Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-02-13

The poor arOilun sOjbcl out her hearts
joy Ut his homecoming
Malcolm, once for an II I need
to say it, am not afraid of being
poor. I trust YOU You do not think I
Will add to your burden by being weak
at such a time as this? Was it not
through sickness and health, for bet
ter, for worse, that l vowed to give
you all I have and am until death do
us part?"
Malcolm Kirk caught up his wife,
and great shadow swept out of his
soul, and great burden fell off his
heart. He had not really doubted Dor
othy's ability to face any possible
event in their lives, but he eagerly
welcomed her loving unconditional
statement of it.
Nevertheless he began his struggle
for new church and parsonage dur
ing the weeks that followed with
vague questonings Of his choice Of a
place for his life work He no longer
had any fears for Dorothy's sake But
he found himself longing to give her
what he could not give from any hui
man foresight in the Home Missionary
field where they now were.
1t was at this time, with this expert.
ence personal and peculiar to his mar
ried life, that Malcolm Kirk, fighting
against great odds, began a work in
Conrad that had the furthest possible
results on it's after life. This work
was an attempt to unite the various
churches in a combined and constant
crusade against the saloon Matters
were nearing crisis for the temper
ance cause. All over the state meet
iEgs were being held. The agitation
for prohibitory amendment was
growing into such proportions that men
who felt the pulse of the common peo-
pie predicted victory. And still the
whisky forces sneered at the posi-
bility Of an amendment.
Kirk succeeded in uniting the five
other churches with his own in a Sc
ries Of union meetings during the week
as we'll as on Sundays. His own church
secured for the USE of worship a little
stOrerOCm on the main street While
waiting to near from the Church Build
ing society TO which they had made
application for a grant Of 500 to help
rebuild church and parsonage.
Together with all this work in tne
town Malcolm was constantly sent for
to speak in the district schooihou~oS
His reputation as a temperance TALL"
was growing. fIe often went out d..
ing the week and spoke to crowde,
houses, returning late at night.
1t was during his absence from Con
rad on one of these schoolhouse cam
pagns that one evening four letters
came to him, and Dorothy opened
them, as Malcolm had always asked
her to do, in order that answers might
be sent in case he was detained from
home several daystat time
The first letter was from the super
intendent of the Home Missionary so
ciety and read as follows:
Rev. Malcolm Kirk, Conrad, Kan:
Dear Brorher-It is with great regret that the
society is compelled to announce to many Of the
brethren who are commissioned the frontier
that, owing to lack Of funds in the New York
treasury, it will be impossible 10 forward the
quarters salary when due. It is with the greatest
possible regret that obliged to make this
statement, but it is unavoidable. It is probable
there may be delay of three or four months be-
fore the money can be sent Meanwhile your
church must be urged to do all it can for your
support until the weather. churches respond to
the special appeal now being sent out by the So
ciety in behalf of the missionaries at the 'front.'
am, your brother, etc.
The second letter that Dorothy open
ed was from the Church Building so
ciety expressing great regret that, ow-
ing to excessive calls from other fields,
the society did not have the funds to
spare at present to assist the unfortu,
nate church at Conrad, but hoped to
be able to do so at some future time,
etc -, -
| One carload of feed and oats received
at Sundberg's. Also good -four. 37tt