The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-06-21
Why the Rev.
Joseph Clark Left
The First Church
By ETHEL HOLMES

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. I have
understood that you resigned the pas
torate and your resignation was ac
cepted reluctantly"
YES l 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 I have no right to
assume that you will meet with a SINH
lar reason. What will apply to one
does not necessarily apply to another.
You may be subjected to the same test
TO which l 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 to enter
upOu Ibui sc anu II lol hilhSNii
what drawbacks were attached to It,
/ He found congregation made up
largely Of women When he took the
pulpit for his first sermon he met a
/ battery Of feminine eyes that was
trifie disconcerting. 1t did not seem
! to him that what he said was engag-
ing the attention Of the ladies' He rath-
er fancied they were sizing him up.
This seemed especially true Of the
J younger, unmarried portion Of the con
| gregation.
| After the services he was surround
I 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.
The next morning he received note
, 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 an
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 "Ought
to know" This involved 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
offer the thanks such kindly interest
warranted.
When Mr.. Clark had held the pastor
ate of the First church 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 if they had not advanced III
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 a 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 II
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 it 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. II 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 ef-
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"
well, put the landing net under
him, and when you have done SO take
him in and appropriate him to your
self"
Mr.. Blakeslee had noticed Miss Hard
wick, a demure looking girl In his con
gregation who did not join In the siege
Of the other unmarried women of the
congregation. After this young lady's
interview with her father she mani
tested a deep interest In the clergy
mans sermons. though she made no eff
fort to secure his attention. He made
a move to better acquaintance. II
was then. that Miss Katherine Hard
wick mt out her delicate tentacles and