Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-05-09
SPIRITUAL PREACHING.

We often hear the remark, 'Our minister
lacks spirituality in his preaching To a great
extent this may be so. But d. his hearers ever
consider that their minif'er is a human being
like themselves, subject to like temptations and
trials with other mem Or do they ever ash
why they expect so much from the man chosen
to break TO them The bread Of life! Is II be-
cause lhc" are earnest in their prayers for his
growth in grace ; is it because they are Jealous
in staying his hands and cooperating in his
work and labor of love Do they do all in their
power to widen his influence, TO cheer and en-
courage his heart amid his loilsome eil0r,s2 Do
their united voices everascend in fcrvent prayer
for Gods blessing upon his labors!
Or, on the contrary, do they chill his warmth
of love by GOODNESS and Indifference, check his
growing influence by improper remarks and
open violation Of the commandment, Chou shali
not bear false witness against thy neighbour
When people complain OF the want Of spiritu
ality, they ought to remember tina, 'ihe things Of
the power Of spiritually djsccrDed,' and search
their own hearts, 20 see if their own souls have
the power of spiritual discernmcnt. Many a
clergyman whose closet frequently witnesses
hi, earnes, wrestlings Of soul for the salvation
of his flock, and whose eyes often weep over the
apparent deafness per'ading his charge, Is
thought to be wanting in spirituality. His dis.
courses may be plain, practical, animated. lie
may bring to their composition and impait TO
the favor and holy warmth OF one who walks
with God, who comtnunes much with his Saw.
our, aud yet to his cold hearers, they may APP
pear very deficient. lie may ascend high in the
mount and speak ofthings above the wJrld, and
still seem. to the spiritually blind, lacking in
heavenly life. There doubtless is much preach
ing that is not spiritual, but before a people com.
: plain of their minister, they ought TO be sure oil
their own spiritual condition. Nor should they
think it their minister's fault, if they upon ex-
animation, find a defect in themselves. Nc
minister can make a negligent, slothiul profess
sor, spiritually minded. As he beholds not a
few such entrusted to his care, he cannot but
leave them in his hands to whom Ezekiel refer
red the answer of the question, Shall these dead
bones live 2 Lord thou knowest.'
tpillhallA > " u lHhIcuy h'ot NC "Pl''N
even when a spiritually minded people are I'M
der the charge of a min SER, whose sermons
have bur little warmth. To how many complain
ing congregations, the question, 'Do you pray
for your minister = would be a deserved rebnke.
Prayer in the spiritual atmosphere, is as fire in
The physical. 1t ~enivens and animates the
chilled and torpid heart, and q~uickens the dor
mant energies. If a people want their minis
ter to be spiritually alive, they should call "
his slumbering zeal by prayer. They should
surround him with a warm spiritual atmosphere
1t is unjust to place a minister in a Greenland
climate, and demand Of him the fruits Of more
genial regions. 1t is cruel to build around hir
barriers OF ice and snow, and expect him to thaw
them away. There is a IIecla in Iceland ; but
we fear the physical fact can have but few NOR
al resemblances.
1t is judicious to settle, before complaining
about a minister's spirituality, what is meant by
the term. II by it is meant, that the pasto
> does not by his Sunday e%finrts, so warm up TIN
hearts Of his flock as TO keep them interested
the remaining days Of the week, the question
may well be asked, Whose fault is it = II b.
it is meant tina, be gathers none into his flock