The Falls City tribune., 1910-11-25
THE QUIET HOUR
Matches are made in heaven.


fered as a specific for securing what
Mrs. Partington' used to call mater
ial feelikity.
II our theories of the divine call to
the ministy,' and the Providential
supervision of the congregations af-
fa5fs~ are true, this assertion, as to
its heavenly origin is just as APP
pIicable to the ideal relation of pastor
and people. Ecclesiastical matches
are made in heaven too. The COM
ing together of the right pastor and
the right congregation, and the grad
uai cementing of the pastoral bond
between them is not a thing of mere
worldly chance, but of divine super
vision and leading.
Probably the most important con-
tributing factor to true congregation
al success is the forming and streng-
thening of the tie that binds" con-
genial spirits in the relationship of
pastor and people.
The question of fit and misfit is as
vital, as c~rusial, as productive of
prosperity or disaster, in the congre-
gational as it is in the marital rela-
tion. Pastoral felicity is as depend
ent upon this as marital felicity.
Where this bond, between a pastor
and a Loyalty cooperating people has
once been happily established; where
the years serve to strengthen this by
bringing about mutual adjustment
and understanding; where they have
learned that most difficult of arts
the art of working together with tn
least friction and the most facility
conditions favorable to securing the
best results approximate the ideal.
Where such a relation really exists
"Blest be the tie hat binds" (Which
as you remember no doubt, was writ
ten by a pastor who had just packed
his goods in the act of seyering that
bond. and was influenced to %reconsid-
er his decision with the result that
he unpacked them and resumed, or
rather continued in his pastoral re-
lation to the flock) is not merely a
snatch of pretty melody, but the
hearts sincere expression of an
existing state of affairs, and it can
be approximately sung at any service.
Where this higher unity blends pas
tor and people, the possibilities OF
congregational prosperity are develop
ed in the highest degree, and all con-
ditions are conducive to the king
dom coming in hat particular parish.
Yes, by all odds, the mutual adjust
ment of a faithful pastor and a sincefl
people is a prime condition of all
real spiritual and temporal congrega-
tional prosperity.
The time element is an essential
factor in bringing about these ideal
conditions. They do not happen over
night. A royal reception given the
new incumbent, with fragment flowe
and flattering addresses of welcome
is not to be taken as a reliable indica-
tor that it has happened. 1t requires
the deep roofing ofmutual esteem. a
certain amount of weeping and laugh
ing together; the standing shoulder to
shoulder in common crises, and all
the other things that serve to fuse
human nature, to do this work. The
first year is largely experimental, ten
stative, a time of playing for posi-
tion'-heart position. And some
times the second and the third years
are too. But where the adjustment
process is actually going on, countless
tendrils are encircling countless sup
ports until at last you can hardly
tell vine from frplliS-until at last
the hearts of pastor and people beat
as one.
It's worth waiting for.
More real worthwhile pastoral work
can be lone under such conditions in
ten minutes, than, under a hop-skip-
and jump regime, in ten months.
One of the greatest obstacles to