Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-09-13
cIlNISTERIAL FIDELITY.

IlNISTERIAL FIDELITY.
Remarkable and important is that saying
Let us hare grace phere5y IRE may serre
Con acceptably, 'rih reverence and godly
fear: for our GoD IS a consuming fire.
Very observable also is the language Of
David: l nW go to the altar Of GoD, to GoD
my exceeding joy. May the import ofthese
passages united, exert its force on your
very soul, whenever you take the lead in
public worship! Then your graces as a
Christian, and your gifts as a minister, will
be exercised ut the same time. Your
graces being excited, you have communi-
on with GoD; your gifts being exerted, the
people are edited. Whereas, were you to
enter the pulpit merely to exercise your
ministerial talents. though others might be
fed By the truths delivered, your own soul
would starye. This, | fear, is the case Of
many who preach the gospel.
But what figure in the eye of OmnIs-
cicnce must that preacher make, who is not
habitually desirous ofcxercising devout af-
fections in the performance Of his public
work! Like an index on the high road.
he directs others in the way to heaven, but
he walks not in it himself. He MAY pro.
phesy with Balaam, or preach with Judas;
his learning and knowledge, his natural
parts and spiritual gifts, may excite admI.
ration and be useful to others; but, being
destitute of internal devotion, his heart is
no. right with GoD, and he is a wrctchcd
creature. Sounding brass or a tulktng
cmbol, is the character by which he is
known in sacred Scripture.
When, however, commencing public SER
vice, it is nccdful to remember that YOU
appear not only as a worshipper Of COD,
but as minister of Christ. Being such, it
is your indispensable duty to preach Christ
and not yourself: that is, with sincerity
and ardor, to aim at displaying the glories
of his person and the riches Of his grace,
the spirituality of his kingdom and the ex-
cellence his government, not your own
ingenuity or eloquence-your parts or
learning. Guard, then, my brother, as
against the most pcrnicous evil-guard, as
for your very life, against converting the
gospel ministry into vehicle to exhibit
your own excellence: or prostituting the
doctrine of Christ crucifed to the gratifica-
ton of your pride or that it may be a pan.
der to your praise. For who can estimate
the magnitude of that guilt which is inclu-
ded in such conduct? Yet, with this enor-
nous and horrible evil, cannot forbear
suspccting, many ministers are more or
less chargeable. Nay, to the commission
of this outrage on the honor of Christ and
of grace, every minister should consider
himself liable. For SO polluted arc our
hands, that without grace preventing, we
defile every thing we touch. So dcpraved
are our hearts, that we are in danger of
committing robbery on the glory of our
divine Lord, even when it is our protessed
business to exalt it.
Gas, when entering on public devotion,
YOU should endeavor to act becoming your
character, under the notion of a guilty crca-
ture in audience with the King Eternal, and
and as minister of Christ, whose business
is to display his glory, so you are further
to consider yourself as the servant of his
Church. When Standing up to address
your people, it should ever be with an ear
nest desire to promote their happiness.
They having chosen you to the pastoral
office,-you having accepted their invita-
ton, and being now solemnly ordained TO
the important scrvice-that mutual agree.
mcnt, and the interesting transactions of
this day, should operate as threetold mo-
tive to the faithful performance ofyour pub
lie work. Yes, you are bound affection
ately to aim at doing them good, by laying
divine truth before them in such manner
as is adapted to enGghten their minds, to
affect their hearts, and to promote their edi-
fcation.
Though the occasional exercise ofyour
ministerial talents in other places may be
both lawful and commendable, yet, as it is
here only that you stand in the pastoral re-
laton you ought, except in extraordinary
cases, to fill this pulpit yourself, and not
leave the deacons to procure supplies, in a
nrecarious manner. While y'oa are serving