The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-02-23

noon ara 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 nfty. There are five or
six families in my parish in great need
Of nv personal visitation, and two
deaths occurred yesterday, which
means funeral services tomorrow. My
assistant has been on the sick list for
nearly a month, and the church, OF
course. cannot well supply his place,
although volunteers are doing some OF
his work. am not complaining, Cor
don. | have some OF the best men ana
women I'm the city in my church mem
brrshlp. they are loyal and true, and
any man might well be proud Of their
Il endshlp.
Il am not complaining either about
the bewilderlng number Of calls on my
time aud sympathy from strangers and
people entirely outside Of my parish. II
is a compliment TO the ministry that
the un-Chrlstian part OF the community
turns to the church and the preacher
for comfort and help. All these things
1 accepted when l entered the profes-
sion. would be fool to act the baby
now that heavy burdens Of trouble In
other peoples lives are rolled upon me.
II Is all a part Of the profession which
[ deliberately chose. A doctor might
as well 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 ana
spiritual ruin. This is what every true
ministry means and always will mean,
and the nian who wants to shirk oil
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 ans
doing In and through the church Is
worth while doing through that organ
lzation. My ideals are constantly disap-
pointed With the exception Of tho
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 miscelane'
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 20 be dOnel IL Is not
the service that shrink from I am
only fllled with great longing TO
serve In the place where It will amount
to something"
"You are tired out" John Gordon
laid his hand affectlonately on Paul
arm. He did not know
Just what else to say. His thought Of
the church had coinclded too closely
with the minister's TO enable him to
come to the defense Of the church as It
seemed to need defense In the face OF
doubts.
The minister smiled az Gordon rather
sadly.
II may be tired at present. but that
does not account for my present posi-
tlon. Don't let 1t vex you" he added
quickly, Il ought not 10 nave deliY-
cred my little woe here. This house is
the center Of it's own peculiar sorrows.
God forbid that | should Introduce into
II my own selfish ego,Ism or even my
struggles for light In my own
darkness"
Always room FOR one more, / am
sure Gordon protested but Falmouth
shook his head and refused TO continue
the discussion. lie had risen 10 go
when Miss Andrews entered with a
glow on her face that struck both men
as a new look.
Read that" she said, putting let.
ter into Gordon's hand.
The letter was from Mrs. George Ell.
bingham.
My Dear Miss AndreWs-Pardon my de-
lay In answering your beautiful letter.
MY grandson has been very ill and the ,