Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-01-18

chair to mine as close as be could, and
whispered that they were not able to send
him. don't know better test than tha,
of whether our ministers are adequately
provided for. know there are some peo.
pie who do not care what minister gets
Some people think, have DO doubt,
that when DR. Candlsh or I 60 to the pull
pit, We have nothing to do but open our
mouths, and out come the sermons like
water out Of pump. Some people think
that all other professions may be respecta-
bic, but that i, is quite reasonable that a
minister should be poor man. know
a small town where dancing master, who
spends FIVE weeks Of the year, carries
away, for teaching the children to kick mp
their heels, more money than two worthy
secession ministers Of the place get all the
year round Some think minister is all
the better for being kept poor. There was
friend of mine who was assistant to his
father, seeding minister, and got ESQ q
year, while the father got fl00. After
his fathers death, the question was wheth-
er the minister should be kept at his old
allowance of ESQ, or get the el00, like
his father. Whereupon an honest man
stands up in the congregation, and said,
Moderawtur, Aw'm clear for keepin' the
lad tao .h" anghty, and my reason is just
this, that the Church never had ministers
since she was Church like them she had
when they went aboot in sheep's'skins and
goats skins, and lived in holes an caves
o the earth" Well, that is all very well;
but l would be glad to know what the
Edinburgh people would think of DR..
Candlish and me if we were seen walking
in Prince's-street, my worthy friend in a
goats skin, and your humble servant in
the clothing Of sneep. meet rnas o.u,
narrow-m minded, worthy man, by the high
authority of Matthew Henry, and l am
disposed to leave the whole question in
his hands. He said, and 1 believe the
experience of the world will prove it, that
a scandalous maintenance makes scan.
dalous ministry. Poverty and piety
are not identical things. 1 have high
ideas of the Office of the ministry. With
Paul, would so magnify my Office that 1
would like to see the finest genius and the
nobest talent in the country devoted to
that noblest Office. OF course, l desidcr-
ate piety-that is the first thing; but l
am not one of those who think that God
generally works by the weakest instru-
menf, though he may do SO to show his
power. For that cause God called forth
the wisdom and craftsmanship of Moses,
the poetry of David, the imagination of
Isaiah, the burning fervor of Ezekiel, the
pa'hos of jeremiah, the logic and elo-
queuce Of the Apostle Paul-for that
cause God sent down his own angels from
heaven; and more than that, and above /
that, for that cause God sent down his .
own blessed Son. l set the pulpit in the
highest position which any man can occu-
py on earth; and l desire, piety being
granted, to see the first genius and the
noblest talent of our country consecrated
to the service of my blessed Master. l do
not speak for myself and existing breth.
rem. We will very soon be mouldering
in the dust. But am exceedingly anx-
ious for the fate of the Free Church, that
the vexations and annoyances of debt and
be taken out of the way Of the
rising ministry, and God grant such liber-
ality to you and others that our youth
may see no obstruction iu the poverty Of
the ministry in coming to lay their noble
talents at the feet of Jesus.