The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-12-10

vi A%IhA a. oABRNs~ -
not permitted TO join the Conference
because they cannot meet the require
What is 70 be done about it,
Certainly the answer is not that men
shall go into the ministry without a
divine call. Better that churches be
vacant han that men preach as a
profession. The better pay in b1sl-
ness and commercial life viii not an
swer. because there never was a time
when a capable man couldn't get
larger compensation in business or
professional life han in the ministry.
The church colleges are not sending
SO many men into the pulpit. but q
college cannot furnish a call 70 preach.
There is a reasons-out
beyond guesses no man has yet been
able 70 give the reason. In this con-
nection / heard a young business man
last night. talking to a preacher. Ihey
q been to college together. The
preacher was receiving a salary Of
5000 and the business man income
ran up into the thousands. but he said
to dis preacher friend: Il envy YOU
the clear call you ave to your life
work and i would feel it a distinction
to have been called TO preach the
gospel Your position is better than
mine" And the preacher said. that he
would not swap. The l
am forced 10 practise does not give
me trouble. know that simple living
for health and strength n |
am happy in my work, without fixed
home or property, conscious that | am
doing a God-appointed work. He
wasn't the sort that opens his heart
TO strangers and he was talking only
to two or three old college friends.
AS | heard him, with the smile of
happiness on his face, / felt truly that
ne had the better life and better
work Of either of the other -four men.
all of whom lac succeeded in their
The preacher didn't handle as much
but wasn't he the richest mar
of the little party?
To the Conference every ear comes
representatives of various church in
terests. This year among Others was
Cook. who is representing some or
the correctional work. You see that
little man there" aid a friend indi-
eating Mr.. Cook. He is the sort of
man who illustrate the best that is in
our humanity. When the yellow fever
our came to Brunswick, Ga, Mr..
Cook was the Methodist preacher
there. Everybody who could get
away was leaving. In a town not far
away lived a friend of Cooks who
knew the stuff of which he was made
and he said to a friend. There is One
man in Brunswick who will never ru<
away
His friend said. I will bet you s25
that you hero will leave Brunswick
before the week is. out.
They agreed to leave it to the
Mayor Of Brunswick and at the end
Of the week a telegram brought the
information that Mr.. Cook, small of
paid by the loser and the non went
to relieve the sufferers of Brunswick.
1t is such men who need no Carnegie
hero medal. They have a God-given
nobility that is above earthly power
to eWard.
The temperance spirit is militant.
Rev. R.. l.. Davis. WHO for a year has
been in the saddle. is a member of
the Conference and finds that the
laymen and preachers are of n
mind II determined to givS M guam
terS until every saloon and still in the
State has gone into ~innocuous desue-
tude. There is no saloon here or e
here and New Bern does not need
them. The day is coming hen they
will be wiped out and nat day is
far distant.
The Home Mission work of the
church is going forward steadily and
plans are about matured to greatly
increase the appropriations to this
cause and to add to its efficiency.
There is a growing interest in the
care of the aged ministers and their
The Methodist church
does not permit its preachers to hav
any other vocation and it has always
sought to care for the aged ministers.
Judge Walter H. Neal, who is here,
contributions by which he believes, in
addition to the regular assessments.
there can be provided a sum of $4,000
for the family of every preacher who
dies. 1t is a worthy undertaking and
Judge Neal is the sort Of man 10
carry it out successfully.
Among the most important events
Of the Conference was the organization
of the Laymen's Movement, which is
doing wonderful things elsewhere. 1t
is possible to make it of great use and
the men who are at the head have
zeal, wisdom and untiring energy.
New Bern is growing in every good
way. The business is large and in
creasing. This year it has been con-
nected with Washington and Bayboro
railroads. 1t has a fine location
at the confluence of the Neuse and
Trent and therefore the best facilities
for freights. The present year has
the opening of the CASTOR Hotel.
1t has been made new and neat and
spick and a If there is a better
in North Carolina have not
seen it. The new ElkS building. five
stories high Will afford splendid mod
ern office buildings. Much building is
going on. The new Christian Science
church is a model of good taste. The
schools are ff~ourishing and we'll man.
aged. Two good newspapers print the
and advance New Bern's every
Next week the pa
per, the Sun, will become an after
paper, and the Journal will have
the morning field. This
Will doubtless prove better for both
and for the city. It is worth coming
here to see the spirit of progress that
pervades the community. Everything
is on q solid basis. No boom, no
mushroom growth. no w~hooping UP of
values. The banks are strongly in
trenched in popular confidence. Dur
the money famine, the banks here
met every demand and had the
cash TO keep things moving without
the necessity of issueing scrip. The
plants are large and prosper
Gus, though business is slack now as
oyaryyvhprn Tho tr,1oEin- 1o~ao -,