Continually they searched for new and better definitions of fishing. They
sponsored costly nationwide and worldwide congresses to discuss fishing and
to promote fishing and hear about all the ways of fishing.
These Fishermen built large, beautiful buildings called "Fishing
Headquarters." The plea was that everyone should be a Fisherman and every
Fisherman should fish. One thing they didn't do, however; they didn't fish.
They organized a board to send out Fishermen to where there were many fish.
The board was formed by those who had the great vision and courage to speak
about fishing, to define fishing, and to promote the idea of fishing in
far-away streams and lakes where many other fish of different colors lived.
Also the board hired staffs and appointed committees and held many meetings
to define fishing, to defend fishing, and to decide what new streams should
be thought about. But the staff and committee members did not fish.
Expensive training centers were built to teach Fishermen how to fish. Those
who taught had doctorates in fishology, but the teachers did not fish. They
only taught fishing. Year after year, graduates were sent to do full-time
fishing, some to distant waters filled with fish.
Further, the Fishermen built large printing houses to publish fishing
guides. A speaker's bureau was also provided to schedule special speakers on
the subject of fishing.
Many who felt the call to be Fishermen responded, and were sent to fish. But
like the Fishermen back home, they never fished.
Some also said they wanted to be part of the fishing party, but they felt
called to furnish fishing equipment. Others felt their job was to relate to
the fish in a good way so the fish would know the difference between good
and bad Fishermen. After one stirring meeting on "The Necessity for
Fishing," a young fellow left the meeting and went fishing. The next day he
reported he had caught two outstanding fish. He was honored for his
excellent catch and scheduled to visit all the big meetings possible to tell
how he did it.
So he quit his fishing in order to have time to tell about the experience to
the other Fishermen. He was also placed on the Fishermen's General Board as
a person having considerable experience. Now it's true that many of the
Fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived
near the water and bore the smell of dead fish every day. They received the
ridicule of some who made fun of their Fishermen's clubs and the fact that
they claimed to be Fishermen yet never fished.
They wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend the weekly
meetings to talk about fishing. After all, were they not following the
Master who said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men?
Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who
didn't catch fish were really not Fishermen, no matter how much they claimed
to be. Yet it did sound correct. Is a person a Fisherman if year after year
he never catches a fish or (even worse) never goes fishing?
(author unknown)
Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves Fishermen.
And lo, there were many fish in the waters all around. In fact, the whole
area was surrounded by streams and lakes filled with fish. And the fish were
hungry. Year after year these who called themselves Fishermen met in
meetings and talked about their call to fish, the abundance of fish, and how
they might go about fishing.