The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1913-09-05
SATURDAY.
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REvSAMUELW PUpv1S.D.D.
SHOULD THE OLD PREACHER BE
SHOT7


Text. The laborer is worthy of his
hire Tim. v. 1S
Sometimes II seems to pay better to
be a faithful horse than to be faith
full minister when old age comes on.
know a wealthy family in the sub
urbs Who have retired their faithful
old horse Dobbin. Two new horses,
Firefly and Wireless, do tho honors for
the family when company comes from
town. Time was when Dobbin was
the price OF the community. His black,
glossy lody and magnificent head al
ways caught second glance from
every Horse lover. Now he's retired:
the pasture is his. The children hug
his face affectionately An occasional
trip to town marks his only duty.
One day he was found in the pasture
corner, leg broken-nO one knew just
how it happened. doc" Briggs, the
veterinarian, was sent for. He shift
ed his cigar, shrugged his shoulders
and said something to the horse The
mother suddenly remembered visit
the children had to make to town. A
pistol shot was heard in the direction
Of the orchard. When the children re-
turned Dobbin was gone.
So Dispose Of the Old Preacher.
An eminent divine Of the last century,
now dead, proposed, with delicate irony,
that it would be an act Of humanita-
rianism, when the old minister had
passed his usefulness and become Il
burden to himself and others, he should
be taken out to some secluded place
and shot. This would relieve many an
embarrassed congregation quickly and
cheaply. An unpleasant business, of
course, but In the language of busy
world, business IS business" When a
minister passes fifty or fifty-fve years
Of age, If he had any sense Of propriety.
he would die. After short and pa
thetic illness any congregation, no mat
ter how unsentimental, would gladly
stop in It's course for half day, prefer
ably Sunday, and give him a funeral
that would be worth while. Beautiful
flowers and complimentary resolutions
would give tone to the obsequies not
easily gainsaid and would be a proof
Of the final devotion Of even those who
had been lukewarm during his incum-
bency. When the pulpit committee
would stand, hat In hand, before some
popular young minister giving him a
An hnt lytv nd ~
concluding the pastorate OF his prede-
cessor would be impressive and carry
great weight. Some clever person has
recently said that at thirty the minister
is idOllzed, at forty criticised, at fifty
martyrized, at sixty Oslerized, as sew
enty canoniZed.
The Seven Ages.
Another very pertinent pamphlet
gives the minister's seven ages. First
the divine summons. Young Samuel In
the temple. The awakening voice call
ing to lay aside other ambitions The
next, days Of preparation. sharpening
the sword. Hard work and much sac
rifce-rich mems sons do not enter the
ministry. Seven to ten years Of the
best days Of his young manhood must
be given In preparation. Christ took
thirty. Then he's on the firing line Mt
a small salary, possibly in debt for his
education. Books must be bought, and
they're expensive. There Is q contin-
uation Of hardship and sacrifice but
n,rt1 <h., 4,
riod he's in the heat Of conflict The
suns at meridian, the battle fiercest
He's busy raising money for churches,
but not for himself. He's not allowed
self denial is still the rule. Children
are TO be educated, appearances to be
kept up. There's thousand charitable
demands on his income. What of the
rainy day to Gomez, That's the night
mare. Then comes the turn in the tide.
Scarcely perceptible, but surely going
out. Hair is turning gray. Church
committees turn away-"roO old"
Now the shadows are lengthening
Nerves are strained to keep up with
younger men. Voice is broken, brain Is
jostled. Other men are forging ahead-
he can't keep up. At last Gethsemane
hes pushed out! The church gives
him pittance, about SO q week, pos
sibly 81. which he tries to supplement
by peddling life insurance.
~. s. A., Retired"
Say, church OF God. wake up. You
are not fair. The secular United States
government takes care of It's old SOL
diers: we neglect ours. 1t Is pretty
severe defeat which cOmpels an army
to leave its wounded to die on the field
The church is thrilled by passionate
appeals for the salvation OF the hea-
then, education Of the negro, cndow.
ment OF colleges. building of new
churches. until amid clangOr Of appeal,
exhOrtatiOn and entreaty the trembling
voice OF Its old ministers is unheard.
Mamma doesn't fall nowadays; no raven
to carry food; no fish comes with coin
in mouth to preachers net. A mansion
In the sky will not cover a defenseless
head on earth. The church is the earth.
Ix- hn,,I- Cod. L.