New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-22
SAMPLES OF A CLERGYMAYS CORRESPONDENCE
WHAT PERSONS WRITE H,H o WISH TO DO SOMETHING
FOR HIN OR HAZE HIN DO SOMETHING FOR THEN.
written To- The Tribune by Nr--Tork cr-rsyman3

Besides the calls made On him between Sundays
by strangers whose motives are both queer and
questionable the average city clergyman has MS
amusement and his own perplexity over let-
well which he receives from all sorts OF
queer people Being such a city clergyman ~
these have nv share In the last year alone to
be accurate there have been sos that struck me
as sufficiently curious file away under dozen
different headings in a scrapbOok kept for the
purpose. From the pages Of that book this article
energes
All Of the letters cited here are from entire
strangers; publish any other kind would be 4
breach of confidence That is 10 say. the authors
were strangers so far as I know: for some Of the
letters were Anonymous Not one Of them has
been answered This may seem either Impolte
cruel; yet it must be It is a fixed rule one
must follow il would not the risk Of get
ting into trouble. for there are persons who would
take advantage Of his signature If he should give
II. in letter. Besides. to have answered
them would have consumed no less than fifty hours
Of time and labor to say nothing of 80 postage
I have arranged them all in two great general
groups. according TO the sources whence they came
The first two hundred roughly speaking. were from
persons who wanted 70 give me- something or to do
something for me. The remaining three hundred.
counting as inaccurateIy. were from persons who
asked me for something who wanted ire 10 do
something for them.
First come those in which the writer's seek 70
pay me compliments. who write notes praising
something have said or done These are usually
received Monday morning. Invariably they
begin. Il attended your service to-day and then
proceed with strings Of laudatory phrases. To be
perfectly honest could wish that there were
more Of these they brighten a Blue Monday
wonderfully It is only when they are ELUSIVE
that they are absurd.
For example the first one that I come 70 is
note composed in terms Of feminine irrelevancy
and written fine vellum paper. which seems by
far too light 70 bea- the heavy freight Of its
tents; those contents are consignment Of some
ones sore regrets that I married. some one
who. at the length Of seven closely written pages
lays a smitten heart before the pulpit rail but
does not tell whose heart it is
In sharp contrast 10 this group. but in such
Iatior 70 il thar they follow naturally. come notes
Of criticism or this class the number is not small,
but large. They are usually anonymous also or, II
g name is signed. no address Is given; or. Il both
name and address are given. the latter is far
away that an never likely to come face TO face
with my critic Any clergyman who would ever
take seriously all Of such criticism that comes 70
him would never go the second time before the
same people in the same pulpit; but he who
hearkens to any Of it is foolish. for he walketh in
a vain shadow and disquieteth himself in vain
One criticises ny theology, another the shape Of
nv collar One finds fault with me because 7 am
TOO narrow; another because too worldly
Half dozen criticise me because select hymns
so we'll known that the choir has chance 70
show or: many others censure me for choOs-
ing hymns so difficult that the congregation cannot
church is always "overheated.' while another
threatens TO give up pew because 1t is too cold
One complains Of the length Of the service an
other of it's "brevity,' and and A few
sveu embody threats. There are persons who seem
70 have a mania for dropping anonymous missives
into mail boxes Of kind they think will frishten
some one and some OF these are addressed TO US.
But he who ever grows uneasy upon the receipt OF
such letters is also foolish they but the random
products Of a psychopathic brain
Then there are those who want 10 make pres
euts give me gifts or offer something in the
nature Of e contribution Sometimes this some
thing is supposed TO be Of value in Itself some
times IT Is Of value only because Of what I
supposed to do with It. Unique among the first
are q series OF communications from man who
insists upon giving me. from time TO time tips
on The stock market Among the second,
writer suggests text another telling quotation.
still another book he thinks have not heard Of.
but ought BY all means to read.
Often. IL the subject Of sermon is announced
before Sunday I receive notes with suggestions
and ideas thought to be appropriate One OF these
begins: Il beg leave 10 communicate that which
will help you in the composition OF your sermon.
Another reads: I have seen your Sundays text
announced anticipate how strong would be the
presentation II were prepared myself TO preach
that subject for It always interested me. Since
am not 7 beg leave to incIose material which
hope you Will incorporate
closely allied TO this lot although exceeding
them IN length. number Of letters which take