The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-11
PREACHER WORKS
AS A PLASTERER
He is Now on His Way Around
the World
HEARD "CALL" YEARS AGO
Rev. J. w. Van Klrke Is a Graduate of
Harvard and Pastor of a Church
In Youngstown,
Ohio.
HEARD "CALL" YEARS AGO

San Francisco. Cal, saturday.-The Rev.
]. W Van Kirk, pastor of the Methodist
Episcopal church of Youngstown, O., D.
D., B. A. graduate of Union college, Bos-
ton university and Harvard, is In town.
If you look for him at one of the re-
specially fashionable hotels, or If you
| look for him as a man in a simple black
frock garb. clerical spectacles totterng
upon his Roman nose. you will in all
probability not lind him. For the Rev.
J. ". Van Kirk. D. D., B. A, Boston
and Harvard graduate. Is working as
plasterer on the upper floor of the EN-
pre theatre chat he is willing to plaster
the walls of theatre shows him, surely,
to be theologically broad, on Market
street There you can find him, eight
hours day busy with trowel and plaster
dressed in white trousers and a white
jumper, a French chef cap atilt upon
his curly iron gray locks.
1t was here that reporter found him
yesterday afternoon. He is a handsome
man, and the whtee garments of his
present toll set off picturesquely his 1.-THE,
elegant figure. He has fine, wide open,
gray eyes that look straight at his inter-
locutor, and can smile; a Roman nose.
square, strong jaws and curly black hair,
ennobled with a sprinkle of gray, crowns
the whole.
Hears Mysterious Call.
The story of his life and transformation
he told with a simplicity that was con
vincng, and evidently it is a simple story
to him. 1t is merely repetition of some
thing that has often happened, the story
of mysterious and compelling 'call.
While walking along the street, sixteen
years ago, something told the Rev. Van
Kirk that he should tour the world in
the interest of the brotherhood of man.
For sixteen years the idea remained with
him and would not let him rest, and now
he is obeying it.
AS he is poor, he is working his way
by the trade he learned when boy lie
works as plasterer from city to city
and this seems to him quite a natural
and simple thing to do.
This Is the way he tells it:
WHEN 81 years old / left my trade and
determined to become a preacher. l was
married then and we had little baby.
l went to Union college, working my
way through, then to Boston university,
then to Harvard. | was 30 years old when
I was through with my studies and was
made pastor of the Methodist Episcopal
church of Youngstown, o., my native
town. sixteen years ago, while walking
along the street, Something told me that
should go around the world speaking in
favor of and doing what little | could
do to promote brotherly love through
out the EARTH
Works for Humanity.
Il cannot explain just what this I'M
pulse was, | heard 1t as plainly as | hear
you speak now. l don't know whence 1t
came, why 1t came, but for sixteen years
1t has been with me and has not let me
rsst. Several times l tried to start out,
but each time something prevented it
health or the welfare of my wife and
two children. But finally last year I saw
that | could start. | obtained a years
leave of absence from my church. l left
last September | went to New York, and
from there came across the continent,
working at the trade of my youth and de-
liverng addresses.
81 am working now to gather money.
As soon as | have enough l shall start
for Japan, and then push on till have
eireled the globe. What | shall accomplish
| in the interest of human brotherhood may
be little. but 1t will be something, and
having obeyed the mysterious command
| given me sixteen years ago l shall be
| able to rest"