Bellefonte, Pa., January 21, 1927. First Philadelphia Pastorate AUTOBIOGRAPHY. ‘By Rev. L. M. Colfelt D. D. In the year 1874, after two years service at the Allentown church, 1 was surprised by receiving an invita- tion from Samuel C. Perkins, Clerk of Session, to conduct the approach- ing Sabbath service at the First Pres- byterian Church,Washington Square, Philadelphia, which I accepted without the slightest idea that it involved a ‘Call if the service made a favorable impression. Mr. Perkins, on being questioned later by me as to how he had become aware of my existence, said, “When I was at the Yale Alumni «dinner and was seated beside Dr. At- water, Professor of Philosophy at Princeton, I asked him if he could sug- gest anyone for the vacant First church pulpit and he answered, ‘Send for the young pastorat Allentown, New Jersey, whom I heard preach a -cery creditable sermon inthe First ‘Presbyterian Church, Princeton,at the time of his graduation.’ ” Thus his recollection after two years of an ef- fort at preaching I had made and which I thought a failure profoundly influenced my life. I was invited to remain over and conduct the Wednes- ‘day evening service also. I don’t think anybody could have been less in- terested than I was, as I always had my thoughts turned to New York rather than Philadelphia if perchance «desire and opportunity for a change coincided. The church, though but lately decorated at a cost of $6,000, seemed rather cold and forbidding, al- most barnlike and capable of seating some 2000 people. The pulpit was perched high up and far from the body of the pews in order to command the vast galleries. It was well calculated to crush out all spontaneity in a peacher and neutralize all the inspi- ration derivable from a near seated audience. The organ and choir were at the rear, which confined the praise ‘service to a fine musical performance ‘of the choir in which the congregation but slightly participated. But to ‘suggest any radical change in the in- side of the church would have been .as great a desecration as tampering with the Ark of the Covenant and too greatly disturbed the shades of Albert Barnes and his historic predecessors. On leaving the church, a friend, Mr. Lee, took the liberty of advising me strongly not to commit suicide by ac- cepting a Call to this down town