Part 6 (2/2)

”_There is not one of us but in some measure is in his debt_”

--_The Cincinnati Enquirer_

7

”All the hold those people have on God is me It is terrible It bothers me They love me but they don't coht to his intimate friend, Jesse Halsey, into whose study he had stopped on his way home from a call in a distant suburb

While it was inevitable that some people should use hi for them, the truth of the matter is that he was a chosen channel for the communication of the Divine Spirit to earth-bound enuinely humble, he was troubled about those people who could approach God only through him If they little sensed that what they loved in him was God, they nevertheless were compelled by their limitations to think of God in terms of Frank Nelson

He was only a voice in the successive generations of men whom God has sent to h it is now no longer heard, the mystery and wonder of his personality still remain The happy blend of the spiritual and the human in his nature had a profound influence upon those who knew hiest the salient outlines of his character, the richness and singularity of it defy coifts of mind and spirit were enhanced by a robust physique He was tall, well-proportioned, and in his last twenty years took on an aluished appearance in any coraciousness which men call charm or presence Those who associated with him, whether rich or poor, talented or commonplace, felt his friendliness He was at hoh born on the sunny side of the street, and by birth and breeding an aristocrat, he becareatness so only his kindness of heart

He never stood on his dignity in that sense which conveys condescension

His gay, infectious laughter which so often filled a room put people i nor lowered himself to meet men

There was a look of keenness in his eyes that soh, but always there shone forth faith and sy It was the warmth of his huave theer readiness to meet life Bishop Edward L Parsons of California writes, ”When with him you felt as if you were entirely safe You knew that his judg to be dominated by personal considerations”

The same warmth expressed itself in his appreciation of other men's opinions, and because he was decisive in outlook and views, he found pleasure and stihtly repartee In the Episcopal Church there is an aht on ecclesiastical matters Frank Nelson, for instance, represented one conviction, and the Right Reverend Spence Burton, now Lord Bishop of Nassau, quite another ”We were the best of friends,”

writes Bishop Burton, who is a Cincinnatian by birth, ”and we often disagreed but got on happily together because I think that tearly be known as whole-hoggers In that e understood each other and did not annoy each other nearly so much as if we had had the idea that we could have only as reement with one another” The admiration and affection which Mr Nelson elicited was pointedly demonstrated at his funeral Bishop Burton sat in the chancel alongside the Reverend Jesse Halsey, the Presbyterian entleman that he is, not once crossed himself in deference to Frank's (to him, atrocious) low church prejudices!” Frank Nelson was like that Respect for hily, but it came because there was no personal animosity in the man He was honored because he was a moral and a spiritual force hich to be reckoned

His election to the Commercial Club of Cincinnati in 1923 is another indication of his de character This club is one of the city'scomprised entirely of business executives, captains of industry, and a s of professional men The constitution of the club allows for three honorary members, and at the time of Mr Nelson's election, the only honorary member was William Howard Taft An extract fro that it would be a nition of one of our most worthy citizens, won by his unselfish zeal for the cause of huher ideals in our civic life, your Executive Committee unanimously recommend the election of Rev Frank H Nelson to be an honorary member of the Commercial Club

Each year at the Club's Christave an address on soe was deeply impressive to this inner circle of representative citizens, for he was one with them in spirit, even as he was one with the huave hie and reenforced his will to persist in a difficult calling, as the following lines penned to a club member reveal:

I wonder if you and a few oodness, realize what your confidence and friendshi+p do for a minister? It isn't easy for us to keep our faith in what is right and just and true, when successfulabout--that our faith is plain foolishness in the face of realities

He entered into the Club's frolics with huge enjoyeant, dressed in the vest in the South, the Club attended a religious service, and while in the church Mr Walter Draper had his pocket picked After the service, in so at great length until Mr Nelson gleefully returned the filched article!

Out of his war siedy and the immemorial pain of humanity, he was also moved by the elemental ties of family and friendshi+p, and by all the simplicity that lends them zest and joy He loved anniversaries, and was deeply appreciative of the innumerable remembrances he received on those occasions Christht to friends and to those h to enjoy the hospitality of Mr

and Mrs Nelson He was child-like at heart, and those close to hihtfulness He had a feeling for music and when he led the carol rehearsals in the parish house hall before Christirls responded whole-heartedly He took charge in a firm manner; in fact no bronco was ever sters The chorus of boys and girls sang softly or loudly at his will, and enjoyed it, and when he left the platforrowl an adieu, they applauded!

Mr Nelson's interest in people, and the work he accoround the sort of home environment which enhanced his capacity In 1907 he was hter of William Oriel Eaton, a Cincinnati artist of distinction Their adopted daughter, Ruth, was an unending delight to hie, and to becoements of the household left hiht hamper ahouests, and when he was not at home Mrs Nelson carried on in a loyal manner expressive of his interest in people At one tianized, a mother and two children arrived at the railroad station in soo, the ested ”Rev Nelson” The woman in her distress went to the rector's home on Pike Street Mr Nelson was out of the city, but in characteristic fashi+on, his wife took theht Mrs Nelson's interest and work in the parish, particularly with the young candidates for the Girls' Friendly Society, was of a notable quality, and her fine understanding of their problems was not only an ianization, but also happily supple labors

Frank Nelson was continually sensitive to his good fortune in possessing adequate means, in contrast to the deprivation and financial difficulties of many others He was incapable of conceal frankness to his acknowledget, he facetiously told his congregation that his salary was too large but he did not have the e to refuse it! He was also fortunate in er part of his life, and froe His gift of i with many problems not experienced by him personally was, therefore, the e with the least possible experience, and one of the greatest differences betweenin order to understand it”[21]

The even tenor of his lot in life did not produce in him self-satisfaction and complacency, but often did make him uneasy He had inherited his father's sternness of conscience and moral fibre At one time when a parishi+oner sold a piece of property and asked Mr Nelson to use the money to buy his first car, he was sorely perplexed as to the appropriateness of accepting such a gift and allowing himself the luxury of an automobile He wondered what so in the ”Bottoe suit He was acutely aware that his salary came in part from many who had little, and to the end of his days his conscience troubled hi as he did to share the life of the least of his people

Frank Nelson was a singularly modest person In the early years of hisEverywhere people talked of Stein's distinguished preaching, and not much was said about Mr Nelson's talents He belittled his own abilities, and is which were difficult for him came easily to other people He not only deprecated his skill in preaching, but thought he had no capacity for round It cannot be said that he had an inferiority complex for that ientleness were happily and usefully joined

The honor and acclaim that came to him from church and city never impressed him unduly; in fact, he was saddened by the success which in coreat ideals of the Christian ministry approximates failure ”So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do”

His exceptional sense of reality and proportion, which is the very essence of huenial company Because he was completely sincere and unaffected, his friends felt no self-consciousness in the presence of ”the cloth” They in turn could be candid with hily demonstrated when the h standard, and Mr Nelson, happening to meet a parishi+oner who had not been in church for soood chuckle over her reply: ”Oh! I a the choir bawl and you bawl!” There was always a lively give and take in his friendshi+ps

On one occasion at the close of an inter-faith , he was chided by a Ro that he had con of resentood two hour talk in front of the Roe of his friendshi+ps was extraordinary for he possessed the capacity to kindle ad tonic, and would say, ”I felt better for contact with him”