The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-03-10
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
LIFE AND FIRE ASSURANCE.

My Dear Brother, ask me to occu.
py place in your columns in the discussion
of the subject of life and fire assurance, in
relation to the ministry of the Church and
houses of worship-.a subject recently
brought to tile notice of your readers in an
editorial article. / cannot but believe that
if the matter were justly appreciated by the
Christian public such discussion would ex-
cite the profoundest interest. The expert
ence of the writer is not however very cheer
ing in this respect. tits now nearlya quarter
of century ,since he made repeated and
strenuous efforts, but utterly failed, to call
the attention of the churches to the subject
of life assurance, and to secure appropriate
action from the church courts, in view of the
means presented by the system to make some
adequate provision for the families of min
listers, removed by death.
In this connection, there is a chapter in
the history of the ministry of Christ, which
is written in detached fragments on thou,
sand tried and bleeding hearts, in successive
generations, transcribed thence to the book
of Gods remembrance, and regarded with
tender pity by our sympathizing high Priest;
but unread and unknown to any human
eye, and too often unmagined by the un-
considerate affection of even the most
thoughtful, and true of their people. What
is the ordinary experience of the ministry !?
The youthful servant of Christ finds himself
surrounded by young and helpless family
growing up around him. His salary is bare
ly sufficient, with the most rigid economy, to
procure them present supplies of daily bread.
The continuance of that even, is dependent
on his continued health and ability to labor
The widest dream of fancy does not venture
so far as to imagine the possibility of ever
being able to lay up from the proceeds of
his ministry any surplus for the contingency
of protracted sickness, or any provision for
loved ones in the event of his DEATH Other
provision for them he has none The Gospel
which he breaches, if it have any power at
all, tends to develope and cultivate the finer
feelings of his nature, to draw out his affec-
tions, and cause them to hover more and
more tenderly around those whom he loves,-
those whom Gods love has given him in re-
ations. so near, so sweet and sacred. His
heart yearns over them with an unspeakable
tenderness, as his startled thoug hit takes in
the possibilities of the future, from the gath.
ering storms of which he would so carefully
shield them. The call of God is upon han,
and he dares not if he would, forsake the
ministry. And because. he does aot indutee-
in unmanly and opeGsfepnDigsE ana. com
plants, because he addresses himself with
courage, self-SacriGce and uutiring zeal to the
duties of his Office, men imagine, if they
take thought on the subject at all, that he
does not think, or feel, or care for these
things. And yet is he in this eminent sense,
a living sacrifice" in the fact that he is
daily Offering heart thus lacerated and
bleeding on the altar of Gods service, and
rebukng the best instincts of his natural and
sanctfed affections, as the risings of unbelief
and discomfort. The time of sickness comes,
and the shadow of death falls across his path,
and but for those beloved ones who gather
tearfully around, the soldier of the cross
would gladly lay off his armor and enter in
to rest. Why, then, is it that when no eye
sees him, but that of God, his plea is made
for life? Hezekiah "turned his face to the
wall and prayed unto the Lord, saying I
beseech thee, Lord remember now how |
have walked before thee in truth and with a
perfect heart, and have done that which is
good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept
sore" How often has this scene been re-
enacted by tried and distressed, yet faith
full ministry? How little do observers real
ize what is often going on in the heart whilst
the countenance speaks patient submission,
and the lips tell of peace and hope?
But where, cries some one, is the faith of
such troubled and sorrowing souls? We
answer, Paul had faith, yet he tells US of him
self that without were fghtings, and within
were fears, and that he was cast down, though
not destroyed. We answer farther, that as
the body is one, Christ does not give mi
raculous faith to the ministry to free them
from the natural results of the unfaithful-
ness, the thoughtlessness and self-seeking of
the other members of the body. So long as
the Church does not in some form adequately
provide for these as well as the other neces-
sites of the ministry, the latter must accept
and realize all the bitterness of the results
as o part of the remainder of the sufferings
of Christ. And though it may tend to add
radiance to their final crown, it will not be
we'll with those whose neglect and unfaithful.
ness minister the occasion.
1t was the painful results of observation
and experience respecting this aspect of
ministerial life, that first directed the writer's
attention to the subject of life assurance, at
time when it was just struggling into exis-
tence as an active element in the develop
ments Of our social system. A carefulstudy
of it, in all its aspects, economical and moral,
induced conviction that in the system of
mutual life assurance is the means, and so
c.. an nn1r nnnnarn tLa an u. ILL IL. - I - L.