Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1838-11-28

for diversity oftopics, and each one expects
something for his own case. Nor are they
conten'eI with one pasture in week.
Three or more such services, at least, are
regarded as Indispensable in that space
And then, too, if he does no, visit them all
at their dwclllngs-ith he does not attend on
their sick and their dead--ir lie is not Of
ten at the Sunday sclool-f he is not
ready 10 patronizc by his presence and
voice, every little circle of benevolent en-.
gagement which springs up in his parish,
and 10 give his Speech" or his "prayer,"
or the reading Of the "reporr," at the ami.
versary Of the society, in which A, B, or
Cis specially in,ercsted-if, thought |, he
is not all this, with many c,-ceteras, what
will his people say, but that he is in'olcn:,
o. too fond Of his books,tr Indifferent 10
their Interests
Al, yes! concluded: as I entered my
own house, these ministers ought TO be very
careful their time. How cautious should
they be of suffering interruptions, and how
wise were DR.. Mather and DR.. --, in
boldly throwing the responsibility Of such
interruptions on the visilcrs
Hardly had hung up my hat, before |
remembered that | had invited a couple OF
| my mercantile friends TO spend The after
noon with me, and before had taken my
seat by the fire, conscience had commenced
a short but pungcnt discourse, or rather a
personal application of my own mental dis.
course, as it had flown ex te,npore, from
the text have mentioned. 1t was 10 this
effect:
You have llought, Mr.. Layman, very
justly and truly Of the Importance Of a min.
lstcr's time, and you have assentcd very
promptly to the claims that are made upon
all his hours and all his strength. And
pray, produce me the argument that exenpts
yourself, Christian professor, a member
Of the church. from the same obligation 10
guard your time from the waster? Does
God ask more Of one man, or of one class,
than ofanoher? Is it oftbe ministry only
that all the mind, all the heart, all the
Strength, are asked? Or is there so little
to be done by lay-men in comparison with
ministers, that they may indulge themselves
with more recreation? In how few hours,
besides those which must b. given TO the
necessary attention 10 business, can you
despatch your daily duties 10 your children
and household; your poor and sick dc2en-
den's; your Sunday-school families; your
apprentices, clerks, and fellows in business;
your religious and benevolent meetings p
And when these claims arc met, ,5what ex.
onera;es you from share Of tro labour
demanded by lie wrctched condition O: the
population around YOU, ard in the suburbs
of your town: the mullitudes who never
enter church, or open bible, or lead a
tract: whose ragged, un,aught children fil
the lanes; in whose neighbour hood no
weekly meeting Of prayer and simple ex-
hortation is known; whose wants arrest no
ear but those of the official "overseers ofthe
poor;" who are moi taught or encouraged
| in the virtues Of industry and temperance.
till they arc n2prcn.icea 10 the lfeao'in'' Or
the workhousr; who, in a word, mIgh. ex.
press the cause Of their continued misery,
| by the exclamation, none care for our sous.
| And here are you, afcr deciding so much
to your satisfaction that minister has no
time to waste or lose, preparing to give n
whole afternoon to mere cx:eraai hospitality.
You invite these men, not because they are
of the poor, the lame, or the blind, bu. be-.
cause they are your customers. You will
entertain them at your table, and give them
hours of your time, and had it not been for
he accidental rousing of your conscience,
would never have imagined that you, too,
may be deirauIins God and his church,
and your fellow men, of much of the time
which is so justly theirs, according TO your
own VOWS, $ If you were hired for their
service. Awake, then, 10 your duty: be
honest; be consistent; and on your parlour
your table, your carriage, YOUR bed, sc, up
your sign
BE SHORT
| TINE IS PRECIOUS.