Year: 1878

with excusable pride, that ] mastered
my natural yearnings for such distinc-
tions, and turned without sigh from
the heavenly halo of such splendid
life and glorious death, to content my
self with the inglorious ease and the un-
distinguished quiet of u residence amid
the comforts of city, and the numer-
Gus but nameless undesired convent
ences and unwished for pleasantnesses
of a sojourn among rich congrega-
ton.


The opportunities for self denial, and
for modification of the flesh, would be
more frequent if l should be appointed
to the guardianship of people rich,
very rich, in the filthy lucre, the de-
spised dross, the miserable trash that
men call money. Yes; after making Ii
subject of serious meditation, my un-
biased and disinterested heart said.
Find rich congregation. My heart
also said other things. 1t remarked
Have plenty of marriageable young
ladies in your church, and be sure the
said young ladies are rich; the indica-
tions of Providence may point to mar
riage; have several rich old maids, or
widows, in your church Providence
may indicate you as the means of deter
mining their legacies; and it is just
possible that, in that event, the soul of
the dying person may be moved to
donate her worldly dross to the church,
within even-for the ways of Providence
are incrutable-a fat slice for yourself
have no very strong-minded deacons in
your church; for deacons might inter-
fere with your management of the
finances; let there be fine parsonage
attached to your church, with garden,
an orchard, a grape house, and a con-
servatory belonging to it; let the rich
men in your church be plenty; let them
be of the most estimable breed of men,
the sort that take hints easily-for Prov
idence may indicate that your studies
should be continued in direction that
requires particularly expensive library;
lastly, be sure that in your church there
is a doctor, who will consent to be your
dearest friend, and who will not hesitate
to notify your congregation should your
precious health fail.


These are the things my carnal and
unregenerate heart said to me, and after
making it subject of long and fearful
meditation, / came to the unbiased and
disinterested conclusion that my heart
was right. Then L remembered that
my heart had been renewed and that, of
course, that the heart must be safe and
good counselor-so accepted the said
heart as my guide, without further hesi-
tation.


Calls began to come in from various
churches. that desired the services of
young and enthusiastic preacher.


Call from Brownville; church small,
salary ditto-six hundred dollar year,
payable quarterly; large garden attach
ed to parsonage minister expected to
raise his own potatoes, and keep the
poor of the parish in summer squashes,
gratis; made it subject of serious con-
sideration and decided that Providence
didn't say Brownville for me; declined,
on account of lack of confidence in my
self, to undertake work so responsible.


Smithville called me; salary eight
hundred dollars, and collect it myself,
the minister expected to give his morn
ings to devotion and poultry he must
sell eggs and chickens enough to keep
the meeting house in repair furnish
candles for evening prayer-meetings
from his surplus turkeys, and either not
pound the pulpit cushions to pieces, or
else buy an annual new one from his
extra goslings; market four miles off,
and Deacon Squeezem keeps horse to
let, half-price to the minister. Medita-
ted and concluded that Providence had
reserved Smithville for some worthier
man.


Robinsonvi!le called-salary nine hun
dred dollars; parsonage roomy, with ten
acres of land attached, for the minister
to farm on shares with Deacon Damps;
the deacon to do the ploughing, and the
minister to buy the seed-wheat; neigh
borhood very poor and sickly chance
for an able and enthusiastic minister to
do SO much good that l did not feel it
right of me to rob some other man of so
magnificent a chance to distinguish
himself by deeds of charity and love.
Declined, on account of ill-health.


Jonesville called me; large congrega-
ton salary, thousand dollars year,
quarterly, in advance; church in for