The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1862-02-06

OF the people, 10 Ill Ihelr o'"ei
works of faith and labours of love-
What they have tasted and felt oi
the divine attraction, the spiritual
life, the overaowing joy, that they
declare unto others.
The preachers for the people
must be men of deep sympathy
with their struggling brethren oi
the toiling millions. Let the ris-
ing ministry, therefore, and all
who are not too old to reform, re-
trace their steps, and remember
that, if they wish to benefit the
people, they must still call at their
houses, sympathize in their sor-
rows, and bring their Affections, il
they cannot be relieved privately,
before the public, and thus plead
the cause of those who are not in a
condition to plead for themselves.
We say to the preacher for the peo-
pie, see to it that you look after
the poor; the rich can take care of
themselves. If you have it not in
your power to clothe the naked, to
feed the hungry, and to shelter the
houseless, bring their trials and
privations before your wealthy
friends and neighbours. We ad-
nit, that if ministers were to en-
gage extensively in such works of
faith and labours OF love, as we
now urge upon their solemn and
thoughtful consideration, they
would have less time to spend in
reading either solid or light litera.
ture. But they would gain much
useful information in their inter
course with the people, which
might be turned to the best account,
both in the pulpit and through the
medium of the press. 1t is in this
way, and not by attending evening
parties, or neglecting to visit the
poor for weeks, months, or even
years, that the preachers for the
people will act as the salt of the
earth, and as the light of the
world.
The great end which ought to
be kept in view by every human
being, but especially by the minis
ters of reconciliation, should be,
to leave the world better than they
found it. How many ministers
are there, whose only great life
work is, to keep a number of res
pectable people together, who are
ever learning, but never acting for
God and his cause. Such pastors
do good, and deserve to be respect
ed; but that man does far more
good, and is worthy of still great
er respect, who throws himself
among the poor uneducated, and i'm
moral masses, and succeeds in rails
ing them by the hundred, and mov-
ing them by the thousand, to "live
soberly, righteOatsly, and gOdly, in
this present world"
The preachers for the people,
should be men of catholic souls,
enlarged views, warm hearts, and
of good education. 1t is not to be
denied, that pious and earnest men,
who are far from being we'll edu-
Gated, may do much good. But
they will be just as likely to do
much harm, if left to themselves,
and without the judicious and pru-
dent guidance of wiser heads than
their own. 1t is a common, but
very serious, mistake to suppose,
that the preachers, whose lot it is
to slabour amongst the working
classes, need not be 80 highly edu-
Gated as their more polished and
accomplished brethren, whose voca-
ton it is to preach to the elite of
the community. Here we meet
with an insinuation, which is in
tended to teach us, that an inferior
article is good enough for inferior
beings. But the more ignorant
persons are, the greater necessity
there must be for an intelligent,
well-informed and educated preach
er. The people can read facts; and
their knowledge of facts prompts
them to look to their ministers for
the bearing, explanation, and rela-
tive value of these facts. Very