The daily Alaskan., 1914-06-12
A Siren She Proved a Lure In the
 Right Direction
 By E. A. NIITCHEL
By E. A. NIITCHEL

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 The First Congregational church oi HaIseyvi.Ie experienced great difficulty in retaining 8 minister,
 Indirectly the small salary was the cause of the trouble. It was but SGOC a year. and no man could be found to accept it except some recent graduate 'u~, ac@.nning his life work These young meu were all bachelors. There was girl in the congregation, Miss EeUiN Severance, daughter of the managing deacon. who as soon as a gguu- man fresh from a theological seminary took up the duties of pastor began tD weave about hIm a spell Hp would gradually become devoted, then ou gHn EryteXt or another would hand u his resignation and leave for anoth- ur tr.d
 A few of the pariShiUners who were ia the secret advocated securing a mar rlu0 uan for pastor. Acting on the sug -n>.tou. they "called" a man with a wife and SIX children. But the salary was SD small that the more prosperous members of the congregation were con ,tmoI.y compelled to put their hands in Ja..r ponhclS to help the family out. Fairs and donation parties were resort cd -0 Ii,I at last the congregation be came wa1rv of the business. The pas tor secured a call with a higher salary, and the First church returned to the old system If having a bachelor to dn the pulpit
 When the Rev. Thomas Ridgely. un- married. stepped into the pulpit yac0t- cd by Jne aaStor with a family. none Of tna congregation except committee who had been sent to hear him preach hau seen him. AS he stepped forward .r neg.n tne service a few of those who understood the cause Of the frequent re-l-uaciuus or the churchs pastors looked at one another meaningly. Be haa fiery red hair and enormous Joints, wLi.e his complexion was a freckled brown. If these persons had spoken their thoughts they would have said, At last We have a man whom TriL Severance vii. let alone"
 GaaUiN. 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 it was like tue lower notes of the organ. There was scarcely a member of the congregation but admitted that Mir. Ridgely possessed a resonant voice. It 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 uOuse.
 But when Mir. RidgeIy began hls sermon it was evident that his voice was not his principal attraction. There Was depth as we'll as a ferYOr in everything he said that went both tJ the understanding and the heart For the first time in years the cOngre- gatlon of the First church realized that they were under a powerful indu- eu.e. They listened, every eye and ear intent upon him, till he had Gnish- cd; 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 diL the committee pick him up| What does it mean that such a man will accept our little salaryT Hell be called somewhere else within few months" These were some of the comments made, and all were enCOmi- Ums on Mir Ridgely. But there were l few, a select few, who looked at the matter from a different point of view. With them the question was, How world BeatriZ 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 beraying 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 faiLnd to And fault