Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1910-04-29

unanimity as to who that man is, aud
some one is sure to be disappointed.
Nowhere else is scene similar O.
that at Methodist Conference wit
messed. Nearly a hundred aud fifty
men entrust their fate for twelve months
into the hands Of the Bishop aud his
Cabinet. 4 soldier has 10 go where h..
is sent, to be sure, but a soldiers pay Is
the same wherever he goes, while 4
preachers stipend may be- little above
a living wage at one point aud a LITTLE
below at another, especially when prices
are ia the clouds, as at present. a
preacher may say that he does not wish
to go to a certain place, aud his wishes
receive some regard, hut he is not sup
posed to have anything at all to do
about selecting place. In all of that
he must preserve an even pore discreet
silence than does demure maiden who
sees the man of her choice slowly Civ
ing his affections elsewhere, and she de-
barred by social canOns from making
any Overtures. But a Methodist preach
er is not supposed to even demurely
display his abilities in way to attract
attention, the rather to remain quiet
and nnafraid, awaiting the decision of
the powers that be. At this Conference,
more than is usual, there have been
many preachers aud preachers wives
who have passed sleepess nights, as
well s anxious days, looking forward
with fear and trembling to what may
await them on the morrow. Aud the
rumOrs aud rumOrs of rumors have con-
nected many men with many places.
there being almost as many different
appointments for some men, in their
minds,-as days in the week. 1t is not
strange that some condemned criminals
get to that point where they do not
mind being hung, and go stoically to
the moose, they get hardened to il by de-
grees. So in the case of some preachers
who seem to be played battledoor and
shuttlrcock during Conference week,
it is a relief to finally settle down some
where, even if it is not the desirable
place they first wished.
Miss Josephine Fisk, of the Deacon
ess' Home in Boston, made a marked
impression on the Conference, as she
told of her work at the hospital in
'motherimg" the children in the cots,
aud acting as a general "heart special
ist' for all anxious cases in the surgi.
cal ward. Miss Fisk is a Vermont
woman, and the Conference NAV we'll
rejoice over the good work she is doing
Rightly understood it is an impressive
sight to watch the passing of the char
acter of Methodist preachers in an anu-
ual Conference. Once every year every
Methodist preacher, whether his rank be
exalted or lowiy, has to stand the scru-
tiny of his moral character. The Dis
trict Superintendent has his name
called by the Bishop and some one OF
the older preachers on his district says,
Nothing against him" and his char
acter rasses. Then the Bishop calls the
name of every effective elder on the
Superintendent district, and the Sup
erinteudent says, Nothing against
him, and his character passes, This is
not merely perfunctory, as the character
of preacher is sometimes investigated,
and committee is appointed and a
trial is leld. Later Oh the names of all
the younger preachers in the Confer.
ence course of study are called, and the
reply, "Nothing against him is heard,
and that settles it; the character is
passed, and the preachers are given a
clean bill Of moral health.
In connection with the calling of the
name Of Alvin w. Ford by the Bishop,
Pastor Moody arose and told the Con-
ference that he had received letter
from Mr.. Ford in which he stated that
he was "serving term in prison, and
could not be present at the Conference.
Whereupon smile went the rounds of
the Conference, but the Bishop suggest
GU 'pnI an tAtEhhh'Io'' was III olhel'
When informed that the brother was
the official Chaplain of the prison, so
appointed 10y state and ecclesiastical au-
thorities, he concluded that everything
was all right, MIR. Fords face has been
much missed in Conference, also his
melodious and resonant voice in leading
the services of song.