The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-11-08
What the Times Demand of the Preacher

What the Times Demand of the Preacher.
A pithy and thouehtfnl discourse was
preached last Sunday morning at the First
Parish Church in this city upon the demands
made BY the present age upon the liberal min
istry, by Rev. Mr.. Knapp Of Boston. The SER
mon was full Of appropriate suggestions for
the Society to which it was preached, and was
a noble vindication of the dignity, independ-
ence, and power of the Christian pulpit, when
occupied by men of genius and piety.
In those churches where the ecclesiastical
establishment based upon fixed creed and
sauissg ordinances was everything, and the
man nothing, as in the Romish church, it
made little difference whether the priest was
orwas not man of talent or piety., His work
was functional and not personal. 1t was the
church through its creed and ordinances that
saved, and not the. power of truth IN tne
minister. So in Protestant churches In winch
the ecclesiastical mechanism was most reheo
upon. the minister however dull, who faithfully
administered the means of grace prescribed by
the creed adopted by the sect, was considered
20 ba,o done the whole work Of the gospel,
and a. man were not converted it was their
| own fault ,t1s,,et.s .ssrs
The clergy of the liberal church performed
no such Office, stood behind no such establish
ment and arrogated no peculiar or official
sanction. They spoke as men to their fellow
men, and their influence If they won any, was
the influence of a superior mind with its
quicker apprehension Of and greater power of
imparting truth.
This distinction between their Office and that
Of the priest had not been understood by their
congregations, and not always by themselves.
The incongruous functional and official char
acter had been too often imputed to them.
While they had laid aside the ecclesiastical as
sumption of priesthood, there had not been
left to them the Independence due to their
manhood. There had been a disposition to
restrict their range of investigation and teach
ing to matters within the local limits of Jul
dea, and within the topics ofancient scripture.
But with these matters thepublic had become
satiated. They ceased to have interest even
for an hour ON Sunday to draw the thoughts
Of the merchant from his goods, of the brok-
er from his stocks, and of the frivolous, fash
ionabIe woman from her inanities. The min
lister who was thoughtful and earnest man,
wished to enter upon the life of his times, to
meetmen upon the great subjects which
were stirring their passions, stimulating their
thoughts, and shaping their conduct.
A few years ago the personal evils of intenl-
persnce, the organic injustice of slavery were
discussed in the pulpit freely as religious
and ethical questions, as they were. But the
public became interested in them, and parties
took them up, upon one side or the other.
Then it was arrogantly claimed that they
must not be preached about, because they had
become political topics, and to preach upon
them. would be- intrudihg upon the sphere
of the politician, whereas it was the politi-
clans that had attempted, to intrude upon the
paramount sphere of morals and religion.
This jealousy of listening to the appeals of
the pulpit upon politics, sprung from misun-
derstanding of the Office of the pulpit, from
the idea that the minister was the mere jisnc-
tionasy Of the church, and that ifhe said any
thing, that did mot echo the opinions of the
pesos, he somehow committed the pews to his
obnoxious sentiment. Nothing is more un-
true. The minister is the deputy and func-
tionary Of nobody. he stands as a man ut
tering his own thought, which, because it
does not agree with yours you do not resent
any more, than what a gentleman and a
christian chooses TO say sincerity at your fire.
side or in the street. rs :
We regret that there was not larger au di-
ence to listen to these liberal and philosophi-
cal views. We do not despair of seeing the time
when truth-loving men instead ofsaying do
not go 10 hear Paul, because deem him u,a-
sound on certdin points shall say / have left
of hearing only Peter because he echoes my
opinions, and go often to hear Paul whom 1
differ with on every point because he helps me
combat some sad conclusions to which have
arrived enthusiastically thro,sa. Of conyfc-
ton, while his zeal stimulates my thought, and
his faith and devoutness quicken mine.
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