The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-08-23
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
EMPTY PULPITS PROCLAIM THE PEG.
PIES FOLLY.
AUGUST. 10Th, 1871

AUGUST. 1Otu, 1Ci L.
Dear Brother Brown,-It is astonishing
that the people in SO many places are con-
tent to remain without regular services.
see in the Minutes of the Assembly, every
third or fourth church marked with the
ominous "V," and l know of communities
in which one to two hundred persons will
come out to hear stranger preach, where
Sabbath after Sabbath passes, without the
call to public worship. Holding services in
a community of this kind recently, l was
constrained to tell the people, that such
desntution was to say the least of it, not
respectable. Is there not something british
in allowing men and women to die, without
one gospel word or prayer? And of course
where there are no regular services, there is
no minister of the gospel with whom serious
persons feel well enough acquainted, to
open their hearts to him. And in such
cases too, the church ceases to be visible,
except upon the roll of the Assembly. These
terrapin stories, that have been going the
rounds of the press, about how the animal
was marked fifty or an hundred years ago,
and then found, and, in the original dminu'
tiveness, seem designed to illustrate the life
of these chronically vacant churches.
But seriously. am filed with grief aud
astonishment at the conduct of the people il
this matter. How few there are like the gooj
elder who told me the other day, that he
and his son would give hundred aud fifty
dollars for one third the time of any accep
table minister. Why, | would rather beal
all the expense myself, than not have
church for my family to attend. Or if un
able to do this, would move where there
was one.
And of all the folles of which com
-suuniry or congregation can be guilty per
haps the greatest is that of suffering use
ful minister to go away, for lack of adequate
support. What are few hundred dollars
more or less, in comparison with the infu
ence of such man? An elder of -
church is in the habit of telling his fellow
members, that single July shower, woulc
furnish them enough to support preache
well. Let s be granted that the pastor
little extravagant; that is an infrmit,,
which may beSet good man, and the peO
pie must not expect to have angels to I'll
their pulpits.
Said an intelligent gentleman to me tn
other day, "We cannot attend the service
of these illiterate men who are among us
Only send us preacher who can preach an
we will support him" 1 replied, that ac
cording to Presbyterianism, the people mus
act first. 1t is in vain for destitute churche
and communities to lay the blame on others
True, ministers are scarce, and many church
es that are now appealing for supplies, wi
not get them. But as long as salaries ar
so inadequate, no church that is willing
come up to a proper standard of minis
terial support, need despair. The suppl
will be equal to the demand. The first efe'
of preaching the gospel in destitute con
munities, is to make the people desire reg
lar services. Therefore should the paste.
visit such communities, endeavor to impre
them with the value of the gospel, show the