Arizona republican., 1917-06-17
GLOBE MORALS
GO0D;STARTED
WITH A MOOSE
BY Rev. J. |. 6. Larned

BY Rev. J. |. 8. larned
Some thirty or thirty-five years ago
The first preacher" came to Globe
at least so I am told by one of the old
est residents of the district There
were no church buildings at that time
and few enough houses of any descrip-
ton. But the above mentioned preach
or was not to be denied. After ipter-
viewing n number of those higher up
he was finally given permission to hold
service At the hour appointed the
congregation assembled in an old
adobe house which used to stand on
the corner where Van Wagenon &
Co.'S store is now located 1t was in
deed a rough church building. with its
more than half open roof and the con-
Sregation. too. was not one $50 | am
told to inspire 4 timid preacher with
any great amount of confidence.
Everything went well. however, until
Just at the close of the prayer Then
as the minister opened his eyes, he
met with startling surprise. A coiled
side of the building suddenly descend
cd i'm very close proximity to the
preachers neck. In less time than it
takes to relate it, the minister disap-
reared out of the back door-and fly
ing coat tails was the last thing that
was ever seen of the first preacher
Had he stoud his ground he would
doubtless have secured no small
amount of favor among that rough and
ready congregation of years gone by.
But he missed a golden opportunity
and il was not until number of years
afterward that there did come a min
lister who was able to establish a
point Of contact with the people who
at that time We're pretty we'll hardened
by the life they had to live and the
conditions and surroundings in which
they found themselves located.
First Preacher
Rev Mr. G. w Calfee, a Methodist
minister. was the first one who really
understood the people and had the tact
and courage necessary to create place
for himself. He served this community
many, many years ago, but still his
name is often mentioned and with it
there always go words of praise, COM
mendation and loving memory Men of
all classes came gladly to hear him
preach. They poked fun at him. they
say. many a time by dropping beer
checks in the collection plate. But he
always turned the joke to his own adj
vantage and would remark. We'll. I
can turn them in for a good beef
steak"
Under his loving and tactful leader
ship church work really started for the
first time in Globe, and what he so
auspiciously began has been growing
ever since. until I believe | am safe in
saying that there is not a. town in this
country-with the corresponding pop
ulation-that has as many churches as
Globe. Did time or space permit I
should like to review the inception and
progress. of the work of the different
churches, but when we stop to think
that the Methodist, Presbyterian. Bap-
fist. Seventh Day Adventist. Mormon.
Roman Catholic. Lutheran. Christian
Science, Spiritualist. Episcopalian and
others, are all represented task
would be too great.
Church Problems to Solve
Furthermore. I have not the knowl-
edge necessary for such a resume, but
| shall venture to suggest two or three
of the problems which it seems to me
have combined to make the church
work pretty hard in this district. And
the first is this-the shifting popula-
ton. The greater usefulness of any
church depends largely upon the unity
Of its congregation, the degree of Chris
tan fellowship to which they have at
tanned, and the depth of church loyalty
which has been implanted in their
hearts. But such is the character of
the work here; the fact that many of
the men here are occupied with day
and night shifts brings another prob
lem which is often most difficult of
solution. A man becomes interested
IN some special phase of church work,
he has assumed position of response
bility in some branch Of the Masters
service. and he suddenly finds that, due
to his shifting hours of work, he can
not adequately discharge his duties.
This fact, no doubt, accounts in no
small measure for the variation in the
attendance upon the services of the
church. And lastly, this: Most min
listers spend an altogether too short a
time in the service of their church.
must speak guardedly here for. al
though | am Oldest in point of in
cumbency than the majority of the
ministers. my services here have been
of comparatively short duration. But
where a minister remains year, or
less, with his congregation, church
work cannot progress rapidly or be
bullt upon permanent foundation. 1t
would seem to me that at least three
wears, and better five, are needed be-
fore minister can really come to know
his congregation and in any way ade-
quately feel the pulse of the commun-
ity which he has come to serve.
Considering all these problems. and
adding to them the general depression
which resulted here last year and the
year before due to the war and the
flooding of tn Old Dominion mine. one
must confess that the present condi-
lions of the churches of Globe speaks
very well for the energy, faithfulness
and conservation of the several congre-
cations | believe there is more op-
timism in regard to church work than
there ever has been. Many of the
churches have been fortunate in re-