The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-04-27
Churchman And Clown.

The Rev. Ernest M. Stires, D. D., the
new rector of ST. Thomas Episcopal
Church, tells what one of his parish
toner's calls a good circus story, says
the New York Sun.
About five years ago, while he was
rector of Grace Church, Chicago, a
young man, a stranger, knelt at the
altar one Sunday morning and 'receiv-
ed communion. After the service he
called at the vestry and told DR..
Stires that he was a stranger; that
his business was such that he seldom
had an opportunity of attending any
church service, and especially such a
service as that in which he had just
participated. He doubted whether his
business was such as to warrant him
in receiving the emblems
what is your business?" asked the
rector.
II am a clown in a circus" was the
reply.
II do not know why that should ex-
clude you from the altar" said DR.
Stires. ION the contrary, your church
affiliations should enable you to be all
the better clown if that is your bust
ness, and you have concluded to con-
tinue it as your business in life.
"There is such a thing as wholesome
humor and wit. If you are going to
remain clown, employ your talents
to elevate your profession. Do it in
line with what you conceive to be a
Christian duty.
You can reach q congregation
which no preacher can reach. People
will hear you who will not come to
church.
do not let the fact that you are a
clown deter you from being church.
man. You can be both, and from this
time make up your mind to that
The story goes on to say that the rec
tor presented the clown with a little
book which was a translation from the
French of story of an acrobat who
became interested in the service of an
old monastery in France. The aero
bat could not read, nor had he any
voice for or knowledge of music He,
therefore, could not enjoy certain priv
ileges in the monastery, but the abbot
got him a place in the sculery.
One day when the acrobat was dust
ing and cleaning up an. old altar in
the crypt of the monastery on which
stood an image of the Virgin he was
overcome with the thought that he
should pay the Virgin some homage.
But he did not know how to go
about it.
He remembered something about the
lesson that one should employ what
tent. He had but one talent-that of
tumbling. Thereupon he went through
his act, tumbling before the statue;
and he prayed that the Virgin might
receive the act as his homage, as it
was all he knew how to do.
Some of the monks who saw the ac-
robat before the altar were greatly
amused and informed the abbot. 1t
was first suggested that the acrobat
be asked to amuse the monks some
evening by giving an exhibition. Be
fore the appointed time, however, the
abbot changed his mind, having been
warned in dream to do so. The aero
bat was accordingly taken in hand and
taught to read and chant and his tall
ent was thus trained in a direction
which enabled him soon after to join
the services of the monastery.
The clown carried the little book
away with him. and although he is
still in the ring as jester, ii is said
that his sayings often sparkle with
philosophic aphorisms, and that he is
employing his talent in a manner which
would be quite satisfactory to any
bishop or rector. He is probably the
only churchman clown in the country.
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