At my
home in West Virginia the process of being called to the ministry
was a very interesting one. Usually the "call" came when the
individual was sitting in church. Without warning the one called
would fall upon the floor as if struck by a bullet, and would lie
there for hours, speechless and motionless. Then the news would
spread all through the neighborhood that this individual had
received a "call." If he were inclined to resist the summons, he
would fall or be made to fall a second or third time. In the end
he always yielded to the call. While I wanted an education badly,
I confess that in my youth I had a fear that when I had learned
to read and write very well I would receive one of these "calls";
but, for some reason, my call never came.
When we add the number of wholly ignorant men who preached or
"exhorted" to that of those who possessed something of an
education, it can be seen at a glance that the supply of
ministers was large. In fact, some time ago I knew a certain
church that had a total membership of about two hundred, and
eighteen of that number were ministers. But, I repeat, in many
communities in the South the character of the ministry is being
improved, and I believe that within the next two or three decades
a very large proportion of the unworthy ones will have
disappeared.
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