Willmar tribune., 1901-02-27

for the fact that they and herself are
Christian in their whole nature. That
is the salvation of such a girl as Faith,
and Mr.. and Mrs. Kirk seem to be
peacefully sure of the fact. All Of the
children are members OF the church,
and all three Of them are very evident
ly proud OF their father and Of what he
has done.
You ask, What has Malcom Kirk
done!
In the first place, in spite Of what
seemed like impossbilities. he succeed
ed years ago in building church and
parsonage. both of which had been
burned down. it is supposed. by the
whisky men during the fight which
went on before the amendment was
carved. The church is a comfortable
structure. seating 300 or 400 people,
with several classrOOms attached. The
parsonage is a good house Of eight
rooms. fairly we'll furnished. although
Kinks peculiar habits OF generosity
have not permitted anything approach
ing luxury even in the slightest degree.
But the building Of the church aud
parsonage Is IN one sense the very
smai lie st thing that Kirk has done. 1t
is not too much to say that he and his
wife have revolutionized the moral
life OF this whole town. When they
came here about 20 years ago, they
found a community of LEO people. A
great amount Of lawlesS, th0ughtless
life crowded the saloons, the dance
houses the cheap resorts Of amuse-
ment. Kirk and his wife, after pass
ing through an experience Of great
suffering and temptation. most OF
which has always been unknown even
to their own people, came out Of their
attliction with astonishing power over
the life Of the place. There is no ques-
tion that the very thinking of the peo-
pie here is shaped by Malcom Kinks
Christianity. The promise he and his
wife made when they came here has
been constantly in mind. The number
Of lost men and boys who have been at
tracted to Kinks ministry and to Mrs.
Kinks singing and playing and led to
Christ is amazing. Even the business
and political life Of the town has been
shaped by Kinks purpose in life. That
means great deal, as any one will ac-
knowledge. This fact, however, is
shown by the common illusions to Con-
rad by other towns. They speak of it
as 'Kirkville.' A higher compliment to
a mans influence it would be difficult
to find.
ut is of course still true that the
devil does business in Conrad. Kirk
has told me that the whisky men have
never ceased from the day they were
driven out Of Conrad to attempt to
come back in some form and carry on
their work. At the present time he
tells me that through failure on the
part Of the officers of the law to en-
force the law the whisky men have
grown bold and opened several places.
He is right now in the midst of the old
struggle again. This time it is strug-
gle with state and county officials who
have broken their oaths of Office. 1t is
the same struggle in another form. At
the bottom Of the whisky business in
any state, whether it has prohibitOry
statute or not, is the incentive Of great
financial returns for very little real
labor and also the human passion for
drink, two things which Kirk says
must be recognized by the temperance
people and always reckoned upon in
the problem of temperance.
ut remains therefore to be said that
so far as Kirk and his wife are con-
cerned the contest they began here,
the battle they entered for victory over
the world, still goes on. Is there a
place in the world where a Christian
may cease from fighting the good fight
of the faith? But am profoundly
touched by the extent Of overcoming
to be seen in this place. have been
unable to silence the question, What If
every minister as he entered a new
place, no matter how small or diff
cult, entered it, with q passion like
Kinks to redeem the lost part of 1t
and bring it back to God?' l know
this much Is true Of the work done
here. There has been no unusual ex-
element and no extraordinary means
employed to produce the astonishing
results. There IS no question that Kirk
has certain qualities that have helped,
him. His voice is, as It always was. q
fine Instrument. He knows how to
talk to people. and he writes uncom-s
monty we'll But, on the other hand,
he Is still awkward, homely Of appear
sance and by no means always 1T his:
best He loves people He longs as
Paul did. fors the salYation ot the