The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-08-18
AN EFFICIENT MINISTRY.
Extract from the Southern Presbyterian ReviOw,
July, 1862

July, looo'
1t is this self oblivion that makes the eff
cient pastor. This is the grand requisite ;
all other things are subsidiary. Learning,
eloquence, natural gifts, important as they
all are, must take lower seat. They can
effect but little without the former; but as
sociated with it, they constitute a man
thoroughly furnished and ln>king full proof
of his ministry. Sucb, q lsai will be blessed
in his labors. They csnnot be in vain.-
The Master will look down upon him with
his sweetest smiles. If heaven has bless
ings to bestow, they will come upon such a
man. If there is place on this earth that
draws to it, more than any other, the inter-
ested attention of heavenly beings, it is the
field in which such man labors. He has
meat to eat of which the world knows not !;
he is fed with the hidden mama, and it will
be his to wear crown and obtain rewards
and share bliss which others will not reach.
Such men are the useful and successful men
in the ministry. They may be destitute of
much that is highly esteemed among men /;
they may have no rare gifts; their attain
ments in all human knowledge may be very
moderate they may know but little of sys-
tematic theology or the rules of homiletics,
and much else that we gather from Libraries
and seminaries but they can do this-they
can preach the Gospel acceptably and sue
cessfully. Put a man in any community,
with every conceivable disadvantage around
him, and let him have the spirit Of his Mas
ter and of Paul, and results will be brought
about which eternity only will disclose, but
much of which will be seen and felt even by
the blindest and dullest. Then the truth will
be seen to be effective in the edifcation of
saints and the conversion of precious souls,
and the most profound respect will be ex-
torted from an unbelieving world. If it is
delusion to believe that such man could
not continue long in an unblessed minis
try, it is delusion from which we hope nev.
er to be delivered. Such ministry will be
blessed, if there is truth in Gods word, if
there is truthfulness in the Head of the
Church.
We would ever listen more respectfully to
the man who has done thing himself sue
cessfully, than to what even Butler or a Ba-
con might say who had not done it. We ask
attention now 10 what plain ordinary min
ister of the Gospel once said, who, by sim
gle serlaon, was once the instrument of con-
verting about five hundred souls Earnest
faith and psayer, single aim at the glory
of God and the good of the people, sane
titled heart and carriage, shall avail much
for right preaching. There is sometimes
somewhat in preaching that cannot be
ascribed to the matter or expression, and
cannot be described what it is or from whence
it came; but with sweet violence it pierceth
into the heart and affections, and comes i'm
mediately from the Lord" He says fur
ther: " l never preached but two sermons
that | would desire to see in print, and both
of these times l had spent the whole night
before in conference and prayer with some
Christian brethren, without any more than
ordinary preparation. Otherwise my gifts
were rather suited to simple common people,
than to learned, judicous auditors.
Brainerd's devotion to the missionary
work is finely described by Robert Hall as
"such an absorption of the whole soul in
zeal for the divine glory and the salvation of
men,as had scarcely been paralleled since
the age of the Apostles"
The great want of the Church is minis
try baptized with this spirit of entire conse-
Grafton. Without this, she will ever be
cursed with an inefficient ministry. Our Pres
byterian Church, in common with others,
lies under this blighting, whitening, blasting
curse. We have men of learning, and men
of eloquence, and men of great commanding
powers; but we have not, as whole, nor,
it is to be feared, as to the larger part, men
who give themselves wholly to the ministry
of the word Many on whom the hands of
the Presbytery have been placed, and who
90 through a restricted routine of what they
call pastoral woIk, have ncvs entered into
the spirit of the preachers mission, or felt
its awful responsibilities, or performed its
duties. An inefficient ministry is greater
evil to the Church than one morally corrupt
or grossly erroneous. These last, by their
glaring unftness, prepare the way for their
own remedy. But an orthodox, moral, in
efficient ministry, is Satan's grand device to
cripple activities, blight spirituality, and
bring deadness upon Church Give us
men of ordinary capacity who are eaten up
with zeal for the Masters glory and whose
hearts melt in compassion over dying sin.
ners, and the cause of God will go on in the
world. Books and periodicals TEEN with di.
rections about how to make sermons and how
to deliver them when made; but let us have
devoted men in our pulpits, and they will
make sermons and preach them too, in q
way that God will bless to the good of souls
They may not have the primness and rheto
rical polish with which moderatism once
Aourished in Scotland, or the "decent gen
tiity" under which all that is vital ant
,roo;ous IN tho Enolish Estahlobment ba,