The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-05-21
WEDNESDAY, MAY 81. 1919.
PASTOR is FINANCIAL ADVISER.

One of the churchcs-it does not
matter for the purposes of this article
which one-has decided to add to the
duties Of its pastors that of
adviser to the people of their flocks
and such others as may wish for "d-
vice. The decision AS reached at Il
genera meeting of the church auth
critics quite recently. 1t was stated
in the discussion that many of the pe"-
pie of the church, who's member
ship is large in some of the country
districts of the middle west, had been
victimized by land sharks, especially
a lot of fraudulent persons dealing
in southern lands which proved on in
vestigation to he worthless. The mem
hers under discussion arc as a rule
simple. honest people who have little
knowledge of the ways of the bust
ness world. and easily made the VIC
time of men who win their confidence
by plausible stories. In some cases
1t had been found that men of this
class had masquerade as pastors. and
in other cases they were or had act
ually been pastors. but had abandon
ed the pastoral work for the more re-
munerative employment of gathering
shekels from the pockets of the trust
ing by ways that are dark. In order
to counteract this sort of work an ef-
fort is to be made through the church
organization itself to give some pro-
lection to the people who are so sus-
ceptible to Influences of this charac-
ter, and to make the church, through
its pastors. a sort Of financial agency
for Its people.
The trust which the members of
many churches repose in their pastors
has opened the way for a great deal
OF fraud. There is some degree of diff
ference among the denominations in
this spirit of t~rustfulness. but the spir-
it prevails to a greater or less extent
in all churches. We find less of it in
the cities, where people rub up against
ZACH other more than they do in the
country. and where worldly wisdom
seems to he more easily acquired. But
III Sie NOol'I Pdi iie ItSNtI
who has fitted himself into the life
of his flock Yields a wonderful intlu-
ence. not only in spiritual but in
worldly matters. He is regarded as
the guide. philosopher and friend of
all his people. and eve if he is en-
tirely innocent of any business train
ing. his Judgment on a matter of bus
mess is apt to go a. long way. Many
country pastors are as easily misled in
matters of business as are any of their
parishioners, and when a shrcwd
scoundrel finds a man of this class
occupying a position of great trust in
a community, the pastor himself is
often the first person who is approach
ed with a view to interesting him in
a shady transaction. The good ma
listens to the glowing descriptions of
the promoter, is convinced that a good
thing has been struck, and, in order
to k out his own small income.
agrees to aid in the placing of stock
or the sale of land or whatever the
game is, accepting a commission for
his services. and honestly believing
thai he is aiding his people to a bet
tering Of their own condition.
We have all seen things of this kind,
and we know the result. The church
that is taking hold Of the work of en-
Tightening its people on such matters
Is doing we'll. Doubtless it will find
that among the people most sadly in
need Of instruction in the elements of
business are many of its pastors
who. because of lack of early training,
and through later unfamiliarity with
the great business world, are entirely
uniformed and unsophisticated. But
the movement is a good me-, and the
fact that it has been undertaken in
dicated that its sponsors recognize that
the church has a work among it's peo-
pie which involves more than preach
Ing a sermon to them once a week.
The only person who has authority
to require the driver of a devil-wagon
to stop in order to let a nervous horse
to get out of the way is the driver of
the horse. That is the law, for the
supreme court has said it. and what
the supreme court says goes. The at
tempt of the drivers wife or mother
in-law to shoe the auto back will not
avail The man driving the horse must
act by and for himself, otherwise no
legal warning is given, and no dam