Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-06-12
A Siren
She Proved a Lure In the
Right Direction
BY r. A. mitchell

The First Congregational church OF
Halseyville experienced great difficulty
In retaining minister.
Indirectly the small salary was the
cause Of the trouble. 1t was but 5000
a year, and no man could be found to
accept 1t except some recent graduate
just beginning his life work. These
young men were all bachelors There
was girl in the congregation, Miss
Beatrix Severance, daughter of the
managing deacon, who as soon as O
young man fresh from a theological
seminary took up the duties of pastor
began to weave about him spell. He
would gradually become devoted, then
on one pretext or another would hand
in his resignation and leave for anoth
er field.
A few of the practitioners who were
in the secret advocated securing a mar
ried man for pastor. Acting on the sug.
gestion, they "called' q man with &
wife and six children. But the salary
was 80 small that the more prosperous
members of the congregation were con.
dnually compelled to put their hands In
their pockets to help the family out
Fairs and donation parties were resort
ed to till at last the congregation be
came weary of the business. The pas.
tor secured call with higher salary,
and the First church returned to the
old system Of having bachelor to al
the pulpit.
When the Rev. Thomas Ridgely, I'M
married, stepped into the pulpit vacat
ed by the pastor with family, none OF
the congregation except committee
who had been sent to hear him preach
had seen him. AS he stepped forward
to begin the service few of those who
understood the cause of the frequent
designations Of the church's pastors
looked at one another meaningly. He
had fiery red hair and enormous joints,
while his complexion was a freckled
brown. II these persons had spoken
their thoughts they would have said,
"At last we have a man whom Trix
Severance will let alone"
Beatr1x, who was in her accustomed
seat in her fathers pew looking up at
the minister, was Of the same opinion.
However, when he sent his first word
rolling over the congregation 1t was
like the lower notes Of the organ.
There was scarcely a member OF the
congregation but admitted that Mr..
Ridgely possessed a resonant voice.
1t seemed not to make any difference
whether he raised 1t or lowered 1t,
the effect was the same. When he
spoke In those tones that are intended
to be impressive, but are usually In
audible, his most subdued note could
be distinctly heard in every part of
the house.
But when Mr. Ridgely began his
sermon 1t was evident that his voice
was not his principal attraction. There
was q depth as well as fervor in
everything he said that went both
to the understanding and the heart
For the first time I'm years the congre-
cation Of the First church realized
that they were under powerful infiu-
ence. They listened, every eye and
ear intent upon him, till he had finish.
ed; then a murmur OF satisfaction
broke the stiffness.
When the sermon was over and the
congregation were passing out Of the
church the hum Of conversation was
entirely about the new pastor. where
did the committee pick him upT
what does 1t mean that such a man
will accept our little salaryT He'll
be called somewhere else within a few
mnnfho ~ fThaan nf fha
comments made, and all were encoml-
ums on Mr.. Ridgely. But there were
a few, q select few, who looked at the
matter from different point of view.
With them the question was, How
world Beatrix Severance stand In the
matter, or would the clergyman be
driven away by her as the other
bachelors had been?
What were Miss Severance's thoughts
or Intentions no one knew, for she
kept them TO her own sweet self.
Every Sunday she attended service, at
least once, and sat listening to the
clergyman's words without betraying
by her expression an interest in him
personally. Nevertheless the congre-
cations soon noticed that she was
weaving the same spell over him she
had thrown about the others.
Then a low murmuring began to be
heard against the girl, who, 1t was to
be inferred, would drive out this gifted
man. They had failed to find fault
with her In the other cases, for the
men we're not talented and could easily
be replaced. But here was wonder
who, when they lost him, could not be
replaced. Indeed, there was not
member Of the congregation but feared
that at any moment he would receive
call elsewhere at a far higher salary
than they were paying or could afford
to pay him. Should Trlxie Severance
be allowed to deprive them Of their
prize1
An informal meeting Of those who
understood the matter was held at the
house Of Mrs. Deacon Stoneman,
wherein It was discussed, and the re-
suit Of the conference was that the
deaconess should request her husband
10 go to Deacon Severance and ask him
TO warn his daughter TO keep hands of
the new minister. Deacon Stoneman
called on Deacon Severance, and the
two were closeted together for the