Mr. Matthews became linotype operator for The Guardian-Journal a few months after I became editor and he was still working there when I left, leaving only after the newspaper changed its method of printing from letterpress to offset.
He was a private person and had been working at the newspaper and printing plant for some time before we knew anything about his past. He had been a Church of Christ minister, leaving the church after his wife left him because, he said, of his small income. He got into printing to publish a book he had written and over a period of time had become proficient enough with the linotype to hold a job.
We did printing for the churches so we were comfortable with ministers hanging around in the shop as was the Presbyterian pastor at this particular time. Mr. Matthews asked the preacher, Mr. Swinney, if he ever entered the pulpit, opened the bible randomly, read the scripture, and preached a sermon with no further preparation. Mr. Swinney said no, he never did that.
Mr. Matthews responded, " I knew the bible so well and had preached so many sermons, I often threw open the bible, read the scripture, and preached an entire sermon. You say you never did that?"
Mr. Swinney countered, "No, maybe that's why I'm still preaching and you aren't."
He was a private person and had been working at the newspaper and printing plant for some time before we knew anything about his past. He had been a Church of Christ minister, leaving the church after his wife left him because, he said, of his small income. He got into printing to publish a book he had written and over a period of time had become proficient enough with the linotype to hold a job.
We did printing for the churches so we were comfortable with ministers hanging around in the shop as was the Presbyterian pastor at this particular time. Mr. Matthews asked the preacher, Mr. Swinney, if he ever entered the pulpit, opened the bible randomly, read the scripture, and preached a sermon with no further preparation. Mr. Swinney said no, he never did that.
Mr. Matthews responded, " I knew the bible so well and had preached so many sermons, I often threw open the bible, read the scripture, and preached an entire sermon. You say you never did that?"
Mr. Swinney countered, "No, maybe that's why I'm still preaching and you aren't."
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