Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1921-05-01
CHAPTER I.


Did on ever come 10 the day when
you made up your mind definitely To
10 ming permanently that you had
Tor years been debating In your mind
whether you would do or not? How
matters VIII crowd upon you In pccu
I'ar way tina, have never done NJ be-.
lore For years I had decided that
Tod had called me L. preach. To do
that successfully. from my point 81
view. ] would have to put myself under
the direction of some particular Church.
That settled. the Methodist Church ap.
peaied To me M the one where could
do more good than any one else. but
the Methodist Church says To her min.
stfy you must go wherever you are
sent and TO not do that you are untrue
TO your vows. and may get yourself
into trouble with the law IL your
church. 80 also In those DAYS the
membership ~ the Church had not
learned 10 be very liberal with the min.
istry. and may he the salary would not
he sufficiently hrgc on which you and
your family could liv.. Then whaty
You will hasS "a l,arn how 10 sconomizc
and s:,v within :'.ur income. be- It ever
no srisii. for I h,d a.rccdy heard how
the Church hal dealt with Iastors who
did not live without going In debt. Then
another question came like n clap of
thunder. But what about the woman
ana the children. two In numier, that
! was under peculiar obligations 20?
rlxs lat. .l...
these words Of my blessed Lord. III any
man com. to me. and love not less than
Me his father. and ,nothcr. and wife.
and children. ana brethren. and sisters
yea, and his own life also. he cannot
he my disciple." Luke 1926. I de-.
tcriGincd then and there. II my wife
would esrce. that We would put God Ia
the test. For our God had said years
before. Trust In the Lmd. and do
good; ~ shalt thou dwell In the land
ana verify thou shalt be fed" Psalm
3es. so I made known my plan to
the woman that had plightcd her all
Ia me. asking her decision. without q
word of hesitation. she said, II will
go." She did. and for over forty years
she has been "a hclpmcct true and faith.
full. ] have been "a husband that was
fond 81 the association IL my friend
but whatever time Of nigh, or day tina,
they came she was ever ready and will.
Ink To entertain them. No woman has
ever been more faithful and true to the
marriage vow than has been this wife
'of mine" Tender ~ heart. quiet and
loving III spirit. She was ever showing
the beautiful side of her nature. and al.
ways capturing those who came into
our home.
Well the day soon came when the
Northwest Texas Conference was a.
convene at Waco. Texas. Horace Bish.
on was the presiding elder Of the Fort
Worth District. No man was ever lie,
ter loved and honorcd among the
preachers than he, lie was bright. and
full Of life ana JOY. and all the preach
ers felt that In him they had friend
that they could trust to the limit. and
he would do for them the best that any
one could do In the way IL getting them
an appointment somewhat at least In
keeping with their ability. AS TO his
competency as a preacher they wcr,
sure Of one thing. that no preachers Of
any other district had such an elder as
he. and they were certain that he would
do the best possible for them. At the
CLOSE 81 the Annual Conference they
were sure that the best was done Tor
them. and they went To their appoint.
mcnis feeling just That away about II
] was sent to the Marystown charge.
u small little town In johnson County,
just north 81 Clcburne. I was 10 follow
Z. A. Bailey, one III the best known
pastors In the conference. and said TO b.
q man IL superior preaching power. ]
trembled To think that was to follow
such n man MS that. But I was soon
IN the field Of battle. No soldier ever
went 10 war with greater ambition and
greater expectations than I. immc'
diatciy met with bro. Bailey. and found
out that he knew Just exactly how Ia
treat n young inexperienced preacher.
He knew also Just exactly how 10 In.
etruct and encourage him. God hlcs.
the memory Of such man. He loved
God. he loved the Church. and he loved