Smyrna times., 1898-08-31
TRANSIENT RECTORSHIPS.

SOuSIdllJ, 81 JuuI DeiOf6 W6ll-cOlcelV6u
plans and methods have had time to win
confidence and become effective
through force of habit or association,
they are abandoned to give place to
something else 1t is like transplant
ing trees, which is attended with risk
and setback under the best circum-
stances, and which, is fatal to the life
of the tree.
We shall, perhaps, be told that it is
useless to argue this matter in the face
of the fact that most of the weaker
parishes perfect unanimity in respect
to the rector is essential to raising his
support. The problem he is called to
solve is to please everybody and yet be
an effective, outspoken and earnest
man.
Whenever, from any cause, a small
majority are dissatisfied, or when any,
without cause, except freak of fancy,
desire change, there are vestries who
will say: "Our rector is doing good
work, he is faithful, and we are salts
fed with him. But then some others
are not, and we must keep united"
So they part with one whom they know
and have tried and approved, for one
whose chief recommendation is that he
is not known.
1t is not a recommendation to any
rector to say that he has been in a par
ish for years and found no enemies.
Religion would have no enemies if it
were not an enemy to vice or antago-
nistic to ungodliness; but as it is both
these, the faithful minister of religion
cannot hope to be more free from his
enemies than was his Master.
The servility of vestries to the ca
price of an uneasy few in a parish
works great wrong every way. 1t is
a greater wrong to to the parish, keep
ing it fiuctuating and weak
But what shall be done with this un-
easy and tickle few that are ever clam
orous for change, and that having, as
they imagine, the balance of power,
are most arbitrary and unreasonable?
Would it not be well, once for all, to
let them understand that they are not
to rule the pGrish?-that, however de-
sirable it may be to have their cooper
alton, it cannot be purchased at the
satcrifice of every other interest?
There are not few parishes in the
larger country towns, where there is
ample material for growth, and where
the Church interest might be expected
to have become strong and influential
but where, in fact, it has barely held
its own, and where the history
of the last twenty years pre-
sents the dreary spectacle Of an inter
mittent life-at one time galvanized
into activity another ready to decay
and this as incident to an everchang-
ing rectorship, coming in as a flourish
and going out with a discouraging
failnre.
Is it not time to have done with this
vacillating and humiliating policy?
We know of one parish that has de-
termined to be Independent Of the tyr
amy of an uneasy and caplicious mi
nority, and that has had the indepen-
dence to say: ''We shall be glad of
your cooperation; we will Use all rea-
sOnable means to come to harmony of
action: but we owe duty to the par
ish as we'll as to you. 1t must be set
tied on a more permanent basis, and
move with a more fixed policy"
Such brave but kind meeting of the
difficulty will in most cases silence the
malcontents, for their strength is not
real. Their only power is in their
ability to make others uneasy, and
when this fails they are generally
harmless.
If in their chagrin they withdraw
their support from the parish, its more
vigorous policy and improved tone will
make it stronger than before, and will
at once put it in a condition where it
will take deeper root and attain to a
vigorous growth.
1t is understood, of course, that
great caution be used in calling rec
tor, that one be sought who will bring
those qualities that entitle him to con-
fidence and kindly support, and then
that he be made to feel that support as
we'll after the novelty has worn off as
before.
And in respect to that semi -Churchly
and wholly time-serving and disorga-
nizing element in our parishes, that
will go to church so long as they fancy
the minister, and that will withdraw
their subscriptions the moment he says
or does something that they can find
fault-they may as we'll be given up
first as last. OF course there is hope
that they may in time come wholly on
to the true ground and support the
Church for it's own sake; but so long
as they be where they are they cannot
but contribute an element of weakness,
the church is actually and stronger
without them. Tile LiUing church.
|