Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1910 — REY. C. L. HARPER HAKES 220 NEW YEAR’S CALLS. [ARTICLE]

REY. C. L. HARPER HAKES 220 NEW YEAR’S CALLS.

Shakes Hands With Almost a Thousi and People and Puts in Busiest New Year’s Day on Record. . ' * Rev. C. L. Harper, pastor of Trinity M. E. church; had a busy day Saturday, and certainly holds the record for New Year’s calls. He started out tolerably soon after breakfast with the intention of calling on all Methodist families and as many families not identified with any church as he could, confining himself to the city corporation. He took the central residence section first, working from the extreme eastern to the extreme western parts of the city and traveling from house to house on foot. Where theTe was quite a little distance between houses t}ie. minister disregarded the dignified stride of most preachers and broke into a little trot. He had lots of places to go and didn’t want to slight any of them. After dinner he enlisted the services of a brother in the church with a horse and buggy and started to visit the more remote parts of the city. Before evening he had visited 150 homes, 70 stores, offices and business places and estimates that he had shaken hands and wished a “Happy New Year” to between 800 and 1,000 people, giving each a warm smile and carrying the gospel of good cheer wherever he went.

The work was not accomplished without a lot of hustling and when the shades of night brought the day to a close Rev. Harper found himself quite exhausted and ready for rest. Today he feels the effect of his hustling, and his limbs are sore but he is happy in the belief that-he has performed a pastoral very thoroughly. ; At each home he left a card worded as follows: A HAPPY NEW YEAR.Dear Friend: With kindest greetings I extend to you my hand in fellowship and brotherly sympathy on this the threshold of a new year. It is my earnest prayer that the blessing of our Father may rest upon you—upon your home-life, your friendships, and your temporal affairs, and above all upon your spiritual life; that during this year all things may work together for good to you. May I depend upon you as a fellow worker —upon your presence, your pfayers, your sympathy, and your selfdenying efforts to make this a triumphant year in our church. Affectionately, Your Pastor, CHARLES L. HARPER, ■ ■ *• J'.'.' Phone 236. Rensselaer, Ind., Jan. 1, 1910.