PLYMOUTH CHURCH                  129
 

THE  CHURCH STAFF

XT is only of recent years
that the Congregational
and Presbyterian churches
have come to include in
the regular staff of church officers,
assistant pastors or pastor's assist¬
ants. For a long time Mr. Beecher
and Plymouth Church followed the
prevailing custom, relying upon vol¬
unteer service for such extra work in
the Une of parish visitation as was be¬
yond the pastor's power. As the
church grew, however, and as the de¬
mands upon its pastor for outside
work in the form of public ad¬
dresses, lectures, etc., increased, it
became evident that something must