The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-09-12
Letter from Springfield, Mo.

To THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL: The paucity
of news in which the readers of The journal
would be likely to be interested has been the
chief reason why have not written for a long
time Many things have TRANSFERRED in Spring
field and Missouri during this PERIOD but for
the most part l have thought them of only, or
primarily local interest. Ten years ago l fire.
quently travelled into the adjoining cities and
States and found in these travels incidents
and scenes of general interest. More recent
ly for the past three four years, business
interests have kept me very closely confined
to the boundaries of this city. For months
past l have scarcely been outside the "city
walls" With beautiful Doing Park, with its
multiplicity of visitors and charming scenery
within few minutes ride, have not been
inside its gates for years, with the exception
of Sundays and holidays. l have had only
three days of respite from business in seven
and half years, and those were three days of
sickness. Yet how often and ardently have
sighed for a smell of the ocean breezes and
sight of the magnificent expanse and ever
varying scenery incident to vacation the
running through Springfield named The Jor-
dan. l do not think, however, that it bears
any very special resemblance to the Jordan of
Palestine, and its banks are not particularly
inviting to picnic parties or camping conpa-
MES. People sometimes form parties and go
out fishing, but the banks of the Jordan are
not the scene of their rendezvous They rather
| &L1 Nf thn I1rp Pc, lay,,y Hr
other rivers Having fshed in Penobscot and
St, Croix bays, where you could catch some
thing worthy of your skill and in quantities
sufficient for a meal at any time, the streams
here fail to to tempt me.
Mention of the Penobscot in the month of
August brings Northport, beautiful Northport.
very wildly to mind, and this brings to mind
also the program of this seasons meetings as
published in The Journal as compared with
the exercises of twenty-five years ago. Far
be it from me to offer word of criticism con-
corning the present plan of operations, yet
was profoundly impressed by the contrast::with
that which obtained a quarter of century
ago. Probably the religious fervor of today
is equal to that of the former days. but mani
TEST in other forms. In those former days the
theme most impressed was salvation here
and now" This has changed to entertaining
and instructive lectures on literary, scientific
and historical subjects. AS l reflect l wonder
whether the changes incident to Northport
have to any considerable extent invaded the
ministries of the churches in general, or of
the general work of the church. One thing is
certain, we are living in an age of transition
and stress has come to be laid on other themes.
! presume, however, that my dear friend, the
present pastor of the M E, church in your
city, Rev D. B. Phelan, emphasizes many of
the themes in the pulpit that the writer en-
phasized in the eighties. Several of the pas
tors who have occupied the pulpit there since
| 1886 have been men who were strangers to
me, but the present pastor is an old friend
and former parishioner who / joined in mar
rage well, somewhere near thirty years ago.
Yet 1 can only think of him the rudy,
vivacous, bright, enterprising young man of
the years gone by. and his dear wife as
the amiable young lady and sweet singer
of former days. Personality is wonderful
thing. At this moment go back in imagi-
nation to the days of old lang syne. If
those who knew me then were to see me
today. or we were to come into sudden and
unexpected contact with each other, they
would hardly know me- Yet am the same per-
son, and almost as competent for toll, partic-
ularly mental. as ever. Twenty-seven success
sive years in the pastorate, contrary to fire.
quent experience. was. in my case. prepare
ton for a business career. which in seven
years has increased two hundred per cent.
So far the present is the banner year. Five
or six men, seven or eight horses. five or six
car loads of material in q week. makes work
enough to keep one man busy from Monday
morning to Saturday night.
Activity. however. is preferable to idleness
and business career, honestly conducted, az
honorable as any other. To be in the place
and doing the work providence designed TO,
you is the best, whether it be in the ministry
in business. in politics, sweeping the streets
or filing any other honorable position which