Rensselaer Journal, Volume 10, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 May 1901 — A PREACHER’S LABOR OF LOVE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A PREACHER’S LABOR OF LOVE

The pastorate of the Rev. Edward Schnadhorst, of the Roman Road Congregational Church, North Bow, London, is without any question of doubt the most unique and remarkable on record. A few days ago general attention was attached to Mr. Schnadhorst’s work by his celebration, with appropriate ceremonies, •of his fortythird anniversary as pastor of the Roman Road Church. Apart from the uncommonly long time which Mr. Schnadhordt has presided over his parish, the most extraordinary feature in connection with his work is the fact that, from the Inception until the present moment, this work has been fathfully rendered without a stipend. Not one cent of compensation for nearly half a century of trying and untiring labor has Mr. Schnadhorst ever received or requested from his congregation. Here is Mr. Schnadhors’ own story. "About forty-three years ago,” he said, "I was attending the ministry of the late Rev. John Davies, of :AJbany Chapel, which is now perpetrated in Tolmer’s Square Congregational Church, Hempstead Road. When Mr. Davies removed to Walthamstow some of the younger members of the congregation desired me to succeed him, but I would not hear it, as I did not feel equal to the task, and you cannot judge how glad I am now that I did not yield to the request. "I had determined to devote my life to the uplifting of the poor in the east

end of London, and with this object In view I took a little hall in the old Ford road and gathered a congregation. It was slow work at first, I assure you, but the work gradually increased, and a parish, that is a fellowship or society of professed believers, was formed upon the congregational mode, and a church building was erected in the Roman road. A commodious structure, where social and religious work of one kind or another is conducted pretty well every night in the week. I commenced the work on the second Sunday in April 1858, and have just duly celebrated my forty-third anniversary. As my parishioners were by no means wealthy, although in the early days fairly well-to-do, and having means of my own, 1 have always refused a salary, willingly giving my poor labors to the Lord, who has been so good to me in many ways.

“My wife and myself do all the social, philanthropic and pastoral work of the parish, with the occasional assistance of a mission woman, who 1 engage at my own expense to visit for me while I am in attendance on the school board. “i have just been elected to this board for the fourth time, and the records show that I have never missed a meeting. I don’t think I should have made such a success of my work if It had not been for the loving assistance of my wife. Mrs. Schnadhorst is really Indefatigable, morning, noon and night, she works on behalf of the poor, anD like myself she has never received or asked a penny of reward from this parish. "Apart from not asking or expecting any salary, I never make any individual appeal for funds for parish distribution, but trust In the Lord to provide. Only once did I ever appeal, and that was through, the columns of a large London newspaper. About twelve years ago there was great distress. I wrote an appeal at the end of July and kept it in my pocket until November, disliking to Issue it; but at length I could resist no longer, and for six weeks I continued to have money sent me for the poor as the result. And if anyone now feels he has faith in our work here and chooses to send it, we will gladly distribute it to the deserving poor. I lay stress on that word ‘deserving.’ In all our social wort wo try to footer thrift; wo.

try to help the people who help themselves. We have a savings bank every Monday, and our people deposit their pence and we give them interest Again, it is no use to give a man half a crown when next day he will want another half crown; the point is to learn the person’s circumstances and help him to tide over the evil day until he can help himself. Thus I spent £l6 once in setting a poor widow in a little business, and now she is flourishing. I knew she would do well if she could be started. "Besides our bank various other agencies common to a Congregational Church are all in operation in my parish. I attempt to keep up to date in everything in connection with church work. "As I have stated to you, when I took charge of this, my first and the only pastorate, some forty odd years ago, the majority of the people of my neighborhood were pretty well-to-do, but the east end of London has become much overcrowded andthe population had gradually gone down and down. Now I am met with poverty on every hand and have now, if I desired it, by no means as good a chance of obtaining a stipend for my work as in the early days. “Such conditions as I am obliged to meet every day are very trying to those who love to help the deserving poor. I might say that the South African war has very much deepened our difficulties, but I live in hopes of bet-

ter days to come before the end of my life, which I have given to my neighborhood. My existence is a very quiet one and I am not well known even in London outside of my parish. We have had but one distinguished member in our family, my younger brother, Frank Schnadhorst, the late secretary of the National Liberal Federation, who some ten years ago was presented with a check for SIO,OOO guineas in testimony of his rare ability as a political organizer of the Liberal party in England. His name, I believe, Is not altogether unknown in America. “In conclusion I might say that I am frank to acknowledge that except for the love and tenderness shown me by my congregation, which I value higher than any salary I might have received, I could not have continued as long as I have.” About one-sixteenth of the paper output of the world is converted into books.

REV. EDWARD SCHNADHORST.