Litchfield enquirer., 1840-05-07
now 70 DISMISS A MINISTER.

As no act Of coercion can exclude a.
minister from his pulpit, those who wish
ITO be fairly rid Of him, must either tire
him out, or wear him out, or starve him
out. This, however, can be seldom ac-.
complished by q single individual. There,
must be q conspiracy, arising from the
spread of disaffection. Unhappily, a smalk
faction, even one or two persons in a
church, have sometimes the power, and
that without much personal risk, to spread
the views of disafIection. When the re-
solve is once made, sour minister shalE
go" give the parties time, and let them
have some scanty materials to work with,
and they will generally effect their pur-
pose 1t matters not to them the parsons
personal attachment to the people, the PEI
cuniary sacrifices he may incur, the diff.
culties he may have to encounter, or affix-
es on his professional character, the plans
Of usefulness he must relinquish uncomple-
ted, and the spiritual children begetten by
him, he must abandon. All these are
thrown overlooked in the attempt 70 re-
move the minister from tho helm He has
only the alternative, in the spirit of inde-
pendenco, to retire from people among
whom there are those in the conssancy Of
whose affections he is bitterly disappoint-
ed or to remain firm at his post, and in
Christian spirit, to encounter all the nance
less insults and unkindness, from which
sensitive and an affectionatc spirit recoils
and risking peace Of mind, tranquility Of
spirit, and health ofbody, with the heroism
Of martyr, to adopt the language Of the
apostle, and to exclaim, 3" Yea, and if be-
offered up on the sacrifice and service Of
your faith, I Joy and rejoice with you all."
And there arc those who have fallen as tho
victims of disaffection, and whose hearts
have been broken by the unchristian con-
duet of their people. Some churches,
Though we would fain hope but few, J arc
SO notorious for tho vacillation Of their af.
fections that their history is mainly ono Of
ministerial ordinations and designations;
they have not known minister close his
services and his work amongst them, and
leave his ashes to mingle In their sepul-
Chres.
This disafection toward ministers, that
occasions their removal, has most banc-
full tendency when it recurs again and
again, within short intervals. 1t is injuri-
Gus to the minister, though the injury is
often only temporary, and often Ultimate
ly it is subservient in removing him to a
church Of far different order, where his
acceptance is permanent. 1t is injurious
to our denomination, affordiBg to those
who differ from Us in our ecclesiastical poll
icy, one of the most specious arguments
against our system, although the defect is
not in the system, but in those who have
the working oft, and do not really UNDER
stand and appreciate its principles; and.
therefore, do not carry them into full ope-
ration. But it is more injurious to the
churches themselves. From an extensive
acquaintance with our churches. we can
assert, that those communities are mani
festlv tho most healthy and thriving, where
there is "A permanent alliance between pas
tor and people. And in vast bulk of our
churches, where such weI-sustained and
perpe,uated connection exists, there is the
aspect of moral strength and spiritual life
whilst fesbleness marks the character Of
those that are, like the Athenians, always
wanting to hear or see some new thing-to
see a now minister's face, and TO hear u
new minister's voice.
! London EVanseiioaI Maga:ins.