New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-01-23
Another duty, which, for the present deyolve:

| Another duty, which, for the present. devolves
upon the Church. Is an overnight OF the children OF
God, they lie without religion aud without Chris
tian care in the camps and hospitals OF our Govern
ment. Far be it from us to say tuat there has been
no Christian supervision of our soldiers, and we
cheerfully COncede all praise ana thanks TO th0se
who have done their duty through danger and pri-
walton; but we must affirm that there is still great
lack OF service the Churchs part III this connec.
ton. From Whatever cause it has arisen, whether
from the scarcity Of c'ergymen, from unwilling
ness 20 bear the bardsbips of tho soldiers life,
/ are obliged to acknow ledge that we have been
able to fad men who were willing to ansWer this
call and 20 lake their places, not soldiers fighting
for Their country but 40 soldiers htIng for the We
tory OF Chri3t over sin aud death. la the opinion
of the House of Bshops no position Is more suited
at this moment TO the true spirit of Cbris aud His
Church. than that Of faithful minister of the grace
Of God and of the SacIamcnts Of the Church 10 the
soldiers in the field, or in the losOlt'l; and we
I would urge 1t upon thOse ministers who have been
eXlled from their parishes, to enter upon this work
as their present duty, trusting for support to Him
VINO has sald " will never ieaye thee nor forsake
thee"
The most striking deficiency in The Cburch's work
which We perceive In looking ut the Church's life,
is "A lack of zeal in spreading the influences OF the
! Church through Der scrviees aud Sacraments Our
! ministry has become too local AID sedentary, too
well satisfied TO sit down and do the work which 1t
has undertaken 10 do, and overlooking the fields
white fer the Harvest which are spread out all
around them and which cannot be cultivated
through their agency. Every weli-eslabiished con.
gfogaiion should cOnsder itself as centor OF
missionary work. aud should encourage its pastor to
extend bis usefulness beyond It's own limits, and
whie he IL priest to them, TO be IN some measure
a Missionary to oil about him. As long as The sell
fish idea ia INDUCED that minister is tied down 10
q local congregation. and has no business 10 work
around hlm the Church must langusb, or increase
but slowly. Missionaries cannot be furnished for
every village aud neigh5orhood, aud they must
remain uncared for by the Church. unless the settled
clergy will make up their minds TO extend the
sphere of their operations beyond the narrow limits
OF their own immediate cures
Another deficiency which requires amendment IL
the little spiritual intercourse which takes plsc,
among the clergy 10 their work for the Church.
Each man works in his spl ere, but for the most
part he gives nothing 10 his brother clergy man aud
|, receives nothing from him i'll return. When our
1 Lord sent forth His Apostles, He sent them two
by two, for the evident purpose that they should
support, strengthen, and comfort each other. The
spirit OF this action is very much overlooked In the
Church, and the clergy are weakened by it. While
the House Of Bishops would not specify any mode
By which this defect should DO remedied II would
recommend to the clergy more free, spiritual, IN
tercOurse a more frequent Interchange Of clerical
services, greater communion in prayer and in coun-
: sell Many desponoent heart would thus be
, cheered and many weak brother would be COM
forted and strengthened.
a Another deficiency which requires amendment Is
the little spiritual help which 10 given TO the clergy
by the laiy. We have no reference now to tie
temporal support Of the clergy, although might
well dwell upon that but 10 the spiritual help which
Christian aity might give TO the clergy. la read
log the Acts Of the Apostles We find many illustra-
lions Of this truth, ana we perceive how the great
est of the Apostles was not above the help OF bis
; yoke-fellows IN the Gospel There are many ways
in which spiritual aud earnest laynen can help their
clergy in the work of the Church, and under their
uni and direct become valuable Mis-
s,onsr.es of Christ, even while unordsined. Ii re-
/, Quires sacrifice and self-deDia but We must all
! remember That we are not our own but are bought
with price, aud belong ~ ChIst-body, soul, and
spirit.
But over and above all these special deficiencies,
looms up that greatest of all Deficiencies the lack OF
the Holy Spirit ~ and with onr Churches cause
Of tue degree TO which spiritual iO1eDces have been
abused IN our land, we have been tempted to ran
Into tho other extreme, and TO forget that we are
living under what the Apostle calls the dspensation
OF the Spirit aud that the Church's work must de-
rive all Its power from His presence. Our danger is
10 merge the Holy Ghost into tue means OF grace,
and overlook the important fact that lilo il personal
agent, acting indeed through those means, but
necessarily Tied to them Our Saviour said; " The
wind blowetb where lisetb, aud thou nearest the
sound thereof but canst tell Whence it cOmeth
whittier il gOeh: is every that is born Of the
b Spirit" Aud as with the individual, with the
Church. The Holy Spirit will be in the Chorcb. ii
His presence IS kept there by an OF
slant prayer tor Ills presence; but tho addresses 10
the Church In Asia Minor Instruct US ~ be watch
fu over ourselves, aud 10 hold fast by Hin who Is
tue representative Of Christ upon earth. while lie 10
interceding and advocating for US IN Heaven. Les
the Chafcn and her Miais.ers always bear In mind,
that the growth Of The Church, and the vitality Of
) the Church, not by might, nor BY power, but
} by my spirit" saith tue Lord.
, Aud nov 1t only Tor to bid you,
and all, an ahecIonate farewell. We cannot but
remember that when we last separated from yoa,
there stood among two venerated brethren,
dearly beloved in the Lord. who have since entered
} into their rest. When We parted we knew IL must
be So but We could not f0resee where the hand Of
; Death would tall. Aud new again We know, tba.
separating once more Tor tue like space OF time, We
! shall not ali meet again. Whose shall be the cum
monsl Well for u, that the curtain Of God provi-
dence hides this knowledge from us, teaching the
Lesson OF Christian truth, tBat must ali watch
and be sober, because We know neither toe day nor
the hour when the o0n Of Man comeIb. May Coos
gracious providence guide you IN safety TO your
homes, aud preserve them IRON the desOlailons Of
war. And should We not be permitted TO battle
together any more for Christ in the Church militant,
may We be deemed worthy 10 10 members OF the
Church triumphant, where with prophets, apjstes,
martyrs, saints, and angels, we may ascIibo honor
and glory, dominion aud praise TO Him tia. sIleIa
upon tue lhsone, and 10 tue Lamb, fofeyerI
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