Jftt^t^ ^^ t\xe mto^k^t ^ mtt PRINCETON, N. J. \ Shelf. BV 4010 .K5 Kidder, Daniel P. 1815-189| The Christian pastorate I THE CHRISTIAN PASTORATE ITS CHARACTER, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND DUTIES. DANIEL P. KIDDER, D. D., Author of^*A Treatise on ffotniletics,'" "Sketches of Residence and Travels in Brazil y" etc. H<^ C INC INN A TI: HITCHCOCK AND WALDEN. T^EAAT YORK: NELSON AND PHILLIPS. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by HITCHCOCK & WALDEN, In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. -.nOLOQK- PREFACE. i "XT EARLY thirty-five years have passed away since the writer first entered upon the duties of the Christian Pastorater-' The earlier periods of his public life introduced him successively to all the principal phases of pastoral responsibility. From those days to the present, he has been an interested observer of the manner in which pastoral duties have been discharged (or neglected) in his own and other Churches, at home and abroad. As anl instructor of candidates for the ministry, during the last fifteen years, he has had repeated occasion to review and discuss the whole subject, both in the light of his personal observation and of what has been written in reference to it by others. 3 4 PREFACE. In sequence of such experiences he has felt called upon to prepare the present volume, with the de- sign of supplying a d^ideratum in the literature of the pastoral office. \J Most of the books on this sub- ject, heretofore published, have had reference to con- ditions of Church organization and action, very dif- ferent from those of the voluntary Churches of this country. None of them have referred prominently to the great evangelical experiment incepted, more than a hundred years ago, for " the spread of scriptural holiness over these lands," and throughout the world, under the auspices of " the people called Methodists.f In view of the success of that experiment, and of its widening prospects, it now seems high time that the theory and practice of pastoral duty, as accepted by American Methodists, should have a full exhibit, as well for the information of others as for the more systematic instruction of our own young ministers. Moreover, as the duties of Churches and pastors are reciprocal, interblending at every point, it is to be hoped that our official members and people gener- ally, will henceforth become more studious of those duties and of our whole system of Church action, as PREFACE, 5 seen from its practical center, the pastoral point of view. The aim of this book, therefore, is not merely to elevate the standard of pastoral character and effi- ciency, but also, by general circulation, to increase the working power of the Church in every department. Prompted by concurrent motives of so great interest, the task of the author has been an agreeable one, and he awaits the result of its execution with hopefulness. EvANSTON, May, 187 i. [■QNE but he who made the world can make a minister oj the gospeW'' John Newton. ^* Some preachers study their sermons without studying the people to whom they are to preach them.'''' Rutherford. *^ By repeated experiments we learn that though a man preach like an angely he will neither collect (a society') nor preserve a society which is collected, without visiting them from house to house.'''' John Wesley. " The ministry is the best calling, but the worst trade in the world:' Matthew Henry. CONTENTS. GENERAL INTRODUCTION. HISTORICAL SKETCH OF RELIGIOUS OFFICES. Ideal of the Christian ministry found in the New Testament. Bet- ter comprehended through a consideration of its historical antecedents. Primeval origin of sacrifices. Probable divine appointment. Symbolic design. Importance of the Patriarchal dispensation. Faith an element of the worship it enjoined. Origin, diffusion, and consequences of idol- atry. The Jewish priesthood. Symbolism of its office and system of worship. The prophets. End of the Mosaic dispensation. The min- isterial character of Christ. Its comprehensiveness. Harmony of the Messianic offices. Christ a Prophet. The great Teacher. A Fore- teller of future events. The priesthood of Christ. Sacrifice and inter- cession the great central function of the Messiah. Christ's kingly office. No succession to his priesthood possible. . . . page 25 CHAPTER I. THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY AS INSTITUTED BY CHRIST, THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH AND FOUNDER OF THE NEW DISPENSATION. Christ alone had the right to appoint whatever services his Church might require. Christian ordinances being few and simple, only a spir- itual ministry was needed. Christ's example and precepts in the estab-, . lishment of such a ministry authoritative. Calling and instruction of his disciples. First public mission of the Twelve. Mission of the Seventy. The moral harvest-field. Mode and authority of Church discipline. Tests of character. Ministers must be prepared for per- secution. Christ's instruction gradual. Prayers for his ministers. The great commission involves the pastoral office. Apostolic idea of the ministry. Ordination of Matthias. Apostolic administration in the 9 lO CONTENTS. Church at Jerusalem. Results, Appointment of deacons. Ordination of elders in all the Churches. Paul's address to the elders of Ephesus. Peter's exhortation to elders. Apostolic measures for instructing and training future ministers. Summary of the Pastoral Epistles. The divine call. Personal and ministerial character. Ministerial studies. Pastoral influence and Church discipline. Instruction and appointment of future ministers. Mosheim's comments on this phase of apostolic labor. Scriptural portraiture of the Christian ministry. . page 53 CHAPTER II. THE MINISTERIAL CALL — HISTORICAL VIEW. Old Testament examples of the divine call. Christianity employed only spiritual agencies for its propagation. Practice of the apostolic Church. The call and appointment of Matthias. Of the seven dea- cons. Of the apostle Paul. Of the elders of the Churches. Great though gradual apostasy of the Church from the true theory of the Christian ministry. Adoption of the terms priesthood and priest. En- croachments of the hierarchical principle. Unknown to Justin Martyr. Developed by Cyprian. Strongly stated by Chrysostom. Enlarged and confirmed by the Apostolic Constitutions. Disorders attending clerical elections promotive of monasticism. Waste of the best talent of the Church during successive centuries. Results of the sacerdotal theory. Joint imitation of Judaism and Paganism. Device of the mass. Transubstantiation and kindred errors. Dishonor of Christ and his perfect sacrifice. Tenacity of the error even in modern times. The opposite extreme. Traces of the true theory still left in forms of ordination. Gregory of Nazianzen. Pluralities and non-residence. Bernard of Clairvaux. The great Reformation reacted in favor of the New Testament idea of the ministry. Luther. Calvin. The English reformers. The ordination formula of the English Church. Bishop Burnet's comments. Rebuke of hypocritical pretenders to a divine call. Fletcher of Madeley. Legh Richmond. Deplorable results throughout Great Britain. The Wesleyan revival gave great prom- inence to the doctrine of a divine call to the ministry. Providential guidance of Wesley in regard to the subject. Maxfield. Whitefield. Results of a just conception of the ministerial call. , page 74 CHAPTER III. THE MINISTERIAL CALL — PRACTICAL VIEW. The Christian ministry not a priesthood, but a service to which men are called by the Holy Spirit, and also by the Church. Scriptural exam- ples. The Holy Spirit calls in divers manners. Different experiences CONTENTS, 1 1 of the apostles and of other true ministers. Different stages of inquiry and of conviction. Danger of demanding ultimate convictions at the stage of preliminary inquiry. Proper view of minor questions. The great central inquiry should be as to God's will. Modes in which God's will is indicated. Primary anxiety. The divine impulse real, but not compulsory. Analogies of Christian experience. Increased light fol- lows obedience, leading to clear and positive conviction of duty. Cor- roborative action of the judgment. Dignity and responsibility of the office. Personal adaptation depends largely on cultivation. Reason for the usual experience of an early call. Moral and spiritual adaptation. Motives. Providential guidance. Corroborative action of the Church. Coincident experience usual and desirable. Distinction between the internal and the external call. Apostate Churches void of spiritual authority. Concurrence of reasons. Conviction of duty should be followed by zealous preparation. May be expected to increase through- out life. The ministry only one among many agencies of Christian usefulness. page 105 CHAPTER IV. CLASSIFICATION OF MINISTERIAL DUTIES. — THE TWO GREAT FUNCTIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY — EVANGELICAL — PASTORAL. Duties of the ministry numerous. Embraced in two principal classes. -^ Preaching and the pastoral care have a common object, but different modes of attaining it. Distinctions. Correspondences. The two func- tions separable. Limitation of the pastorate. Preaching diffusive and of constant obligation. Specially important as a means of introducing the gospel. Illustrated in Christ's example. The pastorate appointed near the close of his earthly mission. Ordinances instituted. A plu- rality of preachers needed. The disciples and apostles went forth to preach two by two. Causes for the division of ministerial labor. The Sabbath a special occasion for preaching. Erroneous theories. I. Importance and universal adaptation of preaching. 2. Moral and perpetual obligation of the preaching office. Evangelism aggressive. Fields should be sought. Pastoral work chiefly done on week-days. Time to be redeemed for pulpit preparation. The gospel not limited by parochial jurisdiction. Ordinations not limited to actual pastors. Ministers should not forsake their calling. Ordination contemplates both branches of ministerial duty. Scriptural examples. Corruptions of the ancient Church. Forced ordinations. Tactual succession. Char- acter and results of the theory. Practical unity of evangelical Churches as to the practice and design of ordination. Ordination vows and charges page 133 12 CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. SPECIAL CHARACTER AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PASTORATE. Preliminary views. The office anticipated in Judaism and in proph- ecy. First fully appointed and established by Christ near the close of his earthly mission. It? three watch-words "feed, guide, guard." Its continuance in the Church, with variations in different countries, times, and circumstances. Characteristic differences in State and voluntary Churches. Advantages in the latter. Correspondent though less favor- able condition of the New Testament Churches. Scriptural standard of pastoral character, i . The pastoral character of the Messiah as fore- shadowed by prophecy. 2. The developed character of Christ as the chief shepherd of God^s spiritual fold. The shepherd and the lamb blended in Christ. The sheep of Christ's fold to be distinguished by a mark upon their foreheads (character). The Church the Lamb's wife. The new Jerusalem the eternal home of Christ's ransomed flock. The duty of under-shepherds to impress Christ's mark or character upon every member of his flock. 3. The appointment of pastors as Chrisfs under- shepherds. Old Testament allusions. Christ's acceptance and employ- ment of the same. His discourse on the shepherd and the sheep. His solemn and emphatic charge to Peter. The -great commission embodies the pastoral idea and perpetuates pastoral obligation. 4. The apostolic idea of the pastoral office. Direct precepts. Figurative illustrations of pastoral duty, (i.) Teachers. (2.) Watchmen. (3.) Overseers. (4.) Fathers. (5.) Builders. (6.) Stewards. The obligation of faith- fulness. The responsibility of the pastoral office intensified by, i. The divine appointment. 2. The nature of the work. Heretofore regarded as a personal agency. Its organic power. Its sufficiency must come from God page 153 CHAPTER VI. QUALIFICATIONS DESIRABLE IN A CHRISTIAN PASTOR. High and peculiar qualifications demanded. The most importa.nt classified. I. Experience, i. Of piety. 2. Of a divine call. 3. Of Church life and labor — e. g.^ in Sunday-schools, lay preaching, and home missions. 4. Of the power and pleasure of exerting good in- fluence. II. Knowledge. Its essential value. Different branches. I. Self-knowledge — physical, mental, moral. Helps to self-knowledge- Advantages. 2. The knowledge of society and of men. 3. A knowl- edge of books. Its necessity. Classes of books. 4. An acquaint- ance with theology, (i.) Biblical. (2.) Doctrinal. (3.) Historical. (4 ) Practical. 5. Skill in the modes and means of using knowledge. CONTENTS. 1 3 Knowledge most valuable for its uses. In education, training and discipline superior to mere learning. Different systems of education with reference to these objects. The greatest possible combination of advantages desirable. Error of those who neglect advantages within their reach. Will the Church hereafter tolerate such neglect.'* Re- sponsibility of ministers and Conferences. Causes of inadequate efforts to acquire knowledge. History illustrates the necessity of institutions for ministerial education and training. Personal effort necessary to profit fully by educational advantages. Institutions should be practical, specially in cultivating powers of expression and influence. III. Char- acter. Distinguished from reputation. Phases of character. Special importance of ministerial- character. Demand and scrutiny of the Church respecting it. No point of character to be overlooked. Each one the architect of his own character. Importance of an exalted ideal and of a constant study of character. Fletcher's " Portrait of St. Paul." Ministers should study and portray Scripture characters. Historic characters. Characters of living men. Character in its essential ele- ments. A. Personal traits. Amiability. Dignity. Discretion. Def- initeness of aim. Impartiality. Independence. Decision. Energy. Perseverance. Courage and hopefulness. B. Religious quaUties of character. Heavenly-mindedness. Love. Sympathy. Heart-power. Increased attention to its importance. Zeal. C. Habits or modes of action. Activity and diligence. Accuracy and thoroughness. Prompt- ness and punctuality. Self-adaptation. Paul's example. Inventive- ness. Consistency. Bishop Ken's portrait of a pastor. Wesley's address to the clergy page 177 CHAPTER VII. THE DUTIES OF A PASTOR — PERSONAL. / Pastoral duties classified. Personal duties arising FROM PHYSICAL RELATIONS. Importance of physiological knowledge and cultivation. Vigorous health. Exercise. Jay. Dempster. Temptations to inac- tivity. Danger of feebleness and bad habits. The improvement of time. Necessity of a plan. Wesley's rules. Specimen of a plan. Mode of securing the co-operation of thfe people. Advantages of a systematic distribution of time. Mental Cultivation. Ministerial life favor- able to a broad culture. Danger of losing enthusiasm. A sketch. Topical study. An important motto. The preparation of sermons. Mental productiveness. Thinking to be blended with exercise. Hard study recommended. A pastor's library. Topics it should repre- sent. A. Ministerial helps. B. Helps to general knowledge. C. Helps to thought and mental growth. D. Miscellany. Modern advantages in book-buying. Church libraries. Caveat against light literature. 14 CONTENTS. Newspapers. Proper mode of reading. Classification of extracts. The pastor's note-book. Its design and uses. Domestic and RELIGIOUS duties PAGE 244 CHAPTER VIII. THE DUTIES OF A PASTOR — PUBLIC — OFFICIAL. 1/ Serial order of treatment proposed. An organized Church prerequi- site to the complete ideal of a pastorate. A pastorate equally necessary to a complete Church. The pastoral office not essentially modified by variations in Church polity. Pastoral economy of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. The itinerancy. Its design and spirit. A new pastor FORMING ACQUAINTANCE. Facilities and helps. Motives for a prompt and full acquaintance with all the members of his Church and congre- gation. The duty of being social and courteous. Value of kind words. Presidency of the leaders' and stewards' meeting. The reception of MEMBERS a pastoral responsibility. Argument of Coke and Asbury. Probation. The pastor's duty to enroll probationers and diligently in- struct them. Reception to full membership. The administration OF baptism. To children. Adults. The proper period. Adminis- tration of the Lord's-Supper. Confirmation a pastoral duty, not a sacrament or exclusively episcopal rite. The Church Record. Its proper keeping a duty of the preacher in charge. Its importance and several departments. Special uses of Church records. Publica- tion recommended. The appointment of class-leaders and com- mittees. The preservation of order and harmony. The pastor as a peace-maker. Church discipline. Pastor's relation to Church tri- als. Dismissing and receiving members by certificate. Welcome to strangers page 271 CHAPTER IX. relations and duties of a church to its pastor. Duties reciprocal. The pastorate a divine gift. The Scriptures indicate the following duties of Churches to pastors : i. To receive them gladly and welcome them cordially. Paul's instructions. The "open and effectual door." The humblest members share the respon- sibility of a pastor's welcome. 2. To give pastors an attentive and reverent hearing. The minister entitled to this in behalf of the Master. Consideration due to youthful ministers. 3. To sustain them gener- ously. Estimates should be just and liberal, comprehending not only family support, but intellectual wants. Church libraries. 4. Churches and Church members should love their pastors and pray for them. CONTENTS. 15 5. Should recognize and sustain their spiritual authority. 6. Should honor their pastors and guard their reputation. 7. Should co-oper- ate with them earnestly in the work of the Lord. 8. Should comfort them in affliction, and dismiss them kindly. Justice and liberality to superannuated ministers. Mutual duties in a system of pastoral rota- tion. PAGE 303 CHAPTER X. THE PASTOR AS A LEADER AND GUIDE OF WORSHIP. A pastor's obligations extend beyond his Church members. The sanctuary open to all. Universal man a worshiper. Christianity adapted to his religious necessities. Errors of ceremonial worship. Essential character of true worship. The pastor a recognized leader in worship, public and social. Great responsibility arising from this position. Requisite preparation. The initiation of worship. Church associations should be sacred. Sin of polluting a sanctuary with sec- ular amusements and common uses. Possible forms of acceptable worship. Principal elements. Singing praise. Its universal obli- gation. A pastor's influence upon this branch of worship. Prayer. The proper attitude. Scriptural exhortation. Responses. Elements of edifying extempore prayer. Means of preparation. Its faults. Scriptural direction. The Lord's prayer. Reading the Script- ures. Modes of rendering this exercise interesting and profitable. The holy sacrament as an occasion of worship. Religious objects attainable. Prayer-meetings. Their prominence in Wesleyan econ- omy. Means of securing attendance and of rendering them profitable. Various kinds. Suitable places. Mode of conducting, Skill needed. Profitable variations. Modern experiences. Bramwell's rules. Love- feasts. Their antiquity and design. Importance of a skillful presi- dency. Opposite faults of dullness and excitement. Mutual edifica- tion the object. Inquiry-meetings. Special design. Occasions and advantages. Pastoral requisites to their success. Class-meetings. The pastor should be a good class-leader. Should regularly lead a class. Should visit classes. Worship in social assemblies to be pro- moted by pastors page 318 CHAPTER XI. the PASTOR IN HIS PULPIT. Importance of preaching. Its bearing on various activities of the Church. Its relation to pastoral duties. Elements of success in 1 reaching as part of a pastor's work. i. He must cherish just ideas 1 6 CONTENTS, of the office and responsibility of preaching. 2. An exalted idea of the character and results of a sermon. 3. The pastor should practice a judicious brevity. 4. He should make sure of variety in subjects and modes of treatment. 5. He should practice continuous expositions of God's word. Remarks of Crosby, Spurgeon, and Tholuck. 6. He should acquire the habit of mentally preparing sermons while doing pastoral work. 7. He should deliver his sermons with feeling and effect. 8. He should sustain his pulpit utterances by his life and example. 9. He should regard prayer an auxiliary of pulpit suc- cess. Spurgeon's exhortation. Glorious privileges of a Christian pulpit PAGE 342 CHAPTER XII. THE PASTOR IN HIS SUNDAY-SCHOOL. Advantages of a division of Christian labor illustrated in the history of Sunday-schools. The Sunday-school idea not new. Embodied in the original appointment of the Sabbath. Developed in Judaism. More perfectly developed by Christ. Long overlooked by the Church. Revived near the close of the Eighteenth Century. The Schools of Raikes, secular and philanthropic. "Wesley saw that they might be- come nurseries for Christians. Gratuitous instruction and Church affiliation made them such. The Sunday-school should always be an actual and recognized auxiliary of the Church — a part of itself and its work. Causes which might put it and the pastor in a false position. Special claims of a Sunday-school upon its pastor. His true relation to it that of a spiritual overseer. Summary of a pastor's duties to his Sunday-school, i. To impress on parents their duties and obligations. 2. To enlist teachers and show the importance of their work. 3. To raise funds. 4. To aid in selecting books and periodicals ; also, 5. Les- sons and plans of instruction. 6. To devise plans of improvement. 7. To address the school and preach to children. 8. To catechise and see that children are grounded in Christian doctrine. 9. To maintain a teachers' Bible-class. 10. To read up on the Sunday-school enter- prise and study its philosophy. 11. To encourage the connection of children and teachers with the Church. A pastor should take broad views of the design and power of the Sunday-school system. Its aid to missions. Its agency in promoting systematic beneficence — in recruit- ing the Church. Its promise for the Church and the world. Pastors should co-operate with each other in general Sunday-school measures, and in securing the cumulative advantages of Sunday-schools. They should enlist children for life. They should give to Sunday-schools their constant sympathy, solicitude, and co-operation. How to retain the larger scholars page 359 CONTENTS, I J CHAPTER XIIL THE PASTOR AND HIS SYSTEM OF BOOK, PERIODICAL, AND TRACT SUPPLY. Importance of making the press auxiliary to pastoral work. Danger of its opposite influence. Necessity of warnings against corrupt pub- lications, and of instruction with reference to reading as a means of Christian improvement. Pastors should encourage the provision of good BOOKS and libraries in all Christian families. Our system con- templates this work. Recent neglect and its consequences. Remedies and means of making them successful. Home colportage. Sin of indifference. Religious Periodicals. Motives for their circulation. Tract and volume circulation as an agency of evangelization. Pre- cedence of Wesley and activity of early Methodists in this cause. Its past progress and results full of encouragement to future effort. The Church requires pastoral activity in this department. Approved agen- cies and methods page 373 CHAPTER XIV. THE PASTOR AND HIS LAY HELPERS. The Church designed for results, not ceremonies. Internal results to be an instrumentality of external growth and power. Messianic prophecy and the Savior's commands contemplated both. The apos« tolic Church illustrated both. Faithful Churches designed to be work- ing Churches. Proof from Christ's addresses to the Seven Churches of Asia Minor. Successful labor requires organization. Pastors should study the importance and art of organizing successful measures and agencies. Duty of furnishing religious employment to Church mem- bers. Necessity of system. Comprehensiveness and efficiency of our •Church system. Its three departments of finance, pastoral aid, and home evangelization. I. Finance. Christianity demands liberality in giving, also activity in all good works. Requisitions of the Church in both regards. Work a means of grace. II. Pastoral and Christian helpers. Class-leaders. Means of promoting a general appreciation of class-meetings. Of securing a supply of competent leaders. Fe- male class-leaders. Their special adaptations. Duty of instructing and examining leaders. The higher objects of the class-meeting. Dif- ferent necessities of pastoral work in different places. City and coun- try. Mission schools. Union efforts. A just catholicity recommended. Effective Church action demands cordial sympathy and constant co-op- eration between a pastor and his people. The pastor is invested with important duties, e. g.: i. To work his own Church system thoroughly. 2 1 8 CONTENTS. 2. To appoint extra committees, as occasion may require. Optionally, 3. To organize a Christian association within his Church. 4. A read- ing circle. 5. A private Prayer Union. 6. A Ladies' and Pastor's Christian Union. Importance of enlisting women in the 'active service of Christ. III. Home evangelization. Lay preaching a part of our Church system. Its double advantages. The pastor and his lay preachers. Open-air preaching. Local preachers' conventions and associations. Present desideratum in respect to this agency. Possi- bility of increasing its power. Wesley's remark. Praying Bands- Idea and character. Their proper work. These agencies not designed to relieve the Church as a whole or individual Christians from responsibil- ity and active Christian effort. Possible modes of doing good. Cavil of an objector. Moral machinery important in its place. Yet only valuable as an auxiliary to the work of the Spirit. The duty of mak- ing all things subsidiary to the extension of Christ's kingdom. Mag- nanimity toward fellow-laborers page 384 CHAPTER XV. THE PASTOR IN HIS RELATION TO REVIVALS AND REVIVAL AGENCIES. The nature of true religion. The necessity and nature of revivals. Old Testament examples. Scriptural prayers for revival. Exhorta- tions, promises, and prophecies. Christianity itself a revival. Christ's ministry of a revival type. His precepts and promise of the Holy Ghost point to future revivals. Spiritual decline of the ancient Church. The Reformation a revival. Methodism a revival. Its historic idea. Frequency and prevalence of modern revivals. Ministerial duty to be studied in the light and hope of revivals. I. Why should pastors seek to promote revivals.? i. In order to promote the salvation of men. 2. In order to promote the work of salvation to a wider extent. 3. Re- vivals harmonize with man's wants and God's will. 4. They are of great advantage to the Church. Testimony of Edwards, Dr. Sprague, Bishop M'llvaine, Wesley, and others. 5. Revivals increase minis- terial power. 6. Revivals are the harvest seasons. II. How may revivals be promoted? The history of revivals should be stud- ied. I. Christian preparation. 2. The outpouring of the Spirit. 3. Revival preaching. 4. Continuous Christian effort, (i.) Prayer. (2.) Christian conversation. (3.) Judicious instruction. (4.) Fervent praise. (5.) The activity of young converts. General evangelical agencies. A. Protracted meetings. Analogy of the Christian Festi- vals. Advantages enumerated. B. Camp-meetings. Origin. Char- acter. Prospective continuance. Claims on pastors. C. Daily prayer- meetings. III. Means of perpetuating the fruits of revivals. Church CONTENTS. 19 membership. Watch-care, sympathy, and instruction. Methodism adapted to pastoral work. Relation and necessity of pastoral work to revivals and their best fruits page 419 CHAPTER XVI. PASTORAL VISITING. Christianity a social system. Its sociality consecrated to important ends, specially in the line of ministerial influence. Pastoral visiting theoretically approved, but practically neglected. Analysis of the sub- ject. I, The objects to be attained. Not merely social enjoyment, but Christian influence, i. With reference to the people. 2. With refer- ence to the pastor himself IT. Scriptural proofs and illustrations of the duty. I. The example of Christ. 2. The pra<:tice of the apostles. 3. The indirect teaching of the Scriptures, III. The best modes of accomplish- ing the work and objects of pastoral visitation, i. Preparation — intel- lectual, spiritual. 2. Systematic attention to the duty, (i.) A due allotment of time. (2.) A proper districting of the field. (3.) Spe- cial appointments with families. Distinction between calls and visits. (4.) Special attentions to the sick, afflicted, and needy. Elements of success in a pastor's visits to the sick. A pastor's rights. Relief for the needy. Difficulties considered. IV. Motives for faithfulness in pastoral visiting, i. It is essential to full proof of the power and in- fluence of the ministry. Wesley's views and experience. Success of Methodism. 2. It increases congregations. 3. It creates influence and sympathy. 4. It is an essential complement of faithful preaching. 5. It promotes revivals. It is the work of a shepherd as distinguished from that of a hireling. A labor of love, repaid by sympathy and increased usefulness page 459 CHAPTER XVII. THE PASTOR IN SOCIETY. Society makes claims upon him. False and degraded position of English clergymen two hundred years ago. Contrasted position won by talents and learning. Daniel Webster's tribute to the clergy of America. Different uses of the term society. The pastor should not mingle in gay society, but in that of the intelligent, the moral, and the religious. Position toward which he should aspire. The influence he should exert by his presence, his words, and his example. Keeping God's watch. Words from George Herbert. Conversational ability. ImportaYice and means of acquiring it. Clerical manners. Governing principles better than artificial rules. Offensive traits of manner and 20 CONTENTS. character. Undue sensitiveness to be avoided. Charity toward others. Readiness to receive hints and corrections. Pastors sustain confiden- tial relations to society. The endearments of those relations when properly sustained. The pastor in scenes of joy. Of sorrow. Vital points at which he touches society. Motives for watchfulness and dis- cretion PAGE 481 CHAPTER XVIII. THE PASTOR IN HIS FAMILY. True Christianity not ascetic. Marriage the law of society. Min- isterial exceptions. Churches generally prefer married pastors, but only when well married. Serious character of mistakes in matrimony. Errors to be avoided. Qualifications demanded in a pastor's wife. Traits of character to be cultivated. Motives and means of improve- ment. Joint responsibility for mutual and parallel improvement. What is to be desired in a minister's family. The wife's part. Diffi- culties of maintaining a model home in ministerial life. Yet necessary to do so for personal and public reasons. The family a field of respon- sibility and privilege. Well-regulated family life favorable to ministe- rial success. Home courtesies demanded from a pastor. . page 493 CHAPTER XIX. THE PASTOR IN HIS RELATION TO CHRISTIAN ACTIVITIES AND ENTERPRISES. The Church has various forms of action, indirect as well as direct. The pastor should therefore be ready for every good work, but discrimi- nate against doubtful measures under any pretense. He should co-op- erate with, I. Public charities. 2. The cause of temperance, (i.) Ab- staining from all forms of intemperance. (2.) Preaching on the subject. (3.) Inculcating it in the Sunday-school. {4.) Encouraging societies. (5.) Distributing tracts and pledges. 3. Young Men's Christian Asso- ciations. Character and relations of these agencies. Elements of suc- cess. 4. Domestic missions. Church planting and training. 5. Foreign missions. The home pastor should regard the world as his field. Should enlist the sympathy and liberality of his Church in its behalf. Means to this end. (i.) He should acquire missionary knowledge. (2.) He should impart it systematically and perseveringly. (3.) He should, by precept and example, encourage liberal giving, self-consecration, lega- cies, and prayer. (4.) He should act in unison with the Church at large. He may thus most effectually do his own work and rise to the dignity and responsibility of his position page 504 CONTENTS, 21 CHAPTER XX. THE PASTOR IN HIS RELATIONS TO EDUCATION, THE PRESS, AND THE COUNTRY. Modem education an outgrowth of Christianity. The American educational system spedally indebted to Christian influence. A pas- toral privilege and duty to co-operate with educational efforts. Pas- tors should visit schools. Should encourage the education of the young. Should commend institutions exerting a Christian influence. Pastors may often employ the press as an agency of good. Their connection with newspapers, secular and religious. Cautions and suggestions. Notoriety not to be sought for. No redundance of good reading in the world. The preparation of books for Sunday-school libraries in strict harmony with the design of preaching and pastoral labor. Better qualified than others to know what line of books are most needed. Tracts and Tract volumes. Literary labors tributary to preparation for the pulpit. Double use of good matter. Mental power increased by activity. Political rights and duties of ministers in the United States. Proprieties and responsibilities of their posi- tion PAGE 515 CHAPTER XXI. THE pastor's RELATION TO CHURCH BUILDING AND CHURCH EXTENSION. Church edifices a necessity to the advancement and permanence of Christianity. The advantages of modern pastors in having churches already built for their use. These advantages increase their obligation to work for posterity. Church building in America popular and easy, but needs leadership. Pastoral responsibility. Not to bear the ma- terial burdens of Church enterprises. But i. For good counsel. 2. For promoting unity of action. 3. For securing the best practicable style of architecture. 4. Avoiding and paying debts. 5. Selecting and acquiring sites. Breadth and importance of the church building enterprise. Its monumental significance. Characteristic difference between church building in America and Europe. Sacred and im- portant uses of a church. A place for sacred instruction. Sanctuary for the administration of Christian ordinances. Place for funeral so- lemnities. The birthplace of souls. Relations of an earthly Church to the temple not made with hands. Church extension. Motives that should govern in church building. The true design of a church may be perverted. page 524 22 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXII. THE pastor's ecclesiastical RELATIONS. Various forms of Church polity not necessarily unfriendly to the essential unity of Christianity. The true remedy of antagonisms be- tween different branches of the general Church. Heart unity, not out- ward conformity, the desideratum. Pastors may promote it. They should form their Church relations intelligently and permanently. They should be true to the system they adopt. Itinerancy, i. In harmony with Scripture. 2. Adapted to the wants of humanity. Life- long settlements obsolete. Instability of the pastoral relation under that system. The demand for variety superior to the theory of settle- ments. 3. Hardships of the itinerancy overbalanced by its advantages and pleasures. Obligations of itinerant ministers. To their system and associates. Fraternal obligations. Preachers' Meetings and Min- isterial Associations. Connectional Relations of Presiding Elders and Bishops as chief pastors. Relations to neighboring pastors. Claims of Christian charity. Ecclesiastical exclusiveness contemptible. A pastor's relations to young men called to the ministry. His position favorable to the giving of counsel page 532 CHAPTER XXIII. pastoral difficulties, trials, and encouragements. Difficulties are incident to all human circumstances. The pastorate not exempt. A pastor may find difficulties in himself. He is sure to encounter them without. Oppositions of various kinds. The Scriptu- ral idea of the ministry is that of labor — work. Trials are essential human discipline. Peculiar trials of the Pastorate. They should nei- ther be magnified nor feared. They should be met with courage and overcome. Sources of encouragement, i. The nature of the work. Distinguished from all others by its immediate relations to the ultimate end of human existence. 2. Its present results. A pastor's part- nership in a grand system of efforts and results. Only one of many workers. Results in society. In legislation. Religious results. Founding and establishing Churches, Sunday-schools, and schemes of practical benevolence. The conversion of souls. The establishment of Christian character. The prosperity of the Church. The triumph- ant death of believers. Superiority of these results to all others of human attainment, and to the trials and hardships on which they are conditioned. Pastors not subjected to greater trials and hardships than other men. Peculiarities of a pastor's joy and privilege. 3. The CONTENTS. 23 future rewards of faithful ministers. The crown of glory. Eternal brightness. The Lord's welcome. Companionship of glorified fellow- laborers. The fruits of personal labor. The partnership of ever- multiplying fruitfulness. The unspeakable glory. . . page 549 APPENDIX. PAGE. A. Extracts of "The Constitutions of the Holy Apostles," . 561 B. Bishop Ames on Courtesy, 562 C. Bishop Morris's Hints to Young Ministers, .... 563 D. Ladies' and Pastor's Christian Union, .... 564 E. Praying Bands, 564 THE Christian Pastorate. GENERAL INTRODUCTION. HISTORICAL SKETCH OF RELIGIOUS OFFICES. WHOEVER would understand the true charac- ter of the Christian ministry should study its ideal in the New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. From the teachings of that volume it may be seen that there are important distinctions between the ministry of the gospel and a priesthood of any kind, whether Patriarchal, Pagan, or Jewish. That those distinctions may be the better compre- hended, it is proper to consider briefly the rise both of true and false religions in the world. History proves man to have been, from the first, a religious being. Every nation of the world has had ideas of God and worship. At the period of the cre- ation man had direct communion with his Creator. As a consequence of transgression his freedom of intercourse with God was barred, and he was taught to approach his Maker through the agency of sym- bolic rites. 3 25' 26 ADAMIC SACRIFICES, While the Scriptures do not definitely state that Primeval origin Adam offered sacrifices, they lead us to of sacrifices. '^^i^^^ ^j^^^ j^^ j| j . 1. From the use made of the skins of beasts when as yet no permission had been given for the use of animal food. 2. From the fact that his sons, Cain and Abel, offered sacrifices, as though in sequence of parental precept or example, the one obeying God, the other inventing a false way. 3. From the fact that sacrifice was a universal custom of the patriarchs of ancient nations. It is difficult, if not impossible, to account for Divine ap- the Origin and prevalence of sacrifice as pointment. ^ leading element of worship throughout the world, except by supposing that it was appointed to Adam, in immediate sequence of his transgres- sion, as a symbolical foreshadowing of that atone- ment through which sin was to be forgiven. In the early history of the race, when language was but imperfectly developed, symbolic actions had a significance not easily appreciated at present. Indeed, they seem to have been a necessity to the expression of sentiments appropriate to the circumstances of sinful beings, and for the inculcation of truth adapted to their moral recovery. How could the sense of guilt be more emphatically expressed than by the offering of some valued but innocent animal, whose death indicated what was due from the offerer, and became at least the figure of a substitute for the sat- isfaction required by offended justice.'* No language comprehensible at that stage of human history could MORAL LESSON. 2/ SO fully set forth the deserts of sin and the idea of pardon through vicarious substitution as did the rites which accompanied the immolation of sacrificial vic- tims— the implied or uttered confession, the sprinkled blood, the consuming fire — the ascending smoke im- pressing the senses and overwhelming the mind with mysterious awe. Imagine the impression made when the first sacrifice was offered, when our first parents, conscious of having sinned, were dismayed by the divine rebuke, driven from Eden, and threatened with death. Death, as yet, was unknown to their experience, save in the moral change that had come upon themselves. They were now to have it illus- trated before their eyes. Stern authority directed the smiting of the lamb which, with endearing inno- cence, had sported around them, and behold its streaming blood, witness its unavailing cries and its struggling agonies ! " When, further, they had to go through the remaining process of the sacrifice, their hands reluctant, their hearts broken, and their souls crushed with the sad consciousness that these horrid things were the fruit of their sin, and yet contained the hope of their deliverance, who can imagine the intensity of their feelings .'*" * Yet herein was the moral lesson they were to learn themselves and to teach to their children, Divine appro- through whom it was to descend through ^^*'°"- succeeding generations. There is nothing in the na- ture of animal sacrifices to justify the idea that they would have been invented and generally practiced among men apart from original divine authority. *J. Pye Smith on the Sacrifice and Priesthood of Jesus Christ, p. 9. 28 PATRIARCHAL SACRIFICES. Yet it is certain that the approbation of God was solemnly given to the sacrifices of Abel, Noah, Job, and Abraham, as we can not suppose it would have been had such acts sprung from the devices of their own hearts. Indeed, the divine acceptance may justly be considered as proof of the divine appointment, since in matters of religion man has not been left to the dictates of his own wild and changing fancy, but has been held strictly subject to the divine prerogative. The truth stated by Isaiah and repeated by our Savior may be accepted as a rule of equal and binding force under all dispensa- tions : " In vain do ye worship me, teaching for doc- trines the commandments of men."* If, therefore, we accept the theory that God appointed sacrifice to Adam as an acceptable mode of worship, it can read- ily be understood that from him it descended through the patriarchs to Noah, and that after the flood the descendants of Noah practiced, with more or less corruption, this custom of their antediluvian fore- fathers in the different continents which they pop- ulated. Thus the idea of expiatory sacrific-e would have been handed down to all the nations that sprang from them, and we have an adequate explanation of the sacrificial customs found in every quarter of the globe. If, on the other hand, it be supposed that sacrifice, instead of having been divinely appointed, was in- vented by men, the difficulty of accounting for the universality of the practice and the general uniformity of its fundamental ideas still remains. This difficulty * Isaiah xxix, 13 ; Matthew xv, 9 ; Mark vii, 7. DESIGN AND POSSIBILITY. 29 can only be met by supposing that there existed in the constitution of humanity some moral necessity which prompted or some instinct which guided men to acts of worship, of which sacrifice was a frequent, if not a uniform outgrowth. This supposition is, in fact, necessary to account for the general continuance of the custom, even though divinely instituted, and is nearly tantamount to the simpler and more compre- hensive view that God appointed to men a duty based upon the moral necessities of their nature and the age of the world in which they lived. Certain it is that the ancients of all tribes and nations not only practiced the offering of sacrifices, but universally re- garded them as significant and efficacious in reference to man's highest and eternal interests. No ideas ex- pressed in all the writings of antiquity are more defi- nite than those of propitiation and pardon secured through the offering of sacrificial victims. Hence we may conclude that tradition, united with the pre- vailing consciousness of guilt and apprehension of punishment, diffused and fixed in the minds of men the fundamental idea of sacrifice as a propitiatory offering, notwithstanding the corruption with which it became obscured by the practices of those who perverted the knowledge of the true God into super- stitious reverence for gods of their own imagining. The Patriarchal dispensation is too often over- looked, as though it were of minor importance, and only desiscned to be introductory to the J <=> J Importance of Jewish, whereas it rested on a broader the Patriarchal basis than that which succeeded it, and, '^p^"=^''°°- had it been fully and faithfully improved, would have 30 FAITH THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENT placed all people in a position as favorable as that afterward accorded to the chosen nation. The uni- versality of its sacrificial rites was designed to make all men familiar with the spirituality of God and the promise of a Redeemer.. Imagine a pure, patriarchal worship every- where diffused with the growing populations of the earth, every family and tribe honoring God according to his original appointment, every patriarch an Abra- ham, every king a Melchisedec, and every nation anticipating the advent of a coming Deliverer. How effectually, if not speedily, might the world have been prepared for the restoration of the race to the for- feited favor of God ! We are informed in the Epistle to the Hebrews — xi, 4 — that the distinguishing excel- lence of Abel's sacrifice was faith. Indeed, faith in "the promises" "seen afar off" was an essential ele- ment of true patriarchal worship. One of the best Scriptural explanations of faith is in connection with Enoch, who "had this testimony that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him ; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Heb. xi, 6. Sacrifice was to the patriarchs the appointed mode of coming to God, and its right performance im- plied in the worshiper, i. An acknowledgment of the divine direction; 2. His recognition of God's promise of the forgiveness of sins through the shed- ding of blood ; and, 3. Of the duty of presenting himself a living sacrifice — that is, of accompanying his outward offering with a sacrifice of the heart to THE CORRUPTION OF SACRIFICE. 3 1 God. It is obvious that such a worship was what the world needed, and all that it needed at that stage of its history. But unhappily "the wickedness of man was great in the earth," and " every imagination of origin of idoi- the thoughts of his heart was only evil ^*'^^- continually " That idolatrous corruption was the source and center of that wickedness which pro- voked the flood, and subsequently brought down the divine judgments upon Sodom and the cities of the plain, hardly admits of doubt. Yet the severest judgments proved insufficient to correct the down- ward tendencies of the race. A form of worship was, indeed, continued in the offering of sacrifices, but God was insulted by their being offered to beings and objects entitled neither to worship nor honor. Men seemed intent upon the monstrous idea of creating gods after their own groveling fancies. Not satisfied with the Creator's revelation of himself as a spiritual being, they "changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things." Rom. i, 23, Thus innumerable systems of heathen worship were invented, and gods and images without number were contrived as objects of adoration, before which sacrifices were offered and divine homage paid. Out of the custom of sacrifice, whether pure or corrupt, sprang the idea and necessity of pagan priest- priests and a priesthood. At first the ''°°'^- father of a family, the chief of a tribe, or the king of a nation, officiated in a priestly capacity. But with the growth of nations it was natural that a 32 APOSTOLIC PORTRAITURE. class of men should be set apart as priests or sacri- ficers. Nor can it be doubted that the process of idolatrous corruption was rapidly promoted by the agency of appointed or self-constituted priests, who, for the sake of gain, or lust, or the vanity of distinc- tion, were ever contriving new schemes of error and deception, by which "they changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator." Rom. i, 25. With what graphic fidelity does the apostle por- tray the consequences of this wicked perversion ! I. Intellectually. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." 2. Socially. "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections, receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet." 3. Morally. "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient, being filled with all unrighteous- ness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, malicious- ness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity," and such like evil passions and practices. While, therefore, the ingenuity of bad men was employed in making themselves and others worse, Satan tri- umphed in stimulating and multiplying those evil devices by which the hearts of men were darkened and their minds made insensible to the claims of the living God. At that early day did Satan establish his kingdom upon earth, and make himself, largely through idolatrous agencies, "the god of this world." By such combined influences of evil, numberless systems of idolatrous worship became diffused among ENORMITIES OF HEATHENISM. ^ the nations of the earth, and yet in all there contin- ued some idea of a promised deliverer. Diffusion and This idea was often vague, and even cor- consequences. rupt, yet it lingered down to the time when the wise men of the East were led forth by the star of Bethlehem to welcome the infant Savior. Nevertheless, the tendency of false religion, even though incorporating in itself some elements of truth, was to deteriorate in its character and influence. Thus men descended from the worship of fire and the heavenly bodies to the adoration of loathsome beasts and reptiles, from the sacrifice of animals to the murderous immolation of human beings, which was practiced with indescribable cruelty in every principal quartet of the heathen world.* Without dwelling upon the enormities of heathen- ism and the extent of its apostasy from the patri- archal worship, it is sufficient now to observe that its growing prevalence in the world a few centuries after the flood created the necessity of a second dis- pensation or divine appointment of religious wor- ship. This commenced with the call of Abraham, and culminated in the law and ordinances of Moses. The Mosaic dispensation, instead of being offered to mankind promiscuously, was committed to a par- ticular nation — primarily, indeed, to an individual from whom descended a nation — specially called to exemplify the divine precepts and to introduce the Messiah's kingdom. Under the Abrahamic covenant, down to the time of Moses, no peculiar forms of worship were instituted *See Comfort's "Moral Portrait of Man." 34 MOSAIC DISPENSATION. differing from the patriarchal mode of sacrifice. But the miraculous deliverance from Egyptian bondage gave occasion for an impressive revelation of the great moral law, and also for the prescription of a minute ritual of typical worship, designed to fore- shadow more definitely the great sacrifice provided in the counsels of infinite mercy to be revealed in the fullness of time. The Mosaic ritual required a specially appointed The Jewish pricsthood. Culminating in the person and priesthood. office of a high-pricst, who was eminently typical of the character and functions of the Messiah as an atoning Mediator. In this light the whole Jewish ritual assumes a Messianic significance, while numerous events in the history of the nation become typical of more important events connected with the Christian dispensation. Through the agency of Moses, himself a type of Christ, the original rite of sacrifice was expanded into a system, every part of which portrayed symbol- ically the coming and the atonement of "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." For the enactment of the peculiar and complicated ceremo- nies of the second dispensation, a whole tribe — that of Levi — was set apart to the priesthood, while the office of the high-priesthood was confined to a par- ticular family — that of Aaron. This ordinance, re- quiring a special consecration of the priesthood, and prescribing their qualifications and mode of life, was full of significance.* It betokened, i. The exclusive proprietorship which God saw fit to exercise over the *Vide Exodus xxviii. DESIGN OF THE JEWISH PRIESTHOOD. 35 priestly office: 2. The holiness of character which each representative of the office ought to maintain; and, 3. The right of the priest to draw nigh to God in propitiatory acts of worship. This right, which under the patriarchal system had been common, at least to heads of families and of communities, was under the second dispensation withdrawn from all individuals not of the priestly office, even though patriarchs or kings, while sacrifice was limited to a single appointed place where the ark of the covenant was kept, first in the tabernacle, and afterward in the temple. Although the Jewish priests were chiefly employed in ritualistic services, yet not exclusively. They were also designed to be moral and religious teachers to the extent of illustrating, by their lives and by appro- priate expositions of the law, the will of God con- cerning the people. To what extent the higher ideas symbolized by the consecration and office of the Jewish priesthood were comprehended and appreciated by either the priests or the people can not with certainty be affirmed. That they were designed to be understood and might have been by all true Israelites is obvious ; that they actually were comprehended by many in each suc- cessive generation is the inference of charity, and yet that many of the priests, as well as of the people, were unfaithful to their high calling became a matter of oft-repeated record. But, criminal as was this un- faithfulness, it was not allowed to bring the counsels of God to confusion. To supplement the priesthood, and to improve 36 PROPHETIC OFFICE SUPPLEMENTARY. upon its moral character, prophets were raised up to occupy an intermediate position between The prophets. ^ '' ^ the material and ceremonial dispensation of Moses and the purely spiritual dispensation of Christ. They, in a far stronger manner than the priests of their nation, testified of the coming Mes- siah, and illustrated an important office which he was to bear — that also of a prophet. While, therefore, the priests were designed to symbolize the priestly office of the Savior and the prophets his prophetic functions, the prophets especially gave witness of his kingly office, styling him the King of Zion and the Prince of Peace. Thus it was that, by a series of sacred institutions and offices, the way of the Lord was prepared, and the Savior of men was introduced as the promised Shiloh to whom "the gathering of the nations" should be. As all shadows fade away in the diffiision of a perfect and all-surrounding light, and as saic dispensa- all typcs disappear before their appointed antitypes, so in the actual coming of the Messiah the Jewish dispensation was brought to an end. In the offering of the great and only availing sacrifice which it was the office of all true antece- dent sacrifices to prefigure, the. whole institution of sacrifices was brought to a close, and with it that of a sacrificing priesthood. Henceforth, as there was to be no more sacrifice for sin, emblems were no longer required to foreshadow such a sacrifice, nor any order of men to maintain a prefigurative ceremo- nial. On the contrary, the promise of an all-sufficient MINISTERIAL CHARACTER OF CHRIST. 37 sacrifice for the sins of the world which had been set forth during ages of types and prophecy having now become fact, the great work of all ministers of the true religion would necessarily be to make known the character and offices of the Redeemer actually manifested and "able to save to the utter- most all that come unto God by him." This change from priestly to ministerial service corresponded to that glorious provision of the Christian dispensation which confers upon every true believer a spiritual priesthood — that is, the right, previously limited to patriarchs and priests, of offering full and perfect worship to God whenever pleading the merit of the atoning blood. In order to a just conception of the religious offices of the Christian dispensation, it is necessary to conceive clearly and correctly of The Ministe- rial Character of Christ. A summary state- ment of that important subject seems, therefore, to be required in this connection. The ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ upon earth was not limited to a single phase of character. On the other hand, he in whom "all fullness dwelt", illustrated the highest perfection of the several char- acters involved in his Messiahship, especially those of Prophet, Priest, and King. Nor did these charac- ters in any degree conflict with each other. •' ^ _ Harmony of On the contrary, they blended together in the Messianic beautiful harmony, and jointly co-operated for the full accomplishment of our Savior's glorious mission. The prophetic office of the Messiah was first in 38 MESSIANIC OFFICES ETERNAL. order, as an appropriate introduction to that of the great High-Priest of oUr profession, while his kingly functions were only assumed in full after his resurrec- tion and ascension. As a prophet Christ connected his mission with that of Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, and all the true seers of Israel. As a priest he fulfilled all the types of former dispensations, and by the offering of himself made the one only availing sac- rifice for the sins of the world. As the Prince of Peace he founded an everlasting kingdom, and of the increase of his dominion there is to be no end. None of these phases of Messianic character were limited to the Savior's earthly sojourn. Plis prophetic office still remains to give authority to revealed truth, to send forth and accompany its living teachers, and to sanction and supplement their work by the gift of the Holy Ghost. His priestly office culminated not in the offering of Calvary — great and glorious as that work was, it was part of his humiliation — but in his exalted character as Mediator and Intercessor "on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heav- ens." As a king his earthly crown was composed of thorns. In his exaltation he not only reigns King of saints, but sways the scepter of dominion ovejr the principalities and powers of the heavenly world. As related to the spread of his kingdom upon earth, his own teaching, office, and that of his min- isters rises superior to the power of the sword or the onset of armed hosts. His priestly functions are reserved to himself As from the period of his suf- fering upon the cross there remained no more sacri- fice for sin, no legitimate priesthood could any longer AN IMPORTANT STUDY. 39 exist Upon earth. Hence his disciples were not called to be priestsj but ministers of the New Testament, servants of the heavenly King, heralds of the salva- tion secured through his everlasting priesthood and eternal sacrifice, and pastors of the flock of whom it is his "Father's good pleasure to give them the kingdom." Ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ should study well these several phases of his character as a means of discriminating clearly between those human func- tions of the Messiah in which it may be their duty to follow in his steps, and those divine offices in which all attempts at imitation are grossly sacri- legious. Among the earliest distinct prophecies of a coming Messiah given to the children of Israel Christ a was that recorded by Moses — Deuteron- ^''^p^'-'^- omy xviii, 15 : "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy breth- ren like unto me; unto him shall ye hearken." The triumphant quotation of this prophecy, both by Peter at the Pentecost, and by Stephen before the high- priest and the council at Jerusalem, completed the identification of Jesus of Nazareth as the Prophet foretold by Moses. Prophecy, as illustrated in the Scriptures, involves two principal and leading functions — the office of in- struction and the foretelling of future events. These functions were more or less blended together in the character of the Jewish prophets, and also developed in greater proportions at different periods and by dif- ferent individuals. Moses, the great leader of Israel, 40 CHRIST THE IMMANUEL. has been denominated the prophet of the law, since his most prominent work was the promulgation of God's will as to human duty. Nevertheless, Moses prophesied of Christ, distinctly predicting his advent and office, while the ceremonial law, in all its partic- ulars, was designed to prefigure the Mediator of the new covenant and his work. Each of the greater and minor prophets of the Jews had some striking characteristic more or less prefigurative of the prophetical character of Christ. Thus, as Moses declared the will of God uttered on Sinai, so Christ brought to the world God's message of love in the everlasting Gospel, which is "the law of the Spirit of life." If Samuel, Elijah, and Elisha were the prophets of God's vengeance against idola- try and sin, so Christ came to denounce the divine wrath against every form of iniquity, even though concealed in the thoughts and desires of the heart. If Isaiah was the evangelical prophet, Christ was himself the promised Immanuel. If Jonah was the prophet of repentance and Jeremiah the prophet of tears, Christ was greater than Jonah in preaching repentance to the Jews, and greater than Jeremiah in weeping over the coming doom of Jerusalem. If, amid the rigors of foreign captivity, Ezekiel was a prophet of consolation and Zechariah a prophet of the restoration of Israel, so Christ predicted not only tribulation to his followers, but a glorious deliv- erance in the end, and the reward of blessedness in heaven. If Malachi was a prophet of the second temple, so Christ was the prophet of the new cove- nant, and the promiser of the New Jerusalem, and THE GREAT TEACHER, 4 1 of the temple of God "made without hands, eternal in the heavens." When upon earth Christ proved himself to be indeed "a teacher sent from God," and chdst as a as the ages roll along the world more '^^^^^^'■• distinctly recognizes him as by eminence the Great Teacher. In this capacity his work was both im- portant and manifold. He authoritatively explained and illustrated the connection between the old and the new dispensations, and, as in the sermon on the mount, showed how the law merged into the gospel, and how the gospel improved upon the law. In conformity with the gospel scheme, he introduced the new law and gave the new commandment of love. Also, in accordance with antecedent prophecy, he himself proclaimed the glad tidings of great joy designed for all people, announcing liberty to the captives of sin, and the opening of the prison-doors to the bondmen of Satan. As a teacher Christ spake as never man spake, and his words were confirmed to those present by the miracles which he wrought, and to all subsequent ages by his predictions of future events. While his prophetic utterances differed from most of the prophecies of former ages in relating to events near at hand, they were also characterized by the orderly and specific manner in which he detailed cir- cumstances which could only have been foreseen by the eye of omniscience. Thus, with historic minute- ness, he foretold the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jewish nation. With equal signifi- cance, under the figure of a temple, he foretold his 42 OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH. own crucifixion, and his resurrection on the third day. He made known to his disciples the distresses and persecutions which awaited them, but at the same time cheered them with the assurance of the certain establishment and ultimate triumph of his kingdom upon earth, and the everlasting reward of its subjects in the life to come. Christ also foretold the fact of his own second coming at the end of the world, and portrayed as no other prophet ever could do the fact and the scenes of the future judgment. Christ's prophetic office was continued after his as- cension in the gift of direct inspiration to the apos- tles, and in the bestowment of the Holy Ghost as a comforter and guide for his true followers to the end of time. But when, in the fullness of time, God sent his ThePHesthood Sou to rcdccm the world, he not only ofchnst. gg^^g j^jj^ ^Q l^g ^ prophet and a teacher — • he also created him a priest. The Epistle to the Hebrews gives us full and specific instruction in ref- erence to the priesthood of Christ. He was not a Jewish priest after the law of a carnal command- ment, and hence not of the tribe of Levi, but of the tribe of Judah. He was not of the order of Aaron, raised up for a ceremonial service, but of the order of Melchisedec, who combined the priestly and the kingly office in one person, and was thus superior to Abraham. "After the similitude of Melchisedec," he received special appointment from the most high God, and as, in a modified sense, Melchisedec was a priest forever, being the last of his class, so Christ, in an absolute sense, was made a "high-priest forever," GLORIOUS TITLES. 43 "after the power of an endless life." The patriarchal and Jewish priesthoods, those of Melchisedec and Aaron, were designed to prefigure the priesthood of Christ, and ultimately to merge in that office as not only superior to both, but as the only office of intrin- sic value in the great plan of redemption. They were symbolical, their highest virtue being "to serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things." " But now he [Christ] hath obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." Hebrews viii, 6. The Scriptures apply to our Lord Jesus Christ various terms indicating the dignity and the essen- tial importance of his priestly office. They speak of him as a "priest," and affirm the unchangeabihty, as well as the eternity, of his priesthood. They also call him the "High-Priest," "the Apostle and High- Priest of our profession," "a great High-Priest," "an High-Priest higher than the heavens," "Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man," "the Surety of a better covenant," " He that sanctifieth," " our Forerunner," "Mediator," "Intercessor," "Savior," and "the Au- thor and Finisher of our faith." Such a priest- hood, having been planned in the economy of grace and regarded as efficacious "from the foundation of the world," may be pronounced the first, only, and everlasting agency of man's redemption. But not only was the office created and assumed ; its contemplated function was fulfilled. In the capacity of such a High-Priest Christ made a sacrifice of 44 C HEISTS HUMILIATION. himself to put away the sins of the world. Hebrews ix, 26. Christ's sacrifice may be said to embrace the aggre- christ's sacri- gate of his humiliation, insults, and suffer- ^^^- ings while upon earth. Although "being in the form of God, and thinking it not robbery to be equal with God," he humbled himself in the in- carnation "in the likeness of men," that he might become "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" — that is, a death of sacrifice. In pursuance of this great and benevolent design "he made him- self of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant." He was "born in a manger," he was "dressed in swaddling-clothes." "He was tempted of the devil." Though he "went about doing good" and fulfilling all righteousness, "he endured great contradiction of sinners." Christ "pleased not him- self," but bore meekly the reproaches of the ungodly. Having come "to give his life a ransom for many," he had a fearful "baptism to be baptized with," and "he was straitened until it was accomplished." "It pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief "-when "his soul was made an offering for sin." In Gethsemane, "being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Thus he poured out his soul unto death, and, though inno- cent, "was numbered with the transgressors, that he might bear the sin of many." But it is specially to be observed that Christ's sacrifice culminated in his ignominious death. He "died for our sins according to the Scriptures." As HIS SHED BLOOD. 45 "our Passover he was sacrificed for us." i Cor. v, 7. " Christ died for the ungodly. . . . While we were yet sinners Christ died for us." Romans v, 6, 8. "Christ loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor." "By the suffering of death he by the grace of God tasted death for every man, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil." Heb. ii, 14. He it was "that came from Edom, with dyed gar- ments from Bozrah." "He was red in his apparel, and he trod the wine-press alone." "Surely he bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions, and by his stripes we were healed." (See Isa. Ixiii and liii.) In all these dis- tresses he was the Messiah of prophecy that was to be "cut off, but not for himself," but rather that he might "confirm the covenant with many," and cause the whole routine of " sacrifice and oblation to cease." Daniel ix, 26, " He laid down his life for the sheep." "The cup which his Father gave him he drank." " He laid down his life that he might take it again." "No man took it from him, but he laid it down of himself." "He purchased the Church of God with his own blood." "That he might sanctify the people with his own blood, he suffered without the gate." Heb. xiii, 12. As "without the shedding of blood there could be no remission" of sins, and as we could not be redeemed with corruptible things, Christ offered in our behalf "his own precious blood." Hence all the redeemed from under the several dispensations 46 THE CRUCIFIXION, will ultimately be enabled to join in praise and thanksgiving "unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood," saying, "Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood." Rev. v, 9. As reality usually differs from ceremony, so it is not wonderful that the sacrificial offering of our great High-Priest was far removed from the forms with which typical sacrifices had been invested. Jews and Gentiles, the multitude of Jerusalem and the soldiery of Rome, participated in the outward act of the Savior's crucifixion, and yet his life was voluntarily surrendered with a prayer for the forgive- ness of those murderers whose joint act represented the wide world. By this coincidence not only the reality, but the extent of the atonement, was sig- nificantly set forth in accordance with the apostolic statement that " He is a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world." I John ii, 2. Although human wisdom could never have devised such a plan, yet in its execution we may see its adaptation to the great object of man's redemption in many particulars. It maintained the claims of divine justice against the transgressors of a holy law, and thus upheld the honor and majesty of the divine government. In so doing it opened a way for the exercise of mercy toward sinners, enabling God at once to be "just and yet the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." Having thus become a broad and solid foundation for the overtures of the gospel to a ruined race, the sacrificial death of THE EXALTATION. 47 Christ was at once recognized by the apostles and early Christians as the great center of that system of truth designed to make men free from the bond- age of error and the power of Satan. Although in his one offering on the cross Christ forever perfected his atonement for sin, yet conform- ably to the analogy of the Jewish high-priest, who entered once every year into the holy place with the blood of sacrificial victims, Christ entered "into heaven itself now to appear in the presence of God for us." Thus it was in the character of a sacrificing and accepted High-Priest that Christ was exalted as a Mediator at God's right hand. In that capacity- he is the "Mediator of the New Testament," thus fulfilling the office which he affirmed of himself, saying, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me." John xiv, 1 6. But our risen and ascended Savior not only acts as a mediator in our behalf, but also as an intercessor. The apostle Paul says, Romans viii, 14, "Who also maketh intercession for us ;" and, Hebrews vii, 25, "Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Thus from the word of God it appears that the priestly functions of our exalted Savior are those by which our salvation is provided and eternally secured. This scriptural view of the actual and perpetual priesthood of Christ is in itself a complete refutation of all theories of a continued human priesthood under the Christian dispensation, save in the spiritual privi- 48 THE END OF SACRIFICE. lege conferred upon all true believers of being kings and priests unto God. Rev. i, 6 ; v, lo. Christ appointed no officiating priests for the rea- son that following him there was no occasion for priestly services. He chose, taught, and trained dis- ciples, and when, after his resurrection and before his ascension, all power had been given unto him in heaven and in earth, he commissioned them to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He commanded them to "go teach all nations," to "feed his lambs," and to "feed his sheep," but in no word nor by the remotest allusion did he intimate the propriety or the possibility of their assuming sacerdotal functions or tiiics. To complete a just view of the offices and author- ity of Christ as the Messiah, we must briefly regard him as a prince and a king, as well as a prophet and a priest. The prophetic annunciations of the kingly office Christ's kingly of thc Mcssiah had been so numerous and office. specific that the Jews not only accepted it as a nation, but contented themselves, in view of it, to lose sight of the corresponding offices the Messiah was to sustain. Indeed, they allowed their selfish and carnal hopes so to distort their expectations of the regal character of the Messiahship as to render them unable to recognize its true characteristics when manifested. Although during the humiliation of the Son of God a veil was thrown over his kingly office, yet that office, which was to be fully assumed in due time, was clearly asserted from the moment of his incarnation. THE KING OF ZION. 49 When the angel Gabriel announced to Mary the birth of Jesus, it was distinctly declared, "And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Luke i, 33. "When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, be- hold there came wise men from the East to Jerusa- lem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" Matthew ii, 2. John records a significant popular tribute to the royal character of Christ, notwithstanding the preju- dices of the leaders among the Jews. "Much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm-trees and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna, blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon ; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion ; behold thy king cometh sit- ting on an ass's colt." John xii, 12-16. The disciples themselves were slow to comprehend the full glory of the Savior's character, but as his earthly career drew near its close they were enabled more clearly to discern the King in his lowliness. On one occasion "when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying. Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord ; peace in heaven and glory in the highest." Luke xix, 37. In various ways Christ himself asserted his own kingly character. He repeatedly spoke of his king- 5 50 A PRINCE AND A SAVIOR. dom. In predicting the final judgment he said, "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory." Matthew xxv, 31. "And Jesus stood before the governor, and the gov- ernor asked him, saying. Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him. Thou sayest." Matthew xxvii, 11. "Pilate therefore said unto him. Art thou a king then? Jesus answered. Thou say- est that I am a king. To this end was I born, for this end came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth." John xviii, 37. "And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writ- ing was, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." John xix, 22. From and after the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost the disciples had a clearer con- ception than before of all the glories of the Savior's character, and did not scruple to proclaim them, not excepting his kingly office. Peter declared unto the multitude the prophecy of David that God "would raise up Christ to sit on his throne," saying unto them, "Ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you ; and killed the Prince of Life whom God hath raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses." Acts iii, 15. With equal clearness, on another occasion, the same apostle declared of Jesus, "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins." Acts V, 31. Paul in his epistles makes repeated and striking THE KING OF GLORY. 5 1 allusions to the exaltation of Christ and to his king- dom, declaring his superiority not only to men, but to angels. "Of the angels he [God] saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom." Heb. i, 7, 8. John in the Revelation foresees the day when "the king- doms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever." Rev. xi, 15. He also declares him to be "Lord of lords and King of kings." xvii, 14. "And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords." xix, 16. When this our glorious King "ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. . . . And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pas- tors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Eph. iv, 8, 11-13. But among all these great gifts no mention is made of a priesthood of any form or de- no succession gree. Thus we see that all the Messianic Ldtp^oSd offices harmonize in the grand idea of a or possible. completed and sufficient sacrifice for man's redemp- tion, following which there was neither necessity nor propriety for the continuance of a priestly office upon earth. Hence it may be safely inferred that, 52 PRIESTHOOD A USURPATION. by whomsoever the name and pretense of a hie- rarchical or sacrificing priesthood has been introduced into the Christian Church, it has been done without authority, and by a blasphemous intrusion upon the office and prerogative of the Savior of mankind. Nor is it strange that such a pretense, whenever success- fully imposed upon the credulity of professing chris- tians, whether in ancient or modern times, has been followed by the corruption of Christianity and the many evils attendant upon that unhappy result. CHRIS rS ORDINANCES. 53 CHAPTER I. THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY AS INSTITUTED BY CHRIST, THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH AND FOUNDER OF THE NEW DISPENSATION. THE foregoing sketch brought us to that great event of the world's history which antecedent prophecy had so long foretold — the manifestation of the Redeemer of mankind, to whom all types, whether in offices or in ordinances, had pointed from the moment of the fall. From that period every Christian must recognize the Lord Jesus Christ as the sole and authoritative head of his own Church. That Church is the kingdom of God, which he intro- duced and established among men. In him we also discern the inherent and regal right of prescribing whatever ordinances or offices were necessary to the extension and perpetuation of thg Church in the world. As to ordinances, we find that he only appointed baptism to be the initiatory rite of the Church, and the Lord's-Supper as a sacred commemoration of his own death after the ancient manner of celebrating one of its principal types, the Passover. These sim- ple but solemn ordinances were designed to substitute forever the ceremonial ritualism of the Jews, to which there no longer remained any significance except in 54 THE CALLING OF HIS DISCIPLES. retrospect. But for their celebration no priesthood was required, consequently none was appointed. Christ's disciples came not from the tribe of Levi, and upon the apostles there was enjoined only a spiritual min- istry specially adapted to the propagation of the truth and the edification of the Church. Herein the supe- riority of the Christian system appears. A ritualistic priesthood necessarily revolved about the altar of the tabernacle or the temple. The Christian ministry was free to go to the ends of the earth, and, indeed, was commanded to go "into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." In respect to the proper character and functions of the ministry of the New Testament, nothing can be so instructive and authoritative as our Savior's own example and precepts. Among the earliest acts of his public ministry was the calling of his disciples. In Matthew iv, 18-21, we have this interesting record : "And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and \ will make you fishers of men. And going on from thence he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, and he called them." These instances of individual call- ing are doubtless examples of what occurred in the case of the other disciples. That of Matthew is re- corded Matthew ix, 9. After having chosen and called his disciples, the Savior proceeded to give them instruction, and to clothe them with power for their work. In fact, no THEIR INSTRUCTION. 55 inconsiderable portion of Christ's earthly ministry- had a primary, if not in all cases a direct reference, to the instruction of the twelve disciples preparatory to their being commissioned as his apostles. He instructed them in the great principles of revealed truth, in the nature of the kingdom of heaven, and the means of promoting it. He taught them by daily intercourse and conversation, by expositions of the word and providence of God, by miracle and proph- ecy, and by his own constant example as a preacher and "a teacher sent from God," and he expressly commanded them, "What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in the light, and what ye hear in the ear, \i. e., privately,] that preach ye upon the housetops." Nor was his instruction to the twelve merely theoret- ical. After a period of preliminary training he gave them work to do in co-operation with himself As the demonstration of his true Messiahship was an important part of his personal mission, so he endowed them to some extent with miraculous powers, to be employed for the welfare of men and the conviction of the people. "And when he had called together ur^to him his twelve disciples, he began to send them ^. ^ *^ First public forth by two and two, and gave them mission of the power against unclean spirits to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all man- ner of disease. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not ; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and as ye go preach, saying. The kingdom 56 THEIR MINISTRY. of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils ; freely ye have received, freely give. . . . He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward." Mat. x, 1-8, 40, 41. Subsequently, as if to show that the Christian min- Mission of the istry was not to be limited to the apostles, seventy. ^^ Savior appoiutcd seventy of his other disciples, and gave them instructions for a similar mission. "After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himself would come." "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying. Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. . . In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes : even so. Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." Luke x, i, 17, 21. Aside from instructions on special occasions, the Savior's frequent precepts in reference to ministerial duty were luminous and emphatic. "Say not ye The moral har- there are yet four months, and then com- vest-fieiA g^j^ harvcst } Behold I say unto you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white already to the harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; both he that soweth and he that reapeth rejoice together." John iv, 35, 36. "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the THEIR AUTHORITY. 57 laborers are few ; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth laborers into his har- vest." Matthew ix, 37, 38. "Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between Mode and au- him and thee alone; if he shall hear thee, churTh^kd- thou hast gained thy brother. But if he p^'"^- will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established ; and if he shall neg- lect to hear them, tell it unto the Church ; but if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican ; verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew xviii, 15-18. When examined in its proper connection and scope this oft-perverted passage explains itself as convey- ing neither more nor less than a judicious pastoral authority for the government of the Church upon earth, which is the appointed agency of human train- ing for a home in heaven. "Abide in me, and I in you; as the branch can not bear fruit of itself except it abide in Tests of char- the vine, no more can ye except ye abide ^^^^'■• in me. I am the vine; ye are the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit ; for without me ye can do nothing. . . . If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye Dear much fruit ; so shall ye be my disciples. . . . 58 THEIR INSTRUCTIONS. Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth ; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain ; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another." John XV, 4-17. "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my. disciples, if ye have love one to another." John xiii, 34, 35. "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the Ministers must ^ '' be prepared for world, thc world would lovc his owu ; but persecuion. bccause ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you. The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. . . . But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law; They hated me without a cause. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father, he shall testify of me ; and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." John XV, 18-27. "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye can not bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all CHRIS rS PRAYER. 59 truth: ... he will show you things to come. He shall dorify me : for he shall receive ^,^ . , . o J Christ's in- of mine, and shall show it unto you. All stmctionsgrad- things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you." John xvi, 12-15. "These words spake Jesus, and hfted up his eyes to heaven, and said. Father, the hour is prayer for his come ; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also ™"'^*^''^- may glorify thee: ... I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world; thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me ; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them. . . . Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. . . . Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word ; that they all may be one ; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us : that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." John xvii, I -2 1. The institution of the supper of our Lord has been claimed by the Roman Catholic Church* as an appointment of the apostles to a priestly office, and to the task of offering sacrifices. In what absolute *See page 92. 60 DISCIPLES TO BE WITNESSES. contrast to such assumptions is the simple and con- current narrative of the evangehsts and the apostle: "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying. This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying. This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." Luke xxii, 19, 20. See also Matt, xxvi, 26, 27; Mark xiv, 22-24; ^i^d i Cor. xi, 23-25. These passages of themselves sufficiently refute any such forced and absurd interpretation, which, indeed, is equally at variance with the whole tenor of Scripture. Not seeking to multiply quotations, we pass over the period of our Lord's passion, crucifixion, and res- urrection, and come to his interview with the eleven disciples as they sat at meat, when he sought to inspire them with broader views of his mission and of their own duty than they had been prepared to receive before. "And he said unto them. These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their under- standing, that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them. Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are wit- nesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you : but tarry ye in the 719 BE PASTORS. 6 1 city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." Luke xxiv, AA-A9- It was during the same period that our Lord gave to Simon Peter, as a representative apostle, The great com- his reiterated command, "feed my lambs," ^oiverthrpas- "feed my sheep." Soon after this, in a torai office. mountain in Galilee where Jesus had appointed to meet his disciples, he "came and spake unto them, saying. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth: go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptiz- ing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Careful attention to the language of the great commission uttered in the above words will show that it not only provides for the preaching of the gospel, but also for the whole work of the ministry. According to its tenor and spirit, the apostolic dec- laration of the truth is to be followed by the admin- istration of the divine ordinances, and the business of the minister of the Lord Jesus is, by means of all personal and official influence, private entreaty, and social power, both to teach and induce mankind to OBSERVE the commands of Christ. For these efforts the Savior's co-operative presence is promised " alway, even unto the end of the world." Corresponding to this promise, the Lord Jesus, soon after his ascen- sion, sent forth the Holy Ghost as an inspirer of the apostles, and the paraclete and witness of all true ministers and believers." The sacred record soon after illustrates the apostol- 62 APPOINTMENT OF MA TTHIAS. ical conception of the ministry thus instituted. The few years covered by the history of the Apostolical •' '' idea of the Acts of the Apostlcs belonged emphatic- ministry. ^^^ ^^ ^^ initiative or missionary period, in which, of necessity, the teaching office of the min- istry would be called into the most prominent activ- ity; nevertheless we find, from the very beginning, indications of the due exercise of the pastoral office. The first public act of the apostles after the ascension of their divine Master was to secure the appointment and ordination of Matthias, who had companied with them all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among them, that he might be a witness with them of his resurrection, and that he might take "part of this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell." After the preaching of the day of Pentecost it is recorded — Acts ii, 41, 42, 46, 47: "Then they that gladly re- ceived his [Peter's] word were baptized : and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apos- tles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. . . . And they, continu- ing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people." In this summary description we have a striking portraiture of a primi- tive Church, in which the apostles jointly presided, administering the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's-Supper, and giving diligent personal attention to social worship and all other legitimate agencies MINISTERIAL ACTIVITY, 63 for securing the divine favor and co-operation. The result is impressively stated in the conclusion of the chapter: "And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be [were] saved." The continued account of the Church in Jerusa- lem indicates not only g^reat diligence in •' ^ ^ Association preaching the word on the part of the with the peo- apostles, but their intimate association ^^' with the members of the Church for all purposes of Christian activity — Acts v, 42 : " Daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." From this statement it is obvious that personal visitation, not only to the houses of Christians, but also of the Jews, was rec- ognized as an important duty of the apostolic min- istry. " By such means the number of the disciples was so multiplied, and the duties and difficulties of the public ministration so increased, that the apos- tles found it necessary to have their hands strength- ened by the selection and ordination of Appointment the seven deacons. The division of labor ^^ ^^^^p^^^- resulting from this appointment doubtless provided for the more efficient administration of minor duties at the same time that the apostles were enabled to give themselves "continually to prayer and the min- istry of the word." It is recorded as an immediate sequence of this event that "the word of God in- creased and the number of disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly." Acts vi, 7. The subsequent ordination of "elders in every Church" — Acts xiv, 23 — was an additional measure, of great importance, by which the apostles provided 64 PAUL'S TEACHING. for a continuity of pastoral oversight which their own far-reaching itinerancy prohibited them from person- ally exercising. Nevertheless, it became their cus- tom frequently, using the words of Paul, to "go again and visit 'our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do." Acts XV, 36. In this manner the apostles confirmed the Churches. Acts xv, 41. "So were the Churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily." xvi, 5. In the special address of the apostle Paul to the „ „ , elders of the Church at Ephesus we have Pauls exposi- tion of minis- a beautiful and aifecting exhibit of apos- terial duty. ,. , , _ tone example and precept m reierence to the Christian ministry, inclusive of the pastoral office. " Ye know, from the first day that I came into' Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all sea- sons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears: . . . and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God. . . MINISTERIAL SUCCESSION. 6$ Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." Acts xx, 18-28. The instructions of the apostle Peter in reference to pastoral duty are of the same tenor, peter's exhor- "The elders which are among you I *^^'°"- exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind ; neither as being lords over God's her- itage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." i Peter v, 1-4. In fact, the apostolic epistles generally are to be con- sidered as so many authoritative agencies of pastoral instruction to the then existing and future churches. Various pertinent illustrations of pastoral solicitude and practical ministerial duty are to be found in the apostolic writings of this class. Witness Rom. i, 10- 12; XV, 24-29; I Cor. ii, 1-4; iii, 1-9; iv, i, 11-17; 2 Cor. iii, 6, and many other passages. There is also another important phase of apostolical labor too often overlooked or undervalued. As our Savior in the institution of the Christian ministry had, in fact, provided for its con- Measures for tinuance, "even unto the end of the world," ;SZf?utu"re so the apostles, following his example and ministers. illustrating his precepts, took measures for the proper preparation of their " own sons in the faith " to suc- 6 66 THE DIVINE CALL. ceed them in their ministerial labors, and to perpetu- ate the ministerial office to generations following. Not only did the apostles associate with themselves, in their preaching and pastoral tours, such men as Barnabas, Silas, John, Mark, Timothy, Titus, and oth- ers, but to the two last named, as representative men, the apostle Paul addressed letters, filled with special instructions in reference to ministerial character and duty — hence called Pastoral Epistles. These epistles are rich in precepts, exhortations, and inspired admo- nitions applicable to every true minister of Christ, whether of ancient or modern times. Observe some of the points which they set forth with clearness, unc- tion, and authority. " Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the command- A. The divine rncut of God our Savior and Lord Jesus *^^"- Christ." " I thank Jesus Christ our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry." " This charge *I com- mit to thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee." i Tim. i, i, 12, 18. " Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." " I^ld fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." 2 Tim. i, 6, 7, 13, 14. " Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." i Tim. iv, 14. MINISTERIAL CHARACTER. 6/ " Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." " Endure hard- ■' _ _ B. Personal ness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." and ministerial 2 Tim. ii, 1,4. " O man of God, flee these things (love of money, etc.), and follow after right- eousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give thee charge in the sight of God, . . . and before Jesus Christ, . . . that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ." i Tim. vi, 11-14. "I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ : . . . Preach the word ; be instant in season, out of season ; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine." Watch thou in all things, endure afflic- tions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." 2 Tim. iv, i, 2, 5. " These things write I unto thee, . . . that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." i Tim. iii, 14, 15. "Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." iv, 12. " Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." " Meditate upon these things ; c. Ministerial give thyself wholly to them ; that thy prof- '•^'^^'^^^ iting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine ; continue in them : for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." I Tim. iv, 13, 16. "But refuse profane and 68 STUDIES AND INFLUENCE, old wives' fables." v. 7. " Neither give heed to fa- bles and endless genealogies, which minister ques- tions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith." I Tim. i, 4. "Avoiding profane and vain babblings and oppositions of science falsely so called." " Avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law ; for they are unprofitable and vain." Tit. iii, 9. " Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim. ii, 15. " Observe these things without preferring one be- D. Pastoral forc auothcr, doing nothing by partiality." ifuXisci' I Tim. V, 21. "But speak thou the things piine. which become sound doctrine : that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women, likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness. . . . Young men likewise exhort to be sober-minded. In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works. . . Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, . . . showing all good fidelity ; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. . . . These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magis- trates, to be ready to every good work." Tit. ii, i- 15 ; iii, I. "A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject." iii, 10. " The things which thou hast heard of me among E. Instruction uiauy wituesscs, the same commit thou to and appoint- faithful men, who shall be able to teach oth- ment of future ' ministers. gj-s also." 2 Tim. ii, 2. " The servant of APOSTOLIC INSTRUCTION. 69 the Lord must not strive ; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing them that oppose themselves." ii, 24, 25. " For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee." Tit. i, 5. " Lay hands suddenl}^ on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins." i Tim. v, 22. " A bishop then must= be blameless, ... of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach, . . . not a novice." " Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without ; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise must the deacons be grave, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved ; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless." " They that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus." i Tim. iii, 1-13. Most commentators have failed to perceive the im- portance of the apostolic example and injunctions just recorded. Mosheim, the Church historian, is an ex- ception. The following is an extract from his " His- torical Commentaries on the State of Christianity during the first three hundred and twenty-five years from the Christian era." Cent. I, sec. 40 (note 2). " There can be no doubt but that, almost from the first rise of Christianity, it was the practice of the youth, in Mosheim's whom such a strength of genius and capacity man- comment, ifested itself as to afford a hope of their becoming profitable servants in the cause of religion, to be set apart for the sacred ministry, and for the presbyters and bishops to supply them with the requisite preparatory instruction, and form them, by 70 MOSHEIM'S THEORY. their precepts and advice, for that solemn office. On this sub- ject St. Paul, in the latter of his Epistles to Timothy ii, 2, expresses himself in the following terms : 'And the things that thou hast tieard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.' The apostle here, we see, directs Timothy, in the first place, to select from among the members of the Church a certain number of men who might appear to him to possess the talents requisite for conveying instruction to others, ^d who were persons of tried and approved faith. For it can not be doubted that by the 'faithful men' here alluded to, we ought to understand, not merely believers, or those holding the faith, but persons of ap- proved and established faith, to whom things of the highest moment might be intrusted without danger or apprehension. Secondly, to the persons thus selected, he was to communicate and expound that discipline in which he himself had been instructed by St. Paul before many witnesses. Now it is evi- dent that St. Paul could not by this mean that they were to be taught the mere elements or rudiments of the Christian religion; for with these every one professing Christianity was of course made acquainted: doubtless, therefore, those whom the apostle, in this place, directs Timothy to instruct, must have known and been thoroughly versed in them long before. The discipline, then, which Timothy had received from St. Paul, and which he was thus to become the instrument of communicating to others, was, without question, that more full and perfect knowledge of divine truth as revealed in the gospel of Christ, which it was fitting that every one who was advanced to the office of a master or teacher among the brethren should possess, together with a due degree of instruction as to the most skillful and ready method of imparting to the multitude a proper rule of faith and correct principles of moral action. " But what is this, I would ask, but to direct Timothy to insti- tute a school or seminary for the education of future presbyters and teachers for the Church, and to cause a certain number of persons of talents and virtue to be trained up therein, under a course of discipline similar to that which he himself had received at the hands of St. Paul? It may, moreover, be inferred from these words that the apostle had personally discharged the same office which he thus imposes on Timothy, and applied himself to the properly educating of future teachers and ministers for the APOSTOLIC SEMINARIES. J I Church, for it appears by them that he had not been the tutor of Timothy only, but that his instructions to this, his favorite disciple, had been imparted * before many witnesses,' ^lo, having, in this place, unquestionably the force of the preposition evcjiztov. To determine, indeed, whom we ought to understand by the per- sons thus termed 'witnesses' has occasioned no little stir among the commentators. According to some we should connect them with the following word — 7Ta.pd-&ov — and consider St. Paul as say- ing 'transmit by many witnesses.' Others would have us under- stand by these witnesses the presbyters, who ordained Timothy to the sacred ministry by the laying on of hands — i Tim. iv, 14 — and conceive -that immediately previous to such ordination St. Paul had, in the presence and hearing of these presbyters, reca- pitulated and again inculcated on the mind of his adopted son in the faith the chief or leading articles of the Christian religion, while others, again, imagine that the persons here alluded to were witnesses of the life, action, and miracles of our Lord. But of these and some other conjectures on the subject which it is needless to enumerate there is not one but what is incum- bered with considerable difficulties. A much more natural way of resolving the point, as it appears to me, is by supposing that St. Paul had under him, in a sort of seminary or school which he had instituted for the purpose of properly educating presby- ters and teachers, several other disciples and pupils besides Timothy, and that the witnesses here spoken of, before whom Timothy had been instructed, were his fellow-students, persons destined, like him, for the ministry, and partakers together with him of the benefits that were to be derived from the apostle's tuition." " It is highly credible — I may indeed say it is more than cred- ible— that not St. Paul alone, but also all the other apostles of our Lord, apphed themselves to the special instruction of select persons, so as to render them fit to be intrusted with the care and government of the Churches, and consequently that the first Christian teachers were brought up and formed in schools or seminaries immediately under their eye. Besides other refer- ences which might be given, it appears from Irenaeus, advers. Hcsreses, lib. ii, cap. xxii, that St. John employed himself at Ephesus, where he spent the latter part of his life in qualifying youth for the sacred ministry. And the same author, as quoted by Eusebius, Hist. Eccles., lib. v, cap. xx, represents Polycarp, 72 ORIGIN OF DIOCESAN SCHOOLS. the celebrated bishop of Smyrna, as having labored in the same way. That the example of these illustrious characters was in this respect followed by the bishops generally will scarcely admit of doubt. To this origin, in my opinion, are to be referred those seminaries, termed 'episcopal schools,' which we find attached to the principal Churches, and in which youth designed for the ministry went through a course of preparatory instruction and discipline, under the bishop himself, or some presbyter of his appointment." It is not necessary to adopt the learned author's school theory in application to St. Paul and Timothy, except so far as it harmonizes with the largest activity in their regular apostolic labors, during which, how- ever, companionship and intimate association would afford the most favorable opportunities, on the one hand, for instruction ; and, on the other, for the acqui- sition of the most valuable knowledge in reference to ministerial duty. With this qualification it is safe to pronounce the remarks quoted a clear and judicious exposition of a very important branch of apostolical effort and solicitude. The preceding summary of the teachings of the New Testament, in reference to the office and duties of the Christian ministry, if not exhaustive, may at least be pronounced full and complete in its several parts. It exhibits the practice and precepts of the apostles, in harmony with the example and commands of the great Head of the Church. The same sacred record makes it plain that the appointment of a min- istry was both the earliest and latest solicitude of the Savior when upon earth. The call of his disciples — the twelve — was among his first public acts ; their commission, as apostles, given them, probably, in the THE SAVIOR'S SOLICITUDE. 73 presence of "above five hundred brethren," was his last. In like manner, throughout the whole apostolic administration, the line of distinction between minis- ters-of various grades and "the brethren," or "the faithful," is kept up with equal clearness. Even in the book of Revelation, while the dignity and privi- leges of all whom Christ hath washed from their sins in his own blood are indicated by the statement that he hath made them " kings and priests unto God and his Father," we also read of the "angels of the Churches," and of the " elders before the Lamb," and " before the throne," and thus learn that, t^oth on earth and in heaven, distinctions, established for im- portant objects in connection with the Church, will not cease to J)e recognized in the world to come. While, however, Christ established a ministry, and provided for its perpetuation in his Church, he pre- scribed for it no lineal descent or ceremonial succes- sion. The ministry of the gospel was designed to be spiritual, and not carnal ; an active working agency for the salvation of men, and not a caste set apart for ritual observances or ceremonial display. Hence the continuance of the true ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ was made dependent upon the direct call of the Head of the Church, through the agency of the Holy Ghost and the co-operation of a witnessing Church. 7 74 ^^^ MINISTERIAL CALL. CHAPTER II. THE MINISTERIAL CALL.— HISTORICAL VIEW. THE fact of a special divine call to religious offices is familiarly recognized throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. The call or appointment of Aaron and his sons to the Jewish priesthood is stated at length in Exodus xxviii and Numbers xviii. In like manner the Levites were appointed to the subordinate offices of the sanctuary. The call of Moses to be the deliverer and lawgiver of the chosen people was not less distinct than that of Aaron to the priesthood, while it was strictly personal. See Ex- odus iii, 2-16; iv, 1-17; xix, 9, 20. So in the case of the greater and lesser prophets, from Samuel to Malachi ; God called, " the word of the Lord came unto " them ; " the burden of the word of the Lord " was upon them. They " spake as they were moved of the Holy Ghost," and ever regarded their office as divinely appointed. The latter class of calls indicates that, in the higher phases even of a ceremonial re- ligion, the divine authority was manifested through spiritual agencies. Under the Mosaic economy, only the merest ritualism and the ordinances of a " worldly sanctuary" were committed to lineal descent. In Christianity such ordinances were abolished, and no DIVINE PLAN OF SUCCESSION. ?$ occasion was left for the hereditary transmission of divine appointments. Hence, as might be expected, the call of the true Christian minister is both personal and spiritual. Contemporaneously with the institution of the chris- tian ministry our Lord provided for its per- ^^^^^^^^^^ petuation by the joint action of the Church of the christian •-!-»• ministry. and of the divine prerogative. Fertment and specific instruction on this point is recorded from the Savior's own lips, both by Matthew and Luke, in the significant and impressive command, " Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth laborers into his harvest." The language of this injunction, which must be considered as permanently binding upon the Church, implies clearly that Christ, as the Lord of the har- vest, will ever maintain the prerogative of calling and sending laborers into his harvest, while he also re- quires his people to pray for the same object. This is in harmony with the whole economy of grace. Christians are taught to pray for the coming of Christ's kingdom, and for all other good objects which it is the will of God to accomplish, and not only to pray but to labor for them, and thus become co-workers with God. Not only was the divine plan of ministerial succes- sion indicated by the precept quoted, but also by repeated examples recorded in the New Testament, as occurring after the Savior's ascension. Although most of these examples were alluded to in the fore- going chapter, they deserve to be more fully consid- ered in this connection. y6 THE CALL OF MATTHIAS, A. The call and appointment of Matthias ^ to the apostleship. The first public act of the Church, after Christ's ascension, involved the duty the Savior had appointed of praying that "He would send forth laborers into his harvest." Even while the apostles and the one hundred and twenty disciples were waiting at Jeru- salem for the Pentecostal baptism, Peter stood up in their midst and declared that one of the disciples must be ordained to be a witness with the apostles of Christ's resurrection. " And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, and Matthias. And they prayed, and said. Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen, that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell. . . And they gave forth their lots ; and the lot fell upon Matthias ; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles." Acts i, 23-26. In this transaction a beautiful harmony is apparent between the action of the Church and the exercise of the divine prerogative, i. Thd Church discerned the necessity of the appointment, and exercised its judg- ment in reference to the general character and quali- fications of the men adapted to fill it. 2. The Church recognized the necessity ' of the divine choice or call as between the two candidates for this particular ap- pointment, and prayed for an indication of that choice. 3. The giving forth of lots as a means of ascertain- ing the divine choice was in accordance with an ancient custom, which, in that case, may have been equivalent to a ballot, by which each individual would APPOINTMENT OF DEACONS. 7/ express the combined result of his judgment and the divine impression upon his mind. 4. Thus, while the Church prayed and voted, God guided the choice and called the candidate through the action of the Church as well as by the influence of the Holy Spirit. B. The appointment of the seven deacons. In like manner, when, after the Pentecost, it became necessary to have the hands of the apostles strength- ened by the appointment of co-laborers, there was a direct appeal to the judgment of the Church as to the quahfications of those who were to be their future ministers. " Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom." Acts vi, 3. When thus ap- pealed to, the Church made its selection, as we may safely presume, after the manner previously described, and which therefore needed not to be restated. At all events, the choice had primary reference to spirit- ual gifts, including doubtless the personal conviction of a call to the public service of God. That choice was ratified by prayer and the imposition of the hands of the apostles, acts which indicated that sacred com- bination of divine and human agency which ought ever to exist in ministerial appointments. C. The call and appointment of the apostle Paid. It is most usual to consider the narrative of the ninth of Acts with reference to the miraculous con- viction and subsequent conversion of the persecuting Saul of Tarsus. That narrative, however, is equally instructive in reference to the subject of the present chapter, a call to the Christian ministry. Indeed, this subject is prominently suggested in various parts of yS THE APOSTLE PAUL, the narrative, so much so, that we are authorized to infer that the Savior's miraculous appearance had a direct reference, not only to the conversion of a sin- ner, but to the call of an apostle. Immediately on Saul's recognition of that Jesus whom, in the person of his disciples, he was persecuting, he, trembling and astonished, said, " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?" The form of the question implies an impression already conveyed to his mind that the Lord was sum- moning him to some important work. The answer is remarkable, in that it involved the co-operation of the Church, even in this extraordinary case, both in refer- ence to Saul's conversion and call to the ministry. " Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do," Corresponding to this instruc- tion, the Lord said to Ananias, " Go thy way, \i. e., go to Saul of Tarsus :] " for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel : for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house ; and putting his hands on him said. Brother Saul, the Lord hath sent me unto thee that thou mightest re- ceive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost." As in other cases, the record here is very brief; but we are authorized to infer that with the gift of the Holy Ghost Paul at once felt himself moved to preach the gospel. It is immediately recorded, " And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God." This is to be understood as the first and appropriate impulse of the newly called apostle. But a further co-operation and sane- CLEAR CONVICTIONS OF DUTY. 79 tion of the Church was necessary before the com- mencement of his specially appointed ministry. On his arrival at Jerusalem, after a period of retirement in Arabia, Barnabas, in person, *' brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus." On this recommendation " he was with them, coming in and going out at Jerusalem." But it was not till after a still longer probation, during which he appears to have exercised a prelim- inary ministry, that he was publicly ordained to his great office of apostle to the Gentiles. This event occurred in the Church at Antioch, where, after a sea- son of ministering and fasting in connection with cer- tain other prophets and teachers, " the Holy Ghost said. Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." Acts xiii, 1-3. Thus it is seen, that although miraculously called to the service and ministry of Christ, Paul submitted himself "to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake." In other words, he recognized the co-ordinate agency of the Church in publicly ordaining him by pious, though not by apostolic hands, to the apostolic office. It is instructive to notice with what confidence and emphasis he afterward reiterated in nearly all his epistles his conviction of the divine and personal call under which he devoted his life to the ministry of the gospel. Romans i, i : ** Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the So CALL OF THE ELDERS. gospel, of God." I Cor. i, i : " Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God." Gal. i, I : " Paul an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead." i Tim. i, i : " Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ." D. The call of the elders of the New Testament Churches. The first appointment of elders is recorded in Acts xiv, 23 : "And when they [Saul and Barnabas, who had been visiting numerous Churches, and confirming the souls and encouraging the faith of the disciples] had ordained them elders in every Church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed." It is to be observed that the extreme brevity of the history of the Acts of the Apostles precluded either repetition or detail, and yet from the analogy of circumstances we may infer that, as in the case of the ordination of Mat- thias and the seven deacons, so in the appointment of elders in the Churches, prayer for divine guidance in the selection of men preceded the act of ordina- tion, while that act was appropriately followed by supplication for God's blessing upon the work they might perform. From a comparison of the above record with the language of Paul's address to the elders of Ephesus, we may infer that it was the custom of the apostles to ordain to the office of elder those, and only those, who by suitable indications evinced to the Church that they were called of God or moved by the Holy MOVED BY THE HOLY GHOST. 8 1 Ghost to take upon them the sacred office. The same view is corroborated by various expressions in the epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus, some of which have been already quoted. These varied but harmonious examples, extending from the beginning of Christ's public ministry to the end of the inspired New Testament record, are suffi- cient to prove conclusively that the mode instituted by the great Head of the Church for the perpetuation of his true ministry in the earth contemplates, in every case, a personal divine call, accredited by cor- responding impressions and action on the part of a witnessing Church. Well had it been for the Church and the world if this important requirement had never been lost sight of by those professing Christianity, but unhappily at this very point there arose the germ of a fearful apos- tasy. It can hardly be doubted that during the life- time of the apostles, and for some generations later, the apostolic examples and precepts were generally followed. But it is only too apparent, from the rec- ords of ecclesiastical history and the writings of the early fathers, that loose and corrupt views of the ministerial office began to creep into the Church much earlier than would have been thought possible. Error on this subject began to be developed prima- rily in the most insidious manner. The apostles Paul, Peter, and John had attributed the function of priesthood to the whole body of true believers in their capacity of offering up "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."* *Rom. xii, i; Hcb. xiii, 15; i Pet. ii, 5, 9; Rev i, 6; v, 10. 82 INCEPTION OF ERROR. But by degrees, probably through the assumptions of some and the carelessness of others, this impor- tant doctrine in reference to the dignity and privi- lege of every real Christian became obscured by the adoption of the term priestljood in application to the Christian ministry as a collective body, inclusive of bishops, presbyters, and deacons.* While such a use of the term was not authorized by any inspired exam- ple, it nevertheless became very convenient to both Greeks and Romans, who had been accustomed to the analogous idea of a pagaji priesthood, and equally so to persons of Hebrew descent familiar with the idea and history of the Jewish priesthood. Innocent as such a use of the term priesthood doubtless seemed at first, it was the germ of a fun- damental and far-reaching error. When that error once gained foot-hold, it was but another step in the same direction to denominate individuals belonging to the clerical body priests, a thing never done by Christ or his apostles. The term priest was but rarely, and with apparent caution, applied to Chris- tian ministers by any writer of the ancient Church until near the close of the third century. But when the use of the term in that sense became common, and the minds of Christians became accustomed to the perversion it involved, the next step in the same *Quid commemorem diaconos in tertio? Quid presbyteros in se- cundo sacerdotio constitutes ? Ipsi apices et principes omnium, aliqui episcopi illis temporibus. Instrumenta divinas legis impie tradide- runt." — Optatus de Milevi, Lib. I, p. 35. " If any bishop, or presbyter, or deacon, or any one of the catalogue of the priesthood, when an oblation is made, do not communicate, let him mention his reason," etc. — Apostolic Canons^ No. IX. JUSTIN MARTYR. 83 direction was the invention of some form or theory of sacrifice adapted to the priestly office, and without which the term priest as applied to a Christian min- ister would be an obvious misnomer. Unhappily the spiritual idea of a sacrifice of thanksgiving in the eucharist had already become in a great degree mate- rialized prior to the professed conversion of Constan- tine. After that event, when the honors of the state began to be conferred upon bishops and presbyters, rapid progress was made in the development of a hierarchical theory of Christian priesthood, and in the adoption and practice of priestly ceremonies. In such connections and under such influences the idea of a spiritual call to the ministry rapidly faded, and ultimately became lost in the advancing gloom of mediaeval error and superstition. Nearly if not quite all the expressions in the earlier fathers bearing directly or indirectly on this subject are in harmony with apostolic usage. Justin Martyr knows nothing of a priesthood among Christians, but in describing their usages in the second century he speaks of the eucharist as a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and of those administering it not as priests or Levites, but as the "president of the brethren," [elder,] who conducts the religious services, and of the deacons, who assist in distributing the elements.* Even Cyprian, the high churchman of the third **" On the day called Sunday all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read as long as time permits. Then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended 84 CYPRIAN. century, addresses none of his epistles to priests, but numbers of them to presbyters and deacons as such. In the text of his letters and other writings he occasionally introduces the term priest, but chiefly with reference to the aggregate body of the clergy. Although he habitually confuses the functions of the Levitical priesthood with those of the Christian min- istry, yet he insists upon a divine call to the latter, corroborated also by the choice of the Church. Wit- ness his comment on the episcopal appointment of Cornelius : " Cornelius was made bishop by the judgment of God and of his Christ, by the testimony of ahiiost all the clergy, by the suffrage of the people who were then present, and by the assembly of ancient priests and good men." — Epistle LI to Aiitonianus. Chrysostom, in the latter part of the fourth cen- tury, wrote a treatise " On the Priesthood," from both the title and tenor of which it appears that the Levit- ical idea had at that time gained complete ascendency in the East as well as in the West. While this work of the celebrated preacher of Antioch and Constan- tinople is not wanting in many excellent sentiments respecting ministerial duties, in whatever aspect they are regarded, nevertheless it gives pertinent illustra- tions of the erroneous and exaggerated views which then and thenceforward prevailed in reference to the call and office of the Christian minister. The work bread, and wine, and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying. Amen ; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons." — i Apology^ chap. Ixvii. CHRYSOSTOM, 8$ opens with a narrative, which, whether true or fic- titious, indicates that the custom of the Church had greatly degenerated in reference to its mode of selecting and inducting candidates into the sacred office. The narrative relates to himself and Basil, and is generally accepted as authentic. The sub- stance of it is, that young Chrysostom had, contrary to his .secret intention, assented to the persuasions of Basil to be ordained with him to the priesthood. Chrysostom says : " I used such means as convinced him that if any thing of the kind sliould happen I would concur with him. After no great length of time, therefore, the person arrived who intended to ordain us. I concealed myself. He, knowing nothing of my design, is introduced to the assembly on some other pretext, and accepts the yoke, confiding in my prornise to follow him, or rather imagining that I had gone before him ; for some persons, even in the assembly, helped to deceive him." " But when after a time he heard that I had escaped, he came to me, and with shame and confusion in his countenance prepared to speak. . . Seeing him, therefore, filled with tears, and overwhelmed with confusion, I, who knew the cause, laughed for delight, and, when I had forcibly seized his right hand and kissed it, glorified God that my artifice had succeeded so well." What a departure this from the devout sincerity and godly simplicity of the primitive Christians ! Artifice practiced, and deception boasted of, as a means of inveigling a young man into the sacred office, from which another escapes as from a snare ! Yet the re- luctance of Chrysostom, in reference to accepting the functions of the ministry, seem commendable in com- parison with the eager partisanship and reckless am- bition with which it had already become customary to seek the orders and offices of the Church. His S6 GRO WING CORR UPTIONS. subsequent argument with Basil strongly sets forth the evils against which he protested : " Some," said he, " when they see the priesthood continue long in the hands of one person, though the impiety of the ac- tion would restrain them from killing him, are eager to depose him, every one being ambitious to succeed him." " Shall I bring before you another scene in this warfare, which is full of innumerable dangers ? Go and take a view of the public festi- vals, during which it is customary for the ecclesiastical elections to be made, and you will see the priest assailed by as many accusations as there are persons subject to his government. Those who have a share in bestowing this honor are divided into many parties, and you may see the council of presbyters unable to come to an agreement, either among themselves or with the bishop who presides over them, concerning the person who ought to be preferred, but standing aloof from each other, while one chooses this man, and another that. One man says, Met him be admitted, because he is of a noble family ;' another, * because he is possessed of much wealth, and has no need to be maintained out of the revenues of the Church !' a third, 'be- cause he has deserted from the opposite party !' Some are eager to give the highest honor to their intimate friend, some to their relation, some to any one who will flatter them more than others ; and no one looks to the person who is fit for it, nor thinks of inquiring into the qualities of the soul." "Other pleas have been admitted still more absurd; for some are even taken into the order of the clergy, that they may not range themselves with an opposite party ; others, on account of their profligacy, lest, in resentment for being slighted, they should commit some grievous wrong ! Can any thing be more im- proper than this, when wretches, teeming wnth unnumbered crimes, are courted for reasons for which they ought to be pun- ished, and even advanced to the priestly dignity for causes which ought to prevent them from passing over the pavements of the Church ! Need we look further for the cause of God's anger when we commit concerns so holy and so fearful to wicked and worthless men who will be sure to pollute them !" While Chrysostom could thus clearly point out the evils which degraded the character and neutralized the THE GERM OF TRANSUBSTANTIA TION. 87 moral power of the ministry in his day, he failed to discover their real cause, which, at least to a large degree, consisted in an apostasy of the Church from the Savior's appointed mode of calling his true min- isters. Aside from the true theory of the Christian ministry, it was in vain that Chrysostom sought to purify and elevate the sacred office by exaggerating its character and design, as in the following language : " Though the priesthood is discharged upon earth, it is ranked among heavenly ordinances, and with good reason ; for it was established ... by the Comforter himself, who has intrusted men yet dwelling in the flesh with a ministry like that of angels, for which reason the person, who is consecrated to this office, ought to be as pure as if he stood in the heavens themselves, encircled by those superior beings. For, if even the institutions . of the law were awful and most impressive, . . . when we ex- amine the institutions of grace, we shall feel those awful and most impressive spectacles to have been of slight moment, and what was said of the law itself to be true of its ordinances, that even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For when you see the Lord sacrificed and laid upon the altar, and the priest standing and praying over the sacrifice, and all the people impurpled with his most precious blood, do you then fancy yourself among men or continuing upon the earth ? Are you not instantly trans- ported into the heavens, so as, discarding every fleshly senti- ment from your mind, to look around with naked soul and disembodied spirit on celestial objects ? O, the wonderful phi- lanthropy of God ! He who sits above with the Father is at that instant holden in the hands of every one, giving himself to those who clasp and embrace him, as all may clearly see with the eyes of faith." Chrysostom seeks further to illustrate the dignity of the priesthood by the argument, still current in the Roman and Greek Churches, of the power of the keys. " Though temporal rulers have authority to bind, their power reaches only to the body ; whereas this bond penetrates the SS THE SACERDOTAL IDEA. very soul, and passes up into the heavens, where God ratifies the act of his priests, and the Lord confirms the decree of his servants. What, indeed, has he given them, but the whole authority of heaven? For 'whosesoever sins,' says he, 'ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.' What authority can be greater than this .? The Father hath committed all judgment unto the Son. But I see it now again delegated by the Son to the priests ; for they are advanced to this office with as absolute a commission as if they had been already translated into the heavens, as if they were already exalted above human nature, and exempted from the dominion of our passions !" Here we have the sacerdotal idea set forth in an extravagant form ; and yet, when we compare the last class of extracts with that which portrayed the disor- derly strifes attendant upon elections to the priest- hood, and also the bad character of some who held the office, we have proof that error, however plausible, is not conducive to the practice of the truth. No one of the Church fathers has been more admired by pos- terity than Chrysostom, and we thus have in his words the theory of the ministry which had crept into the Church prior to the fifth century. It would be easy to show, by extracts from other writers, that, as time advanced, this theory was not improved, but rather made worse, both in its form of statement and in its practical application. A spuri- ous work, entitled " The Constitutions of the Holy Apostles," was, at about that period, palmed off upon the Church, and made to serve as an authoritative guide in reference to matters of organization and dis- cipline. The design of that work obviously was to complete and maintain the system of hierarchical innovations, which was then being foisted into the DISORDER L Y ELECTIONS. 89 Christian Church, to its great detriment. A few ex- tracts, relating to the ministry, are given in the Ap- pendix,* to iUustrate the unscrupulous means resorted to for the establishment and support of a scheme of error, which, under specious pretenses, wrought incal- culable evil to Christianity. Under the system re- ferred to, while the idea of a spiritual call to the sacred office was apparently recognized in the for- mularies of ordination, yet, in reality, it was practi- cally unknown or grossly misapprehended. Thus, the Church, having practically departed from a great cen- tral truth of the Christian system, was suffered to lapse into deeper and deeper gloom for many succes- sive centuries. Appointments to the priesthood be- came matters of routine, like elections to civil office. Disorders at clerical elections, such as Chrysostom described, would be distressing to devout minds, and would have their influence in driving the best men away from the work of the ministry into the obscurity of monasticism. Hence we find that vast numbers of the most pious men of the early and mediaeval cen- turies secluded themselves from the active duties of the Christian life, retiring to deserts and mountains to spend their days in fasting, and prayers, and pen- ances. It became customary to call monks by emi- nence religious (persons), while the clergy were called secular or worldly (persons), not having taken upon themselves vows of poverty. Had correct views of ministerial life and duty continued to prevail, it is safe to infer that this enormous waste of time, talent, and energy might have been saved to the Church, and * Vide Appendix A, p. 561. 90 RESULTS OF THE SACERDOTAL SYSTEM. thousands upon thousands of lives, that were worse than thrown away in monkish seclusion and profitless austerities, would have been actively devoted to the preaching of the gospel and diligent efforts for the salvation of men. But the tendency of the sacer- dotal theory was to ignore the proper design and importance of preaching in the very proportion it exaggerated and perverted the sacraments. Hence, preaching became rare and inefficient, while sacer- dotal parade displaced the simple ritual of the prim- itive Church. Thus, errors of practice followed erro- neous theories, until ecclesiastical wickedness became ascendant in high places, and the worst of sins were practiced under the sanction of priestly example and authority. It is proper to pause here and consider briefly the consequences entailed upon the Church by that early corruption in reference to the character of the Chris- tian ministry of which so many illustrations have been given. I. To the extent that the sacerdotal theory was adopted there was a departure from the simplicity of the truth and from the one right way appointed by the great Head of the Church for the establishment of his kingdom upon earth. The pretext was a desire to increase the dignity of the ministerial office, but the error itself was not the less corrupting. It led to a grasping after the functions and titles both of the Jewish and pagan priesthoods. Bishops were styled high-priests, and the Bishop of Rome Pontifex Maxi- mus, the title bestowed upon a heathen emperor in his capacity of supreme director of the system of MULTIPLYING ERRORS. 9 1 heathen worship. Deacons were called Levites, and the whole body of the clergy became occupied with pompous ritual ceremonies, instead of preaching the gospel and maintaining the plain and edifying wor- ship of the early Christians. 2. A pretended priesthood necessitated a pre- tended sacrifice. Hence the invention of the mass and its logical sequence, the doctrine of transub- stantiation. Hence again the rejection of the cup in the eucharist, the multiplication of pretended sacraments, the idea of priestly absolution, and the consequent practice of confession to man rather than to God. 3. While the figment of a Christian priesthood seemed to aim at exalting the clerical office, it flagrantly dishonored the great High-Priest of our profession. It obscured the glory of that complete redemption which he wrought out for sinners by his own full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction offered for the sins of the world. If Christ's sacrifice and offering of himself upon the cross was actually perfect and complete, then every attempt to offer a supplementary sacrifice must have been and must continue to be a mockery of truth, a trifling with sacred things, and, indeed, a sacrilegious burlesque upon the most solemn transaction ever wit- nessed by earth or heaven. Think of the millions of such ceremonies enacted in the name of Chris- tianity. Consider the wide-spread misapprehension of the essential truths of Christianity inseparable from such a practice, and reflect that this misappre- hension not only pervades the popular mind, but is 92 TENACITY OF ERROR. confirmed by the authoritative acts of great councils of the Church.* 4. Notwithstanding such deplorable consequences of the sacerdotal dogma, spreading their influence over nations and centuries, and notwithstanding the fact that not once in the whole New Testament is the term priest, in the sense of one who offers sacri- fice, applied to an apostle or minister of the gospel, yet such is the tenacity of error that some Churches professedly reformed and emancipated from Romish doctrines still use the term priest, and maintain the ceremony of ordaining men to the priesthood ! Thus it is that even in Protestant countries and in the nineteenth century persons are educated to radical misconceptions of the Christian scheme, and prepared to advance from one grade of ritualism to another till they reach the bosom of a Church long distinguished as the nourishing mother of ecclesiastical corruptions. 5. As extremes lead to extremes, we are compelled to regard the error now reprobated as chargeable with the opposite error by which some, seeking to avoid * Witness the standard doctrine of the Church of Rome "on the sacrifice of the mass " as determined by the Council of Trent : Canon i. "If any one shall say that a true and proper sacrifice is not offered to God in the mass, or that what is to be offered is nothing else than giving Christ to us to eat, let him be accursed. Canon 2. "If any one shall say that by these words, 'Do this in remembrance of me,' Christ did not appoint his apostles priests, or did not ordain that they and other priests should offer his body and blood, let him be accursed. Canon 3, "If any one shall say that the mass is only a service of praise and thanksgiving, or a bare commemoration of the sacrifice made on the cross, and not a propitiatory offering, or that it only ben- efits him who receives it, and ought not to be offered for the living and the dead, for sins, punishments, satisfactions, and other necessities, let him be accursed." A DARK MILLENNIUM. 93 the consequences of the sacerdotal theory, attempt to ignore the ministerial office in Christianity, and deny all distinctions as between the ministry and membership of the Christian Church. The truth, as usual, lies between extremes, and the error last re- ferred to is, like its opposite, plainly confuted by the whole line of New Testament examples and precepts heretofore exhibited as illustrating the offices of the Christian Church and the functions of its ministry. During the ten centuries which intervened between the days of Chrysostom and Luther only here and there a true light shone amid surrounding darkness. And yet there was not an entire obliteration of the idea that a spiritual divine call was essential to the true minister. That idea floated dimly in the letter of ordination services long after the spirit had fled. The words of the Greek Church were, "The divine grace which helpeth them that are weak and suppli- eth that which lacketh chose this godly deacon to be priest." The prayer for the ordination of a bishop prescribed by the Apostolical Constitutions contained these words : " Grant by thy name, O God, who searchest the hearts, that this thy servant whom thou hast chosen to be a bishop," etc. As bishops had the power to change the ritual of ordination in their several dioceses, it can not be af- firmed that uniformity prevailed either in the East or West, and it is likely that the form deteriorated with the conception of its meaning. But the form can not be considered of much importance when it ceased to represent a living faith on the part both of the Church and of the candidate for ordination. When 94 PLURALITIES, from time to time men of earnest spirit strove to secure reforms, whether in monastic orders or in the Church at large, they usually directed their first efforts toward abuses of the clerical office and char- acter. Gregory of Nazianzen in his apologetical ora- tion declares in scathing language that the vices and disorders of the priesthood of his times had driven him to the wilderness, and he fervently pleads with priests to begin their solemn services with an obla- tion of themselves to God. At an early period of the hierarchical system mer- chandise began to be made of the house of God by non-residence and a plurality of livings. So-called priests contrived to perform their functions by proxy, and, though they devoured the income of the Churches, they personally avoided the duties of their office. This gave rise to action in successive councils, from that of Chalcedon, in the fifth century, to that of Trent, in the sixteenth, against the various forms of such abuses, though unhappily with but little effect.* *The abuse referred to has, even since the Reformation, notwith- standing all efforts against it, continued to prevail in the Church of England. Bishop Burnet's denunciations of it in the seventeenth cen- tury were unsparing, but comparatively powerless. One of his para- graphs briefly sets forth the nature of the case, and shows that even residence may be formal and maintained without the discharge of pastoral duty: "For a bare residence without laboring is but a mock residence, since the obligation to it is in order to a further end that they may 'watch over' and 'feed their flock,' and not enjoy their benefices only as favors or as livings, according to the gross but common abuse of our language by which the names of cures, parishes, or benefices, which are the ecclesiastical names, are now swallowed up in that of 'living,' which carries a carnal idea in the very sound of the word, and, I doubt, a more carnal effect on the minds of both clergy and laity." — Pastoral Care, chap. vi. BERNARD. 95 Bernard of Clairvaux, in the twelfth century, de- nounces the ecclesiastics of his times as " heaping up benefices upon benefices, and restless till they can attain a bishopric, and then an archbishopric." "Nor," said he, "does the aspirant stop here; he posts to Rome, and, by supporting expensive friendships and hicrative connections, he looks upward still to the summit of power." " Men run every-where into sacred orders, and catch at an office revered by spirits above, without reverence, without considera- tion ; in whom, perhaps, would appear the foulest abominations, if we were, according to Ezekiel's prophecy, to dig into the walls, and contemplate the horrible things which take place in the house of God." Bernard, also, in one of his sermons, sketches the true minister in these terms : " He who is called to instruct souls is called of God, and not by his own ambition ; and what is this call but an inward incen- tive of love, soliciting us to be zealous for the salvation of our brethren." A prominent characteristic of the great Reforma- tion was an endeavor to return to the scriptural idea of the Christian ministry. Not only did the reform- ers reject the scheme of clerical priesthood and medi- ation, as opposed to the whole system of Christianity, but they insisted upon the personal divine call of every true minister. Luther recorded an impressive comment on Jere- miah xxiii, 21, 32. "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied," etc. Making these words an occasion to address an intending minister, the great reformer said : "Await God's call. Meantime be satisfied. Yea, though thou wert wiser than Solomon and Daniel, yet, unless thou art 96 RETURN TO THE SCRIPTURAL IDEA. called, avoid preaching as you would hell itself. If God shall not call you, let not your knowledge puff you up ; for God is never dependent on the labor of those who are not called, and, although they do some good things, they edify not. Yet, every- where those accomplish great things who teach, being truly called of God." Calvin taught similar doctrine, and, in accordance with the views of these great men and their asso- ciates, the Protestant Churches of the continent received the doctrine of a spiritual call as essential to every true minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was, however, reserved for the reformers of the Church of England to put this subject in its true light by inserting in the office of ordination a solemn declaration on the part of every candidate for holy orders of his personal conviction that he is "moved by the Holy Ghost" to take upon himself this sacred ministration. Beginning with the lowest order of the ministry — that of deacon — they required the bishop to "examine every one of those who are to be ordered, in the presence of the people, after this manner fol- lowing: Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you this office, to serve God for the promoting of his glory and the edi- fying of his people .-* Answer. I trust so." Similar questions were prescribed for priests and bishops, and Burnet well explains the motives 'and excellence of the action of the British reformers in this regard in the following language: "Our Church intended to raise the obligation of the pastoral care higher than it was before, and has laid out this matter more fully and more strictly than any Church ever did in any age, as far, at least, as my inquiries can carry me." " No Church before BUR NETS TESTIMONY. 97 ours at the Reformation took a formal sponsion at the altar from such as were ordained deacons and priests. That was, indeed, always demanded of bishops, but neither in the Roman nor Greek pontifical do we find any such solemn vows and promises demanded or made by priests or deacons, nor does any print of this appear in the constitutions or the ancient canons of the Church. Bishops were asked many questions, as appears by the first canon of the fourth council of Carthage. They were required to profess their faith and to promise to obey the canons, which is still observed in the Greek Church. The questions are more express in the Roman pontifical, and the first of these de- mands a promise 'that they will instruct their people in Chris- tian doctrine according to the holy Scriptures,' which was the foundation upon which our bishops justified the Reformation, since, the first and chief of all their vows binding them to this, it was to take place of all others, and if any other parts of those sponsions contradicted this, such as their obedience and adher- ence to the see of Rome, they said that these were to be limited by this." "Our reformers, observing all this, took great care in reform- ing the office of ordination, and they made both the charge that is given and the promises that are to be taken to be very express and solemn, so that both the ordainers and the ordained might be rightly instructed in their duty and struck with the awe and dread that they ought to be under in so holy and so important a performance, . . . yet to make the sense of these promises go deeper they are ordered to be made at the altar, and in the nature of a stipulation or covenant." "Our Church, by making our Savior's words the form of ordi- nation, must be construed to intend by that that it is Christ only that sends, and that, the bishops are only his ministers to pro- nounce his mission." Forcibly, also, does the good bishop comment on the true significance of the solemn affirmation which the ministerial candidate not only makes before the Church, but seals with the holy sacrament: "This is the first step by which a man dedicates himself to the service of God, and therefore it ought not to be made by any that has not this divine vocation. Certainly the answer that •.9 98 MINISTERIAL VOWS. is made to this ought to be well considered, for if any says 'I trust so' that yet knows nothing of any such motion and can give no account of it, he lies to the Holy Ghost, and makes his first approach to the altar with a lie in his mouth, and that not to men, but to God." . . . "If a man pretends a commission from a prince, or, indeed, from any person, and acts in his name upon it, the law will fall on him and punish him; and shall the 'great God of heaven and earth' be thus vouched and his motion be pretended to by those whom he has neither called nor sent? And shall he not reckon with those who dare to run without his mission, pretending that they trust they have it, when perhaps they understand not the importance of it — nay, and perhaps some laugh at it as an enthu- siastical question who will yet go through with the office ? They come to Christ for the loaves ; they hope to live by the altar and the gospel, how little soever they serve at the one or preach the other ; therefore they will say any thing that is necessary for qualifying them to this, whether true or false." "The motives that ought to determine a man to dedicate him- self to ministering in the Church are a zeal for promoting the glory of God, for raising the honor of the Christian religion, for tlie making it to be better understood and more submitted to. He that loves it and feels the excellency of it in himself, that has a due sense of God's goodness in it to mankind, and that is en- tirely possessed with that, will feel a zeal within himself for com- municating that to others, that so 'the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent' may be more universally glorified and served by his creatures. And when to this he has added a con- cern for the souls of men, a tenderness for them, a zeal to rescue them from endless misery, and a desire to put them in the way to everlasting happiness, and from these motives feels in himself a desire to dedicate his life and labors to those ends, and in order to them studies to understand the Scriptures, and more particu- larly the New Testament, that from thence he may form a true notion of this holy religion, and so be an able minister of it — this man, and only this man so moved and so qualified, can in truth and with a good conscience answer 'that he trusts he is inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost,' and every one that ventures on the saying without this is a sacrilegious profaner of the name of God and of his Holy Spirit. He breaks in upon his Church, not to feed it, but to rob it, and it is certain that he who begins SAD DEPARTURES. 99 with a lie may be sent by the father of lies, but he can not be thought to enter in by the door who prevaricates in the first word that he says in order to his admittance." Happy would it have been for the Church of En- gland, and fortunate for the world, had good Bishop Burnet's admonitions, in reference to this important subject, been heeded by all who have taken holy orders under the form of the English ritual. But, alas, the tendency to formalism and secularity has never ceased to manifest itself in that as well as other Churches, especially those in which ministers of vari- ous grades are dependent on funded endowments and politicah patronage. Indeed, Bishop Burnet closes the " History of his own times " with several melancholy reflections, which, addressed in kind and affecting terms to the clergy of the Church of England, prove that the best of forms were of themselves insufficient to maintain a true spiritual character in the ministry. He says : " I have lamented, during my whole life, that I saw so little true zeal among our clergy." " I must own that the main body of our clergy has always appeared dead and lifeless to me, and, instead of animating one another, they seem rather to lay one another asleep." " Ordination weeks were always dreadful things to me when I remembered those words, ' lay hands suddenly on no man ; be not partaker of other men's sins ; keep thyself pure.' It is true, those who came to me wer6 generally well prepared as to their studies, and they brought testimonials and titles, which is all that, in our present constitution, can be demanded. . . . But my principal care was to awaken their consciences to make them consider whether they had a motion of the Holy Ghost calling them to the function, and to make them apprehend what belonged both to a spiritual life and to the pastoral care. On these sub- jects I spoke much and often to every one of them apart, and lOO CLERICAL DEGENERACY. sometimes to them all together, besides the public examination of them with my chapter. This was all that I could do. But, alas, how defective is this ! and it is too well known how easy the clergy are in signing testimonials." " I do not enter into the scandalous practices of non-residence and pluralities which are sheltered by so many colors of law among us ; whereas, the Church of Rome, from whence we had those and many other abuses, has freed herself from this under which we still labor, to our great and just reproach. This is so shameful a profana- tion of holy things that it ought to be treated with detestation and horror. Do such men think on the vows they made on their ordination, on the rules in the Scriptures, or on the nature of their function, or that it is a care of souls V Two generations later, the condition of things in the same Church was described by Fletcher of Madeley, in the following terms : "The minister of the present age is not ordinarily called to the holy ministry except by carnal motives, such as his own vanity or his peculiar taste for a tranquil and indolent life. Per- haps his vocation to the ministry is principally from his father and mother, who have determined that their son shall enter into holy orders. Very frequently, if the candidate for holy orders had sincerity enough to discover the real inclination of his heart, he might make his submissions to the dignitaries of our Church and say, ' Put me, I pray you, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.' i Sam. ii, 36." Still later, Legh Richmond, who, as a clergyman of the Church of England, had occasion to know whereof he affirmed, uttered a similar lament. " The national Church," said he, " groans and bleeds, from the crown of its head to the sole of its feet, from the daily intrusion of unworthy men into the ministry." — Life, p. 475. The discerning reader will perceive that the grand lack indicated by the above extracts was that of per- sonal' religious experience, and it was only a natural THE WESLEYAN REVIVAL. lOI and certain sequence that the fruits of a ministry thus deficient should appear in a deplorably low state of piety throughout the Church and nation. Of that state of things the records of the times give many sad proofs. Witness the statement of an English writer in reference to the religious condition of Great Britain preceding the Wesleyan reformation : " The great body of the clergy neither knew nor cared about systems of any kind, and in a vast number of instances they were immoral — often grossly so. The populace in the large towns were ignorant and profligate ; the inhabitants of villages added to ignorance and profligacy brutish and barbarous man- ners. A more striking instance of the rapid decay of religious light and influence in a country scarcely occurs than in ours, from the Restoration till the rise of Methodism. It affected not only the Church, but the dissenting sects, in no ordinary degree. The Presbyterians had commenced their downward course through Arianism to Socinianism; and those who held the doc- trines of Calvin, had, in too many instances, fallen into the fatal errors of Antinomianism. There were exceptions, but this was the general state of religion and morals in the country when the Wesleys, Whitefield, and a few kindred spirits, went forth to sacrifice ease, reputation, and even life itself, if necessary, to produce a reformation,"* In the great revival which followed the labors of these devoted men, deserved prominence was given to the doctrine of a personal and divine call to the ministry, and a series of events occurred which served to place the subject in a strong light before the Churches, both of England and America. The Wes- leys, even after their conscious experience of justifica- tion by faith, and after they had been thrust out as it were into the highways and hedges, still held, with considerable firmness, the notions of Church order * Moore's Life of Wesley. 1 02 LAY PRE A CHING. in which they had been educated. They could per- ceive the importance of lay co-operation, in various ways, for promoting the work of the Lord ; but the idea that any but authorized clergymen could appro- priately preach the gospel had to be taught them by particular providences, or the logic of events. Never- theless, by that impressive mode of teaching, John Wesley especially was enabled to see the subject of the ministerial call in that clear practical light in which he afterward acted in forming plans and di- recting measures which, under the divine blessing, have produced such happy and far-reaching results ever since. The event which first enlarged his views on this subject is thus narrated by Stevens : '• Hitherto Wesley's lay 'helpers' had been but exhorters and readers, and 'expounders' of the Scriptures; but May preach- ing' was now formally begun. Thomas Maxfield, occupying the desk of the Foundery, in Wesley's absence, had been led to devi- ate from these restrictions. Wesley received a letter at Bristol informing him of the fact. His prejudices for ' Church order' were still strong, and he hastened to London, with no little alarm, to check the new irregularity. His mother was still at hand, however, to guide him. Retired in the parsonage of the Foundery, lingering at the verge of the grave, and watching unto prayer over the marvelous developments which were occurring in the religious world around her, through the instrumentality of her family, she read the indications of the times with a wiser sagacity than her son, and was now to accomplish her last con- trolling agency in the Methodist movement, and to introduce an innovation by which, more than any other fact in its ministerial economy, it has been sustained and extended in the world. She perceived, on his arrival, that his countenance expressed dissat- isfaction and anxiety, and inquired the cause. 'Thomas Max- field,' he replied with unusual abruptness, 'has turned preacher, I find.' She reminded him of her own sentiments against lay A NEW INSTAURATION. 103 preaching, and that he could not suspect her of favoring any thing of the kind. ' But take care,' she added, < what you do re- specting that young man ; he is as surely called of God to preach as you are.' She counseled him to examine what had been the fruits of Maxfield's preaching, and to hear him also himself. He heard him : 'it is the Lord, let him do what seem- eth to him good,' was all he could further say, and Thomas Maxfield became the first of that host of itinerant lay preachers which has since carried the standard of the gospel more tri- umphantly over the world than any other class of the modern Christian ministry." The good accomplished by the system of measures thus providentially introduced was by no means lim- ited to thesocieties or Churches that, have been known as Wesleyan. Indeed, it was no part of Wesley's original intention to form any such associations, and when, in the course of events, they seemed to be dic- tated to him as a providential necessity, he neither separated from the Church of England, nor circum- scribed his broad catholicity toward other Churches. Through life he regarded the world as his parish, and all men as his brethren. Whitefield also threw him- self into the broadest possible arena of Christian effort. He entered every open door of usefulness, and again and again made the circuit both of Great Britain and the United States, visiting and arousing the Churches of every name and phase of theological belief Every-where he seized opportunities to arouse ministers as well as people. One of his favorite dis- courses was " on the duty of a gospel minister," m which he maintained, as his first proposition, that " every minister, before he undertakes to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, from a full evidence of a work of conversion, ought to be enabled to say, 1 04 HAPPY RESUL TS. " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel." By such agencies and efforts the animus of that great reUgious awaken- ing became contagious, and the leading views and measures by which it was promoted came to be, in no small degree, the common property of evangelical de- nominations throughout the Protestant world. From this or whatever cause, it is no exaggeration to say that during the last hundred years a higher and more spiritual conception of the ministerial call has prevailed in the more active branches of the Christian Church than at any former period since the days of the apostles. To this very fact may be attributed the more rapid spread of Christian truth, the wider diffusion of missionary zeal and effort, the more general prevalence of revivals, and more en- couraging prospects for the conversion of the whole world to God. Thus we have a practical comment upon an important phase of the truth as it is in Jesus, a historical illustration of the excellence of the Savior's plan of sending forth laborers into his harvest in answer to the prayers and in conformity with the co-operation of his Church. Such results are in striking contrast with the practical apostasy of the Church and its fearful degradation during periods and in regions where that plan was ignored or set at naught. SCRIPTURAL FACTS. 105 CHAPTER III. TH£ MINISTERIAL CALL— PRACTICAL VIEW. THE subject of the ministerial call will now be treated in the light of facts and arguments already developed. Henceforth it will be assumed that the Christian ministry is not a priesthood, but a service, of which the preaching of the The ministry a gospel and the pastoral office are the ^^::Xs leading functions ; that to this ministry ^ ^^o{o\^ caii. it is the office of the Holy Spirit to call all who are needed in the public service of the Christian sanctu- ary, and also that it is a function of the Church not only to pray that such calls may be given, but to authenticate them when given, as a means of pro- moting both the order and efficiency of the work of the Lord. Clearly and strongly do the New Testament Script- ures corroborate this view of the Christian ministry. The Savior publicly authenticated his own scriptural ex- divine mission by reading that prophecy ^"^p^^^- of Isaiah which ages before had announced his advent in terms that not only heralded the new dispensation, but graphically portrayed its character. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, ... to preach I06 PAUUS CONVICTIONS, the acceptable year of the Lord." Luke iv, 16-22 Subsequently he represented himself as specially sent of the Father, and said to his disciples, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world," . . . "that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."* In his instructions to his disciples he said : " Whoso- ever will be great among you shall be your minis- ter, and whosoever of you will be the chiefest shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister." Mark X, 43-45. The apostles acted upon these instructions. Soon after the Pentecost "the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them and said, . . . We will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the word." Acts vi, 2-4. "Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." 2 Cor. iv, 15. "All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of recon- ciliation." V, 18. "We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain, giving no offense Apostolic view. . . . m any thmg, that the mmistry be not blamed, but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God." 2 Cor. vi, i, 3, 4. "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for *See John vii, 28; viii, 26, 29, 42; xvii, 18-23; xx, 21. ANALYSIS OF THE SUBJECT, 10/ that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry." i Tim. i, 12. "None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God." Acts xx, 24. What language could be more conclusive than this of the proper character of the Christian ministry! From the beginning to the end of their career the apostles understood themselves to be, not priests or mediators, but the servants of God and of their breth- ren, nevertheless divinely commissioned to preach the gospel and to maintain a self-sacrificing over- sight of the Churches. Such has been and ever will be the appointment and work of every true minister of the Lord Jesus. At this point certain practical questions of great moment arise, i. In what manner does Appropriate God call his ministers } 2. How may an '"q""'^^- individual certainly know that he is called of God to the ministry.? 3. By what signs may the Church be satisfied of the divine call of a ministerial candidate? These questions deserve thoughtful consideration. I. In reference to the manner in which God calls his ministers, it is important to bear in mind the in- finitude of the divine resources. The Holy Spirit is not limited in his modes of action. " There are diver- sities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all." i Cor. xii, 6-9. Hence we must carefully avoid all theories which I08 VARIETY IN UNITY, would mar just conceptions of the divine freedom or seem to confine the Spirit's action to any given form or routine. We find infinite variety in the products and pro- cesses of the material creation. The world of mind Diversity of IS cqually diversified. Even Christian ex- modes. pcricnce is varied. Among all the millions of those who have passed through the strait gate of repentance into the joy of saving faith, however great the general features of resemblance, the spiritual exer- }' cises of no two individuals have been precisely alike. Ought it not, therefore, to be expected that in the manifestations of the Spirit given to different men there will also be "diversities of operations.'*" Such certainly there have been in the history of the past. Take the case of the apostles of our Lord. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were called to be "fishers of men" at the very moment they were invited to be followers of Jesus, consequently before their conver- sion. Matthew iv, 18-21. Of the remainder of the twelve, we may infer that they had already chosen to become our Lord's disciples, and had become, under his instructions, somewhat matured in Christian prin- ciple and purpose before he made known to them his will as to their public duty. The sacred record touching this point is brief but significant : "And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would, and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, 'and that he might send them forth to preach." Mark iii, 13, 14. "And it came to pass in those days that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in EXPERIENCES MUL TIFORM. 1 09 prayer to God. And when it was day he called unto him his disciples, and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles." Luke vi, 12, 13. The call of Matthias through the suffrage of the Church, and that of Paul, communicated to him, immediately after his miraculous awakening, by the voice of Ananias, form additional illustrations of the various modes by which, in apostolic times, the divine Spirit accom- plished similar ends. So in modern times experi- ences in reference to the ministerial call differ widely. A comparison of the mental exercises by which a thousand different ministers of any given Modem expe- period have reached the common result '^'^"'=^^- of a devout persuasion that they were moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon themselves the sacred office, while it might suggest a classification of experi- ences, would hardly discover any absolute identity. It would be found that some received distinct impressions of this duty in early childhood, which grew with their growth and strengthened with their strength. Others who received similar impressions sought to reject them, and by a course of sin grieved the Holy Spirit. They put in jeopardy their souls' salvation while endeavoring, Jonah-like, to escape from duty; nevertheless the Spirit strove with them, and before it was wholly too late they yielded to his call. Some had distinct impressions of this duty before their conversion, and some even for a long period refused to seek God in their unwillingness to acknowledge his claims upon them to preach the gospel. On some minds the conviction of ministe- rial duty flashed with the suddenness of a startling no DIVINE PREROGATIVE, revelation. To others it came almost imperceptibly, like the gradual dawning of the day. Still others have received the divine call in the same voice which uttered their pardon. To some it has been made known in silence and solitude, to others in the midst of public assemblies and under the ministration of the preached word. While some have received the sacred call without the intervention of man, to many others it has been brought with the voice or by the agency of Christian friendship. Some have reached their profoundest convictions by a species of relig- ious instinct, others by slow processes of reasoning, and by a careful comparison of conflicting claims and impulses. While it may not be allotted to individuals to choose the methods by which it may please God to lead them into the pathway of ministerial duty, it is supremely important that every one be enabled to discern and rightly interpret indications of the divine will in what- ever form they may be vouchsafed. As it is the pre- rogative of the Head of the Church to call and send forth the laborers into the harvest field of the world, so it is the province and responsibility of individual Christians to consider and determine the question of duty for themselves. No one, however, is at liberty to demand miraculous or compulsory evidence. The evidences required to substantiate a ministerial call may be expected to be in harmony with the anal- ogies of Christian experience, and consequently not only to be various in the history of different persons, but to have different stages of development in the case of each individual. A discriminating analysis of PROPER EVIDENCES. Ill the experience of persons truly called to the ministry of the gospel will usually indicate periods like the fol- lowing: I. That of awakening and inquiry. 2. That of conviction, more or less clear. 3. That of settled purpose and determined action. It is evident, therefore, that no person, in the first stage of this experience, should demand *=* . Different the same evidences that may be accorded stages of to him in the third. By overlooking this principle, some have made serious mistakes. Like sinners who refuse the persuasions of truth and the convictions of judgment, and remain unwilling to yield to the divine claims unless overwhelmed with terror, so some make excuses against ministerial duty unless, from the first, they feel like Paul, in the maturity of his apostolic career, " Woe is me if I preach not the gospel." Christian young men, about to form their plans for life, should be careful not to err at this point and re- ject the claims of Christ and his cause upon them because those claims are not at once and imperatively asserted. They should be aware that upon themselves devolves the duty of consideration and decision, and upon them will fall the consequences of mistake. Nothing, therefore, can be more appropriate than for them to inquire, in the language and spirit of the awakened Saul of Tarsus, " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?" This question, and nothing less than this, covers the whole ground. But it is of too solemn im- port to be determined hastily, or without a full con- sideration of whatever might legitimately tend to its solution. Prior to reaching its deepest merits, most 1 1 2 POSSIBLE INC UNA T/ONS, minds will encounter some inquiries that are in their nature preliminary and incidental, although they have often been magnified unduly, and treated as of ulti- Minorques- mate importance. Such are questions of tions. taste, of predisposition, of comparative use- fulness, of the wants of the Church or of mission fields. While an affirmative view of these and simi- lar questions might corroborate a higher persuasion of duty, yet a negative view of them would not be sufficient to contravene it. For instance, if one's natural tastes should harmonize with the duties of ministerial life, he might rejoice in the prospect of congenial occupation, and pray that his very pleasures might be sanctified to the glory of God in the divine service. If, however, his natural tastes should incline him in quite another direction, that would not be a sufficient reason for resisting a manifest call of duty, in the discharge of which his primary inclinations might be wholly changed, and his tastes made to con- form with the controlling purpose of his life. In the one case, grace might be expected to subsidize nature ; in the other, to transform and renew it. Respecting other questions of this class, somewhat different remarks may be made. In reference to the idea of usefulness, it may be accepted as a general principle, that every Christian should pursue that course of life which promises most for the good of men and the glory of God. Nevertheless, one's usefulness in life often depends so much on circum- stances over which he has no control, and on contin- gencies which he can not definitely foresee, that it is only safe to commit his ways to the Lord and trust PERSONAL DUTY. II3 to the divine guidance to bring the best results to pass, rather than to interpose personal inclinations or hasty inductions as to that which he can not prede- termine. The wants of the Church and of the world for faithful ministers and missionaries may be, as it usually is, intensely urgent ; but that fact of itself does not prove that any or every individual is called to the peculiar work of the ministry. In all circumstances, the great majority of pious persons are not called to that work, as may be seen in all Churches. Never- theless, when a deep sense of the wants of the world presses like a burden on the soul of a believer, accompanied with a strong anxiety to relieve those wants, such feelings may justly be regarded as pre- paratory to more specific indications of the divine will to be manifested in due time. While, therefore, preliminaries may be allowed their just weight, yet the great central question The great cen- of personal duty must be regarded as t""^! question. mainly an issue between the inquirer and his Maker. The chief anxiety, then, should be to know the will of God, as superior to all other considerations. While it need not be doubted that God has a specific work for every one of his servants to do, it should be re- membered that his modes of making known that will are various, and act somewhat difierently upon differ- ent minds. The more usual modes by Modes of its which the divine will is indicated in calling s°^^t>°"- ministers to preach the gospel are the following : 1. The direct action of the Holy Spirit. 2. The corroborative action of one's own judgment. - 3. Providential guidance. 10 114 ^^^ SPIRIT'S CALL, 4. The coincident action of the Church. 5. A harmonious concurrence of legitimate reasons. I. The direct action of the Holy Spirit, So long as the apostolic inquiry, " How shall they preach except they be sent ?" has force, it will be a pri- mary anxiety on the part of every well-instructed inquirer, in reference to ministerial duty, to know "the mind of the Spirit" in relation to himself per- sonally. Those who believe that nothing is made without a purpose, can never doubt that the great Designer of the universe has a will with reference to each one of his creatures. The fact that the great majority of human beings, and even of sincere Chris- tians, are left to determine inferentially God's will, as to their proper course of life, is no bar to the proba- bility that, in a work designed to be controlled by the divine prerogative, special manifestations should be made to those whom the Head of the Church would send forth into his vineyard. Indeed, such manifes- tations are not only to be considered probable, but necessary, to a spiritual ministry. Yet, as the human mind can only comprehend the fact and not the mode of the Spirit's action, the best of men are not free from the possibility of misapprehension in reference to this important subject. While it would be wrong to suppose that the Spirit acts upon all persons in precisely the same manner, it would be equally erro- The divine im- ucous to imagine that, in any case, the not^compui-'^"* divlue impulsc is compulsory, or so far ^o'T^- controlling as to relieve the subject from the full exercise of his volition in reference to the duty indicated. On this and various other points DR. O LIN'S VIEWS. II5 involved in the subject, the late Doctor Olin has written so well that no apology will be made for in- troducing several paragraphs from his essay on a call to the ministry.* "A call to the ministry may be defined to be a persuasion wrought by the Holy Spirit in the mind of an individual that it is his duty lo become a preacher of the gospel. It is recognized by the subject of it, simply as a conviction of dnty, which, how- ever, is properly ascribed to the Holy Spirit, the divine agent which produces all pious emotions and purposes. This impres- sion varies greatly in clearness and intensity in different indi- viduals, and in the same individual at different times. At first it may be perceived only in the form of a casual suggestion, a transient desire, or a mere inquiry awakened in the mind by reflection, reading, conversation, or other ordinary means ; and it is commonly developed and matured by prayer, by self-exam- ination, by perusing the Scriptures, by hearing the gospel, by pious conference, by meditating upon the wants of the Church and of the world — in a word, by all those means which deepen piety and make more fervent our love to Christ. The progress of the mind, from first impressions to a thorough and abiding conviction, is sometimes slow, and may possibly be the work of years. It is commonly found, however, that the views of one who ultimately attains to clear evidence of his call to the min- istry, become clear and settled with a rapidity proportioned to his growth in grace and habitual fidelity to the Redeemer's cause. The distressing and protracted doubts with regard to the subject, which oppress so many minds, may commonly be traced to superficial piety, to worldly feeling, and an unwilling- ness to engage in a work so abhorrent to sloth, ambition, and selfishness. A few individuals who are doomed to struggle with morbid peculiarities of mind or body, or with the prejudices of a vicious education, may be long in attaining to a satisfactory evidence with regard to the path of duty ; but in most, perhaps in all other cases, it is reasonable to expect that the humble, the obedient, and the teachable will soon be relieved from all painful uncertainty. The feebleness and indistinctness of first impressions should * Works, Vol. II, p. 254. Also Tract No. 187, M. E. Church. Il6 DANGER OF INDIFFERENCE, not be taken as an argument against their genuineness. On the contrary, it seems to be most consistent with the whole economy of the gospel, that the manifestation of the Spirit should, at first, be only sufficient to awaken the attention and to excite the mind to a course of inquiry and self-examination, and that it should shine upon us in a clearer light in answer to our prayers and in aid of our humble endeavors to ascertain and perform our duty. Every part of the gospel economy is conformed to the condition of man in a state of probation, and it may be doubted whether the Holy Spirit ever exerts an influence upon the human mind beyond its power of prompt and easy resistance. But without stopping to inquire whether there are any exceptions to the great law by which the divine agent is pleased to regulate his own operations, we may rest assured that, in calling to the min- istry, as well as in his other offices, ' a manifestation of the Spirit is given to profit withal ;' that ' to him that hath, more shall be given ;' and that they who are graciously visited by this divine light may, at their option, follow or extinguish it. There is a palpable and perilous mistake on this subject, which prevails very extensively in the Church. Many young men, who have been led to think it their duty to devote themselves to the min- istry, give no heed to this impression, under a vain belief that, if the call be genuine, it will become more loud and importunate for being neglected. They imagine, I know not upon what ground, that this work of the Spirit differs essentially from all its other operations, and they seem to demand that its influence shall be irresistible before they will cease to resist it. The prac- tical effects of this pernicious error are often no less instructive than melancholy. The holy Visitant which was given to en- lighten, not to control the mind, is grieved by neglect and disobedience. Incipient convictions of duty grow feeble and confused, and the feelings subside into a fearful indifference, which is too often regarded as sufficient proof that God has not spoken." In order to see this subject in its proper light it is well to observe closely the analogies Analogies of Christian ex- betwecn Christian and ministerial expen- penence. encc. The human mind is not drawn to repentance and humiliation before God by Satanic LIGHT FOLLOWS OBEDIENCE. \\J or worldly influence, but only by the Spirit of grace and truth. So when a man is moved to a life of self-denial and cross-bearing, especially in connection with acts of obedience and devotion, he is at liberty to infer, from the first, that the impulse is divine. But, inasmuch as it is a duty to "try the spirits, whether they are of God," so great a matter as this should be brought with special urgency before the throne of grace, and if, in answer to sincere and fer- vent prayers for divine light and guidance, the im- pression is deepened and confirmed, what reasonable doubt can a Christian man entertain as to God's will concerning him } It is obvious that when a devout person has reached the conviction that God is calling him to ministerial duty, his immediate and only true course is to yield a willing compliance by saying, in humble but grateful resignation, " Here am I, send me." Following such a response and corresponding action he may expect increasing light and growing clearness of conviction, whereas hesitation to obey and a disposition to say, " I pray thee have me excused," often results in griev- ing the Holy Spirit and bringing darkness, doubt, and sorrow upon the soul. In the former case the sense of duty, like the pathway of true Christian experience, may be expected to grow brighter and brighter, whereas in the latter it is often beclouded and involved in gloom. While, therefore, as in reference to our personal salvation we are to examine ourselves carefully as a means of knowing what is our true spiritual condi- tion, so in regard to the ministerial call, it is possible. Il8 IMPORTANCE OF A CLEAR CONVICTION. by a careful scrutiny of our own consciousness and of the influence of the Holy Spirit upon our hearts, to know assuredly that we are the subjects of a sacred impulse toward the peculiar work and respon- sibility of the Christian ministry. It is little to say that a positive conviction of this fact is a primary and an essential basis of true ministerial character. 2. The corroborative action of ones own jndgmetit. Although it is not within the province of any man to reply against God's just claims upon him, yet those claims are rarely if ever asserted unless upon the basis of good and sufficient reasons. Whether, then, one's natural feelings revolt against a self- denying service or his religious feelings exult in an apparent privilege, it is proper that every person considering the question of ministerial duty should calmly and thoughtfully inquire into the nature of the work required and his personal adaptation to its performance. Although to worldly minds the re- proach of the cross has not ceased and may never cease, yet to a mind illuminated by the Holy Spirit it is not difficult to perceive that in the nature of the case no human engagement can be more digni- fied than the direct and exclusive service of God. Of what value is the honor of men in its highest phases in comparison with the honor that cometh down from God in a special call to be an embassador of the Lord Jesus Christ } The work of the ministry must be regarded as an engagement of Intrinsic dig- ° . . nity of the min- thc highcst posslblc dignity and responsi- bility, not only as arising from the divine appointment, but also from its aims and objects. OBJECTS OF THE MINISTRY. II9 These relate exclusively to the task of mitigating the woes of humanity and elevating our race from misery to happiness, from the deformity of sin to the for- feited image and favor of God. When exemplified in its purity it aims solely to confer blessings upon those for whom it toils. It thus imitates the very beneficence of its author. The importance of this work is further obvious from its being unique among the callings and engagements of men. No other can be found so exclusively designed and so directly adapted to promote the welfare of individuals and the good of society. Besides, its demands are urgent beyond expression. The wail of millions perishing for lack of knowledge is but an echo of the claims which God and humanity assert upon the time and talents of those who devote their lives to the rescue of immortal souls from the power of Satan and the consequences of sin. These considerations must not be allowed, on the one hand, to attract or elate a person who might desire a noble occupation, nor, on the other, to dis- hearten one who is diffident of his own capacities for such a vocation. While, therefore, the inquirer should not fail to consider the ministerial work in the full light of its dignity and its urgency, he should with equal candor inquire into the possibility of his being enabled by grace to accomplish it in some good degree. At this point it is well to remember that ministe- rial capacity is, in an important sense, an Ministerial acquired talent. No one knows how much pendent Ifn he can accomplish for God and the Church cultivation. T20 A CALL TO PREPARATION. until he has thoroughly disciplined and cultivated the powers which God has bestowed upon him. Nor is it possible for a more inspiring appeal to be addressed to a human mind to arouse itself in behalf of a high and liberal cultivation than that which accompanies a conviction that the great God demands the individ- ual's noblest powers and largest efforts in his own immediate service. That a suitable response may be made to this appeal is in harmony with the well- established fact that a great majority of ministers re- Advantages of ceive the Spirit's call to the sacred ofBce an early call. -j^ ^^ early stagcs of Christian experience, and usually in early life. To such " a precious season is allotted for improvement, nor can it be reasonably doubted that this is the special design of God in giving so early an intimation of his will. The course of duty is plain and imperative. This auspicious season should be devoted to the cultivation of the mind. This is now no less a duty than preaching the gospel will be hereafter, and they who permit such opportunities to pass unimproved give no promise of future usefulness. Indeed, there is very little prob- ability that they will ever reach the sacred office. It is pre- cisely at this point in their progress that young men in the circumstances referred to are exposed to the greatest danger, and that multitudes of them make shipwreck of their purposes. Instead of devoting themselves to pursuits congenial and auxil- iary to the ministry, and of considering the cultivation of the mind an imperative duty resulting from their sacred destination, they suffer themselves to drift along with the current of affairs, without purpose or proper employment, the creatures of im- pulses and of circumstances. What wonder if their energies become relaxed, their religious affections chilled, and their spir- itual hght darkened? What wonder if they are swept away by the flood of temptation and swallowed up in the great deep of worldly cares .? Let the pious young man who believes that he is called to the ministry reflect that he is with equal certainty called to make the best possible preparation for the ministry. ' ESSENTIAL ATTAINMENTS. 121 If it would be a grievous offense against God to refuse obedi- ence to his vocation, a full measure of the same guilt is incurred by neglecting to make all the improvement for which Providence supplies such ample opportunities." * In cases where mental preparation has been neg- lected at the proper period it may not be easy to say to what extent the disability should be borne by the individual, or the Church, or both. Much may de- pend on the possibility of overcoming, by extra exer- tion, the embarrassments entailed by former neglect. Not only mental capacity and cultivation should be regarded essential to the ministerial work, but a cor- responding power of public address. In all these respects it is possible for a person, by the aid of judicious friends and without self-flattery, to form a just estimate of his adaptation to the work of the ministry. But it must ever be remembered that mere capacity is quite insufficient. There must ^^^^^ ^^^^^^_ be a lively sympathy with the duties of tion indispen- the ministry, a controlling desire to be engaged in them, and worthy motives for their ac- complishment. In all these respects it is the special province of one's own judgment and consciousness to determine whether or not he has suitable adap- tations for such employment. Others may judge of him outwardly, but can only determine the charac- ter of his heart and feelings by its embodiment in action, whereas that character is ever present with himself, and if he finds it out of harmony with the high purposes and engagements of the ministry he has no right to enter the sacred vocation. If, how- * Olin. 11 122 CAUTION AND ENCOURAGEMENT. ever, on strict and prolonged scrutiny he finds that he has the requisite sympathies, desires, and motives, he may safely surrender himself to what he may then be confirmed in believing to be the call of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise he is only at liberty to pray for the needed transformation, and patiently wait until it is wrought. To enter the Christian ministry from worldly mo- insufficient tivcs, such as the love of ease, quiet, popu- motives. larity, or emolument, is the height of sacri- lege. Motives that might be honorable in reference to secular vocations are far below the standard required here. In the choice of a profession or avocation in life, as that subject ordinarily presents itself to a young man, he is quite at liberty to consult both his inclina- tion and his interest ; but one who should be governed by these considerations in entering the holy ministry would not only act unworthily, but incur the danger of offending God and ruining his own soul. In this service self-interest and personal advantage must be held in abeyance, or only regarded in the light of another world, and through the medium of entire submission to the will of God. If, when an inquirer has thoroughly canvassed this subject, he is enabled to see that whatever may have been his original in- clinations, he is finally drawn to the Christian minis- try as to a divine agency, in which it will be the privilege of his life to labor, and in which he may reasonably hope for success in proportion to the di- vine aid he may receive, this corroborative action of his judgment will become to him a strong internal evidence of duty not to be rejected. OBSTACLES REMOVED OR INTERPOSED. 1 23 3. Piwidential guidance. " It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps."* " The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord."t Hence it is only proper that every one anxious to know his duty should seek to derive all possible instruction from the various providences of which he may be the subject. It some- times happens that when the first convictions of duty fasten upon the mind, the individual is confronted with obstacles that seem insuperable. Like the chil- dren of Israel escaping from Egypt, while Pharaoh pursues from behind, and mountains rise on either side, the sea flows across the track in which he is commanded to go forward. If at such a juncture the waters divide, and a dry path appears leading through the deep, impressions may well rise to convictions, and the inquirer thenceforth feel that no room is left for him to doubt the divine will as to his duty. On the other hand, when the individual's way is abso- lutely hedged up, and with his best efforts he is un- able to accomplish a preparation adapted to the work and acceptable to the Church, he may consider him- self providentially excused from public duty, however his sympathies may be enlisted in it. Hinderances of this kind sometimes come from a failure of health, or the necessity of providing for the wants of depend- ent relatives, and should be accepted with cheerfulness and resignation, however the subject of them might regard it as a privilege to work for God in a higher sphere. Duties may be various and complicated, but they can never be antagonistic. Sometimes one who, like Jonah, seeks to flee from duty more or less plainly * Jer. X, 23. t Ps. xxxvii, 23. 124 PROVIDENTIAL REPROOFS, made known, finds himself terribly rebuked by oppos- ing providences. There are instances in which the truant yields to this severe instruction in time not to wholly forfeit his opportunities of usefulness. In other cases, the lesson is learned too late, and a life of practical rebellion terminates in melancholy failure. While extreme cases like these occur, yet more usu- ally persons are left to infer the divine will from less striking indications. In fact, providences are kindly adapted to favor pious desires, and to reprove indiffer- ence. As indicat-ed above, a call in early life should be regarded as a specially favorable providence. Dif- ficulties may beset the young man's way, but the act of overcoming difficulties may also be an essential element of his proper preparation for the work to which God is guiding him. Opportunities and pos- sibilities are the gift of God. A proper improvement of them is the duty of man. Not until such an im- provement is made can any one know the extent of the usefulness to which he is called. 4. The coincident actio ft of the Chtcrch. Thus far the subject has been considered from a personal point of view, in the light of one's obligations to himself and to God. There is another important aspect from which it is to be regarded. Ministerial duty, high and responsible as it is, is in fact only a part of the work of the Church as a whole. Hence it becomes important to have the co-operative judgment and action of the Church to sanction and publicly authen- ticate individual conviction. This fact has been rec- ognized from the earliest periods of the history of the Church. Thus, in the days of the apostles, when CHURCH ACTION, 12$ individuals were moved by the Holy Ghost to min- ister in sacred things, to the Church was allotted the recognition and authentication of the divine call. This idea underlies the whole theory and practice of ordi- nation. But long before public ordination is in place, the Church has an important function to perform in enabling the inquirer to know his duty. As in the call of the sinner to repentance, both " the Spirit and the bride say, Come ;" so, with a remarkable uniform- ity, when the Holy Spirit moves upon the heart of a young man to take upon himself the work of the min- istry, the Church is similarly moved to call him to the same work. It is not necessary at first that the im- pression should be general, or the action formal, but if within the Church there are any true ,^ . •' Various modes disciples praying the Lord of the harvest of church ac- to send forth laborers into his harvest, and their minds are directed toward an individual who is privately exercised in reference to the same subject, the coincidence can not fail to be impressive. Es- pecially is it so when such disciples are moved to communicate their impressions encouragingly to the persons already meditating this very duty. Nor is the case altered when members of the Church, on the basis of their own convictions, become instrumental in first arousing the attention of a young man to inquire what the Lord would have him do. When- ever, or however, a coincidence is established between the personal convictions of an inquirer and the re- ligious convictions of devout representatives of the Church, it becomes an element of great importance in defining one's course of duty. On the other hand, 126 THE CHURCH MAY ERR, if an individual's inquiries into this subject are not in due time encouraged by the favorable impressions of the. Church, he may well pause before resolving to go a warfare at his own charges, or on the strength of his own uncorroborated convictions. Yet it de- serves to be stated, that there are circumstances in which the non-action, or even the negative action, of the Church would not be conclusive against the fact of a divine call to the ministry When a Church is inactive or lukewarm, or when it has little sympathy with efforts to extend the kingdom of Christ in the earth, it is like a dumb oracle, through which the Spirit of truth can not be expected to speak. While, therefore, non-co-operation from a dormant or apostate Church should be no dissuasive from duty, encourage- ment from a living, praying, and believing Church, or its faithful members, may become strongly corrobora- tive of the impressions received from one's communion with God, and confirmed by the action of his best un- biased judgment. The reader will now be prepared to understand Distinction be- the propcr distinction between the internal '.ra"!'*; and external call to the ministry. The external call. former is thc diviuc impulse, communi- cated directly by the Spirit, and confirmed by the providence of God. The latter is the voice of the Church. There ought always to be unity and corre- spondence between the two, and when there is, there can scarcely be room for doubt as to the joint testi- mony. But, inasmuch as it is possible for the Church to be mistaken, or for the will of God to be misin- terpreted, conclusions should be formed with devout SPIRITUAL APOSTASY. 12/ reverence, and with a thorough loyalty to supreme authority. No one can be a legitimate embassador of Christ who is not called and commissioned by Christ the Sovereign, and yet the true embassador may need credentials of authentication from the Sov- ereign's representative, which is the Church. There may be a true call without the desired authentication, and there may be the form of authentication without the divine call. The latter has been and still is the error of Churches deficient in spirituality. Apostate Having the form of godliness, but deny- of^"piritlVau*^ ing the power thereof — 2 Tim. iii, 5 — they ^^°"^y- exaggerate the importance of ceremonies, but ignore the power of the Spirit's influence. They pride them- selves upon an imagined lineal and tactual succes- sion from the apostles, although deplorably deficient in apostolic humility, and giving but poor manifes- tations of either the mind or the spirit of Christ. As a stream can not rise higher than its fountain, so ecclesiastical appointments from a Church of this character, however vaunted, can have no more validity than mere designations to office in any civil society. There may, however, be cases of the divine vocation in corrupt and apostate Churches. Thus God raised up prophets among the Jews, and has from time to time raised up reformers in the Christian Church. But, assuming that any Christian Church or branch of the Church appropriately holds the Head from which all the body, having nourishment, increaseth with the increase of God,* that Church may expect, through fervent prayer and lively sympathy with the *Col. ii, 19. 1 2 8 CONCURRENT E VIDENCES. designs of the gospel, to be often honored as an agency of calling and appointing true ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ, in harmony with the higher call of the Holy Spirit. Encouragement, ordina- tion, and appointment from such a Church are to be highly prized, and the absence of encouragement of this character should be an occasion of close scrutiny of one's personal impressions and a patient waiting for the clearest light before incurring the risk of run- ning without being sent. 5. A harmoiiioiLS concurrence of legitimate reasons. As there is absolute unity in truth, however varied the modes of its manifestation, so God's will in refer- ence to a Christian's duty may be expected to appear the same, from whatever aspect it is viewed. Noth- ing less, therefore, than a concurrence of all good reasons why one should devote himself to the minis- try of the gospel should be expected in every true experience of the divine call. But, as temperaments and circumstances differ, no absolute uniformity in the order or intensity of personal experience can be supposed necessary or desirable. Some might, in- deed, wish the divine call to be so clear and demon- strative as to leave no room for the investigation of direct and indirect proofs. But it is sufficient for us to know that such is rarely if ever the divine method. " It might be highly convenient to possess some miraculous token by which we might at any time decide infallibly upon our spiritual state. Yet it has pleased God to enjoin frequent and laborious self-examination, and to institute a multitude of tests, by all of which we must try our character and measure our aftainments. In the same manner the Scriptures enumerate the gifts and graces which are indispensable in a preacher, and they PROPER TESTS. 1 29 leave us to try the pretensions of all who aspire to the sacred office b} this infallible standard. The Church must ultimately decide upon the qualifications of those who seek its authority to preach the gospel, but an individual may often anticipate its judgment by applying its established tests to his own qual- ifications. The Church inquires with regard to candidates, 'Have they gifts.? Have they, in some tolerable degree, a clear, sound understanding, a right judgment in the things of God.? Has God given them any degree of utterance? Do they speak justly, readily, clearly ?' Some of these questions may be settled without any appeal to the Church, and the want of some of the enumerated qualifications is sufficient proof of unfitness for the ministry, and consequently of a mistake with regard to a call. A man who thinks it his duty to preach may, for instance, readily ascertain that he has an insuperable obsta- cle to distinct, intelhgible articulation, or that his intellect is so weak and confused that he can neither explain nor understand the fundamental doctrines of religion ; for him no further evi- dence is necessary that he has mistaken his calling." * By such tests, therefore, should the inquirer in refer- ence to ministerial duty try himself impartially. Nor should he confine himself merely to theoretic consid- erations. Our blessed Lord has prescribed fruits as a test both of experience and character. Hence it is well both for individuals and Churches to experiment upon impressions of duty in advance of final conclu- sions. In the different phases of Christian activity there are numerous ways in which an earnest young man may, without forwardness, put forth efforts suf- ficiently analogous to those required by ministerial duty to enable him to form an unbiased judgment as to whether his exertions are owned of God. While, therefore, he may be on the alert for opportunities to do good, the Church will do well to employ him in some of those minor offices in which she may, on *01in. 130 INITIAL FRUITFULNESS. her part, ascertain his Christian fruitfulness. If in this progressive course of experiment good is done, souls are blessed, and God is honored, reasons will be seen not only to concur, but to multiply for a life- long devotion to the work of the ministry. When by definite and combined considerations, tested in the light of Scripture and experience, a Christian young man reaches the ^conviction that God calls him to the sacred office, he should no longer hesitate. He should respond to the call by a cheerful surrender of his own will to the will divine, and should, as far as possible, set himself apart for holy employments. "He is no longer his own. It was before impiet}', it is now sacrilege, for him to Hve to himself. He is dead to the world. He has a high vocation, from which his whole future life must take its coloring and direction. He is consecrated to God. Sacred vows are upon him, and from this hour all his faculties of body and mind are irrevocably pledged to the Savior's cause. Years, perhaps, must elapse before his age, intellectual maturity, and religious experience will allow the Church to commission him to preach ; but this, instead of being a ground for distrust- ing the divine call, and for sinking into sloth and despondency, or for becoming entangled in secular employments, should be esteemed a high and peculiar blessing." During all the years of his preparation, his convic- tions may become stronger and clearer, and when at length he reaches positions in which he can make full proof of his ministry, he may, by proper diligence and devotion, expect evidences of his being in the way of duty to multiply until demonstration shall be made doubly clear. Souls converted by his agency will become seals of his apostleship on earth, as they MULTIPLYING MOTIVES, 131 will be crowns of his rejoicing in the world to come.* While such possibilities are open before the truly called minister of Christ, none should be disheart- ened who, at the end of candid and diligent inquiry, fail to receive conclusive evidences of a personal call to the sacred office. Happily, there are numerous spheres of Christian usefulness outside of the public ministry, in which similar objects can be accomplished, and similar rewards gained. The great desire of every Christian should be to find his true place in the serv- ice of his divine Master, and then to perform his whole duty, to the utmost of his ability. * I Cor. ix, 2 ; i Thess. ii, 19. 132 PREACHING AND THE PASTORATE. CHAPTER IV. CLASSIFICATION OF MINISTERIAL DUTIES.— THE TWO GREAT FUNCTIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN MINIS- TRY—EVANGELICAL—PASTORAL. A CALLING so important and comprehensive in its design as that now under consideration nec- essarily involves a vast number and a great variety of duties. Nevertheless, preaching and the pastoral care generically embrace them all. Attention should therefore be given to the distinctive character, the spe- cific design, and the proper relations and correspond- ences of these two leading functions of the Christian ministry. Preaching and the pastoral care have a common object, but employ somewhat different, though never antagonistic, means for its accomplishment. Preach- ing is the initial work. It awakens attention, arouses conscience, proclaims the terrors of the law, offers the mercy of salvation, and persuades men to be recon- ciled to God. Pastoral care feeds the flock of Christ, nourishes and cherishes the lambs of his fold, gives milk to babes, and strong meat to them that are of full age. Preaching introduces the gospel. Pastoral care establishes and perpetuates the institutions of Christianity. Preaching enlarges the area of Chris- tian influence. Pastoral care individualizes the appli- COMPARISON OF DUTIES. 1 33 cation and consolidates the results of pulpit labor. Pastoral care increases attendance upon preaching, and secures interested hearers. Preaching attracts hearers within the circle of pastoral influence, and pastoral care waters the seed sown in their hearts. Preaching is aggressive. It is the pioneer work of the Church. Pastoral care follows as the work of occupation. Preaching challenges attention and awakens inquiry. Pastoral care removes doubts, set- tles anxieties, and imparts consolation and instruction. Preaching attacks error in its various forms, and un- folds and defends the truth of God. Pastoral care folds, watches, and guards the gathered flock. Preach- ing not followed, or not duly sustained by correspond- pastoral care, fails of its ultimate objects. ^""^• Pastoral care, without preaching, is insufficient to ac- complish the designs of a Christian Church. Churches, in which preaching is neglected, decline both in num- bers and spirituality. Those in which preaching is de- preciated, or becomes powerless, verge over into ritu- alistic ceremonies and profitless formalities. Churches, in which pastoral care is neglected, lose their organic power, and tend to dissolution. Preaching and the pastoral care are, in fact, so closely correlated, and so reciprocal to each other, that they should always be maintained in unison, and in mutual co-operation. Yet there are some particulars in which the admin- istration of the two functions widely differ. Preaching, in some important senses, is a universal duty, whereas the pastoral care is com- r A n /-^ i> Difterences. mitted to comparatively few. All God s people may be prophets, to the extent that they may, 134 DISTINCTIONS AND LIMITATIONS, by their lives, their example, and their influence, preach Christ, and make known the knowledge of his name, and the power of his grace, thus multiplying Christian activities at every point of contact between the Church and the world. Pastoral duties can not be thus subdivided and made diffusive. They are limited in extent of territory, and for completeness and efficiency they must necessarily focalize in an individual pastor, however he may be aided by assist- ant pastors or lay helpers. Not merely is a pastor to take the spiritual oversight of his flock, but also to stimulate and guide the individual efforts of its mem- bers. Into this responsibility a stranger can not en- ter, however good or great as a preacher. The spirit of true Christianity always demands illustration, by private as well as public labor, for the propagation of the faith and the salvation of men. It is therefore important that such labor be under wise direction, and not wasted through circumscribed views or im- pulses, lacking a worthy and specific aim. As well might there be many heads to an army as many pas- tors for a single flock. The apostle James rebuked this error when he said, " My brethren, be not many masters." Rather should the energies of an entire flock be guided by the wisdom and zeal of a single responsible head. In this view. Christian churches should not be too large, so that individual talent will be in danger of being overlooked or unemployed. When, however, by internal growth or centripetal at- traction, a pastorate becomes too large for efficient superintendence or practical work, preaching, as a centrifugal force, should come to its relief by going THE ORDINANCES, 135 forth with colonies to plant new centers of Church action. While in all these respects the wise pastor will encourage and guide the efforts of his people, he will not forget that he, too, is a preacher, and that, in order to make full proof of his ministry, he must per- sonally " Preach the word ; be instant in season, out of season ; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffer- ing and doctrine."* The administration of the ordinances, whether of baptism or of the Lord's-supper, is peculiarly a pas- toral function, and its right discharge involves no little solicitude and personal attention to their sub- jects. The ordinances of Christianity are not to be administered heedlessly, or by mere routine, but rather with a just discrimination as to their design and sig- nificance. Nor is the minister to act merely as a judge in discriminating character, but also as an in- structor to the ignorant, a helper to the weak, a guide to the erring, and as an appointed agent, by appropri- ate means, to turn men from the service of Satan to the obedience of the truth and the service of God. The exercise of the preaching office is a primary re- quirement of the divine call. Whoever th- two func- has received that call should preach wher- ^ions separable. ever hearers can be found, and whether invested with the pastoral office or not. Faithful preaching will usually, if not invariably, create the necessity of the pastoral care,' but that care will not necessarily de- volve on the original preacher. Many useful preach- ers, in fact, never accept the pastoral oversight of a flock. Some feel themselves unadapted to it. Others * 2 Tim. iv, 2. 136 EVANGELISTS AND PASTORS. are prevented from engaging in it by the demands of the Church in other departments of labor. Some, from constitutional or cultivated preferences, choose to labor whcJTly as evangelists, while other good men may not be chosen or accepted as pastors by the people. The last remark develops a distinctive pecul- iarity of the pastoral office. It can not exist, in any proper sense, without the consent of those who are embraced within its jurisdiction. There are, indeed, various ways in which the pastoral relation may be established ; as, for example, by a formal compact be- tween Churches and ministers, or by the routine of a system accepted by both. In other instances, the pastoral relation may be imposed by government authority or private patronage, and may have a legal and ceremonial existence, even contrary to the wishes of the people ; but in no case can it be fully exempli- fied without the personal and cordial consent of its Limitation of proper subjccts. The pastoral relation, as the pastorate, bctwecu a minister and his people, being practically a matter of agreement, is capable of dis- solution by either party. Owing to this fact, good ministers are sometimes dismissed or excluded from pastorates through misapprehension or the untoward- ness of circumstances. In such cases, their pastoral functions may be involuntarily suspended for a longer or a shorter time, but not necessarily their duty of preaching. They may go forth and seek other fields, found other Churches, and again resume pastoral rela- tions under more favorable auspices. But if from any cause the pastoral relation should not be resumed, the preaching office, so far from being abandoned, may PREACHING A LIFE- LONG DUTY. 1 3; Still be maintained, and great usefulness result from even its occasional exercise. Indeed, that branch of ministerial duty, having a wide sphere of exercise, outside of calls, settlements, or constant obii- official appointments, should be considered ^^"°"" of life-long obligation. It should neither be resigned nor disused. It should be regarded as a talent be- stowed by the great Head of the Church ; and having been ratified or duly recognized by the Church itself, in its general capacity, the receiver has no right either to hide it in a napkin or bury it in the earth. On the other hand, he should regard this ministerial gift or charism as a light kindled up in his soul, which is " neither to be put under a bushel nor a bed, but to be set on a candlestick, that it may give light to all that are around." Our Lord said to his disciples, " When they persecute you in this city, flee ye to another."* This instruction may be justly interpreted as a general direction to ministers, that if insurmount- able difficulties arise in one field or form of labor, they are not to succumb to obstacles, but to seek other fields, and toil on in the Master's vineyard while life and strength endure. It is to be feared that loose views are too prevalent on this subject, and that many preachers, truly called of God, either through discour- agements or enticements, prematurely discontinue a most important sacred function, which they should " Only with their lives lay down." As desertion is a military crime of the highest magnitude, so an abandonment of the ministerial * Matt. X, 23. 12 138 THE TWO FUNCTIONS SEPARABLE. vocation without the clearest indication of the divine will should be regarded as a capital error, if not a crime against Him by whom the minister was called with a holy calling, from the just claims of which nothing less than the authority of the captain of his salvation can absolve him. While it may be conceded that full proof of the Atrueministr ministry Can only be made in the joint may be main- excrcisc of the two fuuctions of preaching tained by the use of either and the pastoral care, it is not conceded that the disuse, for sufficient reasons, of either one of these functions necessarily invalidates the essential character of a true ministry. Indeed, it will often occur in the practical work of disseminating the gospel and establishing the Church that one of these duties is in the ascendant, while the other is suspended for a longer or shorter period. The neces- sity for their combined or parallel discharge does not always exist. In every country, and, it may be said, in every community where the gospel is introduced, there is a period of missionary effort in which preach- ing is the principal, if not the sole duty of Chris- tian ministers. Attention must be aroused, interest awakened, consciences quickened, and souls converted before the work of a pastor can properly be inaugu- rated. But, following such results, pastoral effort rises to supreme importance as a means of gathering in the fruits of the gospel harvest. Thenceforward, during the whole existence of the Church established, both duties may run parallel and be strictly essential to each other. The ultimate rather than the primary order of pas- INSTITUTION OF THE PASTORATE, 1 39 toral labor in the Church is indicated by the New Testament record. The whole period of our Lord's earthly ministrations was that of preparatory and missionary effort, and the pastoral office was not def- initely established till near its close, while that of preaching was appointed at its beginning. It was during the last six months of Christ's . . 1 r-. . Appointment public mmistry that the Savior distinctly of the pastoral illustrated to his disciples, then somewhat °^''^' prepared to understand it, his own character as the good SHEPHERD who was to lay down his life for the sheep.* At that period and in that manner he iden- tified himself with the ancient prophecies which had declared that the Messiah should "feed his flock like a shepherd," "gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom," "seek out his sheep and deliver them," "seek that which was lost," "bind up that which was broken," "strengthen that which was sick," "feed them with judgment," and "be their shepherd."! It was not till the night before his betrayal that the Savior instituted the institution of Holy Eucharist and commanded its per- the ordinances, petuation in the Church, and not till after his resur- rection that he gave to his disciples, through Peter, the urgent and comprehensive command, "feed my lambs," "feed my sheep," commands speedily and significantly followed by the great commission, "Go TEACH all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost." When our Lord sent forth his disciples on a mis- sion of evangelization he sent them two by two, *John X. t Isaiah xl, 11 ; Ezek. xxxiv, 12, 23. 140 DIVISION OF MINISTERIAL LABOR. thus indicating that in the early stages of evangel- ical labor a plurality of preachers is needed. In like manner the apostles, in their more important mis- sionary tours, went not singly, but accompanied by one or more assistants. Thus Peter and John were associated together, also Paul and Barnabas ; and when the latter two separated at Antioch, Barnabas took Mark and sailed into Cyprus, and Paul chose Silas and went through Syria and Cilicia confirm- ing the Churches. Modern efforts for the propaga- tion of Christianity, whether in pagan nations or in nations nominally Christian, illustrate a similar necessity for a preponderance of evangelical rather than pastoral labor up to the time when Churches become established. After that, a single pastor can take the oversight of a flock that has only been gathered by multiplied labors, in which preaching predominated. Thus, in the progress of time and in Occasions for thc development of Christian institutions, of^mii^'sTeriS ministerial labor becomes legitimately sub- labor. divided. This principle was recognized by the apostles in their demand for the appointment of deacons to relieve them of a part of their previously accepted duties, also in their subsequent ordination of elders for the confirmation of believers and the administration of the sacrament. So in modern times by the progress of Christianity and the multiplication of Christian agencies new departments of labor are created. Thus the wide extension and convenient maintenance of Christian missions requires more or less persons to devote their time and energies spe- cially to the collection and disbursement of funds DUTIES IN HARMONY WITH THE MINISTRY. 14I and the direction of missionary affairs. The estab- lishment and conduct of educational institutions in the interests of the Church devolves upon some ministers the duty of arousing the liberality of Chris- tians to found such institutions, and upon others that of imparting or superintending instruction. In like manner the proper enUstment of the press in the service of Christianity makes it necessary for some ministers to become translators of the Scriptures, editors of periodicals, and authors of books, to an extent incompatible with a pastoral charge. But should such persons therefore renounce the ministry of the gospel ? Evidently not. Their work may be exceptional in form, but none the less real in purpose or result. Unless it has the latter character it should never be undertaken, or, if undertaken and found to disappoint expectations, it should be resigned, since no one conscious of being called of God to the min- istry and having taken upon himself solemn vows of ordination should consider himself at liberty to accept any engagement that will inhibit his exercise of the gospel ministry at least as a faithful preacher of the word. Whatever, in any subordinate or auxiliary vocation, he may do on week-days, he should devote his Sabbaths, "as extensively as possible, ^^^,^ sabbath to preaching the word, either as an aid ^^"'"'^^ ^p^^^'^^ _ _ and ever-recur- to laborious pastors, or in gathering new ring occasions congregations. If no field for such labors ""^ "^^^^^ '"^' seems to lie open before him he should seek to open one, which will rarely be found impossible. Effort may often be necessary to find congenial and practi- cable fields of usefulness, but it is not to be believed 142 RITUALISTIC THEORY. that God ever calls redundant laborers into his moral vineyard. There is room for all to work, and need for the utmost diligence of all. How culpable, then, the inactivity or love of ease by which many stand in each other's way, or bury in the ground the most valuable talent they possess! How wrong, too, any system of Church administration which, for the pomp of ceremony or Church parade, monopolizes a retinue of ecclesiastics who, scattered abroad, might individu- ally preach the gospel to the poor ! Although it is not the object of this volume to set forth in detail the magnitude and responsibility of the preaching office, but rather that of the pastoral care, yet even in this connection justice to the scriptural idea demands that preaching should be set in its true and ever-important light. It is in no case to be ig- nored or subordinated. Hence no countenance should be given to erroneous theories as to its place in the Christian system. Of such theories one is that in which the adminis- Erroneous the- tratiou of the sacramcuts is held to be the ories. great and central function of the Christian ministry, to which preaching is merely an auxiliary, or perhaps a fitting pendent as a postil to a mass. This theory underlies the practice of the Roman Catholic Church, and, in fact, of ritualists of all grades. An- other, which is but a modification of the former, has been adopted by some Protestant writers who, by the error of regarding the pastoral office as the equiva- lent of the whole Christian ministry, practically make preaching merely a branch of pastoral duty. This theory lends to displace preaching from its true place TRUE THEORY. I43 in the Christian scheme, without really enhancing the dignity or responsibility of the pastoral office. Distinct from both these theories, the true view, as already indicated, is that preaching and the pas- toral care are co-ordinate functions of one and the same ministry. Each is correspondent to the other, whether both are united in the ministry of one indi- vidual, or whether the two are separated and more or less distributed in the aggregate ministry of the Church. Let preaching, then, be ever understood to have a high and intrinsic importance, whether True theory of regarded by itself or in its relations to the preaching the pastoral office. Various considerations confirm this view of preaching as that which should be exemplified by all true ministers of Christ. The following are suggested : I . Its tmiversal adaptation. Preaching contemplates equally the cardinal objects of the Christian ministry and the moral wants of humanity. As the Savior of the world was pleased to reveal himself in the char- acter of the incarnate Word, so the word of his grace is designed and appointed for a world-wide proclama- tion. Human speech, by Christ's appointment, was made the grand agency of propagating divine truth for the universal conquest of human hearts. Hence, in every nation and in all circumstances, able minis- ters of the New Testament are wanted to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ, by diligent spir- itual rninistrations and manifestations of the truth commending themselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 144 PERPETUAL OBLIGATION. 2. The moral arid perpetual obligation of the preaching office. Preaching is no respecter of persons. It has a message alike for the high and the low, the rich and the poor, the learned and the unlearned, the good and the bad. Nevertheless, its utterances should be dis- criminating. It should have a timely word for every individual, and the preacher should be so thoroughly prepared and so self-possessed as not to be abashed at the presence of any man in his audience. Dealing specially with the consciences of men, and aiming su- premely at the salvation of their souls, the preacher should never cease to regard himself as an embas- sador for Christ, sent forth to entreat men to be recon- ciled to God. Nevertheless, knowing his openness to criticism, and the possibility of his message being dis- armed of its power by feeble conceptions of truth, or its unskillful utterance, he should omit no means of qualification, and no urgency of prayer for the assist- ance of divine grace, that he may be enabled " rightly to divide the word of truth." The discharge of this branch of ministerial duty is True evangel- ^ot Conditioned on the accident of a call ism aggressive. fj-Qj^ somc orgauizcd Church or congre- gation. If God calls, his ministers should preach, whether "men will hear, or whether they will for- bear." Hearers are more easily found than pastor- ates, and yet earnest preaching is the most effectual means of establishing pastorates where they have had no previous existence. It is an apostolic ambition, upon which God puts especial honor, to preach the gospel " in regions beyond," or outside of Christian occupation, " not boasting in another man's line of QUALIFICATIONS TO BE SOUGHT. 1 45 things made ready to our hand."* Hence, every Christian minister, young or old, who is not occupied in a pastorate, without standing idle, and lamenting "no man hath hired me," should go forth and seek some field in which he may sow the seed ^j^,^^ ^^ j^^or of the kingdom — some neglected neighbor- should be , sought. hood, some abandoned community, some frontier settlement, some prison, some almshouse, some hospital, in which he may point perishing souls to "the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world." If in such fields of labor it is impossible for him to live of the gospel which he preaches, if he is compelled during the week to minister to his own necessities and those of persons dependent upon him by secular or other occupations, still he has the Lord's day in which to work for God. Every Christian Sab- bath brings to him, as well as to a pastor, an ap- pointed time for preaching. His responsibility is to find the place and discharge the duty to as many as will hear him. Here, it should be remembered, that the most laborious duties of the pastoral ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^ office have to be performed on week-days, belongs chiefly , to week-days. and that preparation for the pulpit must be made in portions of time that can be redeemed for that object. Here is the crucial test of personal dili- gence— to do the one work well, and not to leave the other undone. If, moreover, the same diligence in redeeming moments for religious studies and medita- tions be maintained by those whose week-days are necessarily occupied with miscellaneous or secular du- ties, their profiting in increasing qualifications for the * 2 Cor. X, 16. n 146 THE FIELD IS THE WORLD. preaching office might also appear unto all men. When, therefore, a minister finds his lot temporarily or permanently cast outside of a pastorate, while he may not rejoice at his immunity from the interrup- tions and multitudinous cares inseparable from the faithful discharge of pastoral obligations, he should earnestly endeavor to profit by that immunity, using all diligence, in all spare moments, to secure, by all available means, a higher fitness both for present and for future usefulness. Thus, whether in youth, middle life, or old age, the truly called minister of Jesus Christ, in whatever circumstances he may be provi- dentially placed, should count it his honor, his joy, and his perpetual obligation to preach the gospel to the extent of his opportunity and ability. In this manner, many faithful and truly apostolic men, who have never been pastors, have been efficient evangel- ists, and have maintained themselves while freely dis- pensing the gospel to others, and greatly aiding in the extension of the truth and in the multiplication and strengthening of Christian Churches. That system of pastoral division of territory and The word of of cxclusivc jurisdiction, by which only an God not bound, official pastor is permitted to preach within certain boundaries, has no countenance from Christ's precepts, from apostolic example, or from the reason of things. While a just respect should be maintained for the Christian pre-occupation of any field, and while proselytism should be despised and avoided, yet an earnest preacher should consider himself commis- sioned to imitate his divine Master in seeking to save them that are lost or perishing in sin, wherever ORDINATION. 1 47 they may be found. Thus, he should aim to illus- trate the spirit of the great commission which directs ministers to go "into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." The spirit of this com- mand is missionary and diffusive, in the highest de- gree, and it can only be exemplified by self-denial and cross-bearing, both on the part of ministers and Churches. Considering the universal appHcability, and the perpetual force of this command, ordinations we may infer it to be the divine will that should not be -' confined to pas- the number of preachers in the Church torai incum- should exceed that of pastors. It is, there- fore, neither scriptural nor evangelical for Churches to withhold ordination from all who are not previ- ously chosen or appointed to a pastorate. Rather it should be regarded as the true policy and the just responsibiUty of Churches to commission all who are truly called of God to preach the gospel, while all who are thus called and commissioned should regard the sacred office as of life-long obligation, and not to be laid aside or disused at convenience. If indeed called to be soldiers of Jesus Christ, they should remember that " there is no discharge in that war," and also that "no man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." The Church of England, amid many canons, of lit- tle scriptural validity, has this one, the 76th, which is conceived and expressed in accordance with the true spirit of ministerial obligation : '■''Ministers at no time to forsake their calling. No man being admitted a deacon or minister shall from thenceforth voluntarily 148 SIGNIFICANCE OF ORDINATION relinquish the same, nor afterward use himself in the course of his life as a layman, upon pain of excommunication." The proper theory of lay ministration will be con- sidered in another connection. At this point it is sufficient to have shown that the preaching office is not only separable from that of the pastorate, but of constant obligation during the Hfe, health, and relig- ious fidelity of its subject ; and that by the faithful discharge of this one branch of ministerial duty, if the other is not allotted to him, a Christian minister may maintain a good conscience, and fulfill the essen- tial requirement of the divine call. It remains to be noticed that ministerial ordination has reference to preaching as well as to the cont^mpiTtes admiuistratiou of the sacraments. Christ preaching as himsclf " ordaiucd twelve, that they should well as pastoral •' care and min- bc with him, and that he might send them forth to preach."* Matthias was " ordained to be a witness" with the apostles "of the resurrec- tion of Jesus. "t Paul declares himself to have been " ordained a preacher and an apostle, a teacher of the Gentiles, J in faith and verity." Having reference to the special character of his mission to the Gentiles, although recognizing his power to administer the ordi- nances, the same apostle affirmed to the Corinthians, that " Christ sent him not to baptize, but to preach the gospel." Immediately after the ordination of the seven deacons we have a record of the effective preaching of Stephen, and subsequently of the faith- ful labors of Philip as an Evangelist. The practice of ordination to the Christian ministry * Mark iii, 14- t Acts i, 22. \ i Tim. ii, 7. COMPULSION. 149 has been retained in the Church from age to age. But unhappily, respecting this as in reference to many other subjects, erroneous theories crept Early corrup- into the ancient Church, and led to gross *^°"^- corruptions in practice. Of these it is sufficient to instance that of forced ordinations. "Anciently," says Bingham,* "while popular elections were indulged, there was nothing more common than for people to take men by force, and have them ordained against their wills. For though many men were too ambitious in courting the pre- ferments of the Church, yet there were some who ran as eagerly from them as others ran to them ; and nothing but force could bring such men to submit to an ordination. Ecclesiastical his- tory furnishes many instances of this, including some who were plainly ordained against their wills. ^°^^*^^® °'"^i' It was a common practice in those times for per- sons, that fled to avoid ordination by their own bishop, to be seized by any other bishop to be ordained by them, and then returned to the bishop from whom they were fled." " Nor was it any kind of remonstrance or solicitation whatsoever which the party could make that would prevent his ordination in such cases, except he chanced to protest solemnly upon oath against such ordination." To hinder this protest, cunning and violence were employed. At the ordination of Macedonius by Flavian, Bishop of Antioch, " they durst not let him know what they were about till the ceremony was over ; and, when he came to understand that he was ordained presbyter, he broke forth into a rage." Paulinianus, Jerome's brother, fled from ordination, but Epiphanius caused his deacons to seize him, and to hold his mouth, that he might not adjure them in the name of Christ to set him free. " Such ordination stood good, and was accounted as valid as any other." Even when in the following age the sentiment of the Church was so far modified as to permit deacons and presbyters, ordained against their wills, to "be set at liberty as if they had never been ordained," bishops were excluded from this reasonable provis- ion. "Though the imperial law gave liberty to all inferiors, so * Antiquities of the Christian Church, Book IV, chap. vii. 150 THEORY OF TACTUAL SUCCESSION. ordained, to relinquish their office that was forced upon them, if they pleased, and betake themselves to a secular life again, yet it peremptorily denied the privilege to bishops, decreeing that their ordination should stand good, and that no action brought against their ortlainers should be of force to evacuate or disannul their consecration." Thus the "indelible mark" would stand, however unwilling or immoral the man that had received it. It is easy to perceive that such abuses had their root in the materialistic idea of the descent of ministerial grace and authority through tactual succession. Yet the tolerated existence of such abuses in connection with the origin and diffusion of the lineal succes- sion theory has added historic demonstration to the glaring absurdity of the theory itself. However at variance with all spiritual conceptions of Christian- ity, that theory has proved itself adapted to spread throughout periods of declining and extinct spirit- uality, and unhappily it still prevails as the basis of much error in portions of nominal Christendom. While the evils that have grown directly out of it are numerous, it seems also chargeable with that extreme reaction by which some have rejected not only the rite of ordination, but also the sacraments themselves, and even the ministerial office. Excepting .those who receive the opposite and erro- neous theories alluded to, great practical unity of sentiment prevails in modern Churches respecting the character and significance of ministerial ordina- tion. The minor variations recognized among the principal Protestant Churches do not materially con- flict with the following points, in which, on the basis of scriptural precedent, they all concur: CORRECT THEORY OF ORDINATION. 151 1. Ministerial ordination is a solemn and respon- sible act of the Christian Church, designed for the safeguard and perpetuation of its ministerial functions. 2. It is conditioned upon evidence of the precedent call of the Holy Spirit received by its individual subject. 3. It recognizes and sanctions the two great and co-ordinate functions of the ministerial office, viz.: (i.) The duty of preaching. (2.) The pastoral care, inclusive of the administration of the sacraments. A few extracts from our Church ritual will show how definitely the two functions treated of in this chapter are contemplated in the forms of ministerial ordination : PROFESSION AND VOWS OF THOSE WHO ARE ADMITTED TO THE ORDER OF DEACON. Ques, "Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you the office of the ministry in the Church of Christ, to serve God for the promoting of his glory and the edifying of his people ?" Alls. " I trust so." Ques. " Do you unfeignedly beheve all the canonical Script- ures of the Old and New Testament V Alls. " I do believe them." Ques. "Will you diligently read or expound the same unto the people whom you shall be appointed to serve ?" Ans. "I will." " It appertaineth to the office of a deacon to assist the elder in divine service, and, especially, when he ministereth the holy communion, to help him in the distribution thereof, and to read and expound the Holy Scriptures, to instruct the youth, and to baptize ; and, furthermore, it is his office to search for the sick, poor, and impotent,, that they may be visited and relieved. Ques. Will you do this gladly and willingly ?" Ans. " I will do so by the help of God." 152 SOLEMN VOWS. EPISCOPAL CHARGE. "Take ihoii authority to execute the office of a deacon in the Church of God, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Take thou authority to read the Holy Scriptures in the Church of God, and to preach the same." The vows of an elder recite with still greater de- tail the duties of faithfully ministering "the doctrine, sacraments, and discipline of Christ:" When those vows have beeji publicly a7td solemnly taken ^^thc Bishop, with the eldets present, shall lay their ha7ids severally upon the head of every one that receiveth the order of elders^ the receivers huinbly kneeling upon their knees, and the Bishop saying, "The Lord pour upon thee the Holy Ghost for the office and work of an elder in the Church of God, now committed unto thee by the authority of the Church, through the imposition of our hands. And be thou a faithful dispenser of the word of God and of his holy sacraments, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. AmenP " The?i the Bishop shall deliver to evefy one of them kneeling the Bible into his hands, saying, "Take thou authority, as an elder in the Church, to preach the word of God and to administer the holy sacraments in the congregation." Persons who have taken upon themselves these solemn vows and have accepted these impressive charges, or who contemplate doing so, can not be too studious of their meaning or too sensible of the weight and continuity of obligation they impose. AN OFFICE OF OVERSIGHT, 1 53 CHAPTER V. SPECIAL CHARACTER AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PASTORATE. THUS far the Christian ministry has been con- sidered in its aggregated or integral character. Nevertheless, its leading functions have been shown to be separable into two important classes, each of which, in a thorough discussion, calls for separate, though not exclusive treatment. Corresponding to the general design of a treatise heretofore published on "The True Theory and Practice of Preaching," it is now proposed to develop the essential character, relations, and bearings of the pastoral office. As the former treatise did not ignore pastoral obligations, so the present will claim preaching as an important, in- deed an essential, agency of complete pastoral success. In its intrinsic character the Christian pastorate is an office of oversight, of moral guardian- Preliminary ship, and of spiritual counsel. It was not ''•^'^^• till the coming of Christ that the office of a religious pastor was fully illustrated. Neither the term nor the idea was ordinarily applied to the priests or prophets of the Old Testament. In the prophecy of Jeremiah the term is thus applied in a few in- stances. One of the most remarkable is that which declares, "Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and 1 54 CHRIST THE CHIEF SHEPHERD, scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord." This denunciation is immediately followed by a strik- ing prediction of opposite results under the glorious reign of the Messiah: "And I will gather the rem- nant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, . . . and I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lack- ing, saith the Lord." Jer. xxiii, 1-4. In accordance with prophetic declarations, Christ appeared and represented himself as the Good Shep- herd, who knows his sheep, and is known of his. Most strikingly did he set forth the difference be- tween the true shepherd and the hireling, and with- eringly did he rebuke the unfaithful Jewish teachers when he said, "All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them." In various ways did the Good Shepherd not only indicate his own character, but the correspond- ing relation which his people sustain to him. The most endearing terms by which he spoke of them had reference to this relation. When he would com- fort his disciples against the gloom of impending sorrow and trial he said, "Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the king- dom." When he gave through Peter his final charge to the twelve he said, "Feed my lambs," "feed my sheep." The several passages in the Acts of the Apostles, and also -in the Epistles, in which the Church is denominated "the flock" recognize the pastoral relation either of the Chief Shepherd or of under-shepherds appointed to represent him. The PASTORAL DUTIES. 1 55 office thus introduced and established contemplates the special service of the Redeemer of the world. From it we see that, in addition to the general prov- idential care which God exercises over mankind, he specially provides for the spiritual welfare of his children. The chief duties of the pastoral office may be summarily indicated in three words— -/r^<^, ^ -; , Watch-words. guidcy guard. The first work of the Chris- tian pastor is to "feed the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made him overseer!" In order to do this he must diligently and daily gather the manna sent down from heaven. He must break and distribute to the multitude the loaves which Christ has blessed. He must faithfully dispense the word of life. He must perseveringly teach from the sacred desk and from house to house. In order to do this work properly he must comply with the exhortation of the apostle, " Be instant in season, out of season ; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine." But as the flock is passing through an enemy's country it requires to be led and guided by one who knows the perils of the way, and who, amid all the fascinations of the tempter and all the allure- ments of the broad road that leads to death, will unswervingly pursue the narrow path. What a woe belongs to the blind or unfaithful guide who leads the flock astray or causes its members to be lost in the wilderness of error or of sin! Inasmuch, also, as the flock is often assaulted by "the wolf of hell," under various guises and with various weapons, it is the duty of the faithful pastor to stand guard as a 156 VARIATIONS, sentinel upon the watch-towers of Zion, to furnish both alarm and defense in the time of danger. In accordance with this idea, the ordination vow of every bishop and elder of our Church pledges him to be "ready with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines con- trary to God's word, and to use both public and pri- vate monitions and exhortations, as well to the sick as to the whole, as need shall require and occasion be given." Since the establishment of Christianity in the earth, and wherever it has extended, the pastoral office has been recognized, although its exercise has been attended with more or less variations, as differ- ent systems of Church polity have prevailed. While it might be interesting, and perhaps profitable, to trace the variations of pastoral authority and custom through difierent ages and countries, still it is more important to ascertain the proper claims and respon- sibilities devolving upon Christian pastors at the pres- ent time and in our own country. Without alluding to minor differences, it is obvious that pastors are very differently circumstanced in Churches organized under the voluntary system from those appointed over Churches in union with states, of whatever form of government. In the latter many of the duties of the clergy are defined by civil law, and their authority is prescribed and controlled by temporal power. Be- sides, pastoral appointments are made through per- sonal or political patronage, without reference to the will of the people. But under the voluntary system the pastoral office THE VOLUNTARY SYSTEM. 1 57 over any given flock is the result of a free choice, or of spiritual affinities which render its exercise a mutual joy and advantage, provided it be exercised with fidelity and discretion. While in the United States of America the conventionalities of ancient and foreign custom have little weight, yet in no country of the world is true merit more respected, nor have earnest Christian ministers any wider or more promising field for religious effort. This state of things is favorable to the development of a high standard of pastoral character, and, although distin- guished by numerous advantages that have resulted from the progress and influence of Christianity, it is similar, in many respects, to the condition of the early Church in the days of its primitive purity and power. Neither the apostles, elders, or bishops of the New Testament Church had presentations to liv- ings, benefices, advowsons, or endowments of any kind. They, indeed, recognized the principle that those who preached the gospel should live ^ , . New Testa- of the gospel, but, failing of a necessary ment churches support from the Churches which they ''°"''^^'^" founded and served, their own hands ministered to their necessities, nor would they sufler themselves to be a burden to any. In this way, though poor, they made many rich, and by the willing sacrifice of them- selves they laid the foundations of Churches wherever they could find access for the truth. From numer- ous expressions in the inspired epistles we learn that the apostles themselves relied solely on divine grace and their own moral and spiritual influence for the power they sought to wield in behalf of the souls of 158 THE MESSIAH A SHEPHERD. men. They recognized their appointment to be of God ; nevertheless they only claimed reverence and estimation for their work's sake. "We beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake." I Thess. v, 12, 13. "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God : whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation." Heb. xiii, 7. Assuming, then, that the condition of the volun- tary Churches of America in the full religious liberty they enjoy is favorable to the exercise of the pastoral office according to its scriptural design, it becomes important to learn from the Holy Scriptures what that design is. In considering this subject attention may be given to, I. The pastoi'al character of the Messiah as fore- sJiadowed by prophecy, " He shall feed his flock like a shepherd ; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." Isaiah xl, 11. "I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and be their shepherd." Ezek. xxxiv, 23. Without accumulating quotations of this class, we may consider, 2. TJie developed character of Christ as the chief ShepJier'd of God's spiritual fold. "Then said Jesus unto them again. Verily, \erily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep." " I am the good shepherd : the good shepherd giveth his life THE LAMB OF GOD. 1 59 for the sheep." "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." " I lay down my Hfe for the sheep." "There shall be one fold, and one shepherd." " Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again." " My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." John x, 7, II, 14-17, 2^], 28. Thus our Savior not only recognized his own pas- toral character, but he explained and illustrated it by allusions to his impending sacrificial death, which had also been the burden of prophecy. In reference to this crowning end of Christ's earthly mission the prophetic figures had also designated him as "a lamb brought to the slaughter." Isaiah liii, 7; Jer. xi, 19. This additional figure, based at once on pastoral life and sacrificial customs, took a strong hold upon the Oriental mind. Hence the significant exclamation of John the Baptist when he identified Jesus as the manifested Messiah: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world !" "Again, the next day after, John stood and two of his disci- ples ; and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!" John i, 29, 35, ^6. Following the crucifixion, the two great pastoral images of fulfilled prophecy, namely, of the shepherd and the lamb, became naturally blended in the Chris- tian mind. Thus, the chief Shepherd of Israel was seen to have been " the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world," who also, as the exalted l60 THE SLAIN LAMB. Savior, would in due time appear again to bestow a crown of glory upon each one of his faithful servants. I Pet. V, 4. Thus the term Lamb, at once indicative of spotless purity, and of the vicarious sacrifice pro- vided for " a world of sinners lost," came to be one of the most endearing appellations of the risen Savior, associated also with the attributes of a Shepherd car- ing for his flock, and of a King seated upon his throne of power. Witness various expressions of the Reve- lation. " And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain." "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, . . . saying with a loud voice. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." Rev. v, 6, 11, 12. "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and peo- ple, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands ; and cried with a loud voice, saying. Sal- vation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. . . . These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. . . . He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more ; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters." Rev. vii, 9, 10, 14-17. MINGLED ALLUSIONS. l6l The blending of allusions to royal and pastoral life was in harmony with the history of David, the shep- herd king, and one of the most prominent types of Christ. Who can fail to see its beauty and its force in illustrating the duty and constant care of a good shepherd to feed, lead, and guard his flock ? Not only will he protect them from marauding wolves, but from the heat of the burning sun. Other quotations will show how the sheep of the great Shepherd are to be distinguished. " And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God : and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, . ~ . . saying. Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of God in their foreheads." Rev. vii, 2, 3. " And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him a hundred and forty- four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads." Rev. xiv, i. No possible combina- tion of expressive figures could more strikingly indi- cate the glories of redemption than these by which the sympathetic Shepherd and the spotless suffering Lamb are forever united in the one character of the promised Redeemer. But the pastoral idea is still further intensified in those figures of the Revelat'on in which the Church, the flock of the great Shepherd, is also represented as " the bride, the Lamb's wife." " And there came unto me one of the seven angels, . . . and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy 14 1 62 LESSONS OF REVELATION. Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God." "And I saw no temple therein : for the Lord God Al- mighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof" Rev. xxi, 9, 10, 22, 23. In the following and concluding chapter the de- scription of the new Jerusalem culminates in a state- ment of the object for which the holy city is appointed, namely, to be the eternal home of the Redeemer and the redeemed. " The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it ; and his servants shall serve him : and they shall see his face ; and his name shall be in their foreheads." Rev. xxii, 3, 4. Thus it appears, that in the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ there will be an exact correspondence between those who "are written in the Lamb's book of life" and the souls upon whom the name and the moral image of Jesus are inscribed. From out of this marvelous imagery the plainest and most profitable lessons of instruction may be de- rived, (i.) Christ, as the chief Shepherd, is the pro- prietor of the flock ransomed by his atoning blood — " the blood of the Lamb." (2.) As the shepherd marks each member of his flock with his own name, or some distinguishing character, so each believing heart needs to receive the seal of the divine adop- tion, the impress of the eternal name. (3.) It is the office and work of Christ's under-shepherds, while feeding, leading, and guarding his flock, to im- press this sacred name and character upon every one of its members. UNDER-SHEPHERDS. 1 63 Attention may now be given to, 3. The Saviors ap- pointment of Christian pastors as his unaer-s hep herds. As one of the preparatory agencies for the intro- duction of Christ's kingdom upon earth the Jewish Scriptures abounded in allusions to pastoral life, in which the people of God were represented as his flock, and their appointed teachers as pastors. See Ps. Ixxvii, 20; Ixxviii, 52; Ixxx, i; Zech. ix, 16; x, 2, 3. Our Savior repeatedly employed similar allu- sions, with the same significance. He said of himself, Matt. XV, 24, " I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." In his primary commission of the twelve disciples he said, " Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Subsequently he uttered his memorable discourse on the shepherd and the sheep, already referred to, and reported so graph- ically in the loth chapter of John, and identifying him as the true Shepherd, who would lay down his life for the sheep. When he had gathered around him a small company of disciples, the nucleus of the infant Church, he said to them, " Fear not, little flock ; it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke xii, 32. He also, in due time, charged his trained disciples with the pastoral care of that same flock. Nothing could have been more significant or impressive than the Savior's thrice-repeated injunc- tion to Peter, as a representative apostle, " Feed my lambs." " Feed my sheep." John xxi, 15, 17. Given as this solemn and reiterated charge was, after his resurrection from the dead, and prior to his glorious ascension, it stands out as the crowning obligation of 1 64 THE GREAT COMMISSION, all true Christian ministers, and the perpetual test of their personal love of the Savior himself After such a summary and emphatic declaration from the lips of the Savior, enjoining upon his ministers the office and duty of pastors to his Church, it was not necessary for him greatly to multiply words or precepts of the same significance. And yet in this closing command to his disciples, usually denominated " the great com- mission," the pastoral idea is made prominent — indeed, its embodiment in that final and authoritative utter- ance may justly be considered the culmination of his earthly ministry. " And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost : teaching them to ob- serve all things whatsoever I have commanded you : and, lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world." If this command was missionary in its char- acter, it was none the less pastoral. So long, then, as it shall remain the duty of the Church to evan- gelize the nations, it will be a corresponding duty to provide for them wholesome religious instruction, and the divine ordinances at the hands of duly appointed pastors. 4. The apostolic idea of the pastoral office. Although the apostolic age was a period of mis- sionary labor, yet the apostles, from the first, recog- nized their pastoral responsibility, and illustrated their high conceptions of it in all the inspired epistles they wrote. Witness the charge of Paul to the elders of Ephesus. "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, PETER'S PRECEPTS. 1 65 and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch!" Acts XX, 28-31. The Pastoral Epistles to Timothy and Titus, already referred to and quoted, on pages 66-9, are a standing proof of the large share of attention given to this subject by the apostle to the Gentiles in the instructions he has left on record for ministers and Churches. Peter, also, in his Epistles General, shows how faith- fully he remembered, to the end of his earthly career, the thrice-repeated injunction of his risen Lord. "The elders which are among you I exhort : . . . Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the over- sight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly ; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind ; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." I Pet. V, 1-4. In addition to the direct employment of pastoral figures to illustrate pastoral duty, the apostles give many significant illustrations of the same idea in other forms. Consideration will now be given to several impor- tant appellations, besides that of pastors, applied by the apostles to themselves and their Christian co- laborers, the under-shepherds of their common Lord. 1 66 THE PASTORATE A TEACHING OFFICE. I. Teachers. The historic order of ministerial devel- opment is clearly indicated in the oft-quoted passage, Eph. iv, II, 12: "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." The apostolic office, being primary and associated with prophetic gifts, prepared the way for the general dissemination of the gospel by a more numerous company of evangelists, following whose labors pastors and teachers came to be a permanent necessity, and were accordingly provided by the great Head of the Church. The coupling of the terms pas- tor and teacher together in this connection is in itself a comment on the meaning of both. It shows that the pastor is to feed his flock with intellectual and spiritual food, while as a religious teacher he is to communicate the saving knowledge of the Son of God as a means of edifying, singly and collectively, the body of Christ. The Christian pastorate, then, is a teaching office. Christ himself was a teacher sent from God, and in that respect a prototype of every true pastor appointed for his Church. The apostles taught, as an important function of their early ministry. Even though perse- cuted for so doing, " daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." Acts v, 42. When the apostle Paul enjoined upon Timothy the duty of committing the ministry of the gospel to wor- thy successors, he employed this language : " The things that thou hast heard of me among many wit- ESSENTIAL REQUISITIONS. 167 nesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." 2 Tim. ii, 2. In this precept two grand requisitions are made as essential to ministerial character: i. Faith, a moral and spiritual qualification. 2. Ability to teach, a qual- ification resulting from natural gifts, proper cultiva- tion, and experience. While the value of faith as a means of personal sal- vation can not be overestimated, yet not all men who possess it are capable of becoming public instructors. The apostle Paul most forcibly inculcates diligent effort to acquire knowledge as an essential means of prep- aration to teach. " Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself.?" Rom. ii, 21. " Study to show thyself approved unto God, a work- man that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim. ii, 15. The capacity of teaching, then, may be both acquired and improved. Hence ministers are answerable, in a high degree, for its possession, its cultivation, and its use. Nevertheless, in order to teach divine truth effect- ually, there must be a sincere dependence on the aid of divine grace and wisdom. The apostle Paul illus- trates this in several striking passages : " Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of our- selves ; but our sufficiency is of God ; who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament." 2 Cor. iii, 5, 6. "By the grace of God I am what I am : and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain." i Cor. xv, 10. "I was made a minister, ac- cording to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power." Eph. iii, 7. 1 68 WARNINGS. Peter also teaches the same doctrine : " If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth ; that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ." i Pet. iv, ii. Not only is the religious teacher required to culti- vate knowledge and a sound understanding, as a means of discharging properly his pastoral obliga- tions, he is also held responsible for the correctness of his doctrine (teaching), and expressly forbidden to teach any other doctrine than the commandments of God. I Tim. i, 1-3 ; Gal. i, 8, 9. The apostle Paul's suggestions on this subject are numerous and definite : " Speak thou the things that become sound doctrine." *' In doctrine showing un- corruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that can not be condemned." Tit. ii, i, 7, 8. "Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines." Heb. xiii, 9. " Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edi- fying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Eph. iv, 29. The apostle John records a striking admonition against doctrinal apostasy. " Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doc- trine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son." 2 John, 9. Isaiah, in the olden time, had anathema- tized "the prophet that teacheth lies ;" and our Savior, in his day, had shown the vanity of " teaching for doctrines the commandments of men," and illustrated its consequences by his word-picture of the blind leading the blind, and both falling into the ditch. Matt. XV, 8, 14. The apostle Peter faithfiilly warned THE WATCHMEN OF ZION. 1 69 the Church against " false teachers, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." 2 Pet. ii, i. Such warnings against doctrinal error and its consequences suggest the fact that an important part of the duty of the faithful pastor is to warn and admonish those committed to his care against the corruptions that are in the world through lust and sin ; " warning every man, and teach- ing every man in all wisdom ; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." Col. i, 28. Thus, in an important sense, Christian pastors are also, 2. Watchmen. " Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves : for they watch for your souls as they that must give account." Heb. xiii, 17. The idea of watchfulness for souls had been strik- ingly illustrated in connection with the prophetic office among the Jews. " I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet." Jer. vi, 17. *'Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel ; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked. Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life ; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand." Ezek. iii, 17, 18. " If the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand." Ezek. xxxiii, 6 15 I/O DUTY OF WATCHFULNESS. Our Savior himself, with the greatest emphasis, enjoined upon his disciples watchfulness, and watch- fulness accompanied by prayer, as a means of escap- ing temptation. Mark xiii, 37. The apostles reiter- ated the command, "Let us watch and be sober." i Thess. V, 6. " Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." i Peter iv, 7. Paul, also, in the last epistle written by his inspired pen, specially enjoins watchful- ness on Timothy as essential to the accompHshment of his ministerial work. "Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." 2 Tim. iv, 5. The human mind can not grasp a higher sense of responsibility than that with which the watchman for souls is invested. He recognizes himself and should be recognized by his flock as, in an important sense, his brother's keeper. The care of souls rests upon him as an anxiety for which he can have no relief but in their salvation. Yet how has this sacred idea been trifled with in the perfunctory discharge or habit- ual neglect of pastoral duties, and in the buying and selling of curacies. 3. Overseers. Oversight is the essential quality of a true episcopal office. True pastors, according to St. Paul, are made overseers of the flock of God by the Holy Ghost. Peter also enjoins the duty of oversight, not by constraint, but willingly, and thus teaches that pastoral oversight is not that of a task- master lording it over God's heritage, but rather that of the tenderest and most disinterested solicitude for the welfare of each member of the flock. It is the solicitude of the nurse for her charge. "We were PATERNAL SOLICITUDE. 1 71 gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children ; so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you not the gos- pel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us." i Thess. ii, T,^. 4. Fathers, The apostolic tenderness and solici- tude rose higher than even that of the nurse, and became parental. "Ye know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you as a father doth his children." I Thess. ii, ii. Again the same apostle says to the Corinthians: "My beloved sons, I warn you. For though ye have ten thousand in- structors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." I Cor. iv, 14, 15- Paul also enjoins upon Timothy filial respect toward elders in the Church. " Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father." I Tim. V, I. Few ideas are more beautiful than that of a pastor attaining parental influence over his flock, and of his people gladly according to him parental oversight of their most sacred interests. The Greek and Roman Churches apply the term to all who assume the clerical office, and in so doing indicate what the office and. its possessor ought to be. There is reason, however, to think that the apostolic idea of spiritual fatherhood as an attribute of the pastoral office is less comprehended in those old and spiritually dead Churches than in the living Churches of Protestant countries. On the part of the people there is a greater appreciation, amounting, indeed, to a superstitious reverence for the clerical office, but on the part of the clergy, priests so-called, lax views 172 PLANTERS AND BUILDERS. of spiritual experience and obligation, and still looser practice. Happy would it be if the character of the true Christian father were exemplified by ministers of every branch and family of those that profess and call themselves Christians. The apostle Paul still further illustrates pastoral duty by his employment of agricultural and mechan- ical terms in reference to the labor which ministers are required diligently to put forth in the work of the Lord. According to his impressive statement in the third chapter of first Corinthians, all true minis- ters are "laborers together with God." Some plant, some water, but God giveth the increase. "Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor." Verse 8. Dropping this figure of hus- bandry, the apostle proceeds to treat of the Church as " God's building," and of ministers as, 5. Builders. "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made mani- fest, for the day shall declare, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss." i Cor. iii, 10-15. GOD'S TEMPLE. 1 73 In this language of the inspired apostle the respon- sibility of the minister as a builder for God is strik- ingly set forth. Human souls, edified (built up) with divine truth, will form a glorious temple to the praise of the divine goodness ; but, treated with the untem- pered mortar or the worthless material of human devising, they perish in the hour of trial and become a ruin, while the souls of their attempted builders suffer loss and are exposed to eternal jeopardy from their unwise proceeding. On the other hand, what a glorious privilege it is to build for God on the ever- lasting foundation laid in Zion ! Here redeemed mortals may build for eternity, rearing structures of Christian life and character which the tooth of time can not corrode and the fires of the judgment can not burn. 6. Stewards. Kindred to the idea of the Church as God's building is that of ministerial stewardship in the temples which they labor to rear. ** Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful." I Cor. iv, I, 2. As fidelity is the crowning excellence in the char- acter of a steward, so a spotless fidelity is essential in administering the afiairs of God's house or build- ing, the Church. The pastor needs to be faithful in all his duties — in warning every man and teaching every man, in rebuking and exhorting with all long- suffering and doctrine, as well as in study and in prayer — that, as a man of God, he may be perfect and thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Christ is 174 FAITHFULNESS. referred to in the Epistle to the Hebrews as a model of fidelity — "a merciful and faithful high-priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apos- tle and high-priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house." Heb. ii, 17; iii, I, 2. The term faithful is applied in the New Testa- ment to various approved ministers and apostles as indicating one of the most commendable traits of character. "Epaphras, our dear fellow-servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ." Col. i, 7. "Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things." Eph. vi, 21. "I have sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord." i Cor. iv, 17. "I [Paul] give my judgment as one that has obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful." i Cor. vii, 25. With such examples for his guidance and encour- agement, the modern pastor may also hope, through the divine mercy and grace, to become a faithful steward in whatever pertains to his responsibilities to God and the Church. In all the foregoing diversified expositions of pas- toral duty, responsibility appears co-extensive with obligation. It may be added that pastoral respon- sibility is intensified by two great considerations: (i.) The divine appointment of the pastoral office. (2.) The nature of the work committed to it, viz. : the moral and spiritual guardianship of immortal souls. In whatever light regarded, the pastoral office may THE TRUE SUCCESSION. 175 be seen to devolve on its possessor responsibilities of unsurpassed magnitude and importance. It is not an office of ceremony, but of work, {diar.oviav, service — 2 Cor. iv, I,) of trust, of care, of parental solicitude, of architectural skill as a builder of the Church on the rock Christ Jesus, and of religious faithfulness in things pertaining to God, whether relating to time or to eternity. Such a work transcends all compari- son with merely human or secular engagements. The pastoral office has thus far been considered in the light of a personal agency, and as such alone it is sublime. But it rises to a still grander importance when seen to be invested with organic power. Pas- tors die, but the Church is immortal. Nevertheless, each true pastor, by faithful service, contributes not only to the perpetuation, but to the wider extension of the Church. A Christian shepherd takes the over- sight of souls. Aggregately they form a single flock. But the flock is designed to increase in numbers, and with its growth to become divisible, forming addi- tional flocks and founding other Churches, each of which will have expansive and self-multiplying power. Individuals in the original flock and in every Church that may grow out of it may, under pastoral influence, be themselves called to the ministry, and become, in due time, the founders and pastors of other Churches which shall go on multiplying to the end of time. "So shall the bright succession run Through all the courses of the sun." See what has followed from the faithful ministry of the apostles, and also from the initial labors of J 76 OUR SUFFICIENCY OF GOD. individual ministers in various countries, as Wesley in England, and Asbury in America. While in human history comparatively few individ- uals will stand out prominently as the founders of large associated Churches, yet, under the omniscience of God and in the light of eternity, every minister's work will appear, and he that has been faithful in his lot and sphere of duty will have a reward proportion- ate to the grandeur of the success he has done his part toward accomplishing. Well might an apostle exclaim, " Who is sufficient for these things ?" And well may every succeeding minister follow the apostle in saying, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of our- selves ; but our sufficiency is of God." 2 Cor. iii, 5. Well, too, may the Church continue to sing, '* 'T is not a cause of small import The pastor's care demands, But what might fill an angel's heart, And filled a Savior's hands. They watch for souls for which the Lord Did heavenly bliss forego ; For souls which must forever live In raptures or in woe." VARIETY OF TALENT. 1/7 I CHAPTER VI. QUALIFICATIONS DESIRABLE IN A CHRISTIAN PASTOR. N view of the high and sacred designs of the Christian pastorate, many important, and to some extent pecuUar, qualifications are desirable to all on whom the office devolves. It is not indeed to be ex- pected that all pastors will be alike in their tempera- ments or endowments. Nor is it even to be desired that there should be any constrained uniformity in the habits or characters of Christian ministers. On the other hand, the Church needs in its service precisely that variety of talent which God bestows upon men, and which divine grace can adapt to the great and varied purposes of Christianity. Therefore, as the imitation of Christ is possible and necessary to be- Uevers of all ages, capacities, and circumstances, and as in education the same elementary studies are nec- essary to the development of all grades and varieties of talent, so in the Christian pastorate the same ge- neric virtues may be commended to the acquisition of all who are called to the office without any fear of marring individuahty, or producing undesirable same- ness as a result. It is important for young men contemplating minis- terial life to set before their minds a high and just 178 EXPERIENCE OF PIETY. Standard of attainments and character at which to aim. In so doing, advantage will be gained by adopting a comprehensive classification. For example, the lead- ing qualifications desirable in Christian pastors may be grouped under three generic heads — Experience, Knowledge, Character. I. Experience. No inexperienced man is qualified to have the care and leadership of a Christian Church, or the responsible oversight of souls. " Not a nov- ice," says St. Paul ; and yet St. Paul recognized the youthful Timothy as a worthy leader in the apostolic Church, and charged him, " Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." This, moreover, is what every pastor, how- ever young, should aim to do and to be. Experience is of various kinds. Sometimes it is easily and sometimes slowly and painfully acquired. Youth may make rapid progress in its acquisition, and advanced age rarely, if ever, gets beyond the possi- biUty of profiting by its instructions. To begin at the foundation, it may be remarked, that every candi- date for the pastoral office should have a genuine experience of, I. Piety. His piety should be sincere, earnest, deep, growing. He who would be instrumental in the con- version of sinners must himself know what conversion is. He who would lead men in the path of life must have already trod that narrow way, and be actually treading in it. He who would teach the truth must both comprehend and exemplify the truth. He who would feed the sheep of Christ's fold, and lead them FAVORABLE CONDITIONS. 1/9 to living fountains of waters, must have himself tasted " the hidden manna" and have drank water at the well of salvation. He who would make every man perfect in Christ Jesus, must have himself learned to love the Lord his God with all his heart, and his neighbor as himself The Christian minister, therefore, should aim to be a model of enlightened and consistent piety both for the sake of his own soul's welfare and the highest good of others. * Such a result is not to be attained by good wishes, assumptions, or professions merely, although it is doubtless a duty to profess whatever state of grace one is enabled to enjoy. Es- sential to it are habits of devotion, and sincere and constant efforts to attain the mind that was also in Christ. It can not be denied that ministers have many ad- vantages for a life of piety. All the precepts- and promises of God's word have their primary and high- est application to them. Their associations and em- ployments are favorable to religious enjoyment and progress ; very different, indeed, from those of men of business, whose time and attention are necessarily engrossed with secular cares and conversation. But the ministerial calling is not in itself a guarantee for true or continued piety. Indeed, ministers are subject to some peculiar difficulties and temptations. They are sometimes flattered, and in danger of yielding to vain thoughts. They are often made the subjects of extraordinary confidence ; while, at other times, they are unjustly persecuted; whereas the repetition of religious duties sometimes tends to dead formalism and perilous lukewarmness. Hence it is well not to l80 DIVINE CALL. forget that with all their advantages, helps, and mo- tives to eminent piety, there ever exists a fearful pos- sibility of ministerial apostasy. Even the apostle Paul did not disguise his deep concern, "lest that by any means when he had preached to others he himself should be a castaway." The minister's grand and unfailing source of safety, as against all such dangers, is provided for by our Savior's caution to his disciples, " Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation." The minister who is entirely consecrated to his work, and diligent in the divine service, may not only hope to escape the dan- ger of lukewarmness and apostasy, but to secure en- couragements to piety and faithfulness rarely accorded to other men. The consciousness of doing good may be his daily, hourly joy, and having an eye single to the divine glory, his whole body may be full of light. It may next be remarked, that every pastor should have a definite experience of, 2. A divine call to the ministry. This experience should be something more than a conviction of the superior dignity of the clerical office, or of the proba- bility of greater usefulness in it than in any other calling. It needs to be the realization of the divine voice speaking to the heart, and saying, "go," "preach," " teach." Whether prior or subsequent to conversion, it needs to have passed into the moral history of the individual that he is moved of the Holy Ghost to take upon him the office of the ministry, and that he has accepted the sacred mandate as the guidance and prompting of his future life. For further details of the nature of a divine call to the ministry, and of the CHURCH LIFE, l8l varied experiences through which it is made known, reference is made to chapters II and III, in which the subject is discussed at length. Candidates for the pastoral office should have an experience of, 3. Church life and labors. No theory is more erro- neous than that which, under whatever pretense, with- holds a candidate for the ministry from responsible Christian labor until his admission to holy orders or to pastoral appointment. Indeed, that young man who would excuse himself from effort to win souls and build up the Redeemer's kingdom till after he had completed his education and been formally appointed as a public teacher, would by such a course throw grave doubts both upon the reality of his call to the ministry and of his fitness for the sacred vocation. And that Church which would hedge young men about with restrictions or formalities that practically deter them from suitable religious activities, and even responsibilities, little deserves to have thoroughly trained and efficient pastors. Nor would it relieve the case of the supposed young man that he should profess great willingness to serve the Church, but only in a clerical way, and when put forward in a representative capacity. The truth is, that both the candidate and the Church need all the probation that can be secured for the development of the one and the satisfaction of the other, prior to the consumma- tion of so great a mutual responsibility as the ordi- nation or public appointment of a Christian pastor. But this probation, in its earlier stages, needs to be informally secured by the spontaneous though regu- lated action of the one, and the friendly and char- 1 82 SUNDAY-SCHOOLS, itable encouragement of the other. Happily the circumstances of the present age are favorable t.o the early and safe cultivation of a valuable experi- ence on the part of young Christians, which, in the case of those called to the ministry, may prove the basis of constantly increasing qualifications for the sacred office. \| The majority of those who become ministers of the gospel at the present period, whether trained in Chris- tian families or not, enter the Church through the training of the Sunday-schoo| They consequently, from early life, have great "opportunities of observing the routine of Church labor, and of imbibing its spirit and habits. Not to enlarge upon the universal duty of Christian usefulness, it is specially in point here to say, that from the moment a young man feels himself moved of the Holy Ghost to preach the gospel, he should gladly and earnestly enter upon every opportunity afforded him to work for the divine Master, however indirectly it may at first seem tributary to the peculiar ob- jects on which his heart will thenceforth converge its thoughts and energies. Is it to work in the Sunday- school } Here is a field in which the most valuable experience may be acquired. Biblical studies, with ref- erence to imparting knowledge and explaining truth — face-to-face converse with the young — visiting the poor, the prodigal, and the careless, to gather in schol- ars— acts of benevolence to relieve the wretched and the vicious — feeding the hungry and clothing the naked — distributing tracts — visiting the sick and the imprisoned — these and all similar acts required in the . BIBLE CLASSES. 1 83 prosecution of Sunday-school work, especially among the destitute, will tend to show a young man what manner of spirit he is of, and whether he will or will not be able, through grace, to bear the yoke of the Master. If, as is to be expected of the sincere Chris- tian, he finds himself strengthened by these labors of love, and the trials to which they will subject him, he will thus be gaining strength for sterner conflicts, and wisdom for greater responsibilities. No oppor- tunity, therefore, to work in the Sunday-school should be omitted by one contemplating, however remotely, the duties of the pastoral office. Indeed, it is well for the ministerial candidate, in the course of his Sunday-schQol life, to participate actively in different branches of the work. It is desirable that he should have practice if competent, and if not, time and dili- gence will enable him to become so, in teaching juve- nile classes, infant classes, Bible classes, and even normal classes. Besides, he may profit by learning to discharge properly the duties of an officer in the Sunday-school, whether that of secretary, librarian, or superintendent. Work in Sunday-schools, in any or all of these forms, will secure to him experience valuable for his future duties, in proportion to the earnestness and thoroughness with which he has pros- ecuted it. Indeed, the minister trained up in this manner, will in his turn understand, as no other one can, the duties of a pastor to his Sunday-school. Though young, he will not be an amateur, but a vet- eran soldier in this corps of the army of the Lord. Thenceforward he can stand as a minute-man ready to do duty in whatever part of the ranks there may 1 84 PRAYER FOR LABORERS. be a temporary necessity, thereby cheering the whole host with his presence and example. Perhaps a word may here be fitly said to pastors now in service, as well as to the officers and teachers of Sunday-schools. You doubtless recognize the duty of praying the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. Has it occurred to you that if you sincerely offer that prayer, God may enable you instrumentally to answer it in your several spheres of labor t In this conviction ought you not to be looking out for special subjects of that prayer; and, having discovered them, ought you not also to encourage them to make special preparation for the work } '' Kind words never die ;" and as God sent Ananias to the converted Saul of Tarsus to explain to him his duty of preaching to the Gentiles, perhaps he may have a similar work for you to do in reference to some obscure but pious youth now in danger of being overlooked by the Church and the world. The proper discharge of your duty may be to that youth the starting-point in a career of ministerial or mis- sionary influence that shall run on forever. -Again, if you have in your Sunday-schools those who, though young, feel themselves moved by the Holy Ghost to preach the gospel, do not flatter them by compliments or injudicious attentions, but give them opportunities to work, which shall test both their zeal and their judgment. If they fail at first, deal kindly with them, and give them an opportunity to try again. If they succeed, encourage them to attempt still greater things for God, and in all cir- cumstances be not indifferent to the fact that their HOME MISSIONAR V WORK, 1 8 5 accumulating experience is a part of the instrumen- tality by which they may be fitted for the public service of the sanctuary and the pastoral office. In suitable candidates becoming thus fitted in ever- increasing numbers, the whole Church should feel a constant and growing interest. Preliminary experience in Church life and labor is not limited to Sunday-schools. Young men are often called to take part in more public efforts to reform the morals and save the souls of men ; sometimes as exhorters or lay preachers, and sometimes as prayer leaders, or helpers in some other species of religious activity, such as the systematic visitation of jails, almshouses, or hospitals. In fact, every branch of home mission-work requires the co-operation of strong- hearted young men, and in every branch of Christian usefulness the candidate for the ministry may gain experience that will increase his qualifications for fu- ture and higher service in the Church. As daily occupation in any mechanical pursuit habituates the muscles to the required form of action, and the mind to a more perfect comprehension of the material on which it works, so diligent Christian occupation, even in early life, tends effectively to the acquisition of habits and experiences that will contribute greatly to success in the pastoral office. Specially should the ministerial candidate have experience of, 4. The power and pleasure of exerting good injluences a7td of accomplishing results. Too many seem to ex- pect results to come to them, rather than to spring from them. They consequently drift into public life, and wait for events to happen, instead of entering it 16 1 86 SELF-KNOWLEDGE. determined, with God's help, to make them happen. As "it is a good thing for a man to "bear the yoke in his youth," so it is well for intending ministers to learn early that good and great results are rarely if ever accomplished without definite conceptions, judi- cious plans, and earnest efforts. 11. Knowledge. Solomon says — Prov. xix, 2 — "that the soul be without knowledge it is not good." If this is true in application to men generally, how especially true is it with reference to ministers of the gospel ! They not only go before mankind as teach- ers, and hence ought to be competent to instruct, but as teachers of heavenly wisdom, and as representa- tives of a system of truth which claims superiority over all other systems. For such persons to be with- out knowledge in high and creditable degrees is not only to incur great risk of failure, but the hazard of dishonoring the cause they profess to love. It is to be presumed that actual or intending pas- tors will set a high value upon knowledge for its own sake, and that they will value it still more highly as an element of success in the ministry to which they feel themselves called. For their objects the depart- ments of knowledge admit of a classification somewhat peculiar, involving, indeed, what belongs to the most complete educational system, but distributing the top- ics with reference to the central idea of moral influence. I, Self-k7iowledge. This is a very comprehensive theme. It involves just conceptions of what relates to one's physical, mental, and moral being. (i.) It is of great importance for a Christian min- ister to understand well his own physical capacities PHYSIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE. 1 8/ and necessities. Neither Christians nor ministers, as such, have any exemption from the various physical ills to which humanity is subject. Indeed, it has sometimes happened that, through inattention to what has seemed to them of too small importance, they have become extraordinary sufferers. If in any system of education of which a minister or minis- terial candidate has had the advantage, the subject of human physiology has not been embraced, he should forthwith make it a special study. Nor should he content himself with theoretical knowl- edge, but rather apply the principles of the science to his personal habits in reference to diet, sleep, exercise, and the proper care and use of his physical powers, specially of speech and of vision. While it is possible so to employ one's eyes and voice as con- tinually to gain accuracy of perception and power and ease of expression, it is more than possible, by wrong courses, to seriously, if not fatally injure both. Intelligent and scrupulous care in the avoidance of all bad habits, such as the use of narcotics and stim- ulants, and in the practice of habits of neatness, reg- ularity, and temperance, may enable any one to say, as did Paul, in reference to physical discipline as an agency of spiritual results : " Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incor- ruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when. I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." i Cor. ix, 25-27. 1 88 MENTAL ADAPTATIONS. (2.) The minister should be able to form a just estimate of his own mental capacity and adaptations. He should not only be well acquainted with mental science for the sake of the rich fund of knowledge to which it will introduce him, but also especially as a help to a comprehension of the nature and uses of the powers with which he has himself been endowed by his Creator. It is possible for an individual to determine, without either self-flattery or personal dis- couragement, what at least are his relative capacities for the various acquisitions necessary to the discharge of ministerial duties. To do so is, in a high degree, necessary to successful self-culture. When ignorance is so profound as not to comprehend the necessity and attractions of knowledge, its effect is kindred to that of an overweening estimate of one's own abil- ities. Both tend to indolence and incompetency. Well did the wise man say, " Before knowledge is humility," and it is seldom found that persons make earnest efforts for improvement until they become penetrated with a deep conviction of its present or prospective necessity. When, however, the feeling of a need of knowledge and of personal cultivation is accompanied by a consciousness of power to attain both, encouraging progress may be expected. While, during the course of an education, it is important to cultivate all the mental powers in a harmonious balance, especially those which are least active or weakest in the discharge of public duty, it is proper to discriminate in favor of those faculties of the mind and those departments of knowledge which are most constantly and urgently called into HUMAN WEAKNESS. 1 89 requisition. In fact, it becomes an imperative duty of a Christian minister to focalize both his studies and his energies upon the supreme and peculiar objects of his high calling, not being unmindful of the intimate relations subsisting between healthful mental and spiritual development. (3.) Not less important to every minister is a knowledge of his own moral weaknesses, whether of temper, of self-esteem, of ambition, of desire for ease, or whatever else is contrary to the mind that was in Christ. Probably this species of knowledge is most difficult of all to acquire. It is a common fault of our humanity to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, and yet there are cases of morbid self-distrust and under-valuation equally injurious to those who cherish them. If we would have truth written upon our hearts we should conceive it in our judgments and employ every just agency for its ac- quisition in reference to matters so closely allied to our happiness and usefulness. The following are prominent agencies of this spe- cies of knowledge: a. Self-examination, accompanied by the reading of the Scriptures and prayer, b. The conversation and counsel of competent and faithful friends, c. The perusal of good books on the sub- ject, such as Mason on Self-Knowledge, Edmondson on Self -Government, and Clark's Mental Discipline. Several of Mr. Wesley's sermons are excellent in view of the same object, e. g., those on "Wandering thoughts," " Satan's devices," and " On a single eye." The advantages of self-knowledge in reference to our mental and moral nature are manifold. It aids IQO KNOWLEDGE OF MEN. its possessor in fixing attention, controlling thought, banishing dreamy reveries, governing desires, and in rightly ordering his words. In all these respects a pastor needs to be a model of propriety, purity, and practical holiness. 2. The knowledge of society and of men. The pas- toral office inducts a man into public life, and brings him into association with persons of all grades and classes of society. The pastor consequently needs to know what is becoming to his position and duty in all varieties of circumstances. His knowledge on this point will come less from the precepts of others than from careful observation of the customs of good society, coupled with thoughtful consideration as to what is inherently fitting. JTWhile it is not desirable for ministers to be versed in the etiquette and hollow ceremonies of merely fashionable society, it is important that they should study the subject of manners from an intelligent and Christian point of viewj If "he that winneth souls is wise," it can not be" unwise in any one so far to study the best modes of access to those whom he would influence for good by private as well as by public address. Pastors are expected to be the faithful counselors and spiritual advisers of persons of various classes and circumstances. Hence they need the capacity of commanding respect and securing confidence. In the discharge of pastoral duties of all kinds it is specially important to be able to discern and rightly estimate the dispositions and characters of men. This ability is sometimes called a knowledge of WISDOM FROM ABOVE. 191 human nature. When this species of knowledge is sanctified, as it ever ought to be in the case of the Christian minister, it is kindred to the charism of the early Church called the discerning of spirits. For it, as a gift of great value, it is no doubt our duty to pray, as well as to strive by other appropri- ate means, coveting it earnestly. In addition to ear- nestly seeking the wisdom that cometh down from above in reference to this subject, we may expect to increase our comprehension of it by aid of the three great sources of knowledge — observation, reading, and reflection. While reading, accompanied by reflection, is of great importance in reference to the present topic, it is conceded that mere book-learning can not impart the acquisition desired. Men must be seen in the actual jostle and business of life in order to understand their ways, to penetrate the depths of their character, and to know how to address them most effectually on the subject of religion. Hence the study of mankind may very properly be extended to the various engagements in which men are occu- pied. Indeed, an acquaintance with any practical business, learned possibly in early life, may be ren- dered of no small service in furtheThig the objects of Christian address, and thus may be made, at least indirectly, to promote the interests of the Church by pastoral agency. 3. A knowledge of books. Books form the mental treasury of the world. Without them we should be no wiser now than had we lived a hundred generations ago. By means of books we can look into the past as into a mirror, and perceive the tendencies and results 192 KNOWLEDGE OF BOOKS, of human actions under every variety of circumstances. In them, as in a store-house, we can find the treasures of knowledge accumulated by the study and mental toil of ages past. Books are the vehicles and auxil- iaries of every species of knowledge. Books facilitate education, and the necessity of education increases with the multiplication of books. The fact that one person studies books makes it obligatory upon others to do the same. Thus, with increasing privileges, increased labor is devolved on humanity. In a com- munity of savages it would matter httle whether an individual was taught letters or not. Though grossly ignorant, he might be as wise as his fellows. But in an enlightened community the lack of instruction, however great one's native powers, would doom him to perpetual inferiority. How pitiable, then, is the ignorance of one who has no knowledge of books ! In an age and in circumstances like ours, it can only be tolerated in childhood, following which a score or more of years need to be devoted to the acquisition of knowledge largely through their instrumentality. How is it possible for an honest man to come before the public as a religious teacher and maintain at once his self-respect, and the respect of his hearers, without having acquired, in some reputable degree, a knowl-' edge of books .-* And yet the world of books is so vast that no one man can fully traverse it. As the great- est geographers have only been able to pass over a small part of the earth's surface, and yet sufficient to enable them jointly to portray the continental divis- jpns of the globe, so, in bibliography, it is easy and \well to map out the great generic divisions of lit- CLASSIFICATION OF BOOKS. 1 93 erature which have been recognized by the best bib- liographers of successive generations. These are, i. Theology. 2. Jurisprudence. 3. Science and art. 4. History. 5. Belles-lettres. ^ To each of these classes of books belong numeroliT subdivisions. For instance, in reference to education in the several departments, books are elementary, scientific, and professional. There are also, in every department, books for study, for reading, and for reference. Besides, each depart- ment and sub-department has its own bibliography, which, when augmented by the history of authors, becomes, in many cases, voluminous. These remarks are simply designed to suggest, in the briefest manner, the great but interesting task in reference to books, which, in the providence of God, is placed before every one who contemplates the posi- tion of a public religious teacher. Indeed, a large familiarity with books, in various other departments, is essentially necessary to what must ever be the great and binding duty of the Christian minister. 4. An acquaintmice with theology. God has com- mitted the revelation of the most important truth to books, and has thus imposed upon teachers of that truth the necessity of special study. To affirm that a Christian minister should understand theology seems like the utterance of a truism. And yet theology is a subject of such vastness and depth that we may well hesitate to affirm that any human being under- stands it. After their best exertions and most pro- tracted efforts, the best minds are constrained to exclaim, " O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! How unsearchable 17 194 STUDY OF THEOLOGY. are his judgments, and his ways past finding out ! For who hath known the mind of the Lord ? or who hath been his counselor ?" Rom. xi, 33, 34. While this class of considerations should, on the one hand, teach us humility, on the other, it should stimulate within us the most ardent desire to know what is proper and possible of God, his attributes, his works, and his revealed will. When an embassador of a government goes forth to a foreign nation, he seeks and is entitled to receive instructions to enable him to rightly represent the views and interests of the sovereign or authority by which he is sent. So the embassador of Christ needs to be thoroughly in- structed in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. The King eternal has provided that he may be thus instructed, and any neglect to secure such instruction must be his own, and withal a fearful one to answer for. Whoever would be successful in theological study should lay a timely and broad foundation of general knowledge, and secure a liberal and thorough disci- pline of his mental powers. The very nature of theological science demands the largest practicable preliminary culture. While the most essential truths of Christianity can be apprehended, so far as is essen- tial to salvation, by persons of the least ability, yet no one can hope to grasp the higher and ultimate truths which theology involves without much preliminary study. Besides, as the facts of science, history, and philosophy are merely the counterpart of revealed truth, they demand to be studied, as containing an illimitable fund of corroborations by which revealed DOCTRINAL AND HISTORICAL, 195 truth may be confirmed and illustrated. An under- standing of theology, as it ought to be studied at the present day, will comprehend a due knowledge of the several departments into which the general subject is distributed, as the result of modern scholarship. 1. Biblical theology demands primary attention. It involves an acquaintance with the original languages of the holy Scriptures ; the science of interpretation and criticism ; the history, character, and value of manuscripts ; a knowledge of the editions and ver- sions of the Bible ; an acquaintance with the works of the most able commentators, and the mode of ap- propriating the best results of their investigations with facility and judgment ; but, above all, the stu- dent, in this department, should covet, and if possible acquire, the capacity of making correct interpretations of Scripture, and judicious expositions of their deep- est meaning, both for himself, as a practical Christian, and for those who come under his instruction. 2. Doctrinal theology is designed to state the re- sults of biblical or exegetical theology in a systematic form. It involves not only the positive statement of correct opinions, but the refutation of errors, and a historical knowledge of the rise of systems of doc- trine both true and false. Its principal departments are those of Natural and Revealed religion. Evidences and Polemics, including the great questions of philos- ophy and the refutation of heathen and infidel objec- tions to Christianity. 3. Historical theology embraces the sacred history of the Old and New Testaments, and the detailed narrative of events resulting directly and indirectly 196 PRACTICAL THEOLOGY, from the establishment of the Christian Church. Church history portrays the influence of Christian- ity upon the life and character of individuals, com- munities, and nations. . It describes the rise and decline of heretical sects, the insidious entrance of error and corruption into the Church itself, and the ultimate progress of Christianity in spite of all op- posing and retarding influences. The history of the Church describes the rise of various systems of Church government, and the influence of Christianity upon civilization, upon the arts and sciences, upon education, legislation, slavery, war, and peace, and indeed upon whatever aflects human weal or woe. It also develops a specially important and interesting phase in the history of missions, ancient, mediaeval, and modern, and of the various enterprises by which the Church is at present laboring for the amelioration of society and the conversion of the world. 4. Practical theology involves a knowledge of the various theories of Church polity ; of the theory and administration of discipline ; of the forms of worship ; of the history and use of liturgies ; of the agencies and details of all manner of Church enterprises ; of Catechetics, or the elements of Christian instruction ; of Homiletics, the science and art of Christian ad- dress ; and also of the multiplied duties and relations of the pastoral office. 5. Skill in the modes and means of using knowl- edge. Over and above the intrinsic value of knowl- edge, and the pleasure it confers upon its possessor, a still higher value arises from its availability for practical results. As science ministers to the innu- TRAINING DEMANDED. 1 97 merable utilities of life, and promotes human advan- tage in ten thousand forms, so knowledge, in the sphere of morals and religion, is designed to be an agency and a power for good. Hence the great rea- son why Christian pastors are called on to acquire large stores of knowledge is that they may use them for the objects of their ministry. Indeed, self-knowl- edge, a knowledge of society, a knowledge of books, and even an acquaintance with theology, are of little consequence as the personal accomplishments of a pastor, unless he knows how to employ them for the instruction and salvation of men. As wealth hoarded is valueless to communities, so hoarded knowledge confers scanty benefit upon its possessor, and still less upon society. From these principles it may be justly inferred, that the mere acquisition of knowledge is but a part — and, in fact, an inferior part — of education. The stu- dent needs to be trained to use with judgment, and to communicate with elegance and force, what he knows. He needs to become capable of sound reasoning, just comparison, free expression, and powerful persuasion, whether by voice or pen. Specially is this true in reference to ministers of the gospel, who, as public teachers, are nothing unless they are capable of com- municating truth and diffusing influence. To these objects, therefore, any good system of ministerial ed- ucation must specifically tend. Indeed, it is safe to affirm, that whatever system, in the highest degree, combines the development of the capacities referred to with the acquisition of ample and well-balanced stores of knowledge, is the most desirable for the 198 KNOWLEDGE MUST BE WIELDED. Church and her ministers. While this is affirmed, it need not be denied that the modes of acquiring knowledge are various, and that knowledge acquired under difficulties is often made more available for practical results than that more easily attained. Many examples have proved the possibility of acquiring ex- tensive knowledge and great skill in its use, by per- sonal efforts, after an entrance upon ministerial duty, notwithstanding the embarrassment of inferior prepa- ration. It is probable, however, that many more cases of absolute and partial failure have occurred, while many of those that have succeeded best, in the cir- cumstances stated, have been decided in their convic- tions that there is a better way. Without here discussing questions that have been rendered obsolete by the progress of events, such as whether institutions for ministerial education are needed, or whether education in the ministry is not to be preferred to education for the ministry, it will , be assumed, in accordance with protracted experience, that absolute uniformity in the manner of acquiring knowledge, and the capacity of wielding it in the dis- charge of ministerial duty, is neither essential nor practicable. It will be claimed, moreover, that for objects so important, the best advantages, and all ad- vantages possible, are to be desired and sought for. What some may not attain, others may ; and with the greatest number of advantages there will be a suffi- cient number of failures.WLet no one imagine that mere attendance upon a theological school will insure to him the needed qualifications ; and, on the other hand, let no one flatter himself that he is so talented THEORY AND PRACTICE SHOULD BE UNITED. 1 99 that such an institution may not prove to be of inesti- mable advantage to him:^ Whoever reflects, will not fail to perceive that it is desirable to combine, as far as possible, the excellencies of institutional instruction with that personal experience only to be secured in the exercise of ministerial duty. In some instances, this combination may be secured during student-life. To the extent that such a combination is possible, it may be pronounced the most desirable of all condi- tions of ministerial preparation, and most like that in which our Lord taught his disciples, and gave them immediate opportunities of applying the knowledge they had acquired. Where this combination can not be secured, the desideratum next in order would be institutional study and training in advance, to be fol- lowed by responsible practice in due season. It is not possible that young men thrown upon their own resources, away from competent instruction, scantily supplied with the apparatus of study, and at the same time burdened with duty, should, as a general rule, be able to make large and well-balanced acquisitions of knowledge. There may be circumstances in which such a position should be accepted as the last alter- native between possible success and a certain aban- donment of duty. But at a period when the Church is offering the best of advantages for ministerial prep- aration to those of her sons who will profit by them, an undue haste to enter upon ministerial responsi- bility, without suitable preparation, deserves to be regarded as inexcusable presumption. It is at this point that ministers in official posi- tions, and also examining committees and confer- 200 THE CHURCH SHOULD BE PROTECTED. ences, should be held sacredly bound to protect the Church against either the vanity, the irresolution, or the indolence which have hitherto so often bur- dened the ministry with incompetent candidates. The young man who at this day flatters himself or allows himself to be flattered into the idea that he does not need the accumulated advantages which institutions founded by the Church for the special object of enabling persons like him to acquire knowl- edge with greater ease and correctness, and to apply it with greater certainty of success, betrays a weak- ness— vide Prov. xxvi, 12; Romans xii, 16 — which, though of a different type, is scarcely more pardona- ble than the faint-heartedness which surrenders before obstacles, or the fondness of ease which prefers to lapse into matrimony or into indiflerence rather than to make manly and self-denying exertions for the accomplishment of a noble object. Opposite as such qualities seem, they are sometimes found in combina- tion. But, whether grouped or single, each one of them is a bad omen of ministerial success, and the Church will gain most by sternly rejecting candidates tainted with such objections, and by maintaining a standard that will make earnest and persevering ex- ertion to attain the necessary qualifications absolutely indispensable to acceptance. The question now before the Church is not whether she shall have institutions for theological instruction and ministerial training, or whether those institutions shall be amply endowed, ably manned with instruct- ors, and watchfully guarded, but whether her young men shall be at liberty to treat the advantages offered THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS. 20I by such institutions with indifference, or required to profit by them. Not only ministers and conferences are entitled to a voice in determining this question, but Churches and people. However indulgent the latter may have been in the past, it is to be expected that in the future they will hold ministers to a high responsibility for improving or neglecting advantages proffered for their improvement. Contrary to the impressions of some, institutional education for the ministry is not a modern invention, however it may be a modern necessity. The appoint- ment of the prophetic office among the Jews was followed by the establishment of "schools of the prophets." One great feature of Christ's public life was its instructional character. From its beginning to its close the Great Teacher maintained a peripa- tetic school for the education of his disciples. The apostles, to some extent, imitated him in this. The schools of Alexandria and Antioch followed the apos- tolic age. The perversion and final extinction of such schools was followed by an age of mediaeval darkness and apostasy. Schools for the clergy gradually illu- minated and ultimately broke the midnight of the middle ages, and introduced the dawn of the Ref- ormation. Since the Reformation, every vitalized Church in Christendom has found, at a certain stage of its progress, the necessity of schools for its min- istry. This has been strictly true of Methodism in both England and America, and also in the larger foreign missions of the Churches of both countries. An agency so uniform in circumstances so very diverse is, in fact, founded upon a necessity of human 202 HELPS TO PROGRESS. nature of which religion and the Church are by no means independent. As inventions and machinery that have the effect of saving time and money become indispensable, so institutions of learning of various grades are equally indispensable, for the same reason. As no man can afford to go on foot, or even to ride in a stage-coach, where he can go quicker by rail, and as no parent can afford to teach his child at home when he can send him to a good school, so no student can in these days afford the slow and toil- some process of self-education, when he can, by any reasonable efforts, secure the advantages of good institutional instruction. Yet the zeal and the appli- cation which sometimes secure success in self-educa- tion are scarcely less necessary to accomplish the best results of the greatest combination of advan- tages. In the most favored circumstances the mind must not rely so much upon its advantages as upon itself in the use of its advantages, endeavoring, with all possible diligence, to appropriate the benefits of severe tasks and regular drill. Especially should every student endeavor to form correct, profitable, and fixed habits of study before encountering the various obstacles of practical life which prove un- friendly to even the preservation of such habits. It will now be proper to remark that institutions devoted to the instruction and training of ministers of the gospel should not limit themselves to the rou- tine of school-boy instruction. While in all respects thorough and systematic, they should also encourage the broadest and highest self-development, mingling with theoretical instruction all those practical exer- CHARACTER DEFINED. 203 cises which will illustrate the uses of sacred knowl- edge and promote skill in employing talent for the spiritual welfare of men. Specially should the best modes of communicating thought be matter of con- stant practice and thorough criticism, while the '*art of putting things" at once honestly and forcibly, whether in conversation, in writing, or in public address, should by no means be overlooked. III. Character. The word character is derived directly from the Greek. The substantive Xapaxxr^p in that language primarily signified an instrument made for marking or graving. Secondarily it signi- fied the mark made upon an object, as the device or stamp upon a coin. Corresponding to these ideas, character in our language, as in most modern tongues, has a twofold signification. Subjectively it means that aggregate of qualities by which a person is marked or known among men. These qualities are often the result, in whole or in part, of influences received from without. Objectively, character is that moral, intellectual, or physical instrumentality by which an individual makes his own peculiar mark on society. Thus in both senses John Howard acquired the character of a philanthropist, and Adam Clarke that of a scholar, while other persons have acquired character as authors, orators, and benefactors. As distinguished from reputation, character depends upon personal qualities, reputation upon what others think or say of us. Reputation— from the Latin, re- puto—h2i?> reference to the reflex opinion created by human actions in the minds of other men. A person sometimes gets a wide reputation by a single act, 204 DIFFERENT PHASES. whereas character is predicated on the aggregate of a man's actions or influences through life or a period of life. Reputation is sometimes good when the character is bad. Nevertheless, in a good state of society, and at the end of a sufficient time, reputa- tion usually becomes the measure of character. Cer- tainly, in a religious point of view, no reputation can long be maintained without the support of a good character. Character has different phases, and these phases may differ more or less in the same individual. Thus a person may hold positions in community in respect severally to his own religious, social, scholastic, or professional character. As a minister of the gospel the same person may have a somewhat different chai- acter as a preacher and as a pastor. | Character is important to all men, but most of all to ministers of the gospel. Their great business is to renovate and improve the characters of other men. \ Hence it is indispensably necessary that they ^ examples of what they teach. All Christian Churches attach a high importance to character, and pre-eminently Methodist Churches give prominent and constant attention to it. In this view they enjoin a probation of six months prior to full membership in the Church, and two years ministerial probation before full recep- tion into conference. Ministerial probation is then extended two years more prior to ordination as elders, while even thereafter an annual examination of char- acter is still maintained in open conference. The close examinations of character instituted by Mr. Wesley have been perpetuated, with slight modifications, in MINISTERIAL STANDARD. 205 the various branches of Methodism. One of the standing records of an annual conference is : " Qties. Were all the preachers' characters examined? Ans. This was strictly attended to by calling over their names before the conference." In the case of confer- ence probationers various aspects of character are can- vassed up to the time when each individual is believed to have established a ministerial reputation, after which the examination involves specially his moral and official character, by challenging any possible objec- tion against either. It is conceded that a minister's character may present somewhat different aspects when regarded from an ecclesiastical or a popular stand-point. Every minister is subject to both views, and ought to be prepared to pass the proper tests from either view. It would be a serious mistake for young ministers to imagine that they can treat the judgments of their clerical brethren with indiifer- ence on the ground of a successful appeal to popular approbation. The truth is that Churches and com- munities usually and justly regard ministerial bodies as specially responsible to guard the purity of their own organic character by a just surveillance of each individual involved in it, and generally a minister's reputation among his associate ministers hinges largely upon his usefulness among the people under his charge. In viewing character in the light of ministerial responsibility and efficiency, we can, in fact, overlook none of those points of contact at which the preacher or pastor touches society, whether in his public or pri- vate capicity. All such points become developments, 206 STUDY OF CHARACTER, if not indices of the internal life of the individual. Making due allowance for natural peculiarities, we may nevertheless see that in a most important sense "every man is the architect of his own character." A man may be born with peculiar tendencies, but his character will depend upon the control he exer- cises over them ; and, as many of our natural tenden- cies are evil, human character, in order to a perfect development, requires large and constant influence from divine grace. In order to the successful development both of An exalted Christian and ministerial character every ideal. young or intending minister should form to himself an exalted ideal of character, and make ceaseless efforts to realize that ideal in his own life and actions. In the attempted realization of character no narrow views should be tolerated, but the subject should be studied in its broadest aspects, from the examples portrayed in the holy Scriptures down through history and biography to the range of each one's personal observation. Fletcher's " Portrait of St. Paul " is a fine example of the delineation of apostolic character with reference to the circumstances of the age in which the writer lived. Indeed, it well deserves to be studied at the present time, in consideration of its rare ability and discrimination in developing for imitation the nicest shades of pastoral character, while its reprobation of opposite and contrasted traits is trenchant and often withering. Note an example: "The minister of the present age is but seldom engaged in publishing to his people the truths of the gospel, and still more APOSTOLIC EXAMPLE. 20/ rarely in supplicating for them the possession of those blessings which the gospel proposes. It is chiefly before men that he lifts ■ up his hands and affects to pour out a prayer from the fullness of his heart, while the true minister divides his time between the two important and refreshing occupations of preaching and prayer, by the former making a public offer of divine grace to his hearers, and by the latter soliciting for them in secret the experience of that grace. Such was the manner of the blessed Jesus himself, who, after having reproved his disciples for the low degree of their faith, retired either into gardens or upon mountains, praying that their 'faith might not fail.' The good pastor, who constantly imitates the example of his divine Mas- ter, is prepared to adopt the language of St. Paul in addressing the flock upon which he is immediately appointed to attend. See Eph. iii, 14-19 ; Phil, i, 9-1 1. By prayers like these the apos- tle Paul was accustomed to water, without ceasing, the heavenly seed which he had so widely scattered through the vineyard of his Lord, manifesting an increasing attachment to those among whom he had at any time published the tidings of salvation, and breathing out, in all his epistles to distant Churches, the most earnest desire that God would 'fulfill' in them 'all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power ; that the name of the Lord Jesus Christ might be glorified in them, and they in him.' 2 Thess. i, 11, 12. " Pastors who pray thus for their flocks pray not in vain. Their fervent petitions are heard, sinners are converted, the faith- ful are edified, and thanksgiving is shortly joined to supplication. Thus the same apostle : ' I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Ciirist : that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge.' i Cor. i, 4-7. ' Having heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and your love unto all the saints, I cease not to give thanks for you.' Eph. i, 15, 16. "Worldly ministers have no experience of the holy joy that accompanies these secret sacitfices of praise and thanksgiving. But this can by no means be considered as matter of astonish- ment. Is their attachment to Christ as sincere as that of his faithful ministers ? Are they as solicitous for the salvation of their hearers ? Do they teach and preach with equal zeal ? Do they pray with the same ardor and perseverance ?"* * Fletcher's Works, Vol. Ill, pp. 53, 54. 208 SCRIPTURAL CHARACTERS. Taking Fletcher's "Portrait" as a model, except as to its length, every minister may profitably study and discuss with more or less detail the character of any, and, indeed, of many of the leading Scripture worthies, selecting at least representative examples of the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles. But most of all will the preacher and pastor be profited by studying minutely and developing fully the ministe- rial character of Christ, that great Shepherd of the true flock of God. The study of Scriptural characters may be appro- priately supplemented by the perusal of . select and standard biographies of distinguished ministers, and of those authors on Church history who have exhib- ited fidelity and skill in portraitures of the leading men of successive periods.* But aside from this class of studies, and also from that personal observation which every one should make upon the great and useful men of his own times, there is an important and ever-available field for study and meditation in the contemplation and development of those various moral and social quali- ties which enter as important factors into the forma- tion of superior character. Such qualities may be conveniently considered as belonging to the following classes: i. Personal traits. 2. Religious characteris- * Plutarch's Lives form a standard example of the graphic delinea- tion of characters by comparison and contrast. Modern literature might be improved by more frequent imitations of that kind of writing. For good examples of the portraiture of character in historic narratives see Schaff's Church History and Stevens's History of Methodism. Sprague's Annals of the American Pulpit constitute of themselves a most valuable store-house of well-prepared clerical biography. AMIABILITY. 209 tics. 3. Habits or modes of action. A few repre- sentative qualities of each class may be briefly noticed as essential to pastoral character. A. Personal Traits. Of these amiability may be considered primary. Who would choose, or even consent, to accept an un- amiable pastor 1 Goodness and gentleness are among the fruits of the Spirit, and consequently essential to Christian character. They seldom, if ever, fail to attract the affection of all who see them manifested. As a prime object of true religion is to promote moral goodness in human hearts and lives, the teacher of religion who fails to give an example of that char- acteristic in all his words and actions, must be con- sidered deficient in one of the first essentials of pastoral success. Attraction, and not repulsion, is the law of Christian influence. Amiability always attracts ; children feel its power, and the aged are not insensible to its charms. The high and the low are alike susceptible of its impressions. Amiability is natural to some ; it may be cultivated by all. Amiability makes its possessor approach- able— accessible to all, and equally facilitates his ac- cess to others. It has no frowns for the diffident and self-reproachful, but it sets at ease those who are embarrassed. In short, amiability wins — wins favor, wins respect, wins affection, wins hearts, and must be regarded as an important instrumentality of win- ning souls to Christ. But amiability must not be allowed to descend into simplicity, and thus become a weakness. It must be supported by other essential qualities, from which it will derive strength ; while to 18 210 DIGNITY. them it will impart attractive charms. Especially should amiability be supported by dignity. True DIGNITY must dwell in the soul, and be incor- porated in the character of him who would manifest it. It can noJt be put on and off like a garment. It does not consist in pretension, nor in affectation, either of personal or of clerical consequence. It is less compatible with pride of position and haughti- ness of spirit than with humility and meekness. It is not conferred by wealth or circumstances. It may exist in poverty and deep affliction. Dignity of char- acter is opposed to meanness of spirit. It does not descend to low words or trivial actions. It is culti- vated by cherishing elevated thoughts and noble aspirations. It does not let down the standard of manhood by yielding to selfish impulses. It does not seek to exalt its possessor by depressing others — nor by affecting contempt for just conventionalisms and established usages. On the other hand, it honors itself by a just respect for all good men, and by cherishing the most favorable and hopeful views of humanity. True human dignity is based upon the immortality of man — a being created in the image of God — sinful, indeed, but a subject of redemption, and a candidate for immortal honor in the world to come. In the light of such a position and possible destiny it becomes every individual to ask himself. What is worthy of me, in respect to my time, my talents, my actions 1 The religion of the gospel is conducive to the truest and highest dignity. Every Christian is required to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith he is called, and of the Savior, who has called him to be A CHRISTIAN STANDARD. 211 an heir of grace and of glory. Ministers must be capable of teaching both the principles and practice of Christian dignity. Their circumstances and asso- ciations are favorable to its attainment in their own character. The gravity of the gospel message, the responsibility of every ministerial act, the eternal consequences pending on the right and faithful dis- charge of duty are so many considerations constantly appealing to them to maintain a character and con- duct worthy of their divine Master. Without per- sonal dignity it is impossible to secure lasting re- spect for one's ministry, or to maintain influence over men. Important as this quality is, it can not exist alone. It must be rooted and grounded in other great essentials of Christian and ministerial charac- ter. Hence it has well been said of the true and worthy minister : " His is the dignity of holiness — of moral purity — of death to the world. It is the dignity of faith ; he believes God, and is not ashamed. It is the dignity of love; God is the center of his soul, and he loves his neighbor as himself. It is the dignity of hope — for his is the hope of glory. It is the dignity of action ; he hves to save the souls of men. It is the dignity of relation ; he is a child of God. It is the dignity of prospect; he is an heir of heaven. It is the dignity of station, for he is an embas- sador of the King of kings ; the dignity of knowledge, for he knows the only living and true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent; the dignity of rank — his crown awaits him; the dig- nity of safety — angels encamp around him ; the dignity of hap- piness— God is his portion ; and the dignity of permanence — he shall never be moved."* This principle must not only be possessed, but exhibited — made known by its fruits, in personal * Dr. C. Adams, in Minister for the Times. 212 DISCRETION. demeanor, in dress, in language, in actions, and in all the engagements and conduct of life. Among the essential qualities of pastoral character, it is scarcely possible to give too prominent a place to DISCRETION. Discretion is practical wisdom. Learn- ing is not sure to confer it. Discretion is less de- pendent on a large degree of knowledge than upon the disposition and ability to use the knowledge one possesses for wise purposes. And yet the more knowledge one has, the higher discretion he may be expected to manifest, provided he is controlled by a pure moral purpose. From the same Latin root (dis- cerno) we also have the word discernment ; and dis- cernment may be considered the primary idea, the invariable precursor of discretion. Discretion is alike demanded in small matters and in great. The Script- ures illustrate its importance. In one instance, dis- cretion is spoken of as an active attribute of the Creator himself. '* He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. Jer. X, 12. Again, God is represented as the great giver or teacher of discretion to men, *' For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him." Isa. xxviii, 26. The uses and importance of discretion are illus- trated^ in various passages of the sacred writings. " The discretion of a man deferreth his anger." Prov. xix, II. "As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion." xi, 22. "When wisdom entereth into thy heart, and knowl- edge is pleasant unto thy soul ; discretion shall DISCRETION A RELIGIOUS DUTY, 21 3 preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee." ii, lO, II. "A good man showeth favor, and lendeth : he will guide his aflfairs with discretion." Ps. cxii, 5. Our Savior commended discretion as a most im- portant characteristic of the wise scribe. "When Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, thou art not far from the kingdom of God." Mark xiii, 34. The apostle Paul, also, in addition to the practical discretion which, in so many forms, he enjoined upon Timothy and Titus, commanded the latter to make discretion a special subject of pastoral instruction ; " young men likewise exhort to be dis- creet." Titus ii, 6. Discretion is important to pastors, not only in their general intercourse with society, but especially in their private and personal endeavors to win souls to Christ. Next to the importance of knowing what to say, is that of knowing when and how to say it. It is doubtless with reference to the value of discretion in speech that the wise man says, "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." Discretion enjoins upon ministers, in all circum- stances, respectful attention to the proprieties of so- cial Hfe. It, moreover, suggests timely and suitable modes of presenting moral and religious truth to the hearts and consciences of men. V Discretion is an indispensable auxiliary to the proper discharge of public pastoral duties.; .for in- stance, in the control of popular assemblies, whether as a speaker or as a presiding officer. In preaching, it suggests the right subjects at the right time, and also the best mode of treating them. Not least is it 214 DISCRETION NEEDED IN SOCIETY. useful in determining when and to what extent to engage in controversies, and when to avoid them alto- gether. Controversies, indiscreetly opened or badly managed, have often contributed to the propagation of error ; whereas, ably conducted, and at the right time, they have been the means of effectually banish- ing error and strange doctrine. Discretion is constantly needed in the administra- tion of the affairs of a Church ; in the arrangement and conduct of public services, in the advice to be given, to penitents and converts, in the appointment of officers, in the settlement of difficulties, and in the administration of discipline. The possession of great talent, as a scholar or an orator, but poorly atones for a lack of discretion. On the other hand, it sometimes heightens the public perception of the deficiency by a glaring contrast. Indiscretion in a pastor forfeits the confidence a com- munity might be disposed to place in him, and conse- quently destroys his influence, and jeopards the most sacred interests of a Church. How often has Zion been made to mourn and her solemn feasts to lan- guish from this cause ! Whatever inconvenience or distress any minister may personally suffer from an act of indiscretion, ought to be regarded by him as very little, compared with the calamity of bringing reproach upon the cause of Christ, and thereby hin- dering the spread of truth and the salvation of men. In view of such a possibility, how earnestly ought every one invested with the sacred office to seek that wisdom that cometh down from God as an ever- guiding element of his character ! DEFINITE AIMS. 215 Definiteness of aim is highly essential to minis- terial success, and should consequently be embodied in a pastor's character. Nothing so tends to habitual inefficiency as vagueness of thought and purpose. The failures it causes are innumerable. To it may be attributed idle prayers, powerless sermons, profit- less visits, and wasted opportunities. Important re- sults do not come by chance. As dependent on human instrumentality, they must pre-exist in the conception, in the desire, and in the determination of him who would bring them to pass. A pastor who comprehends his calling and his re- sponsibility sees himself environed with objects desir- able to be realized. He must not be confused with their number, nor overwhelmed with their magnitude. He must be able to conceive of each one separately, and in its proper relations ; to fix his thoughts clearly upon the means necessary to its realization, whether immediate or remote. This principle is alike appli- cable to those grand measures which require years for their consummation, and to the minute details which, in their proper order, are essential to ultimate success. Thus, no pastor should content himself with the mere consciousness that he desires to pro- mote the prosperity of his Church. He should also comprehend clearly the various elements which must be combined to create that prosperity and the agen- cies by which they may be severally promoted. To attempt to reap where seed has not been sown, or to gather fruits at the season of blossoms, is scarcely more ill-judged than to expect the fruits of Christian living without previous instruction in religious truth, 2l6 IMPARTIALITY, or to imagine that a Church can be prosperous as a whole, while the individual members are worldly, and neglectful of their Christian obligations. As in war the grandest results hinge on minute details^ it is scarcely less so in pastoral life. Hence the pastor who would organize success, must plan with judgment and thoroughness, and execute with scrupulous care and definite purpose whatever tends to promote the spiritual welfare of any individual child or member of his flock, as well as of the aggregated whole, both for the present and the future. Impartiality. While the pastor, as a man, can not be expected to be free from personal preferences or to disown congenial attachments, yet, as a guard- ian of souls, he must maintain a faithful and impai- tial interest in all who are committed to his care. To be assiduous in attentions to the rich or the learned and the good, and at the same time neglect- ful of the poor, the afflicted, the ignorant, and the froward, is not only to be sure of exciting prejudices very unfriendly to pastoral success, but to be guilty of an indiscretion both weak and sinful. The sure remedy against such a course is to appreciate man as man, and the souls of all men as immortal, and deserving the most earnest eflbrts to save them from sin and to elevate them into the favor and moral image of God. This Christian sentiment may be so concreted into the moral and social being of a min- ister, and so manifested in his life, that he will be every-where recognized as equally the friend of the high and the low, the rich and the poor, and equally able to minister to the happiness and the salvation INDEPENDENCE. 2 1 / of all. This quality of character blends admirably with several important traits of a somewhat different type; in fact, it is a very necessary counterpart of independence, decision, and firmness of character. Independence is a highly popular trait of character. All wish to be thought possessed of it ; comparatively few really are. Some so widely mistake its nature as to suppose that it consists in singularity, or in the persistent habit of differing from other men. True independence harmonizes with a just respect for other men, and a loyal conformity to the usages of society and the restraints of government, whether in Church or state. Independent thinking is the basis of a true independence of character, and for this God designed all men in giving them minds of their own. But there is a wide difference between a capacity of abstract thought and that of forming prompt and correct practical judgments. In the course of life new combinations are perpetually arising. In emer- gencies some men have always to look to others for guidance. The man of independent judgment can act for himself and also for others. A pastor should always be able to do this. True independence does not disdain to seek appropriate counsel nor to observe carefully the grounds, tendencies, and consequences of actions, but nevertheless is ready, at the proper time, to act in the light of intelligent conviction, with others if it can, alone if it must. At this point inde- pendence blends with decision, a much lauded, but often misconceived and perverted trait of character. Apart from a strict following of the right, decision is no virtue. Following wrong, it is evil and only evil 19 21 8 DECISION. continually. Neither independence nor firmness have in themselves any moral character. They are hence only to be commended when under the influence of enlightened conscience and correct judgment. These a Christian pastor may always be supposed to have, and, having them, he needs decision to profit by their dictates, and firmness to prevent being swayed firom th^ course they mark out for his steps. 'J Decision of character has two important elements. The first is promptnes^s of determination, the second persistence in action, uhe first is often simulated by rashness, the second by stubbornness, whereas true decision is equally removed from both. It is neither precipitate nor vacillating. Supported by a clear judgment, it pursues an unwavering course, neither turning aside for obstacles nor yielding to discour- agement. Nevertheless, when clearer light or deeper reflection shows a former course or opinion to be erroneous, decision forsakes it and adopts the right, without fear of reproach. In mixed communities, and amid conflicting interests and opinions, influences are often brought to bear upon pastors which embarrass their actions, and tend strongly to divert them from the courses duty marks out. To be alarmed by clamor, to be swayed by sympathy, or to be sub- merged in a vortex of popular excitement, is alike unworthy of the intelligence and the moral stamina of a leader in the Christian Church. Firmness in the right is therefore to be commended as a virtue indispensable to the attainment of substantial and permanent influence in the pastoral office. Energy. The numerous and arduous duties of ENERGY. 219 the pastorate will be but poorly discharged without energy of character. Whoever is feeble of purpose or intermittent in his zeal gives but small promise of success in a sphere of duty that demands sleepless vigilance, untiring industry, and self-sacrificing toil. The term is from the Greek ivepyio)^ ivepyoc;, signifying inward working. Energy, however, is not a mere mental fermentation, self-exhaustive and inoperative without. It is rather an inward working toward an outward end. It is properly consummated only in positive results. The same word, but little varied from its original form, is found in all the most im- portant modern languages, having the twofold sig- nificance of intellectual and physical activity. In a primary sense energy lies wholly in the mind, but the mind, acting upon matter, creates physical power, which sometimes acts on after the originating mind has passed away. Thus the mind of a Watt and a Fulton may be said to be acting to-day through the myriad steam-engines that form the motive power of the world. So the moral energy of the apostles and the reformers of successive periods pulsates still in the breasts of millions, who in turn become propagators of the sacred impulse. Energy, as developed in char- acter, demands a union of activity and force. Its characteristics are vigor of movement as opposed to languor, strength of will as opposed to irresolution, and power as opposed to inefficiency. Its opposites are inertness, indolence, feebleness. Energy rises early and commences work. Indolence folds the hands together and says, a little more sleep. Hav- ing risen, it procrastinates, wasting time and wearying 220 MOTIVE POWER, itself with inaction. Energy meets difficulties and conquers them. Indolence says "there is a lion in the way." Examples of energy are found in all great men and successful ministers. While men are differ- ently endowed both with physical and mental energy, yet both may be cultivated and strengthened. En- ergy may be promoted by conceiving rightly of its own importance, by cherishing lofty and soul-stirring motives, and by putting forth strenuous efforts until energetic action becomes habitual. Energy measures the motive power of every aggress- ive Christian, and especially of every minister of the gospel. Energy is demanded in preaching. Ener- getic thought needs to elaborate the matter of a dis- course, and energy of soul needs to flow out through all its delivery. Energy is necessary to a timely and efficient discharge of all pastoral duties, specially in maintaining, amidst the pressure of other cares and responsibilities, personal efforts for the salvation of individuals. Without energy in a pastor the various benevolent enterprises of a Church are sure to lan- guish, if not to die out, whereas pastoral energy will infuse into them life, order, and power. Energy should not be spasmodic or intermittent; hence it needs to be regulated and sustained by per- severance. Perseverance, as a trait of character, implies both the purpose and habit of continuance in whatever one undertakes. Continuance in given courses may result from mere habit, and persistence may be manifested in particular actions or courses of action. Perseverance occupies a broader field, and results from the exercise of a nobler class of faculties. PERSEVERANCE. 221 Like other personal characteristics already noticed, perseverance is susceptible of opposite applications. Perseverance in evil is a flagrant sin which adds enormity to other sins. Perseverance in goodness and virtuous eflbrt increases and adorns every other excellence of character. From this point of view- appears its great importance in the character of a pastor. He labors not merely for immediate results, but for issues reaching into the long future, and tak- ing hold upon eternity. In this toil he must walk by faith, and not by sight. Hence, however distant the realization of his hope, neither his faith nor his efforts must be allowed to fail. Perseverance is nec- essary in constant endeavors for personal improve- ment, to make progress in knowledge and in holiness, as well as in maintaining the full routine of public duty. It is specially important in periods of religious declension, and amidst oppositions and discourage- ments of every kind. Perseverance is enjoined in the Scriptures as an essential element of a religious life. "He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Matt, xxiv, 13. "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Rev. x, 2. On the other hand, the lack of perseverance is rebuked as the precursor of fatal apostasy. " Ye did run well; who did hinder you, that ye should not obey the truth .?" Gal. v, 7. Indeed, the lack of per- severance detracts from every conceivable excellence of character. It tends to vacillation, instability, and unreliability. It forfeits self-respect, and renders a man incapable of securing the high respect of others. Some pastors waver and hesitate in well-doing, and 222 ANCIENT MOTTO. some even abandon the best of measures through faint-heartedness or despondency. Hence courage and HOPEFULNESS should be cultivated as of indis- pensable value to the leader of a spiritual host. All men, unless morbidly despondent, are hopeful when the tide of prosperity is running high. But that tide, like the tides of the ocean, has its ebb. Unva- rying prosperity can not be expected in any of the relations of this life. Although it may not be possi- ble to foresee in what form difficulties or disasters may be encountered, yet it is safe to be prepared for them at any time and in any form. Whether, therefore, from the oppositions of the world, the flesh, or the devil, a Church or a minister is involved in serious trial, it becomes the latter, especially, to bear up under the difficulties of the situation with a manly heart and a confident trust in God's promises. The pastor should at all times be true to his convictions of the power of truth and of the ultimate triumph of the gospel. StirsiLin corda was a glorious motto of the early Church which should never be allowed to become obsolete. As in military struggles calm cour- age and hopefulness in a leader have often wrung victory out of the jaws of defeat, so in the battles of the Christian life a strong heart has often won tri- umph where discomfiture seemed inevitable. As in an army cowardice or courage in leaders becomes contagious in the ranks, so in the Church a faint- hearted pastor often unconsciously and undesignedly diffijises among the whole membership his own pusil- lanimous fears, while a pastor possessed of high moral courage inspires those who surround him with such HOPE CONQUERS. 223 hopefulness and energy as not only prevent disaster, but secure success. The word of God is full of exhortation and the Christian religion full of aid for the development of courage and hopefulness. Moses was instructed to command Israel in these words prior to their entrance into the land of promise : " Be strong and of a good courage, fear not nor be afraid of them, for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee ; he will not leave thee nor forsake thee." Deut. xxxi, 6. Joshua, as the leader of the chosen people, was exhorted in similar language, which may properly be considered as God's command to every leader of his spiritual host: "Be thou strong and very courageous. . . Have not I commanded thee.? Be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid, neither be thou dis- mayed ; for the Lord thy God is with thee whither- soever thou goest." Joshua i, 7, 9, The Psalms of David make the same idea prominent: "Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." Psalm xxxi, 24. "Wait on the Lord : be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord." xxvii, 14. In the forty-second and forty-third Psalms the following rebuke and remedy against despondency is thrice re- corded: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted in me } Hope thou in God, who is the health of my countenance and my God." Even the weeping prophet Jeremiah, "the man that had seen affliction by the rod of his wrath," could sing, "The Lord is my portion, therefore will I hope in him. . . . It is a good thing that a man should 224 HOPEFULNESS OF PETER AND PAUL, both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." Lam. iii, 24, 26. The lives of the apostles were filled with examples of the courage and hopeful- ness inculcated and demanded by the spirit of Chris- tianity. Witness the boldness of Peter and the other apostles who, having been cast into prison and straitly commanded that they should not teach in the name of Jesus, nevertheless proceeded to fill Jerusalem with their doctrine, answering, when again arraigned by their persecutors, " We ought to obey God rather than men." Acts v, 29. The motto of Peter's life is given in his exhortation to the members of the general Church : " Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end." i Peter i, 13. Paul was also a model of courage and hopefulness, yielding to no discouragement, however severe the trials to which he was subjected, or however stern the oppositions he was called to encounter. Witness his defense when arraigned before kings and governors, and also the cheerful tone pervading his communica- tions to his brethren, whether by word or pen. " And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there : save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus." Acts xx, 22-24. "Therefore, seeing we have received this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not. . . . We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed ; we are perplexed, but not in HE A VENL Y-MINDEDNESS. 225 despair ; persecuted, but not forsaken ; cast down, but not destroyed." 2 Cor. iv, i, 8, 9. "Thou, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." " Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." 2 Tim. ii, i, 3. "Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. . . . Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of right- eousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day : and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." 2 Tim. iv, 5-8. Let all pastors who would maintain an apostolic min- istry in the Church, cultivate the magnanimous spirit and the undaunted hopefulness of which the apostles gave so glorious an example. B. Religious qualities of character. Let us now consider some of those religious char- acteristics which are essential to a well-formed pas- toral character. Not to- discuss religious experience in general, it may be remarked that the Christian minister should be eminently a devout man. A Heavenly-mindedness is essential to the influ- en\:es most of all important for a pastor to exertj It is not merely desirable that a religious teacher be dignified, serious, and thoughtful, but he should be able to say with the apostle, " Our conversation is in heaven ;" and to illustrate the saying in all his inter- course with the people. " Out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaketh ;" and when a minister of the gospel becomes engrossed with worldly concerns, or delights in the trivialities which occupy worldly 226 A PASTOR'S AFFECTION. minds, he is but poorly fitted to "point men to heaven, and lead the way." On the other hand, when the concerns of this life appear to one in their true light, only important in reference to their bearings on the world to come, he has a primary and much-to-be- desired preparation to discourse to men, both in pri- vate and in public, for the purpose of promoting the welfare of their souls. Such a man's presence in any company seems to be surrounded with the atmosphere of a better world, while he equally attracts by his example, and wins by his fitting words. Love. No man can be a true pastor unless he has a deep and genuine experience of Christian love. The shepherd of souls should love God with all his heart, and his neighbor as himself Love then will become to him the fulfilling of the law. It will at once sug- gest to him his duties, and aid him in their discharge. " Success in soul-saving requires a warm heart ; eminent suc- cess, a hot heart. Icebergs are not to be melted by moonbeams. Many other desirable qualifications may be dispensed with, but genuine, spontaneous, abiding warmth of soul toward the Savior and toward the sinner there must be, or a man can not be a successful Christian worker. Without this the most eminent endowments only make failure the more disgraceful. "It seems almost impossible for some Christians to get rid of the notion that spiritual results can be secured by methods merely material and intellectual. Given money and brains, and it is often assumed you have force enough to run a moral reform, a Sunday-school, or even a Church. The rebuking voice of the Almighty sounds forth, ' Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit,' and that spirit works on the ungodly mainly through the medium of the hearts which have already felt its transforming power. The most magnificent floating palace ever built is but a cumbrous hulk, utterly useless for the single purpose of its con- struction until its fires are kindled, and its heart throbs, and its limbers quiver from stem to stern with the pulses of a mighty life. CONSTRAINING LOVE. 22/ "There is no possible substitute for a heart aflame. Brill- iancy may dazzle, but it takes heat to kindle. Chalmers preaclied for thirteen years before his conversion with a keenness of logic, a splendor of rhetoric, and a majesty of eloquence unsurpassed and rarely rivaled, but he afterward publicly confessed that dur- ing all that time his ministry not only failed to lead any one to a saving acquaintance with Jesus, but that, so far as he could learn, it had ' not the weight of a feather upon the moral habits ' of his parishioners. John Wesley's early ministrations in England and America were of small account, but when, through the influence of the Moravians, his 'heart was strangely ivarined,^ God gave him a tongue of fire, and the scenes of the Pentecost were re- enacted. "An almost passionate devotion to the work of saving men seems to be the indispensable condition of abundant harvest- ing. John Knox was wont to cry, ' Give me Scotland or I die !' Whitefieid would often pray, ' O Lord, give me souls or take my soul !' Emmons had unutterable groanings over sinners. Con- cerning one such season he writes: 'The agonies of that hour can never be told ; I verily thought I should have died.' When the burning soul of Paul had been pursuing its orbit among the nations for thirty years, driven by some unseen power, and leav- ing a trail of glory every-where, he gave the rationale of his sub- lime career in six words : 'T-he love of Christ constraineth me.' The world knows what came of these furnace-heats in great souls. The conquests of the Church have been won and the history of the nations molded by them. They avouch the truth so well uttered by Lyman Beecher : ' The power of the heart set on fire by love is the greatest created power in the universe.' " But we need not limit either the instruction or the encour- agement of this theme by applying them solely to stars of the first magnitude. The tiniest taper that glimmers in a hovel is subject to the same conditions of shining as the sun itself. Grace is like nature in the universal sweep of its laws. A heart on fire with love to Jesus and love to men is just as sure to win some trophies for the Master through the pathetic pleadings of an illiterate Carvosso as by the inimitable eloquence of a Summerfield. Many a minister, a prayer-leader, Sunday-school teacher, or private Christian of no more than ordinary capacity might entei a career of extraordinary usefulness by securing the baptism of the Holy Ghost. He would find it to be 'power 228 A PASTOR'S SYMPATHY. from on high.' Many a professed disciple has never had his Pentecost, and that often makes the diametrical difference be- tween a skulking, cursing denial and a lion-hearted apostleship, as it did with Peter." * True Christian love is sympathetic, and sympathy is of the highest importance in pastoral labor. The sympathy required in this work is something more than a natural tenderness of feeling ; indeed, it is nothing short of a true religious affection. It feels for the woes of humanity rather than seems to feel, and cherishes and illustrates its feelings on the prin- ciple of the golden rule, instead of being controlled by fitful impulses. This kind of sympathy was man- ifested by Christ in his miracles of mercy to the sick, the lame, the blind, and even in restoring the dead to life, that he might assuage the grief of a widowed mother, and comfort the hearts of bereaved sisters. Paul had this sympathy when he said, " I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heav- iness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed (separated) from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh." Rom. ix, i, 3. Also when he wrote other passages, like the following : " My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you." Gal. iv, 19. " God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ." " Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and serv- ice of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all." Phil, i, 8 ; ii, 1 7. Sympathy for the poor and afflicted * Christian at Work. PARTAKING OF OTHERS' SORROWS. 229 does not prompt us to say, " Be ye warmed, and be ye fed," but it arouses effort in their behalf Sympathy for sinners does not lead one to excuse their guilt, nor to partake of their sins, but to appreciate their danger, and to work and pray for their rescue. In- deed, true sympathy of any kind does not exhaust itself in words, but expresses itself in appropriate and earnest action. Neither does it become cold and dead by professional routine, but it is deepened by exercise, and intensified by all the higher motives which cluster around the destinies of an immortal soul. The law of Christian sympathy, though brief, is exceeding broad. The apostle states it in this pre- cept, " Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." Rom. xii, 15. The pastor who fulfills this law becomes alike a participant of the joys and the sorrows of the members of his flock, and thus endears himself to them by double ties. Whereas he who holds himself aloof from either the gladness of the rejoicing, or the tears of the afflicted, loses his best opportunity for winning their hearts. Human life alternates between joy and sorrow, and the periods of these extremes of feeling are those in which all persons are most susceptible of moral influ- ence— a species of influence which a pastor must acquire and maintain, or his mission is a failure. Sympathy is needed in preaching as well as in private address. Indeed, the entering wedge of influence with congregations, as with individuals, is sympathy. A shrewd observer once said, " I have noticed that if a minister can only convince his congregation, dur- ing the first five minutes, that he cares for nothing 230 HEAR T-PO WEK. but to save their souls, he will kill all the critics in thejhouse." "^^Sympathy ministers largely to what is called heart- power, if, indeed, it be not heart-power itsej^ As love begets love, so the sympathetic pastor entwines around himself the affections of his people, and thus secures the most direct if not the only mode of ac- cess to their hearts. Of all the agencies of Christian influence this is the best and most certain of success. Hence it needs to be studied and cultivated, and con- tinually practiced. " Ah, how skillful grows the hand That obeyeth Love's command ! It is the heart, and not the brain, That to the highest doth attain ; And he who followeth Love's behest, Far excelleth all the rest."* It is interesting to observe, that various Christian Churches, which have heretofore been supposed to be indifferent to heart-power, as compared with stern logic, or the calm compulsions of reason, are now earnestly inculcating the former as a grand essential of ministerial success. A minister of the Dutch Reformed Church f recently said, addressing Presbyterian theological students : "Give full play to your own heart while writing, and while you are preaching. Touch the tender chords. I very much doubt whether the man who has no pathos in his nature was ever Cci;led of God to the sacred ministry. Beecher's highest power is in his pathos ; so is Dr. Guthrie's. Remember that your people have cradles in their houses, and sick-beds, and are all * Longfellow. t Rev. T. L. Cuyler. A RECOGNIZED NECESSITY. 23 1 of them men and women 'of like passions' with yourself. If you can 't help weeping, then weep ; if your feelings overcome you, then break down I It may break some others down too, and reach the fount of their tears. President M'Cosh lately described to me a wonderful scene in the Scotch General Assembly, when Alexander Duff spoke for two hours to an audience, who, for the most part, were opposed to his views, and yet he so completely broke them down by his overwhelming pathos, that every man in the multitude was weeping ; and the member of Parliament who went around to "lift" the mission- ary collection afterward, walked with his handkerchief to his eyes, and the tears dropping from his cheeks ! The vast assem- bly was a perfect BocJiim. " The two most successful ministers in New York are not men who preach splendid intellectual discourses, but are possessed of this heart-power, both in the pulpit, the prayer-meeting, and in their pastoral work. Young brethren ! aim from the start to be thorough pastors. During the week, go to those whom you expect to come to you on the Sabbath. In the morning of each day, study books ; in the afternoon, study door-plates and hu- inmi nature. Your people will give you material for your best practical sermons. After an effective Sunday work, go around among your flock, as Napoleon rode over the field after a battle, to see where the shot struck, and who were among the wounded. " In pastoral visiting, go where you are needed the most. If you neglect any body, neglect the strong, the cultured, and the godly. Go to the unconverted ; go to the suffering ; and go to those houses where the world comes the least. Get acquainted with every body, and do n't forget to recognize every body in the street. Always have a good tract or two in your pocket, and a kind word on your lips. Be sure of this, that every per son, high or humble, likes personal attention (sympathy)." A Congregational professor* at Andover exhortj> his students in the following language : "A preacher had better work in the dark, with nothing but mother-wit, a quickened conscience, and a Saxon Bible to teach bim what to do and how to do it, than to vault into an aerial * Professor Phelps. 232 REACH THE MASSES. ministry, in which only the upper classes shall know or care any thing about him. You had better go and talk the gospel, in the Cornish dialect, to those miners who told the witnesses, sum- moned by tiie committee of the English Parliament, that they had 'never heard of Mister Jesus Christ in these mines,' than to do the work of the Bishop of London. Make your ministry reach the people ; in the forms of purest culture if you can, but reach the people; with elaborate doctrine if possible, but reach the people ; with classic speech if it may be, but reach the people. The great problem of life to an educated ministry is, to make their culture 2i power instead of a luxury. Our temptations are all one way. Our mission is all the other way. "It is not, then, less education that our clergy need. It is inconceivable to me how any educated man can see relief from our present dangers, or from any dangers, in that direction. Ignorance is a remedy for nothing. So, imperfection of culture is always a misfortune. " But we do need coftsecration of culture. This is the thing which the world is blindly craving. "Above all, we need faith in the Christian ideal of culture, which measures its value by its use ; its dignity by its lowliness ; its height in character by its depth of reach after souls below it. This was Christ's own ideal of culture. He possessed no other ; he respected no other ; he denounced every other most fear- fully. Not an act of his life, not a word from his lips, gives any evidence that he would have tolerated the awful anomaly of cler- ical life, in which a man ministers placidly in a palatial Church to none but elect and gilded hearers, with all the paraphernalia of elegance around him, and with culture expressed in the very fragrance of the atmosphere, while ' Five Points,' and ' Old Breweries,' and 'Ann Streets' are growing up uncared for by any labors of his, within hearing of his organ and his quartette. "Our guard against the peril here indicated, then, is spiritual, as distinct from intellectual, in its nature. The cry should be, not 'Less intellect! less study! less culture!' but simply, 'More heart! more prayer! more godliness! more subjection of culture to the salvation of those who have little or none of it !' " Prune down any theory which, for reasons yet unknown to yo\i,yo7i can not work to advantage, so as to make your way to the people's hearts. Stretch your theory to the facts of your life's work, be they what they may. Hold no theory for a day CULTIVATION OF HEART-POWER, 233 which is not elastic enough to compass the necessities of your position. I have failed in my endeavors to help you if you have derived from my words any such theory. *' Esteem no institutions sacred vvhicii set you above and aloof from the commonalty. Revere no clerical usages, no laws of etiquette, no guards of your reputation, no proprietary claims, which require you to hold back from personal labor with the humblest or the most guilty. Yield to no churchly sentiments, or whispered arrangements, or tacit understandings, or unut- tered disgusts, through which Churches shall be gathered by the law of social affinity instead of the law of benevolence ; so that their pastors can not get at the poor and the degraded, be- cause there are none such within hearing. " Refuse to be pastors of such Churches if they insist upon their exclusiveness. , Accept rather the calls of the ' low-born and low-bred.' Let it be said of you, "This man eateth with publicans and sinners.' Refuse to be tempted by Churches in which pageantry of architecture, pomp of worship, operatic mu- sic, patrician c;iste, sumptuous dress, and other forms of un- christian luxury, will conspire against you, making it impossible for the poor to be there if they would, and making them unwill- ing to be there if they could. The m;in was never born who could long carry the load of such a Church as that, with a Christ-like love of souls in his heart." Such teachings are in full accord with both the theory and the practice of Methodism, as illustrated in the whole history of its past successes. And while we may rejoice that Christians of other ChurclTes are adopting and commending similar theories and prac- tice, it is important that we, as well as they, give increased attention to the cultivation of heart-power, and its application to the masses of the people. There are two modes of acquiring this great gift of heart-power, which we all so much need, quiring hean- The first is a genuine heart-experience in ^^^^^' the deep things of God ; and the second is personal experience and confidence, growing out of diligent 234 ^ GOOD OMEN. efforts to win the souls of those needing our minis- trations by close heart-contact with them. It is a happy omen of the times in which we live that even the Roman Catholics, who, in former days, relied on priestly authority, and on scourges, penances, and tortures to compel religious submission, and to enforce conformity to their usages, are now learning and teaching a better way to reach and influence the people. The following extracts are from a book officially issued by the Catholic Publication Society of New York, entitled "The Clergy and the Pulpit, in their relations to the people by the Abbe Mullois." " To address men well they must be loved much. Whatever they may be, be they ever so guilty, or indifferent, or ungrateful, or however deeply they may be sunk in crime, before all and above all they must be loved. Love is the sap of the gospel, the secret of lively, effectual preaching, the magic power of elo- quence. The end of preaching is to reclaim the hearts of men to God, and nothing but love can find out the mysterious ave- nues which lead to the heart. We are always eloquent when we wish to save one whom we love ; we are always listened to when we are loved. But when a hearer is not moved by love, instead of listening to the truth he ransacks his mind for something wherewith to repel it, and in so doing human depravity is sel- dom at fault. If, then, you do not feel a fervent love and pro- found pity for humanity, if in beholding its miseries and errors you do not experience the throbbings, the holy thrillings of charity, be assured that the gift of Christian eloquence has been denied you. You will not win souls, neither will you ever gain influence over them, and you will never acquire that most excel- lent of earthly sovereignties, sovereignty over the hearts of men." "To be co-workers with Christ in regenerating and sav- ing mankind we must love it as he loved. He first did men good, then he addressed them. Hence it was that the people, unmindful of their most urgent wants, followed him, exclaiming, 'Never man spake like this man.'" "It is not by essays of CHRISTIAN ZEAL. 235 reasoning, any more than by the sword, that the moral world is to be swayed. A little knowledge, much sound sense, and much more heart are what is requisite to raise the great mass, the peo- ple, and to cleanse and purify them. To be able to reason is luiman, very human, and one who is a man and nothing more may possess that ability as well as you, perhaps in a higher degree. But to love, to devote one's self, to sacrifice self, is something unearthly, divine, possessing a magic power. Self- devotion, moreover, is the only argument against which human malevolence can find no answer." " Have a heart, then, in deal- ing with the people ; have charity ; love and cause others to love, to feel, to thrill, to weep." "What a grand mission, what a glorious heritage is that of loving our fellow-men ! Let others seek to lord it over them and to win their applause, for my part I prefer holding out a hand to ihem, to bless and to pity them, con- vinced by a secret instinct that it is the best way to save them." Would that all priests and prelates of the Church of Rome might hereafter learn and practice the pious and charitable precepts of the Abbe Mullois ! By so doing they would be effectually, however insensibly, prepared to discard the errors of their system, and to adopt more spiritual conceptions of Christianity.* Space will not allow further discussion of the relig- ious qualities important in pastoral character, save a brief notice of that holy zeal which is necessary to kindle all the others into efficient action. Christian zeal is a passionate devotion to the worship and serv- ice of God, in accordance with the example and com- mands of Christ. It needs to burn in the soul of a minister with an undying flame. It may take either the form of a righteous indignation against sin, or ot burning, self-consuming love toward the sinner. It *It is proper to say that the paragraphs quoted are quite the best specimens of the Abbe's book. Many passages in it betray not only narrow views, but the superstitious notions of the Church and clergy which he represents. 236 CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. may prompt to equal activity in opposing wrong or establishing right. The Savior himself gave an ex- ample of the former when he "found in the temple those that sold oxen, and sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and when he had made a scourge of small cords he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables ; and said unto them that sold doves. Take these things hence ; make not my Father's house a house of mer- chandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written. The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." John ii, 14-17. In the Old Testament zeal is represented as an attribute of the Most High. When Isaiah foretold the advent of the Prince of peace, and declared " of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end," he added, "the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." Isaiah ix, 7. Isaiah again said: "And he [the Lord] saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; there- fore his arm brought salvation unto him, and his righteousness it sustained him. For he put on right- eousness as a breast-plate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head ; and he put on the garments of ven- geance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak." lix, 16, 17. Under the new dispensation divine zeal assumed a milder form and more tender aspect, especially as it culminated in the sufferings of Calvary, where Jesus trod alone the wine-press of the fierceness and the wrath of Almighty God. Isaiah Ixiii, 3 ; Rev. xix, 15. APOSTOLIC ZEAL. 23/ Thenceforward true zeal for God could only be found in obedience to the cross of Christ, and in harmony with the meekness and purity of the Redeemer's character. In the New Testament a clear discrimi- nation is made between blind or unenlightened zeal and that which is according to knowledge. The apostle Paul deplores his own former zeal as a Jew, persecuting the Church and cherishing the tra- ditions of his fathers, and yet he affirms that "it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing." Indeed, the same apostle, whose zeal was illustrated in tireless and life-long efforts to make known the gospel among the Gentiles, represents that the great object of Christ in giving himself for us was "that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Titus ii, 14. The apostle Paul also commends zeal for spiritual gifts, i Cor. xiv, 12. Here, then, is scriptural guidance for the zeal of a pastor. He needs to be zealous of spiritual gifts that he "may excel to the edifying of the Church," and also zealous of those good works which are always the test of faith and love. Zeal is the opposite of lukewarmness. It is irrec- oncilable with inaction. It is a source of power, whether in the heart of a minister or in the bosom of a Church, whereas the influence exerted by indi- viduals or Churches toward saving men and mak- ing the world better is the measure of their zeal. Zeal may be sometimes impulsive, but, if sustained by principle and perseverance, it may be none the less valuable. An anonymous writer has sought to 238 FOLLOW CHRIST. quicken ministerial zeal by reference to a tradition of the age of chivalry, in which it is related that " A Scottish king, when dying, bequeathed his heart to the most trusty and beloved of his nobles, to be carried to Pales- tine. Inclosing the precious deposit in a golden case, and suspending it from his neck, the knight went out with his com- panions. When on his way to Syria he was hard pressed by the Moors of Spain. That he might be inspired with super- natural courage, as it were — as an incitement to break victorious through his thronging foes — he snatched the charge intrusted to him from his neck, and, flinging it in the midst of his enemies, exclaimed, ' Forth, heart of Bruce, as thou wast wont, and Douglas will follow thee or die.' And so he perished in the endeavor to reclaim it from the trampling feet of the infidels, and to force his way out. " Such is the position of the minister of Christ when encount- ering the hosts of heathenism and sin. Our Master's .heart has flung itself in advance of our steps. In the rushing crowds that withstand us, there is not one for whom that heart has not sym- pathized and bled, however rebellious and depraved. Be it ours to follow the leadings of his heart, and to pluck it, as it were, from the feet of those who, in ignorant superstition, apathetic indifference, or open profanity, tread under foot the Son of God, and count the blood of the covenant an unholy thing. "The illustration in its close is defective, for with us success Is promised and victory is sure ; so that with the Psalmist, in the language of holy confidence, we can say, ' I shall not die, but live and declare the works of the Lord.' " It was predicted of the Messiah that he should see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied ; that his earthly ministry should be successful ; that the great anxiety whicli stirred within his bosom, and carried him forward to his baptism of blood, should be appeased. This travail of soul was for souls. It was for the lost. Behold the Savior among the men of his gen- eration. He was bent upon plucking men as brands from the burning. He put his hand of blessing upon their little children. He lifted their dead, and they lived again. He showed them the way of life. But they wanted no such man among them. The light that went from him disturbed them, as the hght of the sun disturbs the bats and owls in old ruins. TRAVAIL OF SOUL. 239 "But Christ's life only prepared the way for his death. This was to be the corner-stone of man's salvation. And this death was the highest expression of the Redeemer's travail of soul for souls. He made his soul an offering for sin. He died the just, over whom death had no power, for the unjust, the wages of whose sin was death. And he was in an agony of desire and expectation until the work was accomplished. ' I have a bap- tism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished.' And this travail of soul was satisfied. Even as he hung upon the cross, a sin-bitten soul, a yearning penitent, cried, ' Lord, remember me.' And he did remember him, and saved him then and there. " No man can have any great warmth of religious feeling, or any close sympathy with the thoughts and purposes of his divine Master, without having in his degree the same anxiety for the salvation of men, without the same willingness and purpose to devote himself to effecting their salvation. But it is said, ' There is no reh'gious interest now.' So there was not when Christ came from heaven to show his travail of soul for sinners. The Jewish Church was cold and dead as a tomb. He found no response in it but the echo of his own voice ; and yet he went forward. The baptism was on him. The work was before him. There was no religious interest ; and that is why he girded him- self, and encountered hell and the grave. It was to awaken religious interest. It was to kindle a fire ; to arouse the souls of men to escape from tlie consequences of sin, and to lay hold on eternal life." A similar work he has bequeathed to his followers in every successive period of time. To accomplish it, his ministers must cherish a pure and quenchless zeal which will continually seek to diffuse and perpetuate itself in the hearts and lives of their fellow-men. C. Habits. The power of habit has been so often illustrated, and the consequent importance of good habits so fully demonstrated, that it can only be necessary at this point to suggest some of those habits or modes of action which are specially important to pastors as a 240 PAULS SELF-ADAPTATION, means of increasing their moral power in any com- munity where their lot may be cast. Of these it may suffice to mention activity and diligence, as a means of redeeming time and profiting by opportuni- ties ; ACCURACY and thoroughness, as essential to doing well and completing properly whatever is taken in hand ; promptness and punctuality, as a means of saving one's own time and that of others. To these may be added, with especial emphasis, the habit of self-adaptation to men and circum- stances. This habit is strikingly illustrated in the example and language of Paul the apostle : " Though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself serv- ant unto all, that I might gain the more. Unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews ; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law ; to them that are without law, as without law, that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you." i Cor. ix, 19- 23. The purpose and habit of self-adaptation is op- posed to the formality of fixed or ceremonious routine. It requires careful observation, correct judgment, and a certain inventiveness, without which a person is at a loss how to proceed, or, having erred, finds it difficult to correct his mistakes. It, however, does not involve, nor does any language of the apostle countenance, the slightest deflection from high moral rectitude. On the other hand, the principle and CONSISTENCY. 2^\ practice of Christian adaptation must be regulated by a pure and enlightened conscience in all possible circumstances. Inventiveness in a pastor is highly important in reference to the various plans and arrangements re- quired in administering the affairs of a Church. It needs, however, to be guarded as well as stimulated, lest it degenerate into the habit of making* changes for the sake of change. Superadded to all other good habits must be that of CONSISTENCY. The term consistency, from consis- tere, to stand together, suggests the idea of harmoni- ous co-existence. Consistency, in its broadest sense, demands, not merely harmony in all the elements of one's character, but such a balance and co-operation of all those elements as will avoid self-antagonisms, and secure the highest efficiency of Christian and ministerial effort in every department of labor. Man- kind generally have an acute sense of congruity as applied to character. This fact is indicated by the cur- rent proverb, " Consistency is a jewel ;" and also still more strongly by the proverb, current even in our Sav- ior's day, " Physician, heal thyself" A Christian min- ister must be consistent with his position as a teacher, otherwise his example may counteract his precepts. He must also be consistent with himself and his own professions. If a Christian be the highest style of man, a minister should be the highest style of Chris- tian. This requirement involves not only the neces- sity of a deep religious experience, but also of a life in all respects corresponding. A pastor must there- fore be consistent with his own highest ideal of a 21 242 DEMANDS OF CONSISTENCY. perfect character. To voluntarily come short of that, and to apologize to himself for inconsistencies, even though known to himself alone, will be to forfeit his self-respect, and to lay himself open to failure, and even to apostasy. Far above the observations and criticisms of others, he should continually aspire to that holiness of life and completeness of character required by the Judge of all. Any thing short of this will be inconsistent with the higher obligations of his sacred profession. This chapter may be fitly closed with Bishop Ken's "PORTRAIT OF A PASTOR. Give me the priest these graces shall possess — Of an embassador the just address ; A father's tenderness, a shepherd's care, A leader's courage, which the cross can bear; A ruler's awe, a watchman's wakeful eye, A pilot's skill the helm in storms to ply; A fisher's patience, a laborer's too, A guide's dexterity to disembroil ; A prophet's inspiration from above, A teacher's knowledge, and a Savior's love. Give me the priest, a light upon a hill, "Whose rays his whole circumference can fill ; In God's own word and sacred learning versed, Deep in the study of the heart immersed; "Who in sick souls can the disease descry. And wisely for restoratives apply ; To beatific pastures leads his sheep, "Watchful from hellish wolves his fold to keep; "Who seeks not a convenience, but a cure, "Would rather souls than his own gain insure ; Instructive in his visits and converse. Strives every- where salvation to disperse; Of a mild, humble, and obliging heart, "Who 'with his all does to the needy part ; Distrustful of himself, in God confides ; Daily himself among his flock divides ; Of virtue uniform, and cheerful air, PORTRAITURE, 245 Fix'd meditation, and incessant prayer; Affections mortified, well -guided zeal, Of saving truth the relish wont to feel ; Whose province — heaven — all his endeavor shares, Who mixes with no secular affairs ; Oft on his pastoral account reflects, By holiness, not riches, gains respect ; Who is all that he rvotild have others be, From willful sin, though not from frailty free ; Who still keeps Jesus in his heart and head, Whostrives in steps of one Arch- Priest to tread; Who can himself and all the world deny, Live pilgrim here, but denizen on high." Note.— John Wesley's "Address to the Clergy," written in 1756, and published in the American edition of liis works, at page 217, volume vi, contains many thoughts on Ministerial Qualifications which are scarcely less adapted to the present period than to that in which ihey were written. 244 PERSONAL DUTIES, CHAPTER VII. THE DUTIES OF A PASTOR— PERSONAL. A MINISTER'S calling, his qualifications, and his appointment all point in one direction, that of duty. The duties of the pastoral office are, from the first, numerous and responsible. In the progress of events they become complicated and absorbing. Pastoral duties may be considered as belonging to two great classes, personal and public. The latter can never be rightly discharged by one who neglects the former. Hence it is proper to commence the discussion of pastoral duties by considering what the pastor owes to himself All religious obligation centers in individual per- sons. " For himself every one must give account unto God." The pastor is no exception. Rather, in proportion to the dignity and responsibility of his office, a pastor's personal obligations are increased. Because a pastor he ought to be none the less a man, but, indeed, all the more a man and a Chris- tian. The apostle Paul recognized the primary obli- gation of personal duty when he exhorted Timothy in these words: "Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine, for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." Also in his charge PHYSICAL CONSTITUTION, 245 to the Ephesian elders: "Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves and to all the flock." A minister's personal obligations involve what re- lates to his bodily health and vigor, the improvement of his time, the cultivation of his mind, his domestic duties, and his private religious exercises. He has committed to him as the gift of God talents, time, and opportunities, three great elements out of which he is required to elaborate results for the divine glory. With all his high spiritual responsibilities, he can never ignore his physical relations. While in the body he is "of the earth, earthy." He must eat and sleep like other men. But not, as some other men do, may he make eating, sleeping, or other physical grati- fications a chief end in life. With him, although not to be disregarded as gratifications, they are chiefly to be contemplated as means necessary to nobler ends and higher objects. That a minister's material exist- ence may be worthy of himself and conducive to the special objects of his life, he must not be indiflerent to physiological science. Rather he should embrace in his knowledge of the universe a thoroughly scien- tific acquaintance with the anatomical structure and vital functions of his own physical system. He should understand the laws of health, and conform his habits to such uses of his eyes, his ears, and his voice as will conduce to their most efficient agency in his great work. He should deem it obligatory upon him to allot the necessary amount of time and put forth the requisite exertions not merely to preserve health, but to secure such a physical cultivation as will give him the best use of all his bodily powers. In the early 246 EXERCISE. days of American Methodism these results were usu- ally secured by the long rides and the daily preaching necessary in itinerating among sparse populations. T^ut with the increase of population in our country, and the success of the Church in establishing pas- toral stations in the cities and villages, there has come to our ministers, as to others, the temptation to physical inactivity which, if yielded to, is certain to effeminate the man, the Christian, and the minis- ter|\ Nevertheless, this temptation, like others, may be resisted and overcome, as it will be by those pas- tors who have regard to the full measure of their responsibilities. Such persons will find it practicable not only to secure a sufficient amount of healthful exercise and recreation, but also to combine both with the discharge of pastoral obligations and domes- tic duties. Nor in so doing will they find it necessary to resort to puerile and time-wasting amusements. Not being afraid of the gymnastics of the ax, the saw, the pruning-knife, or the hoe, they will often be able to do themselves a double service by their use. William Jay, the celebrated preacher and author, was accustomed to boast that he dug his Morning Exercises daily out of his garden. Dr. Dempster, who was scarcely less noted for the successful battle he fought against disease for a long series of years than for his stalwart intellect and metaphysical acu- men, used, when near seventy years of age, to tone up his bodily vigor daily by attention to his wood- pile in Winter and his garden in Summer. Others have preserved their vigor by riding, walking, or row- ing. But who ever heard of such a result from a FEEBLENESS. 247 clergyman's dawdling over a game of croquet? If such a pretense of exercise could be useful to any one, it might possibly suit the case of some poor specimen of a parson such as Dr. Pond has described in the following terms: "A feeble, sickly, run-down minister, however good may be his intentions, must necessarily be inefficient. He will be able to do but little for his people. He will find himself fettered and embarrassed in all his attempts to do them good. And it will be easy for a minister who neglects the proper precautions to render himself feeble and sickly. Indeed, he will speedily and inevita- bly do this. Nature has prescribed rules respecting diet, exer- cise, exposure, study, which she will not allow us to violate with impunity, and he who carelessly, needlessly violates them becomes not only a sufferer, but a sinner. He throws away that which God has intrusted to him, a gift which he is, so far as possible, to preserve and consecrate wholly to the service of the gospel." A writer in one of the journals of the day has set forth the physical errors into which some ministers allow themselves to fall in the following terms: " The clergyman should understand physiology, that he may know how to take care of his health, and learn to say no when the kind-hearted parishioner urges him to indulge in cakes, pies, confections, strong tea, coffee, and other delicacies as he is mak- ing his parochial visits. One-half the illness of ministers, even of those who graduated from the theological schools healthy, is owing to the labored writing of sermons, and the high living incident to the pampering spirit of fond parishioners, and the lack of manly exercise, which, by public sentiment, seems to be denied to them. Some clergymen, unfortunately, use alcoholic liquors, to the damage of iheir health, and occasionally to their shame and the scandal of the Church. Nearly all use strong coffee and tea, and since the use of alcoholic stimulants has be- come measurably unpopular thousands of ministers have adopted the use of tobacco in some form, to the ruin of their health, the utter prostration of their nervous systems and their memory, and the demoralization of their manliness. Shut out by popular 248 REDEEM THE TIME, opinion from ihe invigorating labors and exercises by which other men keep themselves built up, many clergymen resort to, some stimulant or narcotic, with the delusive idea that the temporary excitement is a source of strength and upbuilding. The result is dyspepsia, nervousness, throat disease, and general debihty. Ministers sliould at least be temperate in all bodily appetites." Undoubtedly the list of bad habits in which some clergymen indulge might still be considerably ex- tended, but, without entering into further details, a general warning against whatever will debilitate the body or enfeeble the mind mlist here suffice. Enough has been said to show that every conscientious pastor should seek by all legitimate efforts to maintain the highest purity and vigor of body, as auxiliary to intel- lectual health and spiritual power. This position is corroborated by facts m. the history of the Church which show that the\men who have accomplished great results for the cause of God were those who have preserved the meiitein sanain in corpore sanA while it is observarble at the present time that the ministers who exert a controlling influence in ecclesi- astical bodies and over large communities are men of strong nerves, ringing voice, and mascuUne thought, though not always of large physical proportions. The proper improvement of time is fundamental to success in whatever relates to personal cultivation or public usefulness. When we reflect upon the brevity and uncertainty of human life, and the large propor- tion of its whole period that is necessarily absorbed in sleep and the supply of our physical wants, together with the eternal consequences pending upon the right employment of our waking moments, we may well be astonished at the indifference with which some good AVOID IRREGULARITY. 249 men let their time go to waste. By them moments are uncounted, hours are whiled away, and even whole days suffered to lapse without results, and apparently without compunction. It is not wonderful that the lives of such persons are consequently of but little value to themselves or to the world. But this nega- tive result becomes, in the light of Scripture, a posi- tive sin, and persons responsible for it stand rebuked by all those passages of God's word which admonish men of the brevity of time and enjoin the duty of redeeming it. The tenor of Scripture in this regard should be considered emphatically binding upon pas- tors as ensamples to the flock and as stewards of the gift of God. ' One of the first requisites for the redemption of time is a suitable plan, and it is to be re- Plans needed. gretted that systems of education rarely give sufficient prominence to this subject. Neverthe- less, not among the least benefits of public education is long practice in the orderly and close employment of the successive portions of each day. Unhappily many students, when once free from the routine of institutional life, instead of profiting by the drill they have received in this respect, relapse into the great- est irregularity, and seem to enjoy the inactivity and disorder which are then possible to them. Such will not be the course of an intelligent and consci- entious Christian minister. On the other hand, he will cheerfully impose upon himself a closer econ- omy of time and more rigid rules for the redemption of his moments than any institution can enforce. The standard of Methodism as applied to ministers 250 WESLEY'S RULES. has always been high in this regard, and to this fact is owing, in no small degree, the efficiency of the system and the personal usefulness of the great body of its clergy. John Wesley was eminently a man of system, and at an early period of the Wesleyan reformation he embodied in the minutes of his con- ferences rules and precepts bearing upon the em- ployment of time which have been retained by his ministerial successors down to the present day as a part of the discipline to which they voluntarily pledge conformity. The following extracts from the " Large Minutes," as published in 1789, deserve to be exam- ined in this connection, both for their historical sig- nificance and their intrinsic value: " Ques. I. How may we best improve the time of this Con- ference ? '•'-Ans. (i.) While we are conversing let us have an especial care to set God always before us. "(2.) In the intermediate hours let us redeem all the time we can for private exercises." " Ques. 26. What are the rules of a helper ? '-^Ans. (i.) Be diligent Never be unemployed a moment; never be triflingly employed ; never while away time, neither spend any more time at any place than is strictly necessary. "(10.) Be punctual. Do every thing exactly at the time." " Ques. 29. What general method of employing our time would you advise us to ? ''Ans. We advise you, (i.) As often as possible to rise at four. (2.) From four to five in the morning, and from five to six in the evening, to meditate, pray, and read, partly the Scripture with the notes, partly the closely practical parts of what we have pub- lished. (3.) From six in the morning till twelve— allowing an hour for breakfast — to read in order, with much prayer, first, 'The Christian Library' and the other books which we have published in prose and verse, and then those which we recom- mended in our rules of Kingswood school." BAXTER QUOTED. 25 1 As though these rules were not sufficient, the sub- ject of redeeming time is again referred to under the topic of personal religious instruction : "In the afternoon follow Mr. Baxter's plan. Then you will have no time to spare. You will have work enough for all your time." "The sum is, Go Into every house in course, and teach every one therein, young and old, if they belong to us, to be- Christians inwardly and outwardly." "We must needs do this, were it only to avoid idleness. Do we not loiter away many hours in every week? Each try himself. No idleness can consist with growth in grace. Nay, without exactness in redeeming time you can not retain the grace you received in justification." Better general advices could hardly be given, and yet it is well for individuals to have detailed plans, allotting portions of time to specific duties in ac- cordance with their peculiar circumstances. Other- wise they will be in danger of daily losing many precious moments. Any wise plan for the distribution of a minister's time will provide for the several great necessities of his nature — physical, mental, spiritual. While cir- cumstances will occasionally require modifications of the best plan, yet there are certain leading features of pastoral life and duty which will harmonize i.n the experience of all men at all times. Hence a speci- men plan, taken from actual practice, may be useful, at least suggestive to many. In the matter of early rising, it will be seen to fall below the standard of Wesley. Nevertheless it is capable of easy adapta- tion to those who will adopt and maintain Wesley's habit of rising and commencing the duties of each day at four o'clock in the morning. A PASTOR'S PLAN, PLAN FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF A PASTOR'S TIME. I. Allotment of Hours. A. Study, .... Six hours. B. Pastoral and public duties, Six hours. C. Domestic and private duties. Five hours. D. Sleep, . . . . Seven hours.= Twenty-four. II. Order of the Day. 5 A. M. Rising and private devotion. 6 7 8 I P. 2 3 6 7 8 9- 30 10 ' Exercise. ' Breakfast and family worship. ' Study and writing. M. Dinner and private devotion. ' Reading and correspondence. ' Pastoral visiting. ' Supper and family worship. ' Church business, calls, and company. ' Meetings. ,^ Review of the day and private worship. Sleep. III. Order of the Week. A. M. Monday, Official registry, correspondence, etc. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Special prep- aration for the pulpit. Friday and Saturday, Systematic Study, Theolog- ical and Scientific. P. M. Monday and Saturday, Miscellaneous duties. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, Pas- toral visits. In most communities Mondays and Saturdays are not favorable days for pastoral visits ; hence the above plan allots the afternoons of those days, together with Monday mornings, to the various official and miscel- laneous duties that arise in the course of a week, but which may usually be assigned to those days without detriment to the interests of the Church, and often- times to the advantage of others as well as of the REMARKS. 253 pastor. " To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose" — Eccl. iii, i — is a text which de- serves to be inculcated upon all Church members and communities. While it is conceded that the spirit of a plan like the above is more important than its minute details, yet it is well for the young minister to adhere as closely as possible to the plan he may adopt, lest he should insensibly fall more under the influence of exceptions than of the rules themselves. But it is objected that great practical difficulties will be en- countered in adhering rigidly to a system like the above — specially that people will be offended if a pastor is not at all times accessible to them, and subject to the convenience of any one as to the time and length of the calls he must receive. It may be admitted that many congregations have been badly educated in this matter through the weakness or inconsiderateness of former pastors, but it is not to be believed that any Christian community will object to thoroughly studious and systematic habits on the part of its minister, or indeed will fail to approve of his greatest strictness in redeeming time when once enabled to understand that his object is to do them the greater good as a result. Nothing, therefore, can be more proper than for a pastor to make congregational known to his congregation, on some fit oc- <^°-°P^'-^t'°"- casion, and in a modest way, that in obedience to the rules of the Church, and his own convictions of duty, he wishes to have his mornings free from interruption, that they may be exclusively devoted to study and preparation for the pulpit, and also that he may secure 254 ADVANTAGES OF SYSTEM. time for public and pastoral engagements during the later hours of the day. In such a connection, it would be well to appoint the time at which he can most con- veniently receive calls, not failing to state that for any emergency, such as extreme illness, death, or funerals, he will hold himself always in readiness. Timely and judicious explanations of his plans and wishes, in ref- erence to matters of mutual interest, will seldom if ever fail to secure for a pastor a cordial approval, and even the higher respect of his congregation, since its various members will not be slow to perceive that their own intellectual and spiritual progress is closely identified with that of him who ministers to them in sacred things. Some of the advantages of a systematic distribution of time are obvious ; such as, i. The saving of many valuable moments, which, without it, would be lost in hesitation, between leaving off one engagement and entering upon another. 2. Deliberation in advance will always secure a wiser and more comprehensive plan than is possible to one who allows himself to be governed by impulses, whether from within or with- out. 3. Study systematically pursued, even though but a brief time each day, is of far greater value than when fitfully and irregularly performed. In this connection it is proper to consider what a Christian pastor owes himself in reference to mental cultivation. Taking it for granted that in his prelim- inary studies he has secured such an introductory and general knowledge of books as was recommended in the chapter on qualifications, it becomes him in later life to make more substantial acquisitions of knowl- INTELLECTUAL IMPROVEMENT. 2$ 5 edge, and to attain a broader culture than was possi- ble to him as a mere student. If to mental maturity and enlarged opportunities of observation a pastor add habitual diligence in systematic study and thought- fulness, he can hardly fail to gain more perfect con- ceptions of truth, if not a more rapid mental growth when in actual service than during former periods of his life. Having previously learned how to study, and having now the highest possible motives to gain en- larged knowledge and increased mental power, even limited portions of time may enable him to accomplish invaluable results in his own behalf, both as a man and a minister of the gospel ; while to omit efforts for these objects, and to settle down into an easy, self-satisfied dormancy, will be to forfeit some of the highest pleasures of human existence, and to invoke premature mental decay, as well as a corresponding but certain loss of power and influence. That this sinister alternative is not only possible, but in many cases actual, is clearly and dispassionately shown in the following article, which appeared son^e years ago in a religious periodical,* but which is too faithful a portraiture of clerical dangers to be suflered to pass into oblivion : "DECLINE OF ENTHUSIASM IN THE SACRED OFFICE. " We have traveled North and South, East and West, and have known hundreds of ministers, and what do we find the state of the profession in this country ? There are many excel- lent and laborious, and some distinguished men. But, on the other hand, we find many who show no great enthusiasm in their work ; who only pursue their round of duties, as the law- yer takes care of his clients, and the doctor of his patients. * The New York Evangelist. 256 PASTORAL ENTHUSIASM, " This lack of enthusiasm has surprised us, as it marks a great change in these very minds. A theological seminary is com- monly a focus of intellectual life. A body of young men, engaged in the same studies, and debating questions with ardor, seem to be giving and receiving an impulse which can never be lost. There is an animation from the contact of so many young minds. It would appear that, thus instructed and vitalized, they must go on to perfection. But see these men ten years later, and, to the surprise of all, half of them have made no progress. They have settled down in some quiet valley. Their minds have been standing still. They preach no better than when they left the seminary — probably not so well, for in their first efforts there was a youthful fervor which time wears away. This decay of. intellectual life is the bane of ministers. Next to the decline of piety itself, that which they have most to dread is the slug- gishness which, after a few years, creeps over their minds. "It is easy to trace the progress of this mental declension. The minister goes forth to his work like a young giant rejoicing to run his race. His mind is excited by his recent studies, and he falls to writing sermons like one inspired. But this ardor is cooled, not by violent opposition, but by the general indifference around him. He then feels the want of those professors who have supplied his mind with subjects for thought, or of fellow- students to debate with. But, alas ! he may not find one kin- dred spirit with whom to counsel or contend. He has nobody even to contradict him. " Here is the chief danger of a country minister. In the ab- sence of all those influences from without, which can excite his mind, the general stagnation of life, in a few years, brings a fatal lethargy over his intellect. In the little domain of his parish he finds nothing to arouse him to great efforts. He may have in his congregation men of more talent than himself. But their pursuits lie in a different direction. They take little interest in those high theological questions which trouble him ; while the mass of his audience, being plain people, care little for profound reasoning or polished eloquence. The result is that he loses his ambition. After struggling for a while against this leaden atmosphere, he sinks down under it, and vegetates as quietly as the elm that overshadows his dwelling. " The effect soon appears in the performances of the Sabbath. The young preacher discovers a dangerous secret — that he can PASTORAL DECAY. 25/ make poor sermons pass about as well as good ones. He finds that an extemporaneous effusion, written Saturday evening, but delivered with a swelling voice, is as well received as his most elaborate discourses. He infers that great labor of preparation is thrown away. Any thing will do for his simple flock. This is a strong temptation to idleness. He forms the habit of post- poning preparation for the pulpit to the end of the week, and then dashes off a homily without any strong mental labor. " This is the ruin of hundreds of fine minds. They perish by neglect. They lapse into a loose way of reasoning, and a slat- ternly style of composition. When young men begin to consult their ease, they are lost. They will never make any thing in the world. Their minds will stop growing. Their preaching will be a repetition of flat commonplaces, and end in empty rant. " Nor does the mischief end here. A people may not prove so simple as the new pastor thought them. For they will dis- cover after a time that he is not the great man they took him for, and they will begin to look for another. It is a fact which all observe, that ministers settled in cities are far more seldom dis- missed than those in the country. One reason is, that a larger experience of the world supplies their minds with fresh food for thought. They are kept awake and living by the ocean of life around them. But how to sustain this activity when the out- ward stimulus is wanting — that is the difficulty. How shall a minister, leading a retired and solitary life in the country, keep up a constant freshness of thought? To this there is but one answer. If a scholar or a preacher can not find excitement out-of- doors, he must find it within — in himself and in books. Let him enter his study, and lock the door, and then he can select a society to his taste. There are his University and his professors — his wise and eloquent men. Let him converse with these great intellects every day, and he will not be an ordinary man." Thus the writer comes round to the very thought in connection with which his statements were intro- duced— Study, hard and systematic study, as an essen- tial and never-ceasing duty which a pastor owes to himself as well as to his flock. But it is more pleas- ant to relieve the stern aspect of duty by presenting the same consideration in the light of privilege. 258 THE PRIVILEGE OF STUDY. Whoever has tasted the sweets of learning is entitled to consider himself invited ever onward and upward to higher banquetings in the temple of knowledge ; and though his duties extraneous to direct study are numerous and responsible, still they will all be more easily discharged in proportion to increasing progress in study. Let, then, the idea of a systematic division of time be wedded to that of study, so that no other duties will be neglected, and let both ideas be illus- trated by a determination as sacred as his religious convictions, and so far from retrogression, mental progress will become the law of the pastor's life. The crowning advantage of ministerial over merely scholastic study is that, in the latter, one has imme- diate opportunity for the use of whatever mental ac- quisitions he secures, whether from books or by the elaboration of thought. As to the method of a pas- tor's study it will usually be by topics. Although sometimes he will have reasons for reading a book through in course, more frequently he will have oc- casion to consult a variety of books in ref- Topical study. . . . - erence to a smgle topic. Topical study is at once the most pleasant and the most practicable for a pastor ; pleasant, because it takes him out of the ruts of any one man's system of teaching or mode of thinking, and secures for his mind an agreeable variety of subjects and ideas ; practicable, because with exist- ing helps it is easy to avail one's self of the labors of the best minds, to serve either as the initiation or the auxiliaries of thought. Topical study favors the habit of mental concentration, without which nothing deep is ever reached. " One subject at a time, and that INVESTIGATION OF TOPICS. 259 thoroughly investigated," is the proper motto for ad- vanced students. In the search for truth investiga- tion should, whenever it is possible, be pursued until a conclusion is clearly reached and the mind satisfied. The mind should never allow itself to halt long be- tween two opinions, nor to rest in half-formed con- clusions. Thus a habit of thoroughness may be established. The proper preparation of sermons leads to topical study of the most valuable and interesting kind ; but in order to realize the highest advantage to the ser- mon, or from the study, unity of theme and unity of treatment are strictly essential. While the pastor is by no means denied the privilege of theoretic study, either in science, philosophy, or morals, he should ac- quire the habit of making his studies, in every depart- ment, converge to practical ends. Especially should he cultivate the power of commanding at will what- ever knowledge he possesses to illustrate the topic in hand, whatever it may be. Thus he may make nature corroborate revelation, and all knowledge sub- sidiary to religious ends. When the mind has attained the power of produc- tiveness, it becomes its own teacher, and Mental pro- effectually instructs itself while preparing ductiveness. instruction for others. In the pastoral duty of feed- ing the flock, no material affords such freshness and relish as that in which the mind of the teacher is inter- ested as its own pabulum. Let him, therefore, who would lead his flock into green pastures, not content himself with offering them the husks of other men's gathering, or of his own past preparations, but rather 260 THINKING. aim to keep his mind continually productive, and ha- bituated, at least, to making new combinations of thought. It is, moreover, exceedingly desirable to acquire the capacity of pursuing trains of thought when away from books and the appliances of study. Not only may much time be saved by the exercise of this power, but thought will often derive greater freshness from a change of scene, and invention become stim- ulated to higher flights and broader excursions, when its possessor moves out into the open air, instead of sitting, jaded with confinement to his study. Thus may duty and pleasure, labor and health, be made to combine for the great ends of the ministry. In all precepts with reference to ministerial study the holy Scriptures, especially in the original, and with the best critical helps, should be placed in the foreground. Following these, standard authors, first in theology, and then in the several great depart- ments of literature and science, should receive perse- vering attention. In following out these brief but comprehensive precepts inferior authorship of every kind must be -rejected, and time only occupied with that which is in a high degree profitable. Nor need any fear be entertained of hard study when its hours are properly limited and alternated. Indeed, hard study — intense, absorbing application — is the only kind worthy of the name of study. F. W. Robertson illustrated this principle, both in manner and result. He said of himself: " I read hard or not at all — never skimming, never turn- ing aside to many inviting books — and Plato, Aristotle, Butler, HARD STUDY NOT DANGEROUS. 26 1 Thucydides, and Jonathan Edwards have passed, like the iron atoms of the blood, into my mental constitution." He cultivated "the steady habit of looking forward to a distant end, and unal- terably working on until he had attained— the habit of never beginning any thing which is not to be finished." The idea that life is shortened by hard study is now pretty thoroughly exploded. \ A popular writer on health * pertinently says : " Thought is the life of the brain as exercise is the life of the body. There can be no more such a thing as a healthy brain, as to the mental department, without thought or study, than there can be a healthful body without exercise. And, as phys- ical exercise preserves the body in health, so thought, which is the exercise of the brain, keeps it well. But here the parallel ends. We may exercise, work too much, but we can not think too much in the way of expressing ourselves, for both writing and talking are a relief to the mind ; they are, in a sense, its play, its diversion. Pent-up thoughts may kill as pent-up steam wrecks the locomotive. The expression of thought is like work- ing off the steam from the boiler. When clergymen break down, or public men or professors in colleges or other literary institu- tions get sick and die, the universal cry is ' study,' ' too much responsibihty,' 'too much mental application.' It is never so — not in a single case since the world began. We defy proof, and will open our pages to any authenticated case. If a man will give himself sleep enough, and will eat enough nutritious food at proper intervals, and will spend two or three hours in the open air every day, he may study, and work, and write until he is gray, and still be young in mental vigor and clearness." Books being essential helps to the acquisition of knowledge, a library for his personal use a pastor's and convenience is indispensable to a pas- ^'^''^• tor. Nevertheless, as a pastor is subject to frequent changes of residence, and also limited in his resources, his library must be adapted to his circumstances, and *Hall. 262 THE SELECTION OF BOOKS. therefore choice rather than large. But as the tastes and circumstances of pastors will differ, and as some kinds of investigation will be forced upon some men and not upon others, it is obvious that no list of books can be prescribed that will be equally suitable for every pastor's library. Every pastor, therefore, should aim to comprehend for himself the principles that ought to govern him in the selection of his library. As a literary and professional man he will necessarily be a book-buyer all his life. Intellectual, like material food, is required day by day as life advances. Hence he may be content to provide for his literary necessities as they arise, and not feel pressed at the beginning of his ministry to purchase such a library as he may need and may hope to have in subsequent years. At the outset, however, he would do well to determine that none but the best books shall command either his money or his time. Hence he should know what to reject, as well as what to buy. For both purposes some acquaintance with commercial bibliography will be useful as ena- bUng him to know the character of pubHshers, what are the best editions of books, and when specially favorable terms are offered. This, superadded to such a knowledge of books and authors as a good edu- cation will initiate, and proper attention to current reviews will continue and extend, will be a suitable preparation for the task now under consideration. In book-buying, as in most matters, there are oppo- site extremes to be avoided, pn the one hand, books being attractive, and possessing certain intrinsic val- ues, the young minister is inclined to buy too many.; BOOK-BUYING. 263 At this point, therefore, let him resolve strongly not to buy books merely on account of their artistic beauty, their popular character, their great rarity, nor even their cheapness, although either of these quali- ties might add to the motives for purchasing books actually wanted. There is, on the other hand, a possibility of being too cautious and pennywise in the purchase of books, and of so far withholding more than is meet from the book-seller as to tend to mental poverty. In* these days of cheap publishing, when a few dollars will enable any one to procure the literary products of a strong man's life-time, there is no wisdom in declining to buy books which afford any just promise of in- tellectual or spiritual advantage.. A clergyman had better deny himself expenses in the line of furniture, clothing,"^ or even food for his body, than to put his mind on a starving allowance.\^ If there is a possibil- ity of mistake in regard to the provision of furniture for his mind, it is better to err on the side of liberal- ity than of parsimony, more especially since mistakes of the former kind are not difficult of remedy by the sale of any book that, on examination, one does not wish to retain. It may, therefore, be affirmed that a Christian pastor ought not to be without a library which shall, at the beginning, fairly represent the following classification, viz. : Special helps in ministerial work, general helps to knowledge, helps to thought and mental growth. A. Special helps in ministerial ivork. This class will include the holy Scriptures in all the languages with which the individual is acquainted, 264 REQUISITES OF A MINISTER'S LIBRARY. and a suitable apparatus of biblical study, such as grammars, lexicons, biblical dictionaries, and one or more good commentaries. To these may be added standard works on the leading topics of theology, including a few volumes of choice sermons and min- isterial biography. B. Helps to general knowledge. Under this head may be grouped books of refer- ence, encyclopedias, choice specimens of literature, and standard histories, not omitting scientific works of a high character. C. Helps to thoiigJit and mental growth. In this department the old and the new should be fitly blended. If one can not afford to omit the old standards, such as Plato, Butler, and Milton, neither can he wisely dispense with the best thinkers of his own day. Very narrow and one-sided are the views of those advisers who, like Shedd, would confine min- isters almost exclusively to the old standards, and in their extreme partisanship of a few books that have stood the test of time would make it a quasi-heresy to read any others. While there would be danger in attempting to read all the issues of the modern press, it would be an equal folly to close one's eyes blindly upon the agencies by which the present generation is affected for better and for worse. Certain it is that the pastor who holds himself aloof from mental con- tact with the representative minds of his own age can not expect to sustain a favorable comparison with them, or to make himself felt on the questions which most agitate the people among whom he lives, moves, and has his being. "These ought ye to have done, A LIBRARY IN OUTLINE. 26$ and not to leave the other undone," would be a motto applicable to this subject. In harmony with it, the enlightened pastor will seek to profit by the best aids to thought which both ancient and modern times afford, and in doing so he will give some attention to the best class of reviews, both home and foreign. D. Miscella7iy, For convenience, let there be this fourth depart- ment in the pastor's library, in which he may place good books not strictly belonging to the other classes. Now, whoever has these several departments of lit- erature judiciously represented, even by a small num- ber of books, has a good library, but a library which, like an army composed of skeleton regiments, will require filling up and enlargement from time to time, but which, increased on the same principles, will always be growing better. It is worthy of remark that pastors of the present day have two classes of advantages in reference to procuring libraries which were not possessed by their predecessors of former times. One grows out of the art of stereotyping, by means of which all the more valuable books are sure to be kept in market, and not liable, as formerly, to get "out of print." Knowing this, a young minister can arrange to buy books when he needs them, and avoid the inconvenience of in- curring expense before his actual wants occur. The other is an advantage of the mail service, by which a person in any part of the country can promptly secure any book by inclosing to the publisher, in a postal order or otherwise, the retail price. Hence no one need await a visit to the metropolis or any focal point 23 266 CHURCH LIBRARIES, of trade before securing a book that he wants, but may order at pleasure, in the moral certainty of being supplied as well as if being present at the publisher's counter to select. These allusions to a pastor's library should' not be closed without an important suggestion as to the duty of Churches. Since few pastors are able to purchase as many books as they ought to have subject to their consultation, Church libraries ought to be established wherever practicable, in which, for the joint benefit of successive pastors and the Sunday-school teachers of the Church, an ample and increasing collection of valuable religious books may be accumulated. As further reference will be made to this subject in sub- sequent chapters, it is only necessary to* add here that pastors may, in justice alike to themselves and their successors, devise plans and institute measures for establishing Church libraries, and also for increas- ing and perpetuating such libraries wherever found in existence. Neither in a Church library nor a pastor's library should any place be reserved for ephemeral publications. The world is too full of such publica- tions, and both ministers and Christian people gener- ally need to be on their guard against wasting time on not merely fictitious literature, but also on that perpetual rehash of material which forms the chief staple of many magazines and other periodicals. There is, however, one species of ephemeral publi- cation, from which a clergyman can not wisely with- hold a proper share of attention. The present is an age of newspapers, and a public teacher who does not read the newspapers is in danger of being ignorant NEWSPAPERS, 267 of many things which he ought not only to under- stand, but to use for moral and religious ends. The newspaper press of America, spiced and stimulated as it is by constant telegraphic communication with all parts of the world, is an ever-acting and powerful educator of society. Unfortunately, however, its in- fluences are not always good. No minister can un- dertake to read all that any newspaper will say, much less to correct all the errors which may be inculcated, intentionally or otherwise, by the newspaper press. Nevertheless, there are occasions in which it be- comes the pulpit to speak out decidedly on the great questions of the day, and still more frequent occa- sions in which the most pertinent and forcible illus- trations of sacred truth may be drawn from current events familiar to the public mind. Besides, both secular and religious papers record numerous facts illustrative of God's providences, and the conse- quences of human conduct, which form material for religious instruction all the more valuable for their recency and freshness. While the value of historical knowledge in reference to the past is universally conceded, the importance of a knowledge of current history can not be questioned. Indeed, the relations of the past to the present, and the present to the past, form a topic of ever-increasing interest to thoughtful minds, and they certainly can not be comprehended by one who ignores the news- paper. But let no pastor waste time upon newspapers, on whatever pretense. By lax habits, in reference to ephemeral reading, it is possible, and with some com- mon, to throw away many precious hours in reading 268 USE OF EXTRACTS. details of news, correspondence, and extracts, which ought to be passed over with the merest glance. Two things are necessary to profitable newspaper Habits of read- reading — discrimination and rapidity. The *°^- first will sternly refuse to occupy time with what has not an adequate measure of importance for present reading ; and the second will dispatch even that with the greatest haste compatible with "a just comprehension of the facts or principles involved. One reason why newspapers are allowed to beguile a disproportionate share of time is found in the idea, that unless they are read at once they will disappear and be lost. There is a remedy for this error, not found, as some have supposed, in a laboriously pre- pared and voluminous scrap-book, but in a classified collection of extracts. It is rarely practicable for in- dividuals to preserve files of newspapers ; and, when preserved, such files are usually of more trouble than value, from their bulk and lack of harmonious arrange- ment. The remedy referred to may be secured by a free use of scissors. As newspapers are compiled by the use of scissors, so let them be dissected by the same instrument whenever their possessor finds in them articles he may wish to use again. ' But to avoid a confused heap of clippings, let the yotmg pastor in particular adopt a plan^ classification corresponding to his ideas of convenience and utilityr^ If no better mode occurs to his mind, let him label a sufficient number of large envelopes^ith such titles as the fol- lowing : Admonitions y Biblical criticisms, EducatioUy Examples of goodness, Happy deaths, Horrors of war. Illustrations of doctrine, Infidelity, Missionary facts^ INDEXES, 269 Parental obligations, Scientific discoveries, Temperance, Youthful piety, %\.z. When extracts are made, let them be distributed to their proper compartments, and let the packages of extracts be kept for consulta- tion and use whenever wanted. Subsequent exam- inations will, from use or otherwise, cause some of the articles to be thrown out, and thus the collection, although frequently enlarged, may be kept within con- venient space. Some plan of this kind, wrought out by an individ- ual for himself, will be of more practical value to him than encyclopedias of anecdote and illustration se- lected in a similar manner by others, but used in common by thousands of persons. This plan will also have the twofold advantage of enabling him to defer the detailed reading of many articles till the time when they may be of special use, and also of having matter collected in advance for subjects and occasions likely to arise in the course of future duty and study. As to the contents of books they ought always to be easily accessible from their indexes, and one's gen- eral knowledge of their character ; hence the old sys- tem of a commonplace-book filled with copied extracts, or of an Index Rerum with multiplied references, can not be considered worthy a£-recommendation, unless for some specific purpose. \A practical man's Index Rerum must be in his own mindA But there is an additional mode in which pastors may most appropriately accumulate material for in- struction, illustration, and admonition, which may be of more specific value to them than the contents of 2/0 A PASTOR'S RECORD-BOOK, either newspapers or books. Each pastor should have his personal record-book, in which to record, from time to time, incidents from his own experience and observation, that may serve good purposes in conver- sation, in Sunday-school and platform addresses, and occasionally in sermons. Ultimately, a selection of these same incidents may be found worthy of publi- cation, and become a useful contribution to current religious literature. As a sample of what may grow out of such a record, see volumes entitled, " A Pas- tor's Sketches," first and second series, by the late Dr. Spencer, of Brooklyn ; also " Sketches from the Study of an Itinerant," by Dr. A. Stevens. The pastor's record-book should be kept separate from his diary, and also from his pocket memorandums of visits, calls, etc. All these will furnish data for the record proposed in which time and space should be taken to delineate details while they are fresh in his recollec- tion. Otherwise as incidents multiply in the course of years, facts may become blended and confused in memory, to the injury of one's mind, and possibly to the prejudice of his veracity. If the chronological order be observed, an alphabetical or classified index will render its contents easily available. The list of a pastor's personal duties would not be complete without including his domestic and religious obligations. But as these subjects will be discussed in chapters relating to the family and to society, further reference to them in this connection will be omitted. PASTORAL APPOINTMENT, 271 CHAPTER VIII. THE DUTIES OF A PASTOR— PUBLIC— OFFICIAL. THE public duties of a pastor are so numerous and important as to require treatment under several distinct heads. With a view to presenting them appropriately, it is proposed to adopt a serial order, to be extended through several succeeding chapters, in which the pastor will be contemplated in the various relations which it is necessary for him to sustain at the present period of Christian history and Church progress. It seems proper to begin with duties growing out of the pastoral relation itself That relation can not exist, in its full sense, apart from a pre-existent and organized Church, which, in some form, accepts and recognizes the pastor as its spiritual overseer. A minister of the gospel, in the discharge of his duty as an evangelist, may organize a Church, and become its pastor by the act of Christian persons accepting Church membership under his own ministry of the word. From that nucleus he may proceed to organize other Churches, of which he or other ministers may take the pastoral charge. Again, several Churches may become affiliated under the joint pastorate of two or more ministers. But without pausing to consider 272 VARIED CONDITIONS. the possible variations in which the pastoral office may exist, it will now be assumed that a divinely called and duly ordained minister of the gospel has been appointed in some mutually recognized form as the pastor of a body of Christian believers associated together in Church fellowship. Previously, this minister was only a pastor in rank Pastoral reia- or thcory, Hkc a general without a com- tion completed, ^i^nd. Now hc bccomcs invested with the official charge of souls, and is a pastor in fact. Previously, the Church, though duly organized as to its internal structure, was without a visible head, and lacked regular preaching, together with the official administration of the ordinances of God's house. The appointment now made completes the relations both of pastor and flock, and consummates the scriptural plan of a Church of Christ. A normal pastorate hav- ing been thus established, the pastor, in harmony with his personal obligations to God, owes his first duties to his Church. From that Church he is entitled to expect and to receive support, both material and moral. With it he must be in harmonious and effi- cient co-operation for all purposes of Christian activ- ity, so that by mutual diligence and faithfulness both may expect to receive the divine blessing in their endeavors to promote the spread of truth and the salvation of men. As such a pastorate may exist under various forms of Church government, its duties may be more or less modified by the minor variations of different Church constitutions, without impairing in any degree its normal and representative character. With this con- AUTHOR'S POINT OF VIEW. 273 cession, to any who prefer a different mode of Church government, the writer will hereafter feel free to make specific reference to his own, and to discuss pastoral duties as they ought to be practiced in accordance with the polity and usages of the Methodist Episcopal Church, using technical phraseology whenever it may seem to be required. In taking this course no apologetic attitude is deemed necessary. The character and peculiarities of Methodism have been already fully vindicated, both by discussion and by events. From a portion of those events it may be seen that the Methodist Episcopal Church, during the first century of its his- tory, has had no occasion to borrow luster from the successes of any other Church since the days of the apostles. A period has therefore been reached when, for its own sake, not less than for the advantage of the thousands of young men who may be expected to be- come its pastors in coming years, a somewhat full delineation of its pastoral requirements and necessi- ties seems called for. Nor is it believed that an at- tempt to meet this requisition will diminish, either in candor or breadth of view, the general discussion already introduced. On the other hand, some practi- cal exemplification of the theory of the pastoral office seems necessary, and the author thinks proper to give it by reference to a modern and efficient Church or- ganization with which he is familiar. His course in this regard is at least in harmony with that of other writers on the subject, who have, with few or no ex- ceptions, sought, directly or indirectly, to elucidate their several views of Church economy. 274 ITINERANCY, By some it has been erroneously supposed, and recklessly asserted, that an itinerant ministry can not properly perform the duties of the pastoral office. Facts, however, prove that a well-regulated itinerancy, which is no more nor less than a system for the reg- ular distribution of ministerial labor, magnifies that office. Under the efficient administration of such a system, though ministers change and die, the pastoral office is perpetual. If, under the itinerant system, Churches do not elect their pastors, neither do they dismiss nor expel them. On the other hand, they accept and surrender the pastors who are sent to and from them with cheerfulness, considering the general good superior to their individual pleasure, although usually in harmony with it. Nothing is more certain than the fact that the million members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church consider their itinerant sys- tem of ministerial supply highly advantageous for them, however it may devolve the burden of frequent removals on the pastors themselves. Nevertheless, as this system also furnishes to min- isters appropriate fields of labor without subjecting them to embarrassing candidacies and indefinite delays, as it saves them the pain of constrained dis- missals by giving them new fields of labor at regular periods, and as it, without solicitation on their part, secures to them advancement in proportion to their merits, ministers themselves have just occasion to prize it also. Hence, as a matter of fact, both min- isters and people who understand, from experience, the actual working of the itinerancy, are more than contented with it, in the established conviction of its DIVINE GUIDANCE. 275 preponderating advantages to the genera) interests of the Church. To the ministers who enter upon the system in its true spirit— that of committing their ways to the Lord, that he may direct their steps, and trusting him to do so through the economy of the Church — there is a pecuhar satisfaction in accepting pastoral appointments as a direct gift from the Lord. How- ever others may sneer at the idea, or seek, directly or indirectly, to accomplish personal ends, they stand firmly to the principle of awaiting, with calmness and confidence, direction from on high. Nor are they disappointed in the result. Take an example : A minister receives an appointment to a Church in which possibly he had not a single acquaintance, and whose members were equally unacquainted with him. But the Church to whose pastorate he is des- ignated, having the same confidence in the divine guidance through appropriate instrumentalities as he himself has, receives him as a messenger of the Lord, and welcomes him to the immediate discharge of his duties. Let us now consider those various branches of official duty which will require his attention. As soon as possible he needs to form a personal acquaintance with his Church as a whole, ^^^^^^^^^^^^ and its members in particular. He is not to remain a stranger, but to make himself at home within his charge. He is not to look on as a specta- tor, but to enter as a participant into all the social, religious, and benevolent activities of the community of which he is to become a member, and the sooner he does so the better. Let him, therefore, from the 2/6 PERSONAL RECOGNITION. first, lay aside all claims to ceremonious attention, considering that, whether others call on him or not, it is his duty to seek out and know them. This is a task which, to a young man naturally diffident, may seem formidable. But its difficulties are more apparent than actual. The new pastor may, from the first, count upon the sympathy of the peo- ple, and upon the fact that they are not less desirous of his acquaintance than he of theirs. Besides, the circle, once entered, naturally expands, and, with appropriate effort, never ceases to enlarge. Each acquaintance formed, each friend acquired, gladly in- troduces him to other friends, who in turn multiply introductions in their several circles of association. Here let it be said, with emphasis, that the pastor should aim to know personally, and to be Recognition. . , able to call by name at sight, every mem- ber of his Church, if not every regular attendant upon his congregation. It is both embarrassing to a pastor, and highly prejudicial to his influence, not to be able to recognize promptly any member of his charge. Some men expose themselves to this embar- rassment, and to more prejudice than they are aware of, by yielding to the weak notion or professing the ridiculous affectation that they can not remember names, and thus go through life wasting more time in making reiterated apologies than would have been necessary to discipline their minds to so easy and agreeable a task. The pastor having accepted the idea that he may and must know every member of his flock by name, each additional acquaintance formed becomes a step toward that desirable result. This, LISTS OF MEMBERS, 2^7 followed by the habit of speaking to each one when- ever occasion offers, will confirm recollection, and make it possible to enlarge the circle of remembered acquaintances almost without limit. In a properly organized Church the facilities for securing information respecting the mem- p^^.j.^.^ bers are so great that a new pastor, with a determined purpose, may in a very short time pos- sess himself of a general knowledge of the entire persoimel of his flock. In order to this, let him, immediately on arriving in his charge, consult the Church record. If that is properly kept he will find in it, besides other important items, a summary sketch of the past history of the Church, and a full list of all the official members, another list of members as distributed in Church classes, and also a list of bap- _tized children. An examination of these lists will show him the nature and extent of his task, and if either of the lists of members should also indicate their residences one of the principal difficulties of the case will disap- pear at once. The first reading of these lists will put him in possession of more or less names of fami- lies, concerning whom he should commence inquiries at the first opportunity. As soon thereafter as he can secure a meeting of the leaders and stewards he will find himself in the presence of persons to whom collectively every member of the Church is known, and by whom all his inquiries concerning individuals can be answered at once. If he should then engage the several leaders to attend him in making his first calls, so long as he may need guidance or introduc- 278 FREQUENT MEETINGS. tions, and with their co-operation proceed to make calls as early as possible, he will be surprised at the little time necessary for forming personal acquaint- ance with a large community. If the various persons Multiplied in- in such a community were only to be seen terviews. oucc, or cvcn a few times, there would be less motive for the systematic measures recommended. But these are the very persons whom the pastor will expect to see in his congregations, his prayer-meet- ings, his social assemblies, and his daily walks dur- ing the whole term of his pastorate. Hence, having learned who they personally are, he will easily and almost insensibly continue to add to his knowledge of each one, and consequently to his ability of doing each one good. One who has not made the experi- ment can scarcely be aware of the great advantage which a pastor may secure from a prompt and general acquaintance with the members of his Church and congregation, whereas neglect of the duty thus shown to be practicable in the highest degree may result in impressions that their new pastor is distant, or cer- emonious, or in some way less interested in their welfare than he ought to be — impressions which, if allowed to be made, may not be easily removed, or may actually rear barriers in the way of his useful- ness at a time when he ought to have access to every heart. Such is the constitution of the human mind , that persons are always pleased to form Advantages of -^ ^ first acquaint- ncw acquaintauccs, and to pay respect to a stranger favorably introduced to them. Hence the best opportunities a pastor can ever have for becoming acquainted with his people occur soon COURTESY, 279 after his arrival and during the earlier periods of his ministerial service among them. Then, if ever, he can introduce the Master to those who welcome the servant, and thus lay the foundation of a religious influence upon which he may hope to build during his whole sojourn in their midst. Whether a minister's term of service be longer or shorter in any community, he should consider it obligatory upon him to maintain, from first to last, habits of Christian sociality. He should have a kind and pertinent word, as well as a friendly recognition, for every one. It is only in this way that he can properly fulfill the apostolic precept, "Be courteous," which literally means, "Be friendly-minded." It cor- responds, moreover, to the proverb, " If a man would have friends, let him show himself friendly." Many ministers acknowledge the obligation of courtesy in their social intercourse who have not accustomed themselves to consider it a part of their official duty. For this reason the greater emphasis is here em- ployed. This principle — the law of kindness in his heart and on his tongue — is precisely what is needed to render a minister's official intercourse with his people an agency of spiritual good. A minister who illustrates the grace of Christian courtesy has been well sketched by another : "All his movements are as graceful as they are benevolent and kind. He eschews all awkwardness, all obtrusiveness, all indecent haste, all roughness of speech and manners. He wears an open, respectful, and gracious countenance. He con- verses with equal dignity, simplicity, and propriety. He listens with careful attention when another speaks, and regards with proper attention all that is said. His general appearance and 280 THE COURTEOUS PASTOR, habits are, if possible, such as to offend no one, but rather what are calculated to insure the approbation and attract the respect and affections of his people and the public. He is, in all re- spects and in all circumstances, a true Christian gentleman. Nor does he for once lay aside this character, in whatever duty or exigency of his pastorship. Does he instruct? It is not with haughtiness, and so as to convey to those instructed a painful sense of their inferiority. Does he reprove ? It is not with the scorpion's sting, but with 'the lip of kindness,' such as wins back the erring to the paths of righteousness. Must he inflict sorrow .'' It is always with reluctance, and witli an unwa- vering eye to the good of the sufferer. Does he 'warn every one .-*' It is not with the countenance and tones of a task-mas- ter, but with the gentleness of a lamb. Does he enter one and another house ? All his conduct there, to the last words he utters as he gives his blessing at departing, bespeaks him a well-bred man. Do others enter his own doors ? His smiling countenance, his unfeigned pleasure and good-will, his hearty welcome, his kind attentions, his gentlemanly bearing and pol- ished manners, all evince the genuine scholar in the lovely and heavenly principles of religion undefiled. Even as Paul, by his inoffensive and beautiful conduct he pleases 'all men in all things,' if that be possible, not seeking therein his own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved." * Ministers who illustrate the grace of courtesy as thus commended, with habitual reference to the pre- cept, " Condescend to men of low estate," are enabled to bestow priceless blessings on the poor and afflicted. Persons in prosperous circumstances are little aware of the value of kind words to those who are depressed with misfortune and tempted to write bitter things against themselves and their prospects. Few states of mind are more open to temptation, especially when such persons are led to think that no man cares for their souls. The multitude passes them heedlessly *Dr. C. Adams. See also Bishop Ames on Courtesy, Appendix B. KINDNESS TO THE POOR. 28 1 by, men of business have other thoughts and cares, and if the man of God, through carelessness, mis- taken ideas of dignity, or any other cause, treats them with neglect, how can they avoid thinking themselves forsaken ? If, on the other hand, he, like his divine Master, "goes about doing good," seeking and saving them that are lost, how many broken hearts can he cheer, how many sorrows solace, and how many afflicted souls can he point to the true source of consolation! Young and weak Christians specially need frequent and kind attentions of this nature, and the pastor who renders them will find himself compensated a thou- sand-fold for any effort that may be necessary to acquire and maintain the habit of speaking kindly to every one, and of going out of his way to show Christian attention to those who are liable to be neglected. The official meeting to which reference has been made not only affords the pastor great official heip- facilities for extending his acquaintance in ^'■^• the Church, but it introduces him to the inner work- ings of the whole organization and the actual admin- istration of its affairs. The leaders of classes, as pastoral assistants, may be expected collectively to know what is the spiritual condition of all the mem- bers of the Church, and prepared to report any who are neglectful of duty or disorderly in conduct, to- gether with any who may be sick or needy of relief. The stewards are charged with the duty of furnish- ing relief to the poor, as well as of collecting and disbursing the current funds of the Church. The 24 282 RECEPTION OF MEMBERS. questions prescribed by the Church Discipline to be asked by the pastor at meetings of the leaders and stewards have reference to various pastoral duties, some of which deserve special consideration. I. The reception of members. The economy of our Church devolves on pastors as an official duty the responsibility of admitting members, both on trial and into full connection. The Discipline, indeed, gives various cautions, and calls for the co-operative advice of leaders as a means of making it certain that none but suitable persons are admitted to either relation. Nevertheless, it im- plies that the authority of the act in all its forms is lodged where our Savior placed it, in the appointed overseer of the flock.* The propriety of maintaining th€ duty of receiving members as a pastoral function, in opposition to its surrender to the Church as a whole or to some part of it, was fully shown by Bish- ops Coke and Asbury in their notes appended to the Discipline of 1796.! The theory and true economy of our Church having been so well defined in the outset, and having been confirmed by a long and favorable experience, it is to be hoped that there will *This duty of officially admitting members to the Church, and the corresponding duty of excluding improper persons from the Church iri accordance with scriptural precepts, these and nothing more are taught by Matthew xvi, 19, as may be understood from a just interpretation. The context and parallel passages show that our Lord addressed Simon Bar-Jona, not in his individual capacity, but as a representative of the disciples, employing, not literal, but highly figurative forms of expres- sion. To interpret the passage literally, as the Romanists do in order to maintain their theory as to "the power of the keys," is just as absurd as to predicate transubstantiation upon a similar interpretation of the figurative expression, "This is my body." tSee Appendix to Emory's History of the Discipline, pp. 358-361. PROBATIONERS, 283 be no departure from it in future. Yet it is to be confessed that some of our disciplinary changes have treated the point under consideration with less defi- niteness than is desirable. Assuming that the reception of members into the Church is an inalienable pastoral right and bounden duty, it is now desired to impress upon young pastors the grave responsibility of the task, together with some suggestions as to what it requires in practical detail. (i.) The enrollment of probationers. As a term of probation with us, like the catechumenate in the ancient Church, is the door of entrance into Church communion and fellowship, every pastor among us should consider it his primary and urgent duty to enroll as many persons as probationers as he can, by all legitimate means, persuade to endeavor to flee from the wrath to come. In this view, while he should be diligent to pluck the aged " as brands from the burning," and, in fact, should overlook no class or condition of men, he should be specially mindful of baptized children and the youth of his Sunday-school. (2.) The care of probationei's. Toward persons en- rolled in preliminary Church membership, he should employ all faithful diUgence to instruct them in the truth, and encourage them in the duties of religion, with a view to securing their steadfastness in the di- vine life and service. It can not be doubted that, from neglect or inattention at this point, our Church has suffered great loss, while many precious souls have been allowed to go back to "the beggarly ele- ments of the world," who, by diligent watch-care, 284 PASTORAL SOLICITUDE. might have been saved. Of the first importance in this branch of ministerial duty is an affectionate pas- toral solicitude, which should manifest itself in visits, in correspondence with individuals, and in special lec- tures, in which the privileges and duties of Church membership should be clearly set forth. Every pro- bationer should also have a copy of our Articles of Religion, and, when practicable, of the entire Dis- cipline placed in his hands for examination and pres- ervation. In addition to what a pastor can personally do in behalf of the young Christians in his Church, he should, by due inquiry and observation, make sure that each probationer has a proper leader and conge- nial class associations. The allotment of probation- ers and members to suitable classes is an official pas- toral responsibility, the importance of which is rarely considered, and never overestimated. In attending to it the pastor should not always be governed by the impulse of the individual, neither should he deem it so important to fill up vacant classes, nor to prorate members equally among the whole number of classes, as to have each individual under just the right influ- ence. There is no period in human life at which persons are more susceptible of good impressions than at the beginning of their career as professing Christians. Hence at that peculiar period it is of un- speakable importance that, by all appropriate means, their minds be enlightened, and their hearts en- deared to the Savior and the Church. (3.) Reception mto full membership. When, in due time, the act of reception into full membership in the Church is in order, it should be performed, not with ADMISSION TO FULL MEMBERSHIP, 285 cold formality, nor with seeming indifference, but rather with an affectionate interest and an impressive solemnity, appropriate to one of the most important transactions of human life, which also has a direct reference to the life immortal. This act should be preceded by faithful, and if possible repeated, conver- sations, in which queries should be freely solved, and attention called to the nature and solemnity of the vows about to be assumed. 2. The administration of baptism. The administration of the rite of baptism is an im- portant ministerial duty, pertaining more especially, though not exclusively, to the office of pastor. It is an obligation of the pastor to exhort parents to con- secrate their children to God in this holy ordinance, and, in the act of their so doing, to charge them sol- emnly with the duties pertaining to the domestic instruction of their offspring, in whatever relates to Christian knowledge and practice. It devolves on the pastor, also, to "preserve a full and accurate register of the names of all the baptized children within his pastoral care." This rule implies that such children are entitled to certificates of re- moval, and to reception and enrollment in the charges to which they remove. By this means they should be kept under continued pastoral watch-care, up to the period when they may assume a full and voluntary connection with the Church. The baptism of adults who have not been previ- ously baptized usually takes place during the period of Church probation, and consequently calls for sim- ilar instruction in reference to the design of the ordi- 286 A PRIMARY OBLIGATION. nance and the tenor of baptismal vows. Through inadvertence, many pastors have fallen into the error of deferring baptism till near the close of the can- didate's probation. Wherever such a practice has obtained, it ought to be corrected without delay. All scripture analogy, and all the proprieties of the case indicate that baptism should be one of the first acts associated with a public Christian profession. The baptism of the three thousand at Jerusalem, of the Ethiopian eunuch by Philip, and of the Philippian jailer and his family by Paul, not only show that bap- tism was an initial ordinance of the New Testament Church, but that the apostles administered it in im- mediate sequence of a profession of faith. Pastors, therefore, should not fall into the mistake of consid- ering our probationary period as designed to determine the propriety of administering baptism to candidates. Its great object is to induce and enable persons to be- come truly Christians, preparatory to their assuming the full obligations of Church membership ; and, as the Christian ordinances are means of grace, we should administer them to suitable candidates when they most of all need their confirming aid as auxiliary to their religious welfare. Only in those cases where persons are perplexed in regard to the mode of baptism, should this rite be deferred ; and, since our Church gives the liberty of choice as to the mode, it is usually best to urge prompt decision in regard to that. 3. The administration of the Lord's-Supper. The reception of the eucharist logically follows the rite of baptism, and only in rare and exceptional cases CHRISTIAN CONFIRMATION. 28/ should be allowed to precede it. As an ordinance of the highest religious solemnity it imposes on a pastor the duty of careful consideration as to the character he himself maintains, and the frames of mind in which he administers this holy sacrament. It also requires him to give suitable instruction and faithful admoni- tions to the people lest any bring themselves into con- demnation by partaking unworthily of the Lord's body. 4. Confirmation. While we do not, like the Greek and Roman Churches, regard confirmation as a sacrament, nor, like some Protestant Churches, as a ceremonial rite, only to be administered by bishops, we do regard it as a high pastoral obHgation to confirm all young Chris- tians and true converts in the faith of the gospel and in the practice of Christian duties. This is what was done by Paul and Barnabas, in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, " confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith ;"* and also by Paul and Silas, when they went through Syria and Cilicia, " confirming the Churches."! While, there- fore, ceremonial confirmation is of no value, and often becomes an actual injury, from being represented and supposed to confer spiritual advantages, for which there is no warrant either in reason or Scripture, yet the moral and spiritual confirmation, which is the ap- propriate duty of every true pastor, can not be too highly estimated, or made the subject of too much judicious and anxious efibrt. Let every pastor, there- fore, not only use the initial, but every succeeding sacrament as an occasion for the spiritual confirma- * Acts xiv, 22. t Acts XV, 41. 288 A GENCIES OF CONFIRM A TION, tion, especially of young members of the Church. As agencies in this important work special sermons, lec- tures, and private conversations should be employed for instruction and religious impression, while the duties of prayer, fasting, and self-examination should be earnestly inculcated as auxiliary to the highest spiritual profit of every one. Nothing more surely betokens spiritual languor than a formal or careless administration and reception of the holy sacraments ; and upon the pastor, as their authorized administrator, it depends, in a great degree, to control the important question. Whether these appointed means of grace are to be the "savor of life unto life, or of death unto death." The duties above referred to indirectly but clearly The Church imply the pastoral obligation of great famil- record. iarity with the names. Church relations, and Christian character of those composing his flock. The proper fulfillment of that obhgation is in harmony with the pastoral duty of keeping the Church records, while proper personal attention to the latter greatly facilitates an accurate knowledge, not merely of the names, but of the spiritual condition and religious faithfulness of the different members of the Church. It must be admitted that our Discipline, although specific on most subjects, lacks definiteness in refer- ence to Church records. In the order of business for quarterly conferences, it directs the presiding elder to inquire, " Are the Church records properly kept ?" But it does not say who is to answer the question, nor in what manner said records are to be kept. From the periodical asking of the question in an DISCIPLINARY REQUISITIONS. 289 official meeting, to which a traveling minister is not amenable, it might be inferred that some lay officer of the Church — the recording steward, for example — is responsible for the keeping of the Church records. But the duties of that officer are defined to be the recording of the minutes of the quarterly conference "in a book kept for that purpose." At most, those minutes can only be considered a special department of the proper records of the Church. Among the miscellaneous duties of a preacher, the following is assigned a primary place : *' To take a regular catalogue of the societies in towns and cities, as they live in the streets." Such a catalogue, which it would appear is not required for country places, answers to only a very meager idea of a Church rec- ord. Hence, some have queried whether it did not refer to a private list, by which the minister is guided in his visits, and which he passes over to his suc- cessor as a part of the particular account of his circuit, called for by the next paragraph. In the section defining the relation of baptized chil- dren to the Church, the Discipline directs that "the preacher in charge shall preserve a full and accurate register of the names of all the baptized children within his pastoral care ; the dates of their birth, bap- tism, their parentage, and places of residence." According to the spirit of this provision, a perma- nent baptismal record should be kept in every charge, in which each administrator is to enter the record of baptisms as they are performed. Besides, each pastor should ascertain and record the names, ages, etc., of baptized children who have come within his pastoral 25 290 A PASTORAL RESPONSIBILITY, charge, by certificate of removal or otherwise, since the date of their baptism. Among his other specified duties, each preacher in charge is required to report at every quarterly confer- ence " the names of those who have been received into the Church or excluded therefrom during the quarter ; also the names of those who have been received or dismissed by certificate, and of those who have died or have withdrawn from the Church." He is further " to take an exact account of all the matters specified" in the list of statistics which it is his duty to report to the annual conference, " and also to register the marriages and baptisms." It is true that the account and reporting called for might be done from data furnished by some one else ; and we understand that, in some Churches, laymen take exclusive charge of the Church records, and that some ministers content themselves with officially re- porting statistics furnished them at second hand. But according to the spirit of .the Discipline, and the nature of the case, the preacher in charge is per- sonally responsible for a full pastoral record, and ought, in every possible case, to keep it with his own hand. If any doubt could possibly exist on this point, it would vanish before those episcopal decisions and acts of the General Conference, in reference to with- drawal, which recognize the entry of the preacher in charge upon the Church records as decisive of mem- bership or non-membership. Essential to a complete Church record are at least the following departments : i. A record of probation- ers ; 2. An alphabetical list of members ; 3. A list ESSENTIAL DEPARTMENTS. 29! of the several classes ; 4. A record of baptisms ; 5. Of marriages. Deaths may be entered opposite the names of individuals in the alphabetical list. Books specially adapted to the purpose are now obtainable at our depositories. In Great Britain this class of duties, at least for the national Churches, is regulated by civil law. The blank books are prepared by the royal printer, parishes are obliged to provide them, and ministers to keep them in iron chests, and to make entries of baptisms, deaths, and burials within seven days, under penalties. In Churches like ours, supported on the voluntary system, moral motives only can be brought to bear. But fortunately motives of that character abound. In our pastoral relations we are sometimes called on to verify marriages, deaths, and baptisms, in respect to pecuniary and civil considerations, and these, in addi- tion to the purely religious and ecclesiastical advan- tages of properly kept Church records, should suffice to secure due attention to these duties. The special uses of Church records may be con- sidered first with reference to the advantage of pas- tors themselves. As already suggested, one of the first duties of a preacher in charge, on reaching his appointment, is to consult the records of the Church whose superintendence he is about to assume. If these have been properly kept, they will teach him lessons of essential importance in reference to his immediate and future work. By means of them he will be able, in the shortest time, to learn the names, residences, condition in life, and Church relations of all his members. By a glance backward he may often 292 ADVANTAGES TO A NEW PASTOR. gather a definite idea of the reHgious history of in- dividuals and families. By examining the list of probationers he will see who are yet on trial, and, consequently, who are especially entitled to his per- sonal attention. Prompt and affectionate manifesta- tions of interest in the recent converts of his charge will greatly endear him to them individually, and re- move that feeling of distance and reserve which, without effort on his part, is sure to embarrass his influence. At this point lies one of the most weighty objections to the itinerancy, that of its peremptorily sundering the relations which subsist between a pas- tor and his spiritual children. The newly appointed minister who sets himself upon ceremony, and makes no calls until he is called upon, gives currency to this objection, and often lays the foundation of serious prejudices against his Church, not unfrequently cre- ating incurable alienation from it. But he that with the warm heart of a true pastor searches out recent converts, and those who are on trial in the Church, adopts them as his own children in the Lord, and cares for them tenderly, takes away all force from the objection, and in a very brief time secures to himself the influence that his predecessor enjoyed before him. The same obligation springs out of the list of bap- tized children. Before commencing his pastoral visits, the minister should study it as a directory, so as to be prepared to recognize all whose names are there enrolled, in the families to which they belong. He should also be on the alert to make appropriate addi- tions to it from those who have removed within his pastoral care, or who have been previously overlooked, MEANS OF ACQUAINTANCE. 293 seeking, on all appropriate occasions, to have direct religious conversation with these lambs of the flock. In the discharge of such duties the pastorate will gain strength continually ; whereas, in their neglect, the prosperity of a Church will not fail to decline from the periodical changes of its ministers. The Church records should not only be examined by the pastor in private, but they should be made the subject of special inquiry in the leaders' meeting. Any thing that the new preacher can not readily comprehend will there probably find explanation. In that connection he should also enter into a thorough examination of the class-books of the several leaders, ascertaining the habits of individual members with reference to religious duty, and thus becoming pre- pared to encourage or "reprove, rebuke, and exhort" in his intercourse with individuals. A pastor who has thus possessed himself of the instruction suggested by the Church records is no longer a stranger in a strange community. He feels that, in a great degree, he knows his ground, and, occupying it as he ought, he may in a short time wield the full measure of pastoral influence. Such being his introduction to the records of the Church, he should recognize the importance of frequently and personally revising it, and especially of putting it in perfect order at the end of each conference year. For the benefit of the people it may now be sug- gested that, in addition to the permanent manuscript records of the Church, it is well to publish annually, in a neat pamphlet, a summary of that record for cir- culation. In cities and large villages printed direc- 294 PRINTED DIRECTORIES. tories will usually be advantageous far beyond their cost. Some of the advantages to be derived from them are these: 1. They form a convenient vehicle for a pastoral address, in a form and connection not likely to be soon lost sight of 2. They tend to interest the members, young and old, in Church affairs, 3. They tend to promote acquaintance between members of the Church, and also accessions to the Church, in various ways. 4. They are especially useful as a card of invita- tion to strangers, and a means of direction to various Church services, which may not only be distributed by the pastor, but by his coadjutors in various spheres of Christian activity. 5. By publishing the names of official members and committees public sanction is given to their appointment, and the task of any who are diffident is made lighter. 6. Such a publication on the part of a Church challenges respect from those within and without by giving religious affairs the prominence they deserve. 7. A collection of these annual issues will form, in due time, a valuable history of the Church they rep- resent, and will hand down to posterity many inter- esting facts that might otherwise be forgotten. For the guidance of any young pastor who may wish to publish a Church record and directory in the most useful form we will indicate what ought to be its contents, using figures for designation rather than to prescribe an invariable order: i. A historical sketch. RIGHT MEN IN THE RIGHT PLACES. 295 2. Pastor's address. 3. Officers and committees of the Church. 4. Officers and teachers (possibly scholars) of the Sunday-school. 5. Times and places of public and social worship. 6. Alphabetical list of members, with their residences, indicating by figures the classes to which they severally belong, and by asterisks who are probationers. To the above items may be added, at discretion, a financial exhibit, a list of benevolent contributions, and any thing else of special local inter- est. In every case care should be taken to condense the matter into a compact and attractive form, and to provide in advance for the expense of publication. The appointment of class-leaders and the nomina- tion of other Church officers is a highly responsible official duty of a pastor. The Discipline requires the preacher in charge "to appoint all the leaders, to change them when he sees it necessary, and to examine each of them with all possible exactness at least once a quarter concerning his method of meeting a class." This rule, based upon the idea already expressed, is designed to secure assistance, not antagonism, in the pastoral work. Hence the sole authority for appointments and changes of that class of Church officers is lodged in the pastor himself. To exercise this prerogative wisely will require close discernment of capacity, and the power of enlisting the best talent of the Church in active co-operation with the pastorate. In like manner the nomination of stewards, trustees, and the various standing com- mittees required in an efficient Church will devolve on the pastor the responsibility of appreciating not merely the religious worth, but the personal adapta- 296 AN UNHAPPY TENDENCY. tion of various individuals for specific duties. Great generals have been distinguished for the faculty of selecting the right men for the right places. Great success in the Christian pastorate is largely depend- ent on the same faculty. The preservation of peace and harmony in a Church The pastor a ^nd commuuity is another high and official peace-maker. responsibility of a pastor. In few aspects does human nature show more conclusive proofs of the fall than in the common tendency to strife and discord. Beautiful pictures are often drawn of the innocence, loveliness, and purity of childhood. Yet how often do even children disagree and fall into col- lisions with each other and those about them ! It is very necessary that parental restraint guard and con- trol this tendency in the young, and that conscientious heed be given to the apostolic caution, "Ye parents, provoke not your children to wrath." Not merely from ungoverned tempers in childhood, but from the frailty and sinfulness of men at all peri- ods of life, how common are disagreements and con- tentions in the varied circumstances in which human beings meet! How rhany families have been dis- turbed and divided by this cause ! What discomforts and bickerings have been introduced into neighbor- hoods, what divisions and contentions into commu- nities, what partisan bitterness into political and national affairs, and, finally, what bloody wars, with their untold horrors, have taken place between tribes and nations as a consequence of the discordance of those who ought to have dwelt together in peace and love ! From the murder of Abel by his brother down THE ONE REMEDY. 297 to the present hour, from the borders of Eden to the ends of the earth, how has human passion sought to gratify itself in acts of malevolence and revenge, and, as a consequence, what miseries and wretchedness have been inflicted upon our race ! For this unhappy proclivity of our fallen nature, and for all the evils attendant upon its action, Chris- tianity was designed as a sovereign remedy. Hence the blessed Savior was denominated the "Prince of peace." He also indicated an ever-present and prom- inent duty of his disciples when he directed and en- couraged them to be peace-makers, saying, "Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God." . How early in the history of the Church itself, and even among the chief apostles, was the necessity of the peace-maker's office indicated, and how often in the subsequent history of the Church has there been need for its exercise! Indeed, when we inquire into the causes of the slow progress of Christianity in the earth, few more significant reasons can be given than that the Church has too often been like "a house divided against itself," wasting by internal strife en- ergies that ought to have been united and acting together for the evangelization of the world. Even now, when persecution for opinion's sake is almost unknown, when general charity prevails, and great progress has been made toward the unity of Chris- tian sentiment, the moral power of the Church is greatly weakened by a too common lack of warm and practical brotherly love. In how many thousands of nominally Christian communities petty quarrels exist, 298 THE PASTOR AS A PEACE-MAKER. not only to disturb the peace of the parties them- selves, but of their mutual friends ! In how many Churches secret or open antipathies are fostered, in how many bosoms resentments are nourished and constantly in danger of breaking forth to do the evil without which they are secretly working within ! In order to exert the influence of a peace-maker an individual must himself cultivate the purest char- ity toward all men. He must be an example of the indwelling power of that peace which passeth all un- derstanding. How weighty, then, will be his words, how influential his conduct ! How effectually will he be able to cast oil upon the troubled waters of strife ! With what sweetness and gentleness will he be en- abled to assuage the acerbities of passion, and to bring conflicting elements into harmony! Especially will the peace-maker be solicitous to prevent the beginnings of strife, which are as the letting out of waters. Before the harsh word is said, before the rash act is committed, he will, if possible, bring kindly influences to bear and effect reconciliation. On Christian pastors, in an eminent sense, does the responsibility rest of cultivating the qualities and performing the duties of the peace-maker. Of what small avail will be learning and eloquence in the pulpit, and how will the power of Christian truth be neutralized before the world, if jarrings arid strife divide the Church! How will the ways of Zion be made to mourn if, on account of mutual dislike or jealousy, few come to her solemn feasts ! How will the best energies of the Church be paralyzed if, on WISE PRECAUTIONS. 299 any pretext, internal feuds are allowed to prey upon her peace! Not only from prudential motives, but from the authority which God has given him, it is the duty of the overseer of the flock to endeavor, by all possible means, to remove all such stumbling-blocks. The task will often demand his highest wisdom and his most prayerful and persevering energy. To have any well-grounded hope of accomplishing it, it will be essential that he avoid all partisan feeling himself. He must rise to the position of a just and impartial arbitrator. He must know how to address men, and be able to command their respect as well. He must know how to appeal to the conscience without excit- ing opposition and prejudice. Especially must he be able to induce all parties to make concessions when necessary — and, if need be, confessions — for the sake of the cause and body of Christ. To accomplish these results will often require the ^sacrifice of time and convenience, and the exercise of much patience. But these are small offerings to be laid on the shrine of peace — small efforts, and hardly to be named in comparison with the blessedness of the peace-maker. While the timely efforts and kindly influence of a good pastor, coupled with the appropriate church disci- co-operation he may often secure, will p^'"^- forestall many evils and heal many breaches, yet so long as "it must needs be that offenses come" there will sometimes arise occasions for Church discipline in the form of arbitrations. Church trials, censure, suspension, and expulsion. In all such proceedings a pastor s duties are both responsible and critical. In 300 ADMINISTRATION OF DISCIPLINE. order to their appropriate discharge he should under- stand well the principles of discipline and judicature which are recognized in the laws and usages of the Church. He should also be careful to take all appro- priate steps with the mildness and firmness which pure motives and a sense of great responsibility ought always to prompt. If from the law applicable to any case, or the authorized comments on such law, the young pastor can not determine what steps he ought to take, let him have recourse to the advice of his presiding elder or bishop, or both, so as to proceed at once legally and prudently. In addition to acquiring an intelligent conception of what he ought to do, the pastor should maintain an unquestionable irfipartiality, coupled with such a supreme regard for the purity of the Church as will deprive of its sting any act of severity which, as an executive officer, it may be his duty to perform. Especially in the extreme penalty of the expulsion of a member of the Church, both the manner and the spirit in which the act is performed should demon- strate love to the offender, however the offense may demand public reprehension. Even the official act of dismissing members of the Church by certificates is not without its responsibilities. Members in good stand- ing about to remove have the right to demand letters certifying their membership and according them to other Churches. But the issue of such letters is always in the implied expectation that they will be presented when opportunity is secured. Nevertheless, members have the power to withhold their certificates PERSONAL INTRODUCTIONS. 30 1 from presentation, a power which is often used to their great spiritual injury. The non-presentation of a Church letter is practically equivalent to a with- drawal from the Church, which, though far from the possessor's original intention, is nevertheless often accomplished by delay. While it is not necessary — except on the ground of moral and spiritual motives — to deny the right of withdrawal in this form, yet it may often be within a pastor's power to prevent it. He should not, therefore, issue certificates in a formal or indifferent manner, but, while complying with the requisition, should endeavor to impress upon the re- moving members the importance of promptness in making themselves known as Christians in the places to which they remove. He should point out to them the possible embarrassments to which they may be subject on arriving among strangers, together with the great desirability of seeking Christian sympathy and fellowship at the earliest moment. To make this course not only practicable, but easy, he should often superadd letters of personal introduction to the pastor within whose bounds they expect to remove. Cor- responding to this, when practicable, he should, in accordance with the rule of Discipline, notify the pastor of the Church to which they propose remov- ing of the intended removal and the certificate given. No statistics can ever determine the numbers of persons who have lost their Church standing and lapsed from a Christian profession through the un- friendly influences incident to the frequent removals of American population. The corresponding loss to the Church is known to have been great, and for the 302 ATTENTION TO STRANGERS. past irremediable. But it is believed that much may be done to guard against such evils hereafter. To this end not only let the precautions above suggested be observed, but let pastors every-where be on the alert personally and by the aid of active committees to find and to welcome Church members who may remove within their bounds. Nor should they confine their attentions merely to Church members, but make it a rule to extend them to all new-comers and stran- gers, inviting their attendance upon public worship, and their participation in the religious and social priv- ileges of the community. It is only by diligence in duties of this kind that the spirit and precepts of Christianity can be fully illustrated. Our Savior him- self, in his discourse on the last judgment,* sets forth the duty of welcoming strangers in a most impressive manner. The apostle Paul also enjoins the same duty both in his Epistle to the Romans and in thai to the Hebrews.! The rendering of both passages in our common version, viz., "given to hospitality," and "be not un- mindful to entertain strangers," falls below the sig- nificance of the original, and the modern limitation of the words "hospitality" and "entertain," still fur- ther narrows down the general comprehension of these inspired precepts. The Greek word used in both cases is