New-York tribune., 1902-12-21
THE CITY CLERG YMAN.
HIS Days 4re Filled With 4ctH7fy
from Morn to NIGHT.

| AT 8 o'clock the Rev A B. folded up mis- napkin.
pushed aside his chair. from his lonely early
breakfast, gathered up his morning mail ana
| passed through the hallway leading from the din
ing room of his house to his office in the church
says writer ir The Independent" In reality MS
days work. had begun hour before, for when
he downstairs he found newspaper re-
porter waiting in the parlor for half hours inter
view and later had divided equally the other haif-
! hour between his breakfast and the daily paper:
| he would have other chance to look at IL
| throughout the day 1t Thursday morning OF
a week in January, and the busy season or the
| church's year on in earnest.
In his office at a iesk he found his secretary
waiting for him. Both these things. the "secre-
! tary" and the office modern Innovations IN
the machinery of church activity and are absolute
| essentials the doing of church Work to-day.
The secretary" is the pastors confidant ana does
| upon a salary. all those things which formerly
thought to be the special duties OF MS wire.
At the outset of his course A. B. was wont to
| dream of long uninterrupted days for study, medi-
tation composition and the pursuit of bis own de-
sires; but does he think of those dreams now
as on each morning he takes up his diary to note
the special duties for the day? On this Thursday
morning what does he find? The first half of the
week has been taken up with halliday tasks of an
extraneous nature-two funerals. one conference, a
wedding luncheon and trip out of the city for
lecture Tuesday night-so that he still finds al
his regular weekly work ahead of him This
means two sermons for the coming Sunday, the
weekly lecture for tomorrow night. a course OF
Bible class instruction Saturday forenoon and a
special paper to be read next week at the Blue
Monday Clubs monthly meeting. But before even
thinking of any of these ne must note the special
entries in his diary for this day. and before
looking at those. in turn, he must examine his
mornings mail
In that mail he found twelve letters The first.
a gushing note in fine feminine hand writing,
him in terms extravagant tardy how
much somebody enjoyed his address last week at
the Art Club This letter contains what Mrs.
MaIaprop would call "a arrangement of fine cpl
taphs," and therefore requires answer carefully
phrased. Next come two anonymous notes; the
first calls the attention of 1.-The speaker of last
Sunday" to INSTRUMENTATION In a word quoted
from Hamlet; the second expresses thanks in
terms that really pathetic from heart that
is really sincere for uplift received from that
same sermon. Ten years ago the first would
have upset him for a whole day. but he has grown
wiser; he 1t into the fire unnoticed and files
away the second with a few like treasures to cheer
him in some future dismal hour. Next comes
request for him to make address ut :he laying
of cornerstone in distant city, which opportu-
nifty for popularity would engross three days time
of the busiest week OF the busiest season of al
ready busy year. and incidentally cost $50 carfare:
he regrets % that he has to decline. Another
letter is from the superintendent of Il hospital OF
whose board OF managers he happens to be pres-
dent. and for the raising Of whose funds he is
sponsibe. The note says that deficit is in clear
sight, and he realizes with groan that he
set about devsing schemes to raise the money.
The next note is from n young DIT college,
whose tuition has been paid in part by a member
OF the congregation. who has died recently Crless
another member be found who Will contribute
in his stead the boy must give up his course;
this is laid by with the upon II CT
whom such appeal is TO be made. The
next is from a struggling missionary in the Far
West, who writes what he assumes IL a
wealthy congregation" in the East, asking for
money 10 help him in his work. The pastor knows
this fellow. went to school with him. knows how
hard he works and how well he deserves encourage
ment: he takes the burden of This friend upon
him and resolves to raise this money also. Next
comes invitation to dinner. The variety is such
n welcome one that he is ready to accept when his
secretary reminds him that on the night of that
dinner there Is special meeting OF the Mems Club.
He knows that this club will fail OF purpose
unless he attends and directs its work that night
in person: he denies his preference and takes
his choice. The next IS advertisement from a
sermon factory proposing for s. submit sermons
for next Sunday lie is tempted to yield. but his
better nature triumphs and this goes the way OF
the waste basket. Another is from religious
crank. who has novel scheme 10 propagate, re-
questng him to have his appear in print as
OF the advisory committee. but he knows,
alas! too well. that what Is wanted is the name
alone and not advice he declines Still an
other is piece Of correspondence which convinces
him that he listened day last week to a false
book he must charge this TO himself, and not allow
the fund of which he IS the guardian to thereby
diminished This is item OF average sum
of perhaps SO week which he knows he must
behind In his expense account, and which
might full we'll be counted off his salary. Last
OF all Is blank form, from society clamorous
for statistics. This he instructs the secretary TO
remail to the address from which 1t came. but
first to write across the margin The Kingdom of
God cometh not with observation"
these Ieffs
monthly magazine. which ought to be perused |
The last paper-an unfamiliar one-is opened It |
contains an article upon subject which he is |
recognized an authority. The article is an at |
tack him. and with it is the challenge Of the |
editor for him TO make reply in print So he has |
to set to work to dictate. inside half an hour an |
article which must appear In Judgment by COM |
parison with this one Of writer who with more !
zeal and time than courtesy has composed it dur |
ing a leisure of six weeks. Such work for two |
hours every day is something he had never counted |
on Moreover, these the very things that stoop
his shoulders line his brow and are fast changing |
his black hair 10 match the color of tomb
stone.
Leaving the office at 10 o'clock he went beck |
to the house this time enter his study" The
servant downstairs is instructed to protect his !
privacy. and he goes work. Not upon his SER
mons, but to do his daily reading and studying.
The observance of this practice is absolutely
tial If he is to keep abreast all of the thought
of the day. Unless he thus spends much time in
the study or subjects apart from theology he will
soon become petty and narrow; unless he has a
regular time in which to do tt he simply will not
do 1t. and unless he have this time solely to
himsef he do neither thinking nor studying
that is worthy OF the name. Three hours a day
is his wish two is his rule but in practice inter-
ruptions almost every day to cut down |
even this just they did on this one-viz. thus: !
First. there came by telephone downstairs an