The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-07-05
The Preachers
Line Of w ork
is NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD RY
THE PEoPLE-Hts TASKS
ARDuous.

THE PEoPLE-HIs TASKS
ARpuous.
A leading Protestant preacher OF
Fairmont was in a medftatiye mood.
He had Just completed the iuties OF
a very busy day. He was reclining in
his easy chair and ais face and man
ner bore witness to the claim that
the days labors had been very ardu:
GUS for the clergyman.
DOCS a preacher ever get tired?
Well, l make the assertion without
fear of contradiction that no other
class OF people welcome rest moro
anxiously than does the preacher
This was new line of thought
about the work of minister, for his
life is thought by the people to be one
continuous round of ease. He always
goes dressed up. smoothly shaver,
gets fair salary, has nice house, a
loyable wife, tranquil home, nice
furniture, a beautiful study, and moth
ing to do but to so to prayer meeting
once a week, and to prepare two SER
mons for Sunday. This is. the roseate
and attractive conception which most
persons picture of the life of their
pastor.
"While such a condition of affairs
is most beautiful" said the preacher,
"yet it is as far from the truth as the
East is from the West. l dislike very
much to dispel the attractive illusion.
yet facts will cause 1t rapidly TO dis
appear. !,
81 was in the army during the Civil
War, and nave preached for over
a quarter of a. century. Yet | say with
out hesitation that my four years in
the army were a vacation when COM
pared to similar length of time in
the pastorate.
"What does pastor do which is
so tlresome? The preparation OF q
sermon is not one.hundredtn part OF
the labors OF the preacher The real
work comes and is completed with the
knowledge of but a few people. Wives
come TO the preacher who have had
trouble with their husbands, and aus
bands who have had trouble with their
wives: the minister must try to be
the peacemaker. People in distress
come at all hours of the day and night.
Many a time 1 have seen preacher
give money to needy one when lie
should have spent the money in sup
mort of his own home. The whole OF
the week is made up Of work just like
this. Some require money; others
pacification; others advice: while
still others must be comforted. There
IS a seamy side to every profession
and every work; yet none but the in
divjduals who perform the labors
thereof know of its many unpleasant
and rough places.
THE ministerial student, contin-
ued the minister, suffers one of his
most trying times when he takes up
the active work of the pastor after
leaving the seminary. Among the peo5
pie he comes in contact with are
things which he had never Fedd VI ~
his text books Strange aud unthought
Of dflemas arise on eyery hand from
which extrication often seems impos'
stble. Yet after years Of many tolts
and knocks he finally becomes mould
ed to the real life Of the minister
with It's stern realities which are far
different from the conception the stu
dent had formed Of the work While
in his room at the seminary"
The speakers earnestness and his
gray hairs both went to proclaim the
truth OF the statements which had
Just been made. The interviewer was
a wiser and more thoughtful man for
having gotten this small plimpse OF
the seamy life of preacher.