The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-07-11
WORK OF oLD-rlMu CLERGYMAN.
Or: Hale Describes His Position in a
Town and kiis putles.

own ana his Duties.
1t was my fortune in early life TO on
Joy the personal friendship Of some Of
our older ministers. who preserved the
professional traditions, writes Edwari
Everett Hale in the Christian Register.
1nnes have changed so that many OF
the old saws and customs cannot be
adopted now as rules of conduct, even
II men wanted rules from another gem
eration, but all Of them give some indi-
cation OF wnat those days were. am
speaking to-day especially of the lives
Of Massachusetts men.
Let It be remembered that till 1891 a
settled clergyman in Massachusetts be-
longed to what the late Joseph Allen
called. with great precision, a peerage
Into which noblemen were received for
life. Precisely similar is the position
OF French Senator under the French
Constitution of to-day; that is to say,
Il man was settled as the minister
OF New England church, and no spec
ial provision was made to the contrary,
he was settled for life. This meant chat
what was considered a competent sal
ary was assigned to him. The town
had contract with him for the annual
payment Of that salary. and no one but
council Of the churches could turn
him out. The council could not turn
him out except for visible immortality,
to be proved on trial.
OF such men who were ordained be-
fore the year 1900 | have seen two or,
three, and l have heard their stories
OF their early life. My own grand
father. Enoeh Hale, who died in the
year 1897, was one Of them. He was
settled as minister OF Westhampton In
Massachusetts,. ! think in the year ITS.
He was o minister OF the same parish
when he died. having been in the min
istry of that parish fifty-nine years.
do not think that census OF the
town ever recorded more than l, 100 in
habitants.
The earliest census, that Of 1880, gave
nothing like that population. For those
years practically the Congregational
Church was the only Chupch. Practi-
cally. therefore, he was the religious
and moral supervisor OF every person
who resided in that town II was his
duty every day 70 bear in mind more
or less the condition OF every house
hold In the town His parish visits
from house to house we're. strictly
speaking. not simply frlendl4 tall OF
one neighbor upon another / do not
suppose he thought of IT, but in point
Of fact Il was his personal duty to know
how each household was getting on
For every man who paid a tax IN the
town Of Westhampton contributed
something toward the salary OF the
minister and il would have nt,sH the
minister's duty. II ia we're not his pleas
ure, 10 acquaint himself with every
household as the year went by
This made OF what professional men
call parish visiting quite q different
anair from what It is today In the
country towns. possibly In Boston. the
parish visits were arranged in advance.
SO that notice OF them could be gwen
from the pulpit Il shall visit In The
south part Of the nfth school district
lext Thursday. Friday ! shall visit In
she north part Of that district God per-
mitting" Something like this was
said IN advance from the pulpit and
the people we're expected 70 be ready 70
receive the minister. Unless something
adverse happened OF transpired, be met
that appointment as a merchant to-day
meels a note that comes due at the
bank
What followed was that he probably