New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-03
TYPICAL DAY OF A BUSY PASTOR.
Round of Callers Their Manifold Eand Little Time for
Study

There is a popular impression that the d2lIy
life OF a successful preacher is round OF luxurl-
GUS ease In which mental cultivation plays most
prominent part. One OF the leading ministers Oh
Boston, the Rev. Charles A. Crane, pastor at the
Peoples Temple. thinks otherwise IL is interesting
20 hear him tell OF troubles met with during
the course Of day in his study. and 10 tribune
representative he gave in detail the annoying yet
TO him humorous. occurrences.
After breakfast said DR. Crane. Il take up my
mail The first letter is four pages i'm length, be
ginning with the salutation Dear Brother
glance at the name at the bottom of the fourth
page and am ready to aver never heard % it be-
fore. The first page and half are devoted to
apologzlng for presuming TO write; the next page is
devoted to telling where. VIXEN and how preached
upon occasion the writer remembers distinctly.
but which 7 canont recall at all He then goes on
to tell me how much he admires me-whereupon l
grow suspicious-and he winds up by requesting me
to find a man who left his bill unpaid and had
actually forgotten the writer to whom the bill was
owed Would I please hunt him up and remit.
and much oblige.' etc.
II look at this letter with sort OF desperation
and wonder the day will keep up its unfortunate
start and thus prevent from finishing the ser
mon that haven't. by the way. had the chance
to begin Then / wonder IL the man thought the
duties OF ecclesiastical constable were included
in my call to preach.
wants to come to Massachusetts to live. and know
ing my great influence inquiries II I cannot get
Governor Bates get him a Job While / am
reading the third letter. in which asked 10
look after young man OF good heart who ia AZ
present in Charesst Jail for stealing brasses from
the railroad company the doorbell rings violently.
and with the majestic step of Napoleon in walks
a map seller who accosts with:
" is this the Rev. Dr. Crane?
My name is Crane. Take seat. sir
DO find you at leisure this morning, SIR
4" AS much usual
" Well. that's good. I have here elegant
new. superb map. for which am canvassng. and
am very anxious to obtain the names Of all the
clergy in the city You see. know their influence
would DE of incalculable value to me
in a half hoping. half despairing tell him
that l not prepared to subscribe this morning.
and inwardly hope that he will leave once.
though despair OF such a desirable event But
the map seller grows generous. magnaHi-
nous. and offers TO throw of so il will look
II carefully and then write half column
about 1t in the daily papers. for he has assured
me the daily papers will DO anything for me
decline. l have time TO enter literary pursuits.
He differs with me and tells that he thought
ministers had plenty of time. 1 grow argumenta-
tive and kindly assure him he is not IabOring alone
in that deluson. still he bores away and works
persistently that easily and readily consent
hear another caller who pushes in and asks me to
six miles into the country I'm the afternoon TO
atleHu lHe tuneral or baby. | do not know the
people who have lost the child and they belong
no church They once attended a Methodist
church when they lived in Ohio. They expect
20 pay my own way. l aware I will have 10
hire morse and buggy when I get off the cars.
as they live some distance from the station 1 will
venture my livery bill win be more than they have
given the church for years but must be mer-
csnary. and find myself apologzlng myself
for thinking so base thought. But. for some rea-
son or other must declare my un~elcome
thoughts still stick with me
u am again alone There is a new map the
floor. and 1t seems 10 lie there and stare
with slee in its face. l say face because some
how or other the Great Lakes take on a human ap-
pearance and make faces at me. Perhaps It's
ina ginaton or-or-
Il get back into the midst OF my letters again.
and try 10 write suitable replies when old man
comes in. have great respect for old age and
sympathize with him, for he is infirm and unable
TO work His face Is sad and his garments seedy.
ana ne informs me that he has for sale a recipe
for soap. 1 give him a dollar for the recipe and
wonder why ne singled me out as a subject for his
experiment also think with some satisfaction
that am done with him, when he piously requests
mo 10 give him a list of the names of my flock
VINO are likely 10 want soap AS / decline, he as
sures me solemnly that he thinks so highly of me
that ne Will probably join our church next Sunday.
pause and tell him to think IL over seriously be-
fore he decides. He leaves me, and 1 take up the
daily paper IN order that l may keep posted on
current events
see oy IL that Mr.. Fitzsimmons has considerably
disturbed and overthrown Mr. Gardner; that jim
ME Coihns is In the city, that three negroes have
baeh Vhched in Alabama and that the price Of
Aihaisanated Is declining. l breathe easier and
eHiiD up 10 the loft where my study is located
and attempt 10 go to work NV sermon, strange
as Il may seem. must be completed for use next
Sunday.
JUST as L get out my tools and take OF my
coat am called down to the first floor. where /
meet 'he agent of the Little struggers' Outing
soc'e'y' He wants to preach In my church next
sunday and take a collection for his great enter
prise tell him that all ARRANGEMENTS are made
iof next Sunday. Thereupon he masnifes his mis-
SION ten times above all common labors in the
Loro vineyard and assures me that all inteilt-
gent ministers and phlanthropists deeply in
tsfe''ed IN his cause. and that few short sighted
narrow minded and selfish ministers have refused
70 cooperate with HIM He kindly tells me that
hs whi preach for me either morning or svsnins
ma 'oas N always draws vast esovda ."