Page:Robert Carter- his life and work. 1807-1889 (IA robertcarterhis00coch).pdf/91

Rh some church repairs, and Mr. Carter tried in vain to get his friend to subscribe the same amount that he himself intended giving. After a long conversation, he was obliged to go away repulsed. On reaching home, he thought the matter over, and sat down and wrote a note to his friend, saying that he feared he had said too much in the way of urging, and if so he asked forgiveness, and hoped that nothing he had said would weaken the strong bond of friendship that united them. Immediately on receiving the letter, the gentleman came to him, saying, “I believe you were right and I wrong, after all. How much do you think I ought to give?” And he immediately wrote a check for the desired amount.

Mr. Carter loved to tell a story of one of the elders of the Scotch Church, who came to New York a poor boy, and, when he had earned ten dollars by wheeling goods in a barrow, attended one evening a meeting of the church called to pay off a debt. When subscriptions were asked for, the lad gave five dollars, which in after life he declared to be the largest gift he had ever made, being one half of his earthly possessions. This good man afterwards amassed quite a fortune, but a large portion of it was swept away in a fire. Shortly after, Dr. McElroy was going about, as was his yearly custom, collecting money for the various church charities, but he passed Mr. R&horbar;’s door, thinking that he would spare him the pain of refusing his usual gifts. Mr. R&horbar; met him on the street, and said, “You have not called on me yet for my subscriptions.” “ No,” said the Doctor, “I had not the heart to ask you, knowing how heavy your losses have been.” “Retrenchment with me must not begin at the house of God, I shall double my subscriptions this year.”