Year: 1878

her mind continually, for there were four of
them, and there was so little to buy food
and clothes for them. They were pretty


bright, little chaps, all bat the eldest, who


though twelve, was as quiet as the mother,
and seemed to have caught the same patient
smile. The others were like other children,
but with a restraint about them in public as
if an invisible finger was always pointing to
them as of that terrible brood, "the min
ister's children" They we're always on
the watch for various members OF the
congregation. to them we'll known, who
would be only too glad to catch them an
inch of the line of perfect department.
Little fellows as the boys were they always
hid their marbles and dropped bat and ball
when they saw the lean lank form of Brother
Jones coming up the lane. They dreaded to
hear the gruff, impatient voice Of Mr.. Long
more than the rolling of distant thunder,
and whenever he came to find fault about
"the lack OF the revival spirit in the church"
and roundIy reprove their father for his
sermons of love and charity they would hide
behind their mothers chair, or snugly en-
| sconced under the table reconnoiter from
either side of the drop leaf" They were
| glad when "Mother MarshalT' came, for her
ample pockets brought goodly.load of sweet
cakes and dough nuts" and though she was
old and poor. they were not afraid OF the
wrinkled face, and clasped eagerly the poor
old hands trembling with palsy. To her
their mother opened her heart, and though
| they watched with dismsy the hot tears
| falling as she told her little trials, the sun
shine always came back as the dear old
woman spoke words of comfort and
cheer. She seemed to have an inexhausti-
bic store OF Bible promises, and she gave
them as freely to the mother as she did her
sweetmeats TO the children. She compre
hended the trials of ministers wife, who
is sensitive and shrinking, and who though
good and pure, is vet too weak to assert her
| rights and her care for herself and her family.
| Sometimes their father would talk long and
seriously to the old lady, and she often
cheered him when the flood tide of trouble
almost overwhelmed him. She listened
with the tender sympathy that in itself COM
| forted HIM, and had always ready verse OF
| psalm, or the words of some blessed hymn.
But she came seldomly. She was too feeble
to walk far, and so she stayed in her own
room at her sons house and knit socks. Out
of this little pittance she made her regular
church contribution. and no one in all Glen
vile gave more willingly and heartily. To
be sure she had nothing for the new organ,
or the fair, but she was always ready TO visit
| the sick or pray with the dying. She had
never a word to say against her pastor or the
the church, but out of her charity and love she
had an excuse for every weakness and plea
| for every offender. But Mother Marshall was
| only one, and there were so many others
more powerful. She was sorry to see the
coldness of the people, but she could only
pray, aud now and then say word for the
cause of the Lord as she watched beside the
sick bed or composed the dead forms of the
loved ones of the family.


But Glenville was a restless little place,
and liked change, and for month before
conference the names and claims of various
ministers were eagerly discussed. The peo
pie had their own ideas of what constituted
e preacher" They wanted man who was
a good .talker, successful organizer" un-
tlring when in the Sunday-school, who could
''lead class" 'get up revival" good Wis
itor, who could sing the old fashioned tunes,
and who, better than all, would be willing
| to work cheap" To tell the exact truth, a
minister to please that church must work in
exact disproportion to his salary; as the for
mer increased he must be willing to have
the latter decrease. But as yet nobody had
ever been found who was exactly the ideal
man for that pulpit; for, as a minister was
human being. he was apt to grow mentally
and physically weak on the starvation fare
the faithful prescribed for him.


So the old minister weekly went to con-
ference, assured in his own mind that he was
not the man for the place. Had he been less
humble he would have reversed the order
and said the place was not suitable for him.


He made his report to the bishop of mission
| airy money and church statistics, and then
quietly awaited the day of fate, when his
next years lot would be spportioned him.
He prayed little over the matter, but he
was willing TO trust it all to the Lord, and SO
gaveit less thought than one would imagine.
He did not understand ecclesiastical wire
| pulling. he could not maneuver for the best
places nor influence the bishops cabinet. He
believed himself in the hands of God, and
thus trusting he could not go to work to
dispose of himselfin the best possible worldly
manner. As the night drew on that was to
close the conference he heard little else than
station" circuit" mo parsonage" good
pay" and other whispered comments on the
various characteristics of the places to be
assigned pastors. He wondered q little where
he would be sent, not so much for his own
sake, but for the sake of his wife and chill
dren. He did not dread the strange faces,
the absolute isolation OF the first few weeks
at another place, but he knew how timidly
his wife shrank from the thought Of
! leaving those who. If they were not