The farmer and mechanic., 1910-07-12

a swarm Of bees into newly pro
vided hive. Soon the house is ful
Of people from front 10 rear. from
door to pulpit, all singing:
We are travelling home 10 God,
IN the way our fathers trod.
| hey are happy now and we
Soon their happiness shall see"
This is fine send-on for the Elder.
who enters the chucrh. conducted by
the circuit rider. and after silent
prayer takes Up the services Ii il IS
Saturday, he likely breaches on the
practical duties of 4 Christian life II
the sabbath, he is more likely to take
some great theme en- mbodied in a text
Ike this: God forbid that / should
glory save in the cross OF our Lord
Jesus Christi Such logic. such eIo-
quence, such Imagination. such power
ful pleadin". such earnest exhorta-
ton 1t IS no wonder the people are.
sWayed, are lifted TO their feet and
shout praise TO God. The services are
ended, the people return t. their
homes feeling as Peter did on the
most beside himself he said 1T is
good to be here. let us put up tents
and prepare to stay here" The occa-
sion, the sermon, the effect were
topics OF conversation that night
around every fireside in that settle
ment.''
Were those days better than present
times? Were those meetings more re-
llgiOuS? Were those men greater men,
30 cur blessings brighten only as
they take their flight? Is it true Of
these, as Of some other things? AS
for instance:
" lis distance lends enchantment to
the view
And robes the mount in azure hue"
Does not childhood. after all. oft
times get the proper measurem ent of
men and things? Once some children
We're Dragging about the company to
be entertained in their respective
homes at an approaching conference;
one child remarked: We are going
to have a delegate at our house"
Another child said: We are going to
have q preacher at our house The
third, not to be outdone. said: we
are going to have the Elder at
house" The others exclaimed: What
is an Elder?'' The child answered:
It's a man, that's bigger than 3
preacher" Exalted place for man to
have, even in the mind Of a child!
But do the Elders Of the present
measure up to the standard of the
past? Are they selected to that office
because of their great pulpit ability.
or for some other reason? Is there not
reason to think they are selected be
cause of some peculiar business abil-
ny. push, doiilty 70 DlluS liiliiBS "
pass, or because Of some idiosyncracy
that would make them unacceptable
on a regular pastorate The best
stations demand the best pulpit ability.
and that for every Sunday in the
year
They can endure any popularity in
the Elder, since he does not come
around but once a quarter and even
then on Sunday night. The story is
told Of steward in a city church.
who came into services a little late
on a Sunday night. The exercises were
we'll under way. The preacher was
Well into his sermon. The Delated
steward turned to another church Off
cial sitting on the same bench and
inquired: What old snake charmer
is that, they've put up here tonight?"
When 10, it WAS the Elder, His visits
to the city church were SO few and FAR
between he was not known by the Off
Cial body Of the church. IS It any
wonder that here and there may be
found men and women who sigh for
the good old times Of the past?'
X. Y. T.