The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-04-18

Stirling Sons, and Father.
At the close of the service a promi-
nent business man of the village stood
in the back part of the church, talking
with some excitement to one Of his &C
Quaintances.
TIT isn't right!'' he declared. "Mr
Stirling ought not to do it, and we are
more than ungrateful If we allow It,"
what do you mean?" asked his
friend.
"Just this" returned the other. "Mr.
Stirling has been with us a week, hold
ing services every day and evening,
and the good results Of what he has
done will be seen here for years. Think
for a moment how he has helped our
young people, Why, my own-my own
boy has been moved to adopt a wholly
different life during these meetings.
And yet, after all the good he has done,
we are letting Mr.. Stirling go away
without saying word about paying
him for his services. AS a matter Of
fact, they cannot be measured in terms
we can never repay. But he is growing
old, in spite of his energy and youthful
spirit. Preachers are not men who
accumulate much money in their pro-
fession. I think it is criminal to let
him 60 without good, generous col
lection, and I am resolved he shall
have it! declared the man of business,
drawing some rustling bills from his
pocket. Now" he demanded, you put
something with this, and I will 60
round among the other men, and we
will soon have good sum-"
But the other merely smiled, and
laid restraining hand upon the arm
Of his friend.
"Wait just moment" he said. II
happen to know the reason why Mr..
Stirling does not charge anything for
his services, and why he does not wish
to be paid for them. He has been a
minister and an evangelist for many
years, and you can see that his heart
Is in his work. He has two sons, I
have an idea thatwhen these sons were
boys, he had strong desire in his
heart that at least one of them Should
become minister, but that desire was
not gratified. The sons appreciated
and honored their father, but neither
of them felt called to the, work of the
ministry. They wanted to be business
men, and their father, without making
too much of his own disappointment,
encouraged and helped them In fitting
themselves for business life.
las the years passed on, these sons
prospered greatly, and at last they said
to their father:
Father, we know that you were sor-
~ that neither of us was inclined to be
minister, but we did not feel that
we were adapted for that work. But
we love and honor you and the work
that you have done, and now we want
to 60 In with you, as silent partners.
awe will attend to the entire finan-
cial. part Of the work. Go where you
please, stay as long as you think you
are needed, never stop to think whether
the people can pay or not. We don't
care whether you hold your services
in a rich city church, in the slums, or
in the remotest country church; we
will pay all your expenses, and give
you a large salary in addition. Per-
haps in that way we can help to do
more good than as IL we had become
ministers ourselves
$50 for number Of years John Stir
ling has been conducting his meetings
on that basis; going where he is most
needed, and leading hundreds Of lives
out Of darkness into light"
The man Of business slowly folded
UP the bills which he held in his hand,
and returned them to his pocket.
'sWell," he said, Il certainly will
never do anything to disturb a scheme
like that. 1t is the finest partnership
l ever heard of, and don't know who
is drawing the most desirable diyi-
dends, John Stirling, or his sons or
the rest of us."-Youth's Companion.
The Attitude of Obediemce.