Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-01-20
MISCELLANEOUS.

MISCELLANGOUs.
; From TIE Free Walt Bapt. Mag gazine.
The foltowing is an ansver to the
question, "IVhat are the requisite
qualifications of "a Gospel Ministcr"'
"Therc stands the messenger Of truth--FiIs
theme divine,
His Office sacred his credentials ci ear.
By him the violated law speaks ont,
It's thunders; and by him, IN strains as sweet,
AS angels use, The gospel whispers peace
In offering few thought; upon the
qualifications Of gospel ministers, the
great and arduous work which he Is
called 10 perform, meets our view.
This work consists in winning souls to
Christ, and feeding such as are won,
with the sincere milk OF the word. The
various characters by which a preacher
ofthe cross is designated in the sacred
scriptures, is worthy ofnotiee, and may
aid US in olr presenlinqnify. They are
called ambassadors, ministers and Wit
nesses of Christ, stewards Of the myste-
ries of God, servants of Christ and the
church, under shepherds feed the
Church of God, laborcrs in the vineyard
of the Lord, ,iand watctmen upon Zdon's
walls. In all these characters, various
duties are implied, and all these duties
aresp spnited ins1te minister of the gospei.
.ss IS a a s,nbass sdof,s b is 10 announce
Z fis. l;,sss steysafd
-sSE:.jiii si:ssSs iia f3es NoFd e
IS sss:, .sas.s "a .i5' Il. their portion in,
7oI,e:s season; as a pastof or Shepherd, he
!. Should feed the flock with knowledge
and understanding, and lead Them into
all truth: and as walchman, he should
cry aloud and sparesnor, both to saint
and sinner, and watchfor and over souls
as one that mus, give account. Whctll,
or we consider Tie work itself or the
momentous consequences resulting from
faithful performance of the work OF a
gospel minister, we areied to exclalm'
Who is sufficient i.rthesethings! Who
is qualified for a work SO grcatN On
this important subject the following
thoughts are submitted.
lst. An experimental knowledge o.
Christ change CT heart, or a real gen gen
.uine conversion 10 God, is an essential
and indispensable qualification. It is
impossible for any one to teach and IN
s,ruct others,s the nature Of those things
of which he is ignorant. The natural
man receivcth not Tie things Of The
Spirit of God, o,flr is he from iecelv'
ing them, he does not even know them
he is in darkness even until now,. if the
blind lead tie blind, the consequences
are obvious. No man therefore, is, nor
can be sufficient for this work, unless
God, by his almighty power, have given
him new hear, TO understand the ma
ture,. design and excellence Of the gospe
unless in the fullness Of his heartihe car
exclaim, Come and hear, all ye.; iha
fear God, and I will. declare what hi
has done for. my soul.
9. A preacher.of the gospel shoult
possess good natural abilities an
aware it is said God has. chosen tn
foolish things of the world to confoun'
the mighty. But it. does not appea
that by the weak and foolish things her
mentioned, We are t. understand tiia
God hath chosen those to publish hi
gospel who. are actually and. literall.
weak and foolish men: that they wcr
esteemed weakand toc lish by the me-
of-the world, is tue: that they wer
really so, does no, appear When w
consider-th the work which they are calle
: to perform, We shall at once perceive
thatno small degree Of judgment an
understanding is requisite. Who ar
ambassadors? ,wl.o are stewards? VIII
are watchmen? Are they men of fee
BILE minds and weak understandings
By no means. They are or ought t
be men OF the soundest minds and mos
solid judgments. This was indeed tn
fac, in relalion7to the first preachers
the cross. Many Of them, it is true
were unlearned and illiterale men bu
they possessed good natural talent
I.etthree be added a lively imagination
rSten,ire memory, a commandn
voice and pleasing address, which: al
gifts ofthe God Of nature, and the preacl