures
OF this world and those of the kingdom
were now brought in iuxtaposition, and
all the moral power at the command of
the parson was essential to maintain the
center Of religious gravity. On removing
to his new field of labor it became Ques-
ton OF some Importance to decide on the
proper investment of his material wealth,
and it was ultimately concluded to estab1
llsh an additional sheepfold within cIipl
ping distance of the one over which b
presided. In conformity with this pIauA-
ible determination his golden fleece was
exchanged for one of those peaceful fields
OF nature which form the border line of
the American River and which was peo-
pied by stock of the same kind of animals
that Jacob took charge of when he bar
gained with the old patriarch for lovely
wife.
To say that this enterprise succeeded
swimmingly is but literal version of the
fact. The history of the American River,
in common with other aff1uents of the Sac
ramento, shows that it's banks, once widely
separated, have been gradually contracted
by the immense amount of debris which
is carried down stream by winter rains
/ and summer thaws. The alluvial deposit
on each side of the river from this cause
has formed productive farming soil, to Sc
cure which in place levees have been con-
structed on each bank, sufficiently high to
allow OF rise of water without flooding
the surrounding country. 1t was on a
portion of this that the parson located q
ranch, and the quiet qualification with
which he surveyed his focks as they
grazed over the verdant plain made him
both thankful and happy.
But the poetry of life has no persistent
properties. Like vernal showers it comes
and goes with the inconstant currents Of
the atmosphere. The sudden develop
ment of storm will quickly change q
gentle and placid stream into an irresist-
able and destructive torrent. An annual
flood of unusual magnitude came booming
down the American River from mountain
gorges packed with melting snow and
broke the feeble escarpment which was
intended to hold the torrent within its
lines.
There was no high land on the par
sons domain on which his stock could
find safe retreat, and horses and cows
aud sheep became victims to the merciless
food as though they were but straws on
the troubled surface of the water. Thus
ended the worldly speculations of the
young divine, and though the wool of his
merinos slipped from his possession he
still retained the fleece of his pastoral
flock. w. P. GIBBoN.