The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-06-19
Why the Rev.
Joseph Clark Left
The First Church
By ETHEL HOLMES

The Rev. Walter Blakeslee called on
the Rev. Joseph Clark.
Il have been called, Brother Clark"
said Blakeslee. ito the First church In
your place. l would like to gain from
you some information with reference
to the character of the congregation
over which l am to preside. | have
understood that you resigned the pas
torate and your resignation was ac-
,, cepted reluctantly"
Eyes, resigned"
Mr.. Blakeslee did not like to ask the
reason for the resignation, but waited
for It.
1T wouldn't do" said Clark, "for
me to give you the true reason. 1 will
say, however. that have no right to
assume that you will meet with SINH
lar reason. What will apply to one
does not necessarily apply to another
You may be subjected to the same test
to which I was subjected But it may
not annoy you. You may like IT,
Blakeslee tried hard to get the secret
from the man he was to succeed, but
failed. Clark advised him t9 enter
upon his charge and learn for himself
what drawbacks were ATTACHED t2it;
He found Z c2ngregati22 made up
largely Of women. When he took the
pulpit for his first sermon he met n
battery Of feminine eyes that was a
trifie disconcerting. It did not seem
to him that what he said WAS en9Ae
| irs INA 1tfanr,,,-- Of the ladies. He rath-
eff faGcied they were sizing I'm r.
This seemed especially true Of the
younger, unmarried portion Of the con
! gregation.
After the services he was Surround
ed, complimented on the excellent ser
| mon he had preached and received
many invitations to accompany per
sons to their homes for dinner. He
accepted the first and most Of the 9th
er women invited him to tea Again
he accepted the first invitation, and
that closed his engagements for his
first Sunday in his new pastorate
4
from Miss Hathaway, superintendent
Of the Sunday school, asking for an
interview in which he would express
his views as to how the school should
be conducted Miss Alderman sent al
invitation to dinner for the same even
ing. Miss Wadsworth waylaid him
on the street and volunteered to give
him such information as to the re-
Quirements Of the parish as he fought
to know" This involved q walk with
her Of an hour or more. Invitations
for this and for that rained upon him,
and In due time embroidered slippers,
smoking caps, pipe holders and other
articles that feminine fingers were
adapted to make came in so fast that
he could scarcely find time to call and
offer the thanks such kindly interest
warranted.
When Mr.. Clark had held the pastor
ate Of the First church a couple of
months the idea got into his modest
brain that there were large number
Of unmarried women In the cOngrega
ton who would like to be married He
wondered II they had not advanced In
such large numbers upon his predeces-
sor as to bring about his retreat.
The minister was well satisfied with
his position. The salary was more
than man Of his age should expect
There was only the one drawback-a
half dozen young women who were
bent on marrying him. He could not
marry more than one Of them, and IL
he married one he feared the rest
would consider themselves sighted
and render his position untenable
Upon reflection he went to Deacon
Hardwick, the most influential man In
the church, and told him of his d.
lemma
Leave 1t to me-" said the deacon.
This brief sentence was all the min
lister could get out of the deacon.
kit" said the latter to his daugh-
ter soon after Blakeslee's statement of
facts, 81 think I'll have to unleash
you"
What do you mean, papaT
you promised me when Clark re
signed that you would have nothing to
do with tying up his successor in the
same way Clark was tied up"
II had nothing to do with the eff
fort to catch Mr.. Clark"
you were the only one who did not
want him. He was not driven away
by the siege Of the others; he left be-
cause you captured him to throw him
over your shoulder"
well, what do you wish me to do
now?'
Don't you think you had better set
tie down with Blakeslee?
HE is very nice"