The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-02-09
OLD MEN AS
PREACHERS
Two Sermons, Daily by
a Centenarian.
--s
LONG LIFE IS GODS WAY
Oldest Active sinister Is Rev.
Thomas Lord.
Several Pastors Round Out Fifty
Years Service, one Of Them
with Bat One
CAurch.

"A clergyman In his hundreth year
preaching two sermons in one day at
tfaeted little attention in Lincoln. Eng
land, for the simple reason that the
veteran Congregationalist. who was
hurting vigorous language at his hear
ers, gave no evidence of being more
than rs. Yet Rev. Thomas Lord was
born in 1908. and April ~ will round
out q century Of life.
He walks with firmness of step
that bellies his age. Is troubled with
but q slight dimness of vision and Is
only little deaf. His limbs are sup
pie ana his hand steady. Rising at
1880 every morning. he stilI shaves
himself and goes about unattended
even on railroad journeys. getting in
and out OF carriages without help.
But 1t 10 in the pulpit that this patri-
arch IL seen at his best. His face with
its friil of snow white hair. grows ten
der as ne pleads with his hearers.
Ordinarily of q stern cast of counte-
nance. rather Characteristic OF age and
due to the deep lines and wrinkles.
there Is nothing but kindness shown
when once he gets close to an audience.
His voice IL deep. strong and resonant,
with more expression in It than many
a man of half his age. and his tones
ring clear and true when he dwelIs
upon Tile QAnBcE Oh ueldy IN accept
ing the good offered by the Church.
When he talks Of himself q smile
plays over his face and CLEAN OF fun
comea to his eyes. especially when he
speaks of the need of deliverance from
the worship of self even to q man OF
hundred years.
He takes q shrewd interest still in
all that is happening. what do you
think of Rev. r. 7. Campbelrs discov-
Arst tn4 nraA - a sA9I Art -.
who Is not also q Socialism was asked
him.
why" he said. with q twinkle,
what does Mr.. Campbell think OF him
seIf2 Though, after ALL" he continued.
christianity and Socialism are in a
sense the same thing. We are ali
members one of another. why were
we taught to call one another brether-
en-? But trying to make people hap
pier in this life need not make US for
get the life to come. That is where
Mr.. Campbell errs. I have been
preaching for seventy years and odd.
and I have always preached the same
message. / have never found anything
to add to 1t, or anything that could be
left out.
s'But when you ask whether the
world appears to have improved since
first began to notice things ninety
years ago, Must tell you that 4 do
not think it has. In many points OF
manners. we are better than we were.
We have given up the cruel sports
ball batting. cock fighting. and so on
which were common when / was a
Young man; but think that the gem
eral run OF people have looser prin-
ciples. They are not so solid in religi-
GUS matters as they were. People
have got so much more restless. The
old spirit of contest seems TO have
fled. Those who are in the South think
they would rather be in the North, and
vice versa: and everyone who can rush
abroad geixes every opportunity to do
SO. do not begrudge them for a mo-
ment the enjoyment they get out OF
their constant changes, but think we
enjoyed life just as much In my young
days. when 1t was so difficult to see
much even of ones own country.
TT seems to me, too, that the bur-
den of keeping up appearances is
heavier than it used to be. It is
harder to live on two pounds a week
today than 1t was eighty years ago to
get along comfortably with one. How
ever, I must not give you the impress
sion that am an old grumbler. 1
have too much trust in God for that.
His ways are not all for US to under
stand. / did not want to live a very
long life. never tried to Iengthen
my days. When people ask me the
secret of my vigor I tell them 1t is a
secret with God.
IT have never smoked and gave up
alcohol when I was q young preacher
than good. used to so to it for slim