Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-10-30
Ministers and Lawyers,

Under this caption the PittsbuyaA
Christian 1dvocufe llas the following
valuable article. We commend it cs-
pccially to the notice Of ministers.
The facts, rs stated in connection with
the Methodist Episcopal clergy, arc
precisely similar to what is observed
in the United Brethren Church;
1t can hardly have escaped the no.
ticc of observing men that, as u rule
lawyers retain their effectiveness and
power in their profession many years
longer than, do clergymcn. Whocv-
er will look about him in the ministry,
especially in our own church, will find
that almost universally the principal
appointments arc filled by compara-
lively young men. AS contrmatory
of this fact wo have just looked over,
carefully, the appointments of one Of
the largest conferences in the coni,cc-
ton. That conference has III it about
twenty of what may be called first
class appointments. III looking over
these twenty first class appointments
VIC find that not one Of the preachers
filling them is fifty years of age, and
one of the preachers filing the second
rate appointments, not moro than two
or threc at most arc over fifty years
Old. And yet there are quite num-
Der Of men in that conference, in the
effective ranks, over fifty years Of age
who onoe filled these first class an
pointments, but who now occupy the
less Important fields of labor. 1t
must be a matter of intcnsest interest
to the minister to know why this
retrogadc movement in the ministry at
such an age. Neither tho bodily
strength or Judgment of these mon
is impaired by age. We're they far
mers OF mechanics, they could still do
quite as much work as ever; but as
preachers, their power In the pulpit
has been diminishing. A careful ex-
animation of other conferences would
probably show the same general as,
poets as the conference we have ex.
amined, tho. rule being in the case of
the Methodist ministry, that, by tho
age of fifty, our ministers arc losing
their power in the pulpit.
A comparison of ministers with
lawyers would seem to show. clearly
that ministers can and ought to retain
their pulpit power much longer. than
they generally do. Among lawyers
the ruleis, that those having obtained
position and power at the bar, and
wishing to retain it, do not wanc in
their power as speakers or thinkers
until they have long passed the age
Of fifty, unless physical infrmities
have come upon. thom.7 AS q rule;
they are as strong at tho BAR from
fifty to sixty, or 'sixtyty-fyc, as ever
before. And tho same is true of our
statesmen.s Thoy are; ordinarily
growing men in their. profession till
long past fifty Why then should pub
lie, speaking in tho ministry lose pow
Or, Oyer man at. an earlier, age than
.publie. speaking in other professions
loses power? The explanation obvi,
-ousiy lies in this. There arc circum,
stances ia other professions that. tcnd
to- force the membors of those .pfofes.
'sions to constant mental activity,
Every plea the lawyer makes tosthe
court, or argument fhat be ,lnakes to
The jury, must: be anew one, No
matter how vol he may have prepar-
edhimsalf in anyprevious case sfaping
the same general character; zach pans
ticnlhE eas6 aias s6 rins:sny, featupes no.
euliar TO itself, that the old plea or
arggment viii not answer here, but
new preparation pust be made ~ Now
4 Htsssh & EAaeseeht must be rqe, Sat, s4ad
thas tfs hihd Of tho lawyer Is, by
tho circumstances of his sprofssSiop,
fnrcod into constant activity, preyen.
tug stagaation and dallnssa,; :so.witK
I the statsan.en: Every sgpesA. he
makes in Parliament, or Congress,
indstsae ;1naspeseh, aaaa being new
to hinl, he ia Interested III: it, and be-
ing himself interested in it, he can
hardly fail to instruct his hearers,
An ancient classical writer furnishcs