Douglas Island news., 1908-02-12

We were startled last week on read ing in both of the Juneau dailies of Friday the statement that Douglas is "well known hard field of Christian labor" The statement appeared in both papers in connection with de- scription of the labors of Rev. Holford as pastor of the First Congregational church in this city. It is very prob. able that the editors of the two papers had nothing to do with composition of the articles, and perhaps it is true that Che remark was thoughtlessly made with no intention of casting a slur at Douglas and her people. Further, 1t may be that the fact that MT. Holford has accepted the pastorate of a Juneau church did not suggest a comparison.
 But, whatever may have been the motive or lack of it, Douglas people do not like the charge because they be- IieVe it to be unjust and uutruthfuL. By hard field of Christian labor we suppose is generally meant d place where the people are not amendable to Christian effort. Where the morals are bad, and the people are indifferent, not only as to their present condition, but as to their possible future state. This is not true of Douglas. For a good many years now it has been quito usual for some outside, self-appointed critics to refer to Douglas as hard place, a tough hole, etc, and the mat ter is passed over as a kind of a joke. But it has had its effect, and one that is really serious. Douglas City has been blessed-mind you blessed-with a great number of churches. They have been bUilt, partly with moneys supplied by mission societies, but largely by the liberality of the people here. The Catholic churches go along and mind their business pretty well and seem to make ends meet. The Protestant churches are not so fortu- nate. They got anxious over this field and overdid the business. They built too many churches. Just as we'll try to have three or four postofhces. Every time a new church was started the peo
 pie didn't roar and say we have enough now. They just reached in their pock- cts and helped the new church along with the same grace and good nature they had shown in former instances. They went on the theory that churches are a good thing and you can't get too much of a thing that is good. Then came the preachers, and Douglas has had all kinds. The most of them soon got cold feet and hit the trail back to the States. They were called to preach all right but they missed the society and the street cars and whatnot. Didn't any of them last long. One poor old man who built most of his church with his own hands had the staying qualities all right, but he broke down physically and had to give up. Rev. Holford, who has only been here three years, has witnessed the arrival and departure of nine of them. None of the Douglas business men would ex- pect to build up successful business by such careless methods. Now we suppose it is the general opinion of these preachers that Douglas is "well known hard field of Christian labor. " We said that Douglas has had all kinds of preachers, and that is true. We have had preachers who came to Doug las to recoup their shattered fortunes and others who came on account of their health. The one saved his money and the other got well. One was splendidly educated-and was real orator, another had an abnormal appe-