The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1907-08-14
THE TRANSIENT CLERGY.

we WuQ never new come back mad
it no been for DOR Elder Brither. -
said Burnbrae of Drumtochty.
1t was not eloquence. or oratory or
exhortatlon that brought home the
Prudigal. 1t was not the music of
the choir. the solemn grandeur of
stately edifice, nor yet the voice of
his own conscience that brought the
wanderer home. 1t was the ''Elder
Brither." Nor is it recorded that
the "Elder Brither" was an orator.
We are not told that he was man of
great intellect, of culture or of wide
information and educational attain
ment. He was simply the Glider
Brither. full of love and sympathy
and understanding for that particular
prodigal. If the pulpit of this
country is to be more than lecture
bureau, if the church is to be more
than social organization. if people
are to go to the service for other pur-
pose than to be entertained, we must
nave more permanency in our pastor
ates.
Should the coming Methodist con-
ference unfortunately. take Rev.
Thuresson from Denison. we would
not have next fall a protestant
clergyman of an English church who
had been here long enough to vote in
municipal election. Should Rev.
Thuresson be allowed to remain. as
his congregation hopes. he would be
the senior English protestant clergy
man with residence of two years in
our city
Next fall should one of our loved
ones die there would no. be an english
protestant clergyman in the city
who could speak of him save from
hearsay or who could bring any per-
sonal love. or knowledge or under
standing to the consolation of the
afflicted. He might preach eloquent
ly. he might tell what others had told
him, but the Elder Brither'' would
be absent from the pulpit and he has
been for many years.
This is not the fault Of the in
diyidual pastors. They have I'M
doubtedly striven we'll to enter into
the lives of their parishioners. but
the two or three years which has been
the average length of pastorates in
Denison is entirely too short to knit
close the bonds of love among those
that are safely laid" to say nothing
about the formation of those ties of
friendship which shall call the sinner
TO repentance
If the church is lecture bureau Nv
all means let us have variety. Let
rs improve on the present system, let
our pastors 90 on circuit. preaching
each Sabbath in different city, thus
giving each church a succession of
talent. +" If however. The pastor is
to become factor for guod. if he is
TO become the center and the leading
spirit of Cody influence. if he is to
become the councillor and guide. the
Elder Brither" of his people. he
must remain with them long enough to
learn their Christian names.
There is some measure of truth in
the criticism of protestants made by
our Catholic friends. that they go to
church. not SO much to worship God.
but to be entertained by a sermon.
So long as this spirit shall prevail.
there will be constant unrest and de-
sire for change, not only on the part
Of the audience. but on the part of
the lecturers who are drawn to more
attractive fields. At present. in
point OF residence. the preacher is a
highly respectable tramp. One of the
chief virtues of a clergyman's wife is
that she shall know how to pack. and
the packing cases are stored for use
st tn next fitting.
When these birds of passage.
attempt to enter into the civic life of
the community, to aid in moral re-
forms. they are at once met by asser-
tion that they are not a part of the
community. that they are not tax-pay
ers, that they are modelling in
affairs. which. as mere transients,
do not affect them. When clergy
man goes to vote. every democrat
scowls his hardest, as if to say VIVA,
business has this Stranger coming in
and counterfeit the effect of our bal
lots.
No lawyer. no doctor. no editor No
merchant. would feel that he could
thoroughly establish himself in com-
nunity in the length of time which
asNers the coming-the stay and thu
departure of the average clergyman.
If the prodigal is to be saved it
must be by the Glider Brither" the
man who has lived long enough in the
community so that he has learned to
know and to love the sinners as we'll
as the saved. the man who has lived