The Portland daily press., 1899-11-03
Oh NOVEL LIES.
An Ohio Pastor Runs
His Church.
he Gives 10 II More Than the
Salary lie Receives.
Has Other Methods of
His Own.
Is a Young Man But Has
Preached For Ten Years.

usual to find an oil speculator In
the pulpit. 1t is equally upusual to lind
a pastor who returns to his congregation
each year bis entire salary and donates
a slice Of his private income besides.
Aniover, Ashts uia County, o., HIS
just such preacher in the Rev. E. 1.
Coyle, who is an orator. poet, diplomat,
and a man Of great personal magnetism.
Under his pastoral charge the average
attendance at the evening services In the
Andovsr Congregational church has In
creased for some twenty-five to an audi
ence an2ing from $40 TO 400 From one
of % weak churches of the south TN
pnrt of the county 1t has grown to b.
the strongest, and ranks well with
churches in the two bust ness centsrs OF
the county which lay claim to the name
city. The prayer meetings on many oc-
casions have teen so largely attended that
it was found necessary to place chairs In
the aisles to accommodate the crowd.
The average service is attended by q
number which represents one-thiri the
pop ulation of Andover. men. women and
children
HAS METHODS OF HIS OWN.
The Rev. Mr. Coyle's methots of
church work are so different from the
methods of all other pastors as to b.
worthy Of especial note. He Is man
who could command a good salary In
city church, but he prefers the rural town
to the crowded city, and, therefore, cam
to this church which could only afford
to pay 500 a year. He believes In the
principle that the isborer is worthy OF his
hire, ana does not detraot from that prin-.
oipls by efusing to receive bis salary
He draws his pay. bnt spends it on the
church and congregation.
The manner In which he spends his
money is also unusual. For in stance,
last winter there was a special service In
church several miles distant from An
dover. which Mr. Coyle was DESTROYS that
the mem bers Of his church and Sabbath
school should attend. He engaged from
the livery stables the necessary number
of sleds to Garry the entire party and
footed all the bills. Special services at
A ndover On several occasions, have
brought large numt ers from utiying dis
dine all such guests at the hotels at his
own expense Last winter he took his
sabbath school Gloss of some forty mem
bers for a days outing to Jefferson, the
county seat of Ashtatula county. some
fifteen miles distant from Andovsr He
Iaid tn railroad fare for all the children
and instead of carrying their diuEers In
ba.kets they dined at his expense at the
best hotels.
Delegates from his church Tecsntly at
tended the Grand River Conferences of
Congrega tional churches held at Con-
nsaut. On their arrival at the Copneaut
depot he engaged a carriage to take these
delegates to and from the church In
which the conference was held. while
delegates from the majority Of the
churches in the district walked.
ENCO URAGES BIBLE STUDY.
the Billie, Mr. Coyle offered SO Oxford
Bible to all mem bers OF his class who on
= certain date should pass a required ex
animation relative to Bible truths. AT
the appointed time n doz IN pupils passed
muster. The Bibles, failing to arrive, he |
gave each pupil $40 to keep until the |
books should come. Now, even some
Sunday school pupils might have pre- |
ferred the SO to the Bibles, believing
that less expensive copy would do as
well, but these d not, and on the ar
rival of the Bibles a few days later all re-
turned the money and received the hand
somely bound books.
At Christmas time, MIR. Coyle takes
particular delight In making every one
happy with useful and valuable presents
Besides these methods of spending his
money among the mbers Of his congre-
cation be- spends considerable sums on
improving the church property and help
Ing the many charitable objeots which
appeal to him for aid.
He Ia not closely allied to any denomi.
nation. and often gives liberally to other
denominations. as we'll as to the one In
which he Is pastor. An example of this
was Witnessed at AndoveT since his pss-
torate there. The Methodist oongrega-
tion built d new parsonage for its pastor.
The Rev. Mr.. Coyle gave $50 towards
the fund without even being asked to do
%.
HAS GALL KINDS OF MONEY"
The Rev E. I. Coyle lie really a
wealthy man. Several years ago he be.
came interested In oil spsoulations in.
West Virginia which brought large re-
turns. His business interests are large
and require portion of his time. even at
present, to look after them. That he has
eady cash capital is shown by an inci-
dent not long ago at Andover. He
stepped into printing Office n pay for
some work. lie handed the proprietor .