The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-07-05

4
that you are called to the great work of
training the preachers of the gospel-to train
those whose great business it is to be wit
nesses for Christ and the riches of His grace
to lost men. You would scarcely be quail
fed for the duties of your office, if you had
not profound and abiding conviction that
preaching is the ordinance of God; not
merely that it is one of the means by which
truth may be brought into contact with the
minds, hearts and consciences of men, but
that all its real efficacy depends upon the
fact that it is Gods ordinance; that although
it appears foolishness to men, it is "the wis
dom of God and the power of God unto sal
walton" and that because it is Gods ordi-
nance you are entitled to expect that His
blessing will continue to attend it, even to
the end of the world that as speaking was
before writing, so this ordinance of preach
ing has the birth-right, and is entitled to the
blessing above all other means and agencies
which the world or the Church has invented
for the diffusion of the truth amongst men.
Other departments of labor in the same gen.
eral sphere are committed to your colleagues
in the Seminary. 1t is the office of some to
teach how to interpret the word of God, to
open the fountain itself of eternal truth,
and by the aids which God has furnished to
their hands, to bring out the hidden mean
ing of the Spirit. 1t is the Office of others
to digest and arrange those great truths
which are derived by Interpretation from the
word, into system, dialectic and polemic-
to teach how to explain and defend the great
doctrines of the gospel. 1t is the Office of
others to show how this truth has come in
conflict with error in the history of the
Church, and how God in spite of all the
weakness and sins of His people, and the
ministers of the word, has never suffered the
gates of hell to prevail against the Church.
1t is the Office of others still, to show how
the truth of God holds its own, and must
continue to hold its own, against all the as
suits of "Science falsely so.called" But,
all the attainments of the young men in these
different departments, will avail them moth
ing SO far as the grand end of preaching is
concerned, unless they learn also to preach
to communicate the truth they have learned
to those to whom God may call them to pro.
claim the glad tidings of salvation. And it
is part of your Office as Professor of this
Chair to teach men hon to preach, to i'm
press upon them the conviction that the pull
pit is the ordinance of God.
1t is also part Of your office, as the name
of your Profeasorship implies, to impress
upon them the great fact that all their at
tainments are nothing unless they are &C
companed with love to Jesus Christ and the
souls of men. | understand by the term
Professor of Evangelistic Theology" not
only that you are to help them to prepare to
preach the glad tdings of salvation, but to
help them to obtain that love without which
all attainments in science or theology or any
department, are utterly in vain. They may
have all knowledge, they may understand
all majesties, and yet without love which will
prompt them to devote themselves wholly to
Christs cause, they are but as sounding
brass and tinkling cymbal. 1t is part
Of your high calling therefore to Undue them,
SO far as the instrumentality of poor, NOR
tai man can, with the spirit of missions,
with that spirit which will prompt them to
hold themselves always in readiness to preach
the gospel not only among the accomplish.
ments and comforts of civilized life, but even
to the most savage and degraded nations Of
the earth. And if you should never do any
thing more than this, if through the abound
ing grace of God you should succeed in
inspiring the young men committed to your
care with this spirit of love of Christ which
will make them count their lives not dear
unto them, so that they may finish their
course with JOY and testify the grace of God,
you will certainly not have lived in vain
And now | may ask, as you have been
asked before, and have often asked yourself
since you have been in the ministry, "Who
is sufficient for these things?" There is no
suffciency in yourself. 1t will therefore be
a part of your duty, and a chief part, ever
more to direct your eyes and your heart to
"the father of lights from whom cometh
down every good and perfect gift, with whom
there is no yariableness neither the shadow
of turning" "who is light, and in whom is
no darkness at all, j" that you also may "walk
in the light and have fellowship with him in
the truth, ~ that your own soul may be sup.
ported by that truth which you teach TO
others; and that while you are teaching
them pastoral theology, giving them valua-
bic hints, and maxims for the regulation of
their conduct in the ministry of the word,
you may always feel that God has made you
in part the pastor of these souls, SO that you
by precept and by example may be the
means in the hand of God of leading them
in the green pastures and beside the still
waters" May God give you abundant grace
for the discharge of all your duties and for
your support under all your trials, and bring
you at last with many whom he may make
the seals of your ministry, to his heavenly
Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord
| The Moderat0r-In the name of this AS
sembly, / do declare you, DR.. Wilson, Pro-
fessor in the Theological Seminary at Col
umbia, under the style and title announced
to you in your election, and declare you en-
titled to all it's immunities and privileges.
DIR. Wilson then delivered an appropriate inau
gural address, which it is understood will be given
to the public in another FORM
After singing the hymn commencing,
with heavenly power, 0 Lord, defend
Him whom we now to thee commend,
the exercises were closed with prayer by DIR.
Porter, and the benediction by the Modera-
tor.
Agents Wanted for
| IL A NJ n II ~