The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-11

consisted of one store and few houses
dance was going on at one of the houses
and the first thing the parson did was to
90 TO the dance. II was one place in the
community where he could have a chance
to get acquainted with lot of people
He talked to the young folks there, and
he told them
I'm going to hold service next sun
day down here on the creek. You know
where the big walnut tree Is? Well. I'm
going to preach under that tree next sun
day I'd be mighty glad to have any
OF you come who care to-"
About fifteen of them were at the walnut
tree on the creek the next Sunday. brought
there as much by curiosity rs by any
thing else, and Hat field made them a little
talk. And when that talk WAS over he
said
I'm going to preach here under this
tree again next Sunday. | hope you'li
come back Bring any of your friends
who care TO come too"
The next Sunday he had quite a crowd
sixty or seventy persons. The fifteen
had passed the word around that this man
Hatfield was good sort. and that he had
something to say. said it too In a pleasant
friendly way that everybody could under
stand, just like he was one of the crowd.
'Np' ~ ~ h' az RAINING uOWn ont Oh heaven.
There hadn't been a mention made of
wicked ways or hell fire or any Of the things
preacher ordinarily talked about. SO
there was quite crowd Of young folks at
the walnut tree the second Sunday. Hat
neld asked them if they'd ever learned to
sing. Why, no. they hadn't Would they
ike to learn-would singing school some
night In the week interest them? Why
sure it would, The young folks scented
a social sort OF time.
SO Parson Hatfield started "a singing
school. He'd imported a chap who was
something of musician-a fellow who
wasn't doing very we'll" in tho town where
he was living. and who was glad of the
chance to start farming In a new country
where land was cheap That man had
charge of the singing school and il
was success from the start. IL was
the beginning of wholesome. clean amuse-
ments for that Ozark community, some
thing that country communities need a.
much as any one thing you can mention
onhand. the Rev. Clarence Hatfield be-
lieves
People Came Miles to Church,
In "A few weeks some of the more sub
stantial farmers came to Hatfield and said
they'd like TO have him stay and keep on
preaching, They couldn't offer him much
but they'd pay $500 year and there was an
abandoned log cabin OF two rooms, and he
could farm IA much brush land as he cared
TO clear Hatfield jumped AT the chance.
He'd passed the first milestone; he'd inter-
ested the community enough so that the
people wanted him to stay. He was holding
church services now In the house of one of
the farmers. and people were coming out 10
hear him.
To-day he has three churches In his parish.
two OF which he conducts himself the othe
has been turned over this year to another
pastor, because Mr.. Hatfield found he
couldn't handle more than two churches
every Sunday and do Justice to them
especially when the two were nine miles
apart. They're fiourshing churches, too,
and one of them has a Sabbath school of
$50 members that's the Hoberg Church
while there are only 1870 people, men.
women and children. living In Hoberg,
Three hundred and fifty children come to
Nine Mile Church Of u Sunday The an