The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-10-07
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
Friendly Counsel to Young Men.
NO. XVI.

THE GREAT DEMAND FOR MINISTER'S.
Me- Dear Fin the present commu-
nication, shall resume the subject Of
my last and argue the great demand that
exists for ministers
(2.) From the fact that ia almost eve
ry congregation there is large proper
ton of hearers who are perishing for the
lack of knowledge.
No spot on earth as yet has been en-
tirely reclaimed to the dominion of the
Lord Jesus. Side by side with the ban
ner of redeeming love Satan continues
to wave the black flag of hell. Even
the most beautiful oases are intersected
by broad bands of sterile soil that so far
have resisted the fertilizing showers of
Divine grace. In the same community
saint and sinner dwell together. In the
+. same family the children of light and the
CHILDREN OF darkness sit at the common
board, and share the affections of COM
mon parental heart. And when the
chimes of the Sabbath bell call to the
house of prayer, of all the thousands
that throng the courts of Gods earthly
sanctuary, there are multitudes who are
strangers to the subduing power of the
Gospel.
Were it true then, (which is not the
case however, that the regenerate could
dispense with the public instructions of
Gods Word and be entrusted with the
cultivation of their own religious life,
would it be wise, would it be right, to
close our churches against these crowds
of immortal souls who are still out of
Christ and out of heaven? Could We
afford to leave the ground only partially
occupied, and bend all our available ener-
gies upon those fields which are lying
totally waste, productive only of thorns
and thistles? =?
If we say, No-as we must-then do
we see great call for efficient labOrers in
the ministry. And if it is the duty of
the Church to be aggressive,-aggressive
not only upon Satan'S empire where 1t
has never been invaded, but also upon
those strongholds of the enemy that yet
frown upon it wherever it has gained a
foothold-then as the Church enlarges
Its work of conquest, it viii continually
be crying out for living heroes to carry
forward its triumphs when they have
been but partially achieved.
(3) AS a third argument, consider,
that in the nature of things no ground,
without constant and laborious culture,
Can be permanently occupied by the Cos
pei.
Suppose that every community could
be thoroughly permeated with the spirit
of Christ, and every house become a
Bethel. Even if this idea could be real
lied, new generations would be continu-
ally springing into being, destitute of the
saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus.
Every child, whatever its parentage,
bears the impress of the Fall upon the
character of It's soul. Holiness is not
propagated, but san is; and the offspring
of the godly need to be regenerated as
well as the offspring of the ungOdly.
A few years, therefore, if unmatched
and uncared for by a living ministry,
would introduce the most deplorable
changes into the spiritual condition of
the most thoroughly evangelized cOmmu-
nifty. The piety of the fathers would be
overshadowed by the impiety of their
children, and it would be no very great
while before deSolation and ruin would
brood over those portions which were
once the fairest in Zion.
al But besides all this, there are
alarming destitutiOns every where, which
with the present ministerial force at our
command it is impossible to supply.