The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-02-20
DR.. Ross of South Africa
Takes a Chance and Wins
Didn't Know When He Left Capetown for Seattle
Whether We Paid in Clam Shells or Not

| n Nen ksF. tuEu kOsA. -. - pas
tor OF st. Andrews Presbyterian
church. away off in Cape Town.
Africa. was called by the Plymouth
Congregational church. Seattle. DR.
Ross hauled his geography from n
shelf. turned 10 a map OF the 4. =.
searched until his finger rested on
Seattle. liked the location. 7nd fired
back an answer that he would come.
With that. the good doctor packed
his trunk and babe hdten to Cape
Town from the very next steamer.
Thursday fast overland train
from New York deposited DR.. Ross
az the King At passenger station.
/ Before the astonished doctor could
say hoo. crowd from the
Plymouth church had taFcn MIN In
TOW and were hlstlisg him off to
Z the church.
Talks to a Star Man
An hour later DR. Ross had tho
church KEYS In his vest pocket. The
same might he vas exhibited at "A
reception In his honor. and man
aged TO shake hands with almost
the entire membership.
/ Today was the first time Dr. Ross
found sufficient time {. recover his
breath and tell Star reporter
something about himself
lie very frankly fessed" up that
efore the Seattle pastorate was ten.
Idered him he knew no more about
the Seaport OF Success than most
OF us know about the brand OF gum
chewed at the north pole.
Seattle's thriving industries ium-
Der. s9lmon. rtney buses. etc he
knes naught or
| He even owned up that never IN
mis- life had he heard Of Allen Dale.
the Solomon OF the Seattle council.
That civilization had gotten this
far odt OF It's course vas a great
surprise TO Or Ross
viii Get a Real Salary
Therefore he vas agrceably
pleased when ne planted himself In
our midst and found that he was To
occupy the pulpit Of one OF the
largest churches In one Of the
largest cities In one Of the largest
states In the union.
Wnen communications we're
snapped back and forth between
the Seattle congregation and the
African clergyman. there was no
mention Of salary. Dr. Ross simply
took gamblers chance that wages
weren't paid In Puget Sound clam
shells
Financial details were omitted by
reason Of the high cost Of living and
cable tolls.
/ The new Plymouth church pastor
/ has IN Enthusiastically Scotch accent.
which he acquired by being born
/ in Inverness. Scotland. in 1883.
lie didn't yacate his chair at the
/ family dinner table until 1907. when
/ ne was called 10 Johannesburg. Afri-
Ca. He remained At Johannesburg
Just long enough 10 learn to slap
some members Of his congregation
on the back and call them by their
first names
Then along came an offer from
Cape Town. For four and a half
years he filled the St. Andrews pull
pit Of that city.
Isn't onto the Ra0es
During the conversation with The
| Star man a telephone on Dr. Ross
desk tinkisd. Dr. Ross removed the
receiver from its hook and placed
II lightly to .sn ear. lie didn't SAY
/ "Hello,"
No. He exclaimed: Well. are
you there?'
Telsphoning In Cape Town is not
one ~ the great indoor sports as II
! is In Seattle. Cape Town phones
are used largely for asking the time
and by others 10 have central @ake
Them up In the morning.
! ebtlinlug his pans. DR. Ross
stated that he u not an adyo-
cate OF politics in0'he church. Tx
cepting in extreme cases. he frowns
on the American practice Of mixing
religion and political questions
He said
Il have always tried to follow the