Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-01-28

others. shall feel obliged to 60 and
see him often. in order to meet the ap-
peal of that mother. Back to my
study in time to write little on an ad-
dress for next meeting Of our local as
sociation. Home to dinner. Funeral
at 2 o'clock. The place happened to be
quite near the church, and / was not
asked to go out to the cemetery. The
people were strangers to me and were
in great trouble. Went back to the
study to get word to our visiting COM
mittee to see this family as soon as
possible By the time that was done l
started for the county hospital on
Burke street to visit one Of my church
members, very seriously Ill there. At
5 o'clock I was back at the church,
where a committee Of my Endeavor so
ciety had q special meeting to revise
their constitution and to plan for the
winters campaign, and wanted my
presence and advice. Owing to the
failure Of pare of the committee to be
prompt it was $50 before left the
church.
"After supper I had wedding over
on Park avenue. Mrs. Falmouth was
unable to 60 with me on account OF
the illness of one Of our boys. When
I left the wedding party, it was 8
o'clock. AS I was getting into the car
riage to 60 home a messenger boy
brought a message asking me to call
at the hospital. as my parishioner was
In q critical condition and might Ole
before morning. I went at once and
stayed until midnight, when the pa
TENTS condition grew better, and ! left
for home. When l reached home. l
found my wife sitting up with the boy.
who had become quite sick. sent her
to bed and stayed up with the child
until he was better. Early this morn
ing I was sent for by the family at
whose place the funeral was held. ask
ing me to call this morning. as one Of
the members Of the family was In Sc
rious condition. | called, and when
got to my study It was after 10 o'clock.
1t is Wednesday, and only a part Of
my next Sunday morning sermon Is
completed. l have not even selected
text for the evening sermon. The SUBJ
ject of my prayer meeting Is Best Meth
DDS of Modern Bible Study I have part
ly prepared the service. I have three
committee meetings tomorrow after
noon and an address in the evening on
the Duty of Good Citizens In the Com
ing Municipal Campaign This Is be-
fore the mass meeting arranged by the
committee Of Fifty. There are FIVE or
six families in my parish in great need
of my personal visitation, and two
deaths occurred yesterday, which
means funeral services tomorrow. My
assistant has been on the sick list for
nearly q month, and the church, Of
course, cannot well supply his place,
although volunteers are doing some Of
his work. am not complaining, Cor
don. l have some Of the best men and
women in the city in my church men,
bership. They are loyal and true, and
any man might well be proud Of their
friendship.
II am not complaining either about
the bewildering number Of calls on my
time and sympathy from strangers and
people entirely outside Of my parish. 1t
is q compliment to the ministry that
the un-C Christian part Of the community
turns to the church and the preacher
for comfort and help. All these things
l accepted when I entered the profess
sion. would be a fool to act the baby
now that heavy burdens Of trouble IN
other peoples lives are rolled upon me.
1t is all a part Of the profession which
I deliberately chose. A doctor might
as we'll complain that his work brings
him face to face all the time with
physical pain as the minister complain
that his work brings him constantly
into the presence Of sin sickness and
spiritual ruin. This is what every true
ministry means and always will mean,
and the man who wants to shirk all
that had better never enter the busl-
ness Of preacher and pastor. But the
doubt that lately has begun to torment
me is the doubt that all this that am
doing in and through the church Is
worth while doing through that organ
ization. My ideals are constantly disap-
pointed. With the exception Of the
minority that can be found In almost
every church I am obliged to confess
that my views Of the real work a
church ought to do are not accepted by
my people, and am going on with the
pressure on me of all this miscellane-
GUS machinery Of service, tormented
with the question, Is the church. after
all, the best organization for doing
work for humanity, or is the church
even approximately doing the things
that most need to be done? 1t Is not
the service that I shrink from. l am
only filled with great longing to
serve in the place where 1t will amount
to SOmeth1nS.
"You are tired out" John Gordon
laid his hand affectionately on Paul
Falmouth's arm. He did not know
just what else to say. His thought of
the church had coincided too closely
with the minister's to enable him to
come to the defense Of the church as 1t
seemed to need defense in the face of
Falmouth's doubts.
The minister smiled at Gordon rather
sadly.
81 may be tired at present. but that
does not account for my present posi-
tion. Don't let it vex YOU" he added
quickly. Il ought not to have deliv-
cred my little woe here. This house Is