Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-05-31

Lord Jesus; and while thus standing near the
throne of our Almighty Parent, to take our
leave of each other; and to supplicate God
fora continuance of his blessing upon us; and
upon the Church committed to our care
For this practice we have precedent in the
conduct ofSt. Paul, who, prior to bis depar-
ture from Ephesus, called the elders of the
Church together, and impaired to them his
pastoral admonition.
He first enjoined them to take heed to
themselves. As stewards of the mysteries Of
Christ, entrusted with the dispensation Of the
Gospel, he entreatcd them to take heed to
themselves-to take care of their own vine
yard-to cultivate their own minds and to
watch over their own conduct. This advice
the Apostle knew to be necessary as it would
have been unreasonable to suppose, that they
would be watchful over others, whose zeal did
not influence them to take prudent care of
themselves.
After having thus cautioned them against
the neglect of their own heart, he told them
to take heed to all the flock over which the
Holy Ghost had made them overseers As
shepherds watch over their sheep, not only to
prevent them from straying away, but also to
lead them into good pastures; so the minis
tiers of Ephesus were charged with the super
intendence of the people. Take constant
care, exercise an unccasing vigilance over the
spiritual concerns of the congregations COM
mitted to your charge, lest beasts of prey
should seize and devour them-lest Satan and
their own corruptions should ALLEVIATE their af.
fections from the Almighty, and sink them in
eternal ruin. "Watch we in all things, endure
affections, do the work of Evangelists, make
full proof of your Ministry"
The concern with which you are entrusted,
remember, brethren, is the church Of the liv-
ing God, church purchased with the blood
of Christ, purchase, which exhausted the
treasury of Heaven, purchase which cost the
son Of God his life, purchase which crimson
ed Mount Calvary with blood, a purchase
which angels witnessed, with dropping wings,
and throbbing hearts.
The neglect If your duty would involve IN
it the greater guilt. Your neglect would a
mount to contempt Of that blood, with which
the purchase of our salvation was made, and
would stamp your characters with present dis
grace, and consign you to eternal ruin.
We are most assuredly to give an account
of our stewardship. How dreadful will be
the state OF that clergyman, who, after having
undertaken the superintendent of a congre-
cation, withholds his pastoral attention; and
permits the people entrusted to his care, not
only to wander from tire path of duty, but to
plunge into destruction.
What will be his situation at that moment,
in which the Angel shall swear, that time shall
be no more-at that moment, when the earth
and the sea shall give up their dead-at that
moment, when every mortal from Adam to his
last born son shall stand naked and defence
less before God. What, ask you, will be
the condition of slothful, wicked clergyman,
at that tremendous hour!
See advancing before the tribunal of Hea-
ven some unhappy sinner, who, when the
sentence ofcondemnation shall be pronounc-
ed, will charge the ruin of his soul to the man,
to whose pastoral care he had been confded
Blessed Jesus! may the condemned sinner
say, acknowledge that have transgressed
thy righteous laws; but oh, Merciful God!
my earthly pastor led me astray. At the time
in which, violated thy precepts, he proclaim
ed peace in my ears, and believed his report.
He sanctioned my alterations by his own
practices; and to him, in the face of an as
sembled universe, charge the destruction OF
my precious soul. If misery will be the Por-
ton of every offender, my brethren! How
aggravated will be the misery Of wicked
clergyman, when sinners ola common descrip-
ton will call to the rocks to fall on them, a
wicked clergyman will cry out in agony,
mountains cover me from the presence of
God.
On the other hand, how transporting will
be the situation of watchful shepherds
faithful minister of religion. At that hour
in which the heavens will be rolled up like a
scroll, and the elements melt with fervent
heat, pious clergyman will arise from the
tomb in peace and tranquility. The happy
spirit of some Immortal Being will proclaim
him in the Courts of Heaven, as man who
had been faithful in the discharge ofhis duty.
To him, Blessed Jesus, l acknowledge my
self indebted for an acquaintance with divine
things. He taught me how to pray-His ho-
" life and conversation reflected light upon
my path, and it is through his fundamentally
and all its paths the paths of peace. To such
a steward the Redeemer will graclously say
"Come thou, blessed of my father, enter thou
into the JOY of thy Lord"
Several of you have Just commenced your
ministerial career. Toyoa the path of pasto-
raj duty, the labours and difficulties with which
you will have to encounter are unknown. Put
on, my beloved sons, beseech you, put on
the whole armour of God; for you will need
that armour to defend you, from the attacks of
the powers of darkness. Depend not on your
own strength; for if you do, you will find to
your loss, that you are trusting to broken
reed Rely not on your own wisdom and
knowledge; for yourduties are such as require
the wisdom and the knowledge of Angels to
enable you to perform them to advantage
Ask wisdom of God to teach you. Seek spi-
ritual strength from God to sustain you. "Be
strong in the lord, and in the power of his
might"
pei, you must be in earnest. A soldier to be
useful to his country, to asrive at eminence in
his profession must be devoted to his duty
A lawyer, provided he wishes to occupy high
ground must fix his eye upon the utmost point
of legal eminence, and surmount the most
complicated difficulties, to obtain distinc-
ton. A merchant who wishes to be at the
head of the department in which he moves,
nust he a man of business and not 0f Measures