XXII

CURIOUS MOVEMENTS

The Annual Conference was held in the city of Kingston -- city of a famous University, and a very enlightened people.

Would I accept an appointment to the West End Church? This proposition came with such unheralded suddenness that I was completely unprepared for it. Could it be possible that at long last I was about to jump from the village on the north shore of the Ottawa into the lively atmosphere of a collegiate environment with its historical and military blandishments on the shore of the St Lawrence? I could scarcely believe the suggestion. I visited the church and was satisfied. There was but one difficulty -- the church was small and seemingly with no possibility of growth, as the congregation filled it, and the financial ability had been taxed to the utmost in supporting a young minister and his wife; here were we, two adults and four children. I saw the Chairman. "I have been praying for years" I said "That God would give me people, and therefore I will not turn down this offer, but it looks like a heavy responsibility to put upon these people. I will accept, and if we get hungry I will come to you". Laughingly he said "We always have a loaf of bread in the house".

After that I went about smiling on all and sundry, and turning over in mind plans for the extension of work in the West End Church.

I heard no more of the matter until the last morning of Conference, when the Secretary of the Stationing Committee read out the list of Stations. Kingston District was read, and I was amazed at finding that my name was not in the District. The Secretary continued, and I wondered to where I had been assigned. At last the answer came -- I had been returned to the District in which I had been working, and I found myself down for the village which my Junior brother minister was leaving, while he was placed in my nicely developed place. There was no explanation offered. To raise any question would simply forestall any possible success in the new charge; so I deemed it prudent to keep silence; all the same it was hard to bear being tossed about in such a fashion.

The new charge had a disconcerting parsonage, heartbreaking to the wife -- and a primitive church. For seven years, I later learned, there had been discussed by successive ministers and Trustee Boards the feasibility of a modern, commodious church. I found that the matter had gone sufficiently far to secure a building lot, a fair sized pile of stone for foundation purposes, and the purchase of an architect's plan. What I did not learn until nearly a year had elapsed, was that some ministerial genius passing by on a train had stepped to the platform one day, and had said to an official of the church whom he recognised:- "You have a minister now who will build you a church whether you want it or not". In a liberty-loving community that was a bad recommend, and I quite understood some after-events when I received that story.

An official meeting was held. What was to be done with that piece of ground and the pile of stone? "We would like you to examine our ground, and form an estimate on the plan, but do not tell any one that we are going to build a church".

I found on examination that the plan called for as many bricks in the tower as were required for the whole church, and I could not conscientiously recommend that. The building lot too, being on a steep grade corner, was inappropriate. Another meeting was called and my findings reported. In addition, I had prepared plans of my own, which were offered gratuitously, also I opened to them two books of printed plans. I discovered then that no church was wanted, and that my labours on that score were at an end. Thereupon I had to busy myself in other ways.

It was at this point in my career that I ceased driving a horse. I had had twenty-one years at it -- never enjoyed it -- only did it as a matter of necessity. Now I sold horse, harness, buggy, cutter and robes for One Hundred and Fifty Dollars, and this became my first money in the bank after so many years! I resolved on keeping this as a saving, and out of the salary of this year I saved another Fifty Dollars. I now used my bicycle for visiting the parishioners eight miles away, and for Sunday I engaged the owner of a horse.

A very useful piece of work in this village was the promotion of a men's literary club, which included the ministers of the Presbyterian and Anglican churches, a chemist, a harness-maker, an insurance agent, a dentist, all specialists in some hobby. Mine was geology, and a paper on the geology of the locality had to be repeated for the public benefit in the town hall and drew together the entire citizenry. Such social union was a good omen for the proclamation of the gospel.

We were nearing the end of an ecclesiastical year in which I had given myself to pastoral work and sermonising. Our last official meeting was to be on a Monday evening; Sunday was to witness the administration of our Lord's Supper. On Saturday evening I received at the post office a letter from the Secretary of our Official Board -- "I am requested by the members of the Board to write you and ask for your resignation as the minister of our church". I shall never be able to express my feelings as I felt them just then. Sleep was out of the question that night.

It seemed like a cruel blow, as preceding the sacramental service. Why was it done? Why could the action not have been suspended until Monday? I think that a very sensitive nature is out of place in the pastorate of a church. That is the fitted sphere for a Peter rather than a John. I had never before received such a communication, and I was not aware of having in any way transgressed, however I was thankful that they, and not I were taking the initiative in breaking the pastoral tie; so I took the earliest opportunity to write to the District Chairman and advise him of the situation, and that their desire had better be granted. And thus do people so often fail to appreciate their privileges.