Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-07-31

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Is q New Pastor Now.
The deacons and their wives as well
as the young folks of the Rocktown
Baptist church all agreed that Rev. Mr..
Yost was the best of the dozen or more
preachers who had occupied their pull
pit in as many weeks as candidates for
the vacant pastorate.
But Mr.. Yost would not settle in
Rocktown nor anywhere else for less
than $1,000 a year. Under no circum-
stances would the church pay more
than $3.50. That is, the old folks
wouldn't, and as the others had moth
ing to do with the funds, Mr.. Yost
and the church committee babe each
other goodby at the railway station
without having made an agreement.
Two or three of the Sunday school
teachers, an usher and several more
advocates of a $1,000 pastor, left and
went over to the Methodists.
Mr. falcon, the second best Of the
candidates, would preach for $500 a
year without mentioning the extra $50
and would only ask for two weeks
vacation. That Is what he had said
when he learned that he was the tenth
candidate to preach a sample sermon
in the Rocktown church.
Some of the old members, including
Mr. Farnham, the church treasurer,
and Deacon Thompson, who held a
mortgage on the church property,
were enthusiastic about Mr.. falcon.
''In these days." said Deacon Thomp-
son at a committee meeting, "a man
who doesn't insist upon getting away
for a whole month from such an easy
job as talking an hour week and Wis
iting around at weddings and funerals,
shows that his heart is in his work,
and he's the man we want.
"Why did Mr.. falcon leave his last
parish?" asked Mrs Trimble, mother
CT one of the young women who had
deserted to the Methodists.
Because lot of rattle-headed boys
and girls got notional and there was
danger of the Sabbath school runnin'
down. That's one reason replied
Treasurer Farnham. And, besides,
Mr.. falcon was going to leave there
anyway, because the public schools
didn't suit him."
"That shows he's interested in
schooling" Deacon Thompson hasten
ed to add. "and | move that the call to
4 become pastor of the RocktOwn Bap-
tist church be extended to Rev. Joseph
falcon"
The motion was carried unanimous
ly.
Three days later Mr. and Mrs. Tai
con and the three little falcons arrived
at Rocktown and took possession of
the parsonage.
Rccktown had never had a reform
movement, and the new minister de-
termined that NO time should be lost
in getting one under way No sooner
a new preacher worn off, and the Bap-
fist congregation subsidized to its nor
mai state, than Mr. falcon revived the
boom and filed up the back seats
again by announcing his plan to organ
iZe an auxiliary society to enforce the
teachings of the church by its activity
In secular affairs.
The idea, being brand new to Rock
town, became immensely popular, and
on the night appointed for organiza-
ton the vestry was again crowded.
Mr.. falcon presided at the meeting
and began by calling for suggestions
from any one present as to the best
method of beginning work. No one
surprised him by making any sugges-
/, lions, and for the next two hours the
new minister outlined his schesee and
was the happiest man in Rocktown.
"In the first place." he said, Eve
must have name Just as a sugges-
tim of what I mean wc.lld offer this,
'The Rocktown Society for the Sup
preston of Sin"
There was no amendment and the
title was formally adopted.
$50 far so good,' continued the min
lister. "Now we must have officers.
You ought to choose a president first,
I suppose. Will some one please nomi-
nate?"
After delay long enough to be I'M
comfortable, Deacon Thompson stood
up to nominate.
at seems to me-" he said cas- how
our new pastor knows more about this
sin business than any of the rest of
us, and as this whole thing is his idea,
he ought to be president. There1l be
enough other offices to go round, won't
there, Mr.. Talcon?"
sit will be necessary to have a large
number of committees, was the reply.
The rest of the evening was devoted
to the selection of other officers and
deciding whether the constitution
should be drawn up by the president or
by committee. 1t was finally decided
that the president should do it, much
to that gentleman's delight. because he
had a constitution of his own making
in his pocket in readiness for the frs
opportunity.
Almost every one in Rocktown join
ed the society to suppress sin, and
each paid dollar to Mr. Farnham, the
treasurer, for the privilege
President falcon was chairman of
the executive committee and ex officio
chairman of all the subcommittee.
There was at least a dozen of them.
but the most important was that on
investigation. To that committee fell
the duty of finding sin to suppress.
and Rev. falcon devoted all his time
to the quest At last the desired in
formation came from an unexpected
source.
Upon inquiry why more of the men
did not attend the Thursday night
prayer meetings, the pastor learned
MERELY WAN