I’ve just finished dawdling through ‘All the Blessings of Life’ (The Best Stories of F.W. Boreham), and was saddened by this (pp. 254-5). (I hear similar stories most weeks in my work with John Mark Ministries):

‘Mark Rutherford… had been in his first church for four weeks on probation; and the narrowness of the people’s intellect and spiritual outlook appalled him. But he interpreted it as a call to him to broaden their sympathies and enlarge their vision…

“The first Sunday on which I preached after my settlement was a dull day in November, but there was no dullness in me. The congregation had increased a good deal during the past four weeks, and I was stimulated by the prospect of the new life before me.”

He goes on to tell of the ardor with which he preached. The great truths that he uttered meant everything to him; and he poured out his soul with a pent-up intensity of passion. And then? Everybody went home. Except that the chapel-keeper observed laconically that it was raining, nobody said a word to him. He went home in agony, every highly strung nerve quivering to the breaking-point. His health collapsed, and he abandoned the ministry. If only some good, earnest soul had shaken hands with him that first Sunday night, and expressed agreement with, or interest in, the words that he had uttered! But there was only the chapel-keeper, and he only said that *it was raining*!’ (F.W. Boreham, The Fiery Crags, 1928, p. 72).

See ‘Do Yourself a Favour: Encourage Your Pastor’ – http://jmm.org.au/articles/2019.htm —

Shalom/Salaam/Pax! Rowland Croucher

http://jmm.org.au/

Justice for Dawn Rowan – http://dawnrowansaga.blogspot.com/