The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-25
HIS CALL FROM MACHINE SHOP TO THE PULPIT

man for a newspaper. He took me to
the great printing press factory OF r.
Hoe d Co. and introduced me TO
one Of the Toremen. 1 wanted 10 be a
machinist. Even now. il were not a
preacher. / would rather be the super
intendent OF a machine shop employing
1899 men than the governor Of New
York I can see al the graceful lines.
or art in a machine at a glance The
beauties which other men enjoy in
pictures, statuaTy, and scenery are
visible 10 me in an engine, lathe OF a
printing press.
Becomes an Apprentice.
However, / was not old enough 20
he received as an apprentice. 1 worked
in the warehouse. consequently, for nine
months. when being sixteen years cid
and qualified by age, 7 was transferred
to the machine shop Ny wages were s.
week the first year, 8 the second, a
the third, $50 tie fourth and $3.50 the
fifth year. In addition. under the sys-
TEN OF piecework in the shop, I was
enabled to increase my weekly earnings
about . per cent. Ultimately. ] was
given a certiicate-and there il is on the
wall near my desk-statng that | had
served my time and become a journey
man. After that my wages were 81
day. In the meanwhile I had regularly
gone 10 night school Each day during
the noon hour for luncheon. / walked
through the factory and examined all the
new machinery that had been bought"
who suggested the night school in
the first place?' I asked.
opr I F.T4 tI4t Z r.aTr9
ucadon. and as l was busy all day was
compelled to study at night After
going to the printing press factory. ]
concluded to be a mechanical engineer.
Accordingly. I took special courses in
mathematics and drawing Z worked
three years as a machinist, making good
wages and being very happy with my
lot Ny family improved right along
financially. The girls went out to work
about as soon as | did. They married
well and all OF them are better of than
am, in the matter of money. one OF
them has her own automobile. Ny
mother, l am glad to say. is still livr
ing"
Not Pious Boy.
did you SOW any wild oats?"
No; I was not a pious boy, but
never did anything very wicked. except TO
swear I swore uncousciously. following
the habit of the boys I ran with in the
streets. Indeed, swore all. the time
when away from home. Without any
counsel on the subject, I cut swearing
out the DAY / began work I'm the ware
house of Hoe & Co. My tongue never
slipped afterward.
Although my mother attended a Ger
man chuch, I went with some boys whom
knew to the Sunday school of Hope
Chapel, a Presbyterian enterprise in our
neighborhood. I was an active and mis-
chievous youngster. blowing into the
gaspipe now and then. and putting the
lights out during the evening service, and
performing rather strenuously all the
while at Sunday school. A good woman.
outraged at my conduct, passed a petit
ton that / and one Of nay companions
be expelled.
''The petition was largely signed, as
was justified under the circumstances, /
suppose. When it was taken TO the pas
tor, young student of theology, he
merely laughed and refused to act. He
was a live and whole-souled Scotch
IriShman and took me TO ball games.
and otherwise treated me like a human
being. William James McKittrick-that
was his name-graduated from Princeton
and is now the pastor of the First Pres
byterian Church in ST. Louis. I have had
many experiences since then with So
called bad boys. but 1 have never turned
any Of them out 80
when did you join the church,"
I naturally became member of Hope
Chapel. going into ii from the Sunday
school without any emotional appeal
from the pastor or any excitement on my
own part I felt that It was the right
thing TO do. I also taught in the Sunday
school The chapel was maintained by