Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-01-15


do. You are right" Falmouth said
quietly. "Why should run away from
the hard work where | ann And yet,
Gordon, no man knows. unless he has
been in the ministry. the enormous de-
mands on the profession. | am not
speaking in boastfulncss or complaint
when | say that no profession requires
such constant and varied exercise of all
the power of manhood. DO you won
der, Gordon, that the ministry some
times grows discouraged as it faces Il
labor that in the nature of the case can
never be completed in any sense and
has the vision of an ideal that no
church or parish ever yet realized?
And then of late | am haunted by Il
doubt as TO the value of a great deal
that | am doing. II is not the lard
work ! am beginning to dread, it is
the fear that it is wasted power and
that the organized church of today
ought to be changing much Of its prac-
ticc in order TO do chat Christ wants
done
Would son mind telling me some
thing in detail what YOU mean? Give
me a page out Of youv days work.
Gordon asked with genuine interest.
Falmouth was going through Il crisis
in his church lifc. and Gordon was be-
ginning to have more than Il very
strong personal feeling for him.
1T will be talking shop" Falmouth
smiled sadly and hesitated.
That's pnrdonablc between friends"
Gordon answered with Il look that
showed the minister little further
into his affectionatc nature.
"Wcll--You understand all right"
with an air of relief. Take yesterday
as an example The morning started
off with a miscellaneous correspond
cnce that took about fifty minutes.
Thcn l worked on my Sunday morning
sermon for IN hour. At the end of that
time | had to leave the study to hunt
up Il boy whose mother wrote me about
his being sick ut boarding house on
Ross street. | had to go in the
morning because of cnga gcmcntS that
filed every minute of my afternoons
for the next two weeks. | found the
young fellow in desperate condition.
brought about by his own sin. 1t was
Il case that could not be turned over to
Others | shall feel Obliged 10 20 and
see him often. in order to meet the ap-
peal of that mother Back to my
study in time TO write Il little on an adj
dress for next meeting of our local as
socintion Home to dinner. Funeral
ut o'clock. The place happened to be
quite near the church, and | was not
asked 10 go out TO the cemetery. The
people were strangers 10 me and were
in great trouble. Went back TO the
study to get word 10 our visiting com
mittcc TO see this family as soon rs
possible. by the time that was dono
started for the county hospital ON
Burke street 70 visit one of my church
members, very seriously i'll there. vt
3 o'clock | was back at the church,
where Il committee of my Endcuvor So
ciotY had "A special meeting 10 revise
their constitution and to Plan for the
winters campaign, and wanted my
presence and advice. Owing TO the
failure Of part Of the committee 10 be
prompt it was G:20 before | left the
church.
"Aftcr supper had n wedding over
OF Park avenue Mrs. Falmouth was
unable TO 20 with me on account Of
the Illness of one of our boys. When
| left the wedding party, il was Q
o'clock. As | was getting into the car
rl1ge 70 20 home n messenger boy
brought message asking me TO call
at the hospital, as my parishioner was
In critical condition and might die
before morning. 1 went at once and
stayed until midnight when the pa
tents condition grew better. and left
for home. When | reached home |
found my wife sitting up with the boy.
who had become quito sick. ] sent her
10 bed and stayed up with the child
until he was better. Early this morn
ing | was sent for by the family Mt
whose place the funeral was held, ask
ing me TO call this morning. as one Of
the members of the family was in a Sc
riOuS condition. | called. ana when
got TO my study it was after 10 o'clock
Ii is Wednesday. aud only II part Of
my next Sunday morning sermon is
completed. have not even selected n
text for the evening sermon. The sub
joct of my prayer meeting is Best Meth
DDS of Modern Bible study have part
ly prepared the service. | 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 hfty. There are five or
six families in my parish in great need
Of my personal visitation. aud two
deaths occurred Yesterday. which
means funeral services tomorrow My
assistant has been on the sick list for
nearly month. and the church, OF
course, cannot we'll supply his place
although volunteers are doing some OF
his work. | am not complaining Cor
don. ! have some of the best men and
women in The city in my church mem
borShlp. They are loyal and true and
anJ man might well be proud Of their
| friendship.
II am not complaining either about
| the hcwi,dcring number of calls OF ms
time and sympathy from strangers and
people entirely outside Of my parish Ii
Is compliment to the ministry that
the un-thrlstian part OF the community
! turns ia tho clIrDb and tlo