The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-02-03
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
REMOVING TO A NEW CHARGE.

your work in the new field of labor to which
you have been called. Probably you meant
only that | should furnish you with such OBJ
servations as might indicate what differences
you might expect to find between the church
at NJ, of which you have taken charge, and
the church of B., which you have just left.
You will not object, however, if 1 make use
of the occasion to present you with some
views of the work of the Gospel ministry,
as looked at by layman, who is also an
elder.
once sold farm to young farmer, who
asked my advice as to the best mode of cul-
tivating it. Allow me to give some extracts
from my letter to him.
"Of course you do not expect to be gov
erned by my advice. No man is fit to be a
farmer who is determined in his final action
by any thing else than his own judgment
Others may know more than you do about
agriculture, but no one can know half as
much about your own farm as you do, if you
are at all fit for your business. IF you will
allow me to make some general observations
first, which probably contain nothing new to
you, l will afterwards come more to particu-
lars. My experience for some years, had led
me to believe that for the successful cultiva-
ton of FoxwoOd only three things were
necessary-the blessing of God, deep
ploughing, and plenty of clover seed.
Certainly these three generals included
many particulars, which are indispensable.
For example, if Gods blessing is necessary,
you must put yourself in the way of receiv-
ing it, and this will require you to be godly,
honest, industrious, &c. Deep ploughing is
necessary, and this you cannot do without
sufficient number of strong animals, properly
cared for, and attached to the best agricul-
tural implements. The ground must be
broken up at the right time, &c. You must
SOW plenty of clover seed as fertilizer, and
the same reason will make you saving of
your manure, &c.
So much for the present, of my extract.
In like manner, say to you, that you can
not receive from any one formula by which
you may mechanically work out your minis
try. God himself has not furnished you
with any such formula. You are not
Heather nor Jewish, nor Catholic Priest
- ns.p,osOribed Qss6 -
FORM B456 are a herald-bdc4 a
herald, with an unvarying proclamation to
deliver. You are Gospel miuister in
Christ's stead, to induce men to be recon
ciled to God. Every mans life is proba.
ton of himself as an individual, of all his
powers, physical, mental, and moral, with an
appropriate responsibility. One man can
not die for another, one man cannot live for
another. Take counsel, therefore, from any
who are capable of offering it, but take di-
rection from no man. Allow your friends
to advise. Allow no man to act for you.
Do not ask advice unnecessarily. Seek for
information, ample and minute, from all
proper sources, upon all subjects, land they
will be many,) with which you ought to be
acquainted. But never ask advice after
you have made up your mind, or if you can
make it up without assistance. Some good
men, and more good women, have weak
ness about advising their beloved pastor.
suppose they must be listened to with Chris
.ian patience, but they ought not to be en-
couraged. Certainly every man in the course
of his experience, will need from time to
time counsel from others. But it is better,
and especially for the minister, to trust the
advice of one or two judicious friends, rather
than make his perplexities public by collect
ing the opinions of half dozen. Moreover,
(such is human nature, in doubtful matter,
your course of action will often be accepted
more readily when it is believed to be spon-
taneous, than when it is known to have orr
ginated with others.
Recurring to the extract / have given, 1
would say, that for your success, four things
in my judgment are necessary, which l will
name, without dwelling upon more than one
of them. 1st. The blessing of God End
Study. 3rd DevotednesS. 4th Common
Sense. | do not set these down in the order
of Importance.
1t is your profession to teach men the
indispensableness of the blessing of God
and the means of obtaining it. l am sure
you feel that it is, to say the least, as neces-
sary for yourself as for any one to whom you
preach; and it is net my province to offer
you any exhortation upon this topic.
Without study you must fail, though by it
alone you cannot succeed to the full. This
is the ailment that gives muscle for your
main work-preaching Your commission
is to preach the Gospel, and if you fail to
do this to the best of your ability, you are
unfaithful. Other things, as especially pas
:oral visiting, are necessary, but preaching
is first. Ordinarily there will be no conflict
between these duties, but if in any emergen-
cy you are conscientiously unable to do the
necessary study, and at the same time the
usual amount of visiting, leave the visiting
undOne Your people may murmur little,
but when duty speaks, you must not listen
to the murmurs of the people. Their dis
satisfaction will be at an end when they
discover that you have not robbed the con-
gregation of any of the time belonging to
them, but have only appropriated it to an