Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-12-20
BOOTHS PASTORAL CAUTIONS.

Take heed to yourself wiM regard to that
Success, and those discouragements, 'olucs
may attend your ministry. Should large
degree of apparent success, through the IA
vor of Heaven, accompany your labors,
there will be the highest necessity to guard
against pride and selfesteem. A young
man of good ministerial abilities, and hon.
ored with great usefulness, is in a delicate
situation respecting the prosperity ofhis own
soul; for, through the want of experience
and observation, such concurrence of plea.
sing particulars has proved to some very
promising characters, the innocent occasion
Of disgrace and ruin. Shining abilities, and
blessing upon their labors, have rendered
them popular. Popularity has intoxicated
them with pride. Pride has exposed them
to various temptations Temptations have
prevailed, and either precipitated them into
some erroneous offence, or laid the founda.
ton of gradu,l departure from the truth,
and from the practice of real piety. 1.-THE
former, their character has been killed, as
by the stroke of an apoplexy. Ifthe latter,
their comfort and usefulness have been de-
stroyed, as by a consuming hectic. Agree
ably to that saying, "Pride gocth before
destruction, and a naughty spirit before a
fall"
Remember, therefore, my brother, that,
though it is your indispensable duty to labor
and pray for prosperity in your work, yet
that season of remarkable success, will ge-
nerally prove an hour of peculiar tempta-
ton to your own soul. Take heed 10 yoasr-
self, at such time, and watch the secret
motions of your own heart. The number
of your hearers may increase, and your
church may flourish; while, in your own
breast, devotional affections and vlrtuous
dispositions are greatly on the decline; nor
need inform you that every degree OF such
declension, has q tendency to final rum.
Besides, if there should be an experience
of extensive utility attending your labors,,
for which sincerely pray, you may do well
to remember the old proverb: "All IS moi
gold that glitters." Numbers there are that
seem to receive the pord u,th Jog, who, an
time of oftemptalion, fall away. Many evan.
gelical and popular preachers, | am very
suspicious, have greatly oyer.rated the USE
fulness of their own labors. For, the longer
live, the more apprehensive am that the
number of real converts, among those who
profess the genuine Gospel, is comparatively
very small according 10 the import OF that
alarming declaration, Many are Called but
fe,o are chosen.
On the other hand, should you meet 'c'th
many and great discouragements, take heed
that you do not indulge despondlng tenn
per, as if you had been of no use IN the
ministerial work. With discouragements,
YOU certainly will meet, unless Providence
were to make your case an exception to the
general course of things, which you have
no ground to expect. Very painful dis
couragements, for instance, may sometimes
arise, from the want Of liberty and SAVIOR in
your own mind, when performing public
service. This, there is reason to suppose,
is not uncommon. |, at least, have had fire.
ouent experience of it, and once to such a
degree, that l began to think very seriously
Of giving up the ministry, suppos'ng that