Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-11-10
CIRCULAR LETTER.

To THE CHURCHES OF THE
EDGEFIELD BAPTIST ASSOCIATION {:
.a.'2 Sendeth Christian Saiutatiom
BELOVED BRETHREN:
To any one, who feels anxious concern
for The extension Of Chris,'s kingdom. and
for,he present and fu,urehapp:ness Of his
fellow men, tho great deslilution OF Min
islerial labor at present, must he subject
of serious and mournful reflection. Look
over our country. our Stale. our District,
our Association 10 say nothing OF the re-
gions abroad. Whole sections are entire
~ destitute Of Ministerial labor. Many
Churches arc destitute of stated Preach
ing, having that, which Is only occasional.
Others have preaching as often as once
month, bul no other labor. Few Church
cs indeed there are, that have pastors TO
break to themthe bread oflife every Lords
Day and to minister TO their spiritual wants
tiuring the week. Taking info considefa.
,iont,he fact. lhat ministerial labor is The
6pEineipai means God uses, in saving men
Airon,i ruin. and d5preparing them Tor Hen
ven, certainly such deslitulion should Sex-
eire painful reflection. aud stimulate 10
prompt and effective action for its removal.
This subject suggests Two important IN
1uiries:
Firs, What are the causes of,his dcs-
titution?
Second How may these causes be ro-
moved!
To answer, 10 some extent. these inquI-
ries, is the purpose of this letter.
First What are the causes!
l. Want of zeal and proper energy a.
mong Ministers. may be cause oi scarcity
of ministerial labor.
Iflhere were sufficient number OF MIN
4 listers in The gospel-feid to cultivate ii tho.
roughly. and some, or all Of them, were 10
remain idle, or to labor only part Of their
time, the field could not DO cultivated.
How much of tho present desilution is at
trihu.a5Ie 10 this cause, we will not pre-
teud to say; but it is TO be feared, far 100
much Of il is. There are some at least,
bearing The name of Ministers Of the Cos
pei, who labor very lit,e; and others who
do not labor nearly all their time. il is
true, some of these are prevented from la
boring by circumstances over which they
have not entire control, as we shall have
reason 10 show in another place; hui too
many lack zeal and energy. A love off ease,
or an inordinate desire for worldly things,
has long since caused zeal for Gods house
TO cease TO burn i'll their bosoms.'
9. Fewness Of Ministers. in proportion
to the field TO be cultivated must be cause
OF deficiency of ministerial labor.
z - M
Nswould be impossible for the number of
Ministers now in The field, 10 cultivate it, if
they were 10 labor faithfully day and night.
8. A lack of ministerial support is Il
cause Of lack OF ministerial labor.
1t operates as cause in two ways; il
induces fewness Of Ministers, and Restraints
the few already in The field. IT requires
a large stock Of love to God, and 10 ones
fellow-men, to influence man to engage
in the ministry, with no other prospect than
10 endure poverty and want himself. and
TO- entail them on his children; the Ian
suase. "woe is me If preach not tho
Gospel sounding in his ears, to tho CON
trary notwithstanding. Nor is this an in
aginary cause i, is real, lamenla6le
one. According to the present state OF
things, poverty, and in many instances,
-.pinching want are almost inevitable, IN
the cases Of those who devolo their lime
exclusively TO The ministry. For. while
poorer Ministers get small pittance only,
by way Of charity, those 10 more easy cir
cums,ances gel nothing at all. Such a
mode of flreatment. any one may see, will
make the poor still poorer, and reduce TO
poverty those in moro prosperous circnn,.
stances. It is true there are some few
cases, which form exceptions 10 this Toe
general rule. In some places tie ministry
is measureably viewed in its proper light
md treated properly; but these places are
far 100 few. While this state of things
exists, few will venture to cnrcr' The minis
try, aud, those already in the field Of labor
mus, be greatly, retarded in their eliolts.
4. Indifference TO religious matters, on