Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-18
breaches to Church at
Johnson Center, Down
in the Jersey Pines,
Because Congregation
Cannot Afford to Pay
Permanent Minister
"And a Httle child SHAH lead them"


nowN In the pine woods OF New Jersey.
Lin Burlington County, today, little
lad OF eight summers is leading n church.
preaching. reading the Bible and acting as
pastor. because there are not funds to pay
a permanent minister. The Rev. Dr. s. J,
McClenaghan. the New Jersey Synod mis-
sionary. visits the church when he can,
At other times the eight-year-old boy and
Charles Lambert and Oliver Jackson, two
men, ofiiciate.
The boy minister is Eugene Tlce, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Tlce. hardworklng
farmers, who live az johnson Place. \. j.
Ever since they can remember the family
has lived In the same home, right there
on the same spot In the Jersey woods
Tho grandfather. Daniel Thompson, sew
onty-five years old cannot read or write
and has never been on a train IN his life.
The child pastor has been on a train once,
when. he went TO Sharon Hill to visit.
Eugene himself does not think 1t is any
thing unusual for lad OF eight TO preach.
His head has not been turned by the defer
ence paid him as "A result OF hts accom-
pishments. lie is an unassuming little
chap, who gives most Of the credit II there
is any, TO his schoolteacher Miss Mary
Davis, a lovely white-haired motherly
woman from Sharon Hin, Philadelphia
suburb. who is giving her life to the chill
dren.
Except for hls eyes little Eugene is
"just a regular. ordinary, everyday boy"
But those eyes, great gray-blue, fringed
| with heavy lashes, look out upon the world
with an expression which is almost un-
canny for one OF his years. They are
| rather deep-set. under a high brow, and
give one the impression that already the
| child feels the call 70 save mankind.
He il a strong character. He knows his
| Bible we'll When asked when he first took
| his stand for Christ, the child answered,
with the air of n man OF sixty. Truly,
| do not remember, IL was so long ago that
| | do not remember 1t In terms OF years"
He is going 10 be real minister with
n degree when he grows up. At eight he
has his career ali planned, number of
ministers OF the gospel have become so In
terested In him that one Doctor Savitz of
| Westfied. is going TO have him educated
| at the Westfield Theological Seminary when
| he is old enough TO study for the ministry.
! Doctor Savitz has no children and he feels
| that educating the youth Will give TO the
world the sort of n minister which II needs.
After several hours railroad trip from
| Philadelphia TO Chatsworth the nearest
| railroad station TO the boys home, and n
seven-mile journey through pine woods
without the vestge of human habltatlon a
| reporter found the child-preacher today in
| the environment Wnere ne mas grown. The
| little center In which he lives Is a relic
| of the early days when the charcoal burners
gathered there. The settlement continued,
and cranberry and huckleberry picking
| furnished the main means OF a livelihood
after the charcoal days passed
The boy was found in serupulously
| clean little one-room school house. the John
son Center school, which on Sunday is the
johnson Center Presbyterian Church.
II am coming back to my own people
and my own community after completing
| my education" he said when asked what
! he intended TO do after he was educated.
II viii be back TO preach" he said, with
soft touch on the word back" showing
that his own and his home surroundings
are dear TO him.
His teacher, Miss Davis. has a pardon.
| able pride In the children at her school
| and strongly resents the reports concerning