Slight Slackening

"Perhaps I have undertaken too much in my life," the Rev. Dan Poling once said, "and perhaps that fact may shorten my days. I know that, but I have no regrets. I would choose a full life regardless." Before he was 19, Daniel Alfred Poling became a Baptist minister. He had already worked in steel mill and lumberyard, on farm and railroad. At the time of his ordination he was making honor grades at Dallas (Ore.) College, breaking in as a reporter on the Portland Oregonian, and starring at fullback on the football team.

Since then he has lived the full life as pastor, radiorator, lecturer, world traveler, ardent prohibitionist, novelist and editor. Franklin Roosevelt once called him "America's Spiritual Ambassador of Good Will." Last week, at 64, vigorous, bush-browed Dan Poling slackened the pace just a little. After 24 years in office, he announced his retirement as president of the International (i.e., North American) Society of Christian Endeavor (membership: 2,000,000). But he would still keep his jobs as president of the World's Christian Endeavor Union (4,000,000 members), chaplain of the Chapel of the Four Chaplains in Philadelphia, and editor of the slick-paper layman's monthly Christian Herald (circ. 390,000).

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