The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-08
CAREER OF A COUNTRY MINISTER
From the Columbia State.

From the Columbia State.
"HERE died at his home at Pacolet
yesterday one of that beloved
L class of men known and distin-
guished as country ministers or parsons
the Rev. Albert Allison James. Mr.
James had passed the prophets span of
life by a full decade, but was still in his
strength of body and spirit. It was only
a few months ago that he began to light
EN- tasks that had been heavy for many
years and that would have been impos-
sible to hundreds of other men.
1t is needless here, as We give sketch
of his career in another column of the
paper, to recall many facts of this heroic
and benefcent life. 1t Is probably best
in all cases to leave that to the simple
record, and to say what we think may
be said as to the influences and signii-
canoe of such a career and example.
Samuel johnson said that it was not
an easy thing to be a country clergyman
and that he did not envy the man who
could make it an cay thing. While we
read and hear a great deal more about
ministers in the great churches or the
larger cities of Christendom, and while
the world In general probably supposes
that these high-salaried. richly endowed
minister's with an almost unlimited
range of opportunity for doing good,
exert upon the world far greater in
f1uence, it is very likely that the men
that do the serious and upbuilding work
OF the church and of that civilization and
culture which we call Christian. are to
be found In the smaller communities and
even in the rural districts
A preacher. Illuminating from some
pulpit upon which beats the light Of
publicity may be for the passing moment
far greater power In the world than
some country parson who Is busted about
the primal duties and the humber tasks
OF life. 1t is probable that the work of
the distinguished clergyman-vicar, pre-
late, bishop-may soon be forgotten and
little remain except the echoes of a
brilliant career 1t may be found indeed,
that the church or parish remains about
the same In numbers and in influence.
But the country parson is PIONEER AMI
the builder of spiritual empires. He goes
out into the waste places and creates a
church and around 1t civilized COM
munity, and In that community culture
and an influence for good and for the
progress of the race that would immor-
talize him IL 1t were our custom to set
these things down in tour histories or
upon the entabuatures of our temples.
They do not scratch such names as his
on the abbey stones; but he dies as he
lived, in quiet path of life, his labors
known chiefly to his own flock and
friends, and his influence remains almost
an unidentified power and inspiration
among his people. 1t was of such a
clergyman that Goldsmith wrote:
A man he was to all the country dear,
And passing rich with forty pounds d
year;
Remote from towns he ran his godly
race,
Nor e'er had changed or wished to
change his place;
Unskilled he to fawn, or seek for power,
Far other aims his heart had learned 10
More bent to raise the wretched tAan to
rise.
1t Is in the churches OF men ike these
that those who come to scott remain to
pray.
The difference between the influence
OF the country parson and that. of the
cleric in the great city church seems
to us to be that the country minister
comes into closer touch with nature. II
is not that the country is in itself nearer
or dearer to God. but that human nature
is there more open and accessible. Again
| the city minister has to deal with grea'
| congregations of persons whom he knows
very little about, looking over an ever
| shifting sea of faces and watching ar
| ever-changing tide of human emotions.
| A Greek philosopher once said that nc
man ever stepped down into the same
river twice; the water that made thu
river yesterday has wound somewhere
safe to sea- and it is fresh water from
the open bosom Of the hills that nov
composes the stream into which we steY
or upon which we SAIL 1t is SO with thu
shifting congregations In the great cities
tt is difficult, therefore, for minister
| TO reach these hearts before him, know
| ing that of the thousand or two he ha'
faced only = few. His appeal Of yester