the story of a pioneer-第19节

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ly　took　his　advice　and　borrowed　seven　hundred

dollars。　　After　I　returned　from　Europe　I　repaid　the

loan　in　monthly　instalments；　and　eventually　got　my

bonds；　which　I　still　own。　　They　will　mature　in　1916。　

I　have　had　one　hundred　and　five　dollars　a　year　from

them；　in　interest；　ever　since　I　received　them　in　1878

more　than　twice　as　much　interest　as　their　face

valueand　every　time　I　have　gone　abroad　I　have

used　this　interest　toward　paying　my　passage。　　Thus

my　friend　has　had　a　share　in　each　of　the　many　visits

I　have　made　to　Europe；　and　in　all　of　them　her

memory　has　been　vividly　with　me。



With　my　return　from　Europe　my　real　career　as

a　minister　began。　　The　year　in　the　pulpit　at　Hing…

ham　had　been　merely　tentative；　and　though　I　had

succeeded　in　building　up　the　church　membership　to

four　times　what　it　had　been　when　I　took　charge；　I

was　not　reappointed。　　I　had　paid　off　a　small　church

debt；　and　had　had　the　building　repaired；　painted；　and

carpeted。　　Now　that　it　was　out　of　its　difficulties　it

offered　some　advantages　to　the　occupant　of　its　pul…

pit；　and　of　these　my　successor；　a　man；　received　the

benefit。　　I；　however；　had　small　ground　for　com…

plaint；　for　I　was　at　once　offered　and　accepted　the

pastorate　of　a　church　at　East　Dennis；　Cape　Cod。　

Here　I　went　in　October；　1878；　and　here　I　spent　seven

of　the　most　interesting　years　of　my　life。







V



SHEPHERD　OF　A　DIVIDED　FLOCK



On　my　return　from　Europe；　as　I　have　said；　I

took　up　immediately　and　most　buoyantly　the

work　of　my　new　parish。　　My　previous　occupation

of　various　pulpits；　whether　long　or　short；　had　always

been　in　the　role　of　a　substitute。　　Now；　for　the　first

time；　I　had　a　church　of　my　own；　and　was　to　stand

or　fall　by　the　record　made　in　it。　　The　ink　was　barely

dry　on　my　diploma　from　the　Boston　Theological

School；　and；　as　it　happened；　the　little　church　to

which　I　was　called　was　in　the　hands　of　two　warring

factions；　whose　battles　furnished　the　most　fervid

interest　of　the　Cape　Cod　community。　　But　my　in…

experience　disturbed　me　not　at　all；　and　I　was　bliss…

fully　ignorant　of　the　division　in　the　congregation。　

So　I　entered　my　new　field　as　trustfully　as　a　child

enters　a　garden；　and　though　I　was　in　trouble　from

the　beginning；　and　resigned　three　times　in　startling

succession；　I　ended　by　remaining　seven　years。



My　appointment　did　not　cause　even　a　lull　in　the

warfare　among　my　parishioners。　　Before　I　had

crossed　the　threshold　of　my　church　I　was　made　to

realize　that　I　was　shepherd　of　a　divided　flock。

Exactly　what　had　caused　the　original　breach　I　never

learned；　but　it　had　widened　with　time；　until　it

seemed　that　no　peacemaker　could　build　a　bridge

large　enough　to　span　it。　　As　soon　as　I　arrived　in

East　Dennis　each　faction　tried　to　pour　into　my　ears

its　bitter　criticisms　of　the　other；　but　I　made　and

consistently　followed　the　safe　rule　of　refusing　to

listen　to　either　side；　I　announced　publicly　that　I

would　hear　no　verbal　charges　whatever；　but　that　if

my　two　flocks　would　state　their　troubles　in　writing

I　would　call　a　board　meeting　to　discuss　and　pass

upon　them。　　This　they　both　resolutely　refused　to

do　（it　was　apparently　the　first　time　they　had　ever

agreed　on　any　point）；　and　as　I　steadily　declined

to　listen　to　complaints；　they　devised　an　original

method　of　putting　them　before　me。



During　the　regular　Thursday…night　prayer…meet…

ing；　held　about　two　weeks　after　my　arrival；　and　at

which；　of　course；　I　presided；　they　voiced　their　diffi…

culties　in　public　prayer；　loudly　and　urgently　calling

upon　the　Lord　to　pardon　such　and　such　a　liar；　men…

tioning　the　gentleman　by　name；　and　such　and　such

a　slanderer；　whose　name　was　also　submitted。　　By

the　time　the　prayers　were　ended　there　were　few　un…

tarnished　reputations　in　the　congregation；　and　I

knew；　perforce；　what　both　sides　had　to　say。



The　following　Thursday　night　they　did　the　same

thing；　filling　their　prayers　with　intimate　and　sur…

prising　details　of　one　another's　history；　and　I　en…

dured　the　situation　solely　because　I　did　not　know

how　to　meet　it。　　I　was　still　young；　and　my　theo…

logical　course　had　set　no　guide…posts　on　roads　as

new　as　these。　　To　interfere　with　souls　in　their　com…

munion　with　God　seemed　impossible；　to　let　them

continue　to　utter　personal　attacks　in　church；　under

cover　of　prayer；　was　equally　impossible。　　Any　course　I

could　follow　seemed　to　lead　away　from　my　new　parish；

yet　both　duty　and　pride　made　prompt　action　neces…

sary。　　By　the　time　we　gathered　for　the　third　prayer…

meeting　I　had　decided　what　to　do；　and　before　the

services　began　I　rose　and　addressed　my　erring　chil…

dren。　　I　explained　that　the　character　of　the　prayers

at　our　recent　meetings　was　making　us　the　laughing…

stock　of　the　community；　that　unbelievers　were

ridiculing　our　religion；　and　that　the　discipline　of

the　church　was　being　wrecked；　and　I　ended　with

these　words；　each　of　which　I　had　carefully　weighed：



‘‘Now　one　of　two　things　must　happen。　　Either

you　will　stop　this　kind　of　praying；　or　you　will　re…

main　away　from　our　meetings。　　We　will　hold　prayer…

meetings　on　another　night；　and　I　shall　refuse　ad…

mission　to　any　among　you　who　bring　personal　criti…

cisms　into　your　public　prayers。''



As　I　had　expected　it　to　do；　the　announcement

created　an　immediate　uproar。　　Both　factions　sprang

to　their　feet；　trying　to　talk　at　once。　　The　storm

raged　until　I　dismissed　the　congregation；　telling　the

members　that　their　conduct　was　an　insult　to　the

Lord；　and　that　I　would　not　listen　to　either　their

protests　or　their　prayers。　　They　went　unwillingly；

but　they　went；　and　the　excitement　the　next　day

raised　the　sick　from　their　beds　to　talk　of　it；　and

swept　the　length　and　breadth　of　Cape　Cod。　　The

following　Sunday　the　little　church　held　the　largest

attendance　in　its　history。　　Seemingly；　every　man

and　woman　in　town　had　come　to　hear　what　more

I　would　say　about　the　trouble；　but　I　ignored　the

whole　matter。　　I　preached　the　sermon　I　had　pre…

pared；　the　subject　of　which　was　as　remote　from

church　quarrels　as　our　atmosphere　was　remote　from

peace；　and　my　congregation　dispersed　with　expres…

sions　of　such　artless　disappointment　that　it　was　all

I　could　do　to　preserve　a　dignified　gravity。



That　night；　however；　the　war　was　brought　into

my　camp。　　At　the　evening　meeting　the　leader　of　one

of　the　factions　rose　to　his　feet　with　the　obvious　pur…

pose　of　starting　trouble。　　He　was　a　retired　sea…cap…

tain；　of　the　ruthless　type　that　knocks　a　man　down

with　a　belaying…pin；　and　he　made　his　attack　on　me

in　a　characteristically　‘‘straight　from　the　shoulder''

fashion。　　He　began　with　the　proposition　that　my

morning　sermon　had　been　‘‘entirely　contrary　to　the

Scriptures；''　and　for　ten　minutes　he　quoted　and　mis…

quoted　me；　hammering　in　his　points。　　I　let　him　go

on　without　interruption。　　Then　he　added：



‘‘And　this　gal　comes　to　this　church　and　under…

takes　to　tell　us　how　we　shall　pray。　　That's　a　high…

handed　measure；　and　I；　for　one；　ain't　goin'　to　stand

it。　　I　want　to　say　right　here　that　I　shall　pray　as　I

like；　when　I　like；　and　where　I　like。　　I　have　prayed

in　this　heavenly　way　for　fifty　years　before　that　gal

was　born；　and　she　can't　dictate　to　me　now！''



By　this　time　the　whole　congregation　was　aroused；

and　cries　of　‘‘Sit　down！''　　‘‘Sit　down！''　came　from

every　side　of　the　church。　　It　was　a　hard　moment；

but　I　was　able　to　rise　with　some　show　of　dignity。　

I　was　hurt　through　and　through；　but　my　fighting

blood　was　stirring。



‘‘No；''　I　said；　‘‘Captain　Sears　has　the　floor。　　Let

him　say　now　all　he　wishes　to　say；　for　it　is　the　last

time　he　will　ever　speak　at　one　of　our　meetings。''



Captain　Sears；　whose　exertions　had　already　made

him　apoplectic；　turned　a　darker　purple。　　‘‘What's

that？''　he　shouted。　　‘‘What　d'ye　mean？''



‘‘I　mean；''　I　replied；　‘‘that　I　do　not　intend　to

allow　you　or　anybody　else　to　interfere　with　my

meetings。　　You　are　a　sea…captain。　　What　would

you　do　to　me　if　I　came　on　board　your　ship　and

started　a　mutiny　in　your　crew；　or　tried　to　give　you

orders？''



Captain　Sears　did　not　reply。　　He　stood　still；　with

his　legs　far　apart　and　braced；　as　he　always　stood

when　talking；　but　his　eyes　shifted　a　little。　　I　answered

my　own　question。



‘‘You　would　put　me　ashore　or　in　irons；''　I　re…

minded　him。　　‘‘Now；　Captain　Sears；　I　intend　to

put　you　ashore。　　I　am　the　master　of　this　ship。　　I

have　set　my　course；　and　I　mean　to　follow　it。　　If

you　rebel；　either　you　will　get　out　or　I　will。　　But

until　the　board　asks　for　my　resignation；　I　am　in

command。''



As　it　happened；　I　had　put　my　ultimatum　in　the

one　form　the　old　man　could　understand。　　He　sat

down　without　a　word　and　stared　at　me。　　We　sang

the　Doxology；　and　I　dismissed　the　meeting。　　Again

we　had　omitted　prayers。　　The　next　day　Captain

Sears　sent　me　a　letter　recalling　his　subscription　tow…

ard　the　support　of　the　church；　and　for　weeks　he

remained　away　from　our　services；　returnin