The Washington times., 1905-01-07
REV. DR.. IRVINE TELLS
OF HIS VICISSITUDES

poor souls pay out their hard-earned
money for stocks in a mining company
which has already thousands of tons
of high-priced ore on the dump waiting
to be sent to the stamping mill. Which.
in fact have never been pulled up the
shaft from the bowels OF the mountain
The truth is. there are few fields open
ito priest without a charge The
business man over and over gives as his
excuse for not employing him, Sir. you
are ont of your sphere. L require a man
of experience in our line of business
! But there is another state which is
sIdder still The Roman Church assigns
her priests to some parish. Each priest
must have something to enable him TO
lbuy bread. She will not permit him to
starve. Even if she disuiplines him. she
places him in some hcspice where he
may review his mistake and profit there
by. The Protestant Churches have no
suc!. provisions The clergy, therefore,
fare often in sore straits if without
icharge unless they are fortunate
tenough to have rich friends 10 aid them
| or have q private income of their own.
"a married priest without a charge
suffers the most. for his eyes often rest
on wifi. once the pride OF her parents
/ the sought after by many young men of
prominence and social standing, but
who had given her heart to the young
(, priest who in so:c.e way dared to ask
! her to be his bride As he now watches
the still beautiful face. yet marked With
lines of care; as 20 is welcomed home
after an unsuccessful venture 10 earn a
livelihood In a modest way-the kiss of
welcome the word of encouragement
without a syllable of reproach pierce his
tfeart through and through. Sucn self
isacriace and sincerity on a noble wo-
:.maFs part who might have been a
tIeaNer in society and the partner IN
wealth.
Cold Charity From Clcrgymen.
But often the brother clergy who
| have fine parishes and large salaries
never for moment go out OF the way
to know how their less fortunate breth-
! ren are getting along. They in very
| many instances. like the priest and the
| Levite OF old, pass By on the other side
| I just recall true story. An unfortu-
nate brother called on a very prosperous
priest and asked him-not for money
but for his influence in a line where II
would be of great service; where, in
4 fact he could give it without loss in
money. or Inconvenience He re1igiously
refused-told his brother to rest his
case in the hands of Cod advised him
to rent a farm and settle quietly or
it, and then bade him goodbye with e
blessing. That priest walked out o.
that mans house 1t was dark night
The rain was falling The streets were
slushy He wandered for blocks to
ward his humble home for the reason
that he did not have cents TO pay hi
car fare, let alone to pay the rent of {
farm
And yet, the priest without charge
in the midst of vicissitude must be &
2 true and noble specimen of manhood
2 He must be loyal to his oath of ordina
r ton, true to his brethren of the laitl
E as a good example, true TO the faithful
S to earn bread. true to himself.
g Have you ever thought how easy
is to bs true when not tempted? It
. easy t. be gentle and silver-tongue
= when nothing has ruff1ed yo'@r dispos
u tion in rubbing up against the world2 ?
: | the hard experiences which the ma
Il without work runs across day by DAY
n But to be true. gentle, lovely and kee
ones disposition sweet and have n
S hollowness, meanness and httleness {
a people who are reckOned among IN
r great and good-this is the test of rea
Christian manhood
The priest without a parish n
e doubt could tell very many comical II
e cidents. but sufficient Is said IN this al
! ticle to suggest to the mind OF the reao
er that his position IS anything but
INGRAM N w. IRVINE.