Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-06-08
REV. ]. B. H. SHAW HAS ACCEPTED.
viii Occupy Congregational Church Pulpit
Regirning the First Sunday in July.

Beginning the First Sunday in July.
Authorities of the First Congrega-
tiOnal church society are. in receipt of
a letter this week from Hartland in
which the Rev J. B. Ell. Shaw an
nounces that he is pleased to accept
the call to Grand Rapids and that he
will begin work here on Sunday, July
2nd. Rev. Shaw is released from his
present charge at Hartland with great
reluctance on the part Of the church
people in that community.
An unsolicited letter was also re-
ceiyed this week from Rev. JudSon
Ellsworth of Plymouth church, Mil
waukee, in which this eminent clergy
man finds occasion to mention our
new pastor in a highly complimentary
manner. We take liberty, in the
absence of Rev. Shaw, to publish what
Rev. Ellsworth has to say. believing
that it is very nice introduction and
fully explanatory, bearing in mind
that Rev. Shaw has been in America
only about two years, coming here
from England. Judson Ellsworth
writes:
''If / understand the situation Mr..
Shaw is now with you undergoing his
examination with reference to his
qualifications for the paStOrate of your
church. | have intended to telephone
YOU and have bit of a talk with you.
for ! want you to appreciate Mr..
Shaw. | wish you could have heard
the report of the delegate from the
Hartland church at our district con-
yentiOn at WaukeSha last Tuesday.
1t would have given you better idea
Of the worth Of the man and his power
Of impreSsing himself on church and
community than | can possibly DO.
1t would have convinced you | think
that Mr.. Shaw is no common man. He
is not a SNOWY man, as | suspect you
may have thought yourself from your
observation of him. Snowy men are
the bane Of churches looking for pas
tors. But he is solid, thoughtful,
broad, wise, and man Of irreprOach-
able character. AS | think | told you,
| have had the opportunity to study
his work in England, and there he is
held in the highest respect and his
determination to come to this country
is very much regretted. He could
have his choice of number OF large
churches there if he were not SO i'm
pressed with America and American
institutions as to desire to live here
and bring up his children here. /
preached in Bradford last summer,
and quite number of his old people,
hearing that | was to be there, came
to hear me and ask after their old
friend and pastor. He is greatly be-
loved there | had a talk with DR..
Fotheringham, one of the foremost
+erpreters of Browning in England,
the author of the "StudieS in the
Mind and Art of Robert Browning
and a warm admirer OF Mr.. Shaw. He
wants Mr. Shaw to return to England
and thinks he made a mistake to leave
bird in the hand, for the hypOthet-
ical one in the bush. But he believes
Mr. Shaw will finally gain appreciation
here after he learns a little more
daptiOn to American ways of doing
things. If Mr.. Shaw does not secure
with you the opportunity to show
what he can do in interesting thought
ful men in the great truths of religion
j think | shall advise him to return
to England where his future is assured
But ! do not want to dO it. | esteem
him SO much as a friend, and enjoy sc
much his personal cOmpanionShip anC
the quality of his thinking, and have
SO much faith in his taking a prOmi
nent place among the workers in the
Kingdom of God in Wisconsin, that
should regard his return to England
almost in the light of calamity.
The Grand Rapids church seems t(
me just the place for Mr.. Shaw What
YOU say of the indifference of the mer
in the community makes me anxious
that you should give Mr.. Shaw The
chance to show what he can do il
changing that state of things. lii
success in England was in just tha
kind Of work. He reached men. HI
has had the same record in Hartland
That point was particularly noted il
the report of the delegate from tht
Hartland church. Men who had no
darkened the church doors for year
before Mr.. Shaw came to Hartland
were glad to listen to him. | havt
every confidence that he will accom-
pliSh the same result in Grand Rapids
But | must not weary. You viii
make no mistake if you call Mr.. Shaw
Nor will you make any mistake if yOl
give him the largest salary you Cal
squeeze out of your pockets. He vii
be worth it all. Yours very truly,
JUDsoN ELLSWORTH.