Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-08-08
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 1872.
Thr Pew and the Pulpit.

1t is fact apparent in the religious
elements of society that there is a wide
separation between the pew and the pull
pit. There is great power residing in
the pew in its strong attachment to tie
ordinances of the church, and as ex-
pressed in its ready missionary spirit
working for the good of men everywhere,
especially in foreign lands, and no less in
the lanes and streets Of great cities and
large towns exhibits itself in a principle
of sympathy, binding together the ele-
ments of church power in such manner
as to bring every moral force to the
front.
There also resides in the pulpit an
element of power. In the very imper-
fections of the ministry are its strength.
1t is ordained that men should hear the
doctrines of religion from the lips of
men of like passions with themselves,
like temptations and infrmities, like
risks and similar hopes. The minister
and the people traverse the same sea of
life, in the same frail vessel, tossed by
the same waves, and driven before the
same winds. The minister feels all the
throbs of hope and of fear, of joy and
sorrow, which heave the breast of so
ciety at large. He must struggle and
wait Just as others. And out of this
experience of risk and trial comes the
great energy of sympathy which under
lies the hold of the minister upon the
character of his flock.
In another direction the pulpit derives
strength from the impossibilities it is
called to perform. No clergyman has
probably yet solved the problem of the
best division of his powers between his
mental work and heart work-between
the study and the homes Of the people.
This condition of things constitutes
discipline out of which the minister de-
riyes strength. 1t throws him upon
higher resources than his own. Stimu-
lated by his own earnestness, urged by
thoughtless eXactions, forced to choose
what part of his overwork may more
safely be neglected, he has no human
resource from an intolerable suspense.
The minister then goes on his way re-
solved that with equal cheerfulness and
patience he will do what he can and ne
glect what he cannot do.
The people have claims upon the min
lister, and go to him with their sorrows
and wants, for in him they possess
strong faith; but thepeople should spare
his time as much as possible that hemay
possess retirement for the proper and
necessary preparation for his Sabbath
duties, for the pulpit power resides in
its teachings. The world has little con-
ception of what it owes 70 the pulpit.
No influence goes deeper into the soil of
social like than that of the Christian
ministry. A faithful minister in some
village pulpit, througa a period of a
quarter Of a century, VIII have been
educating two generations in the path
Of duty. He has, at the same time,
lodged a power in the community by
his precepts and example The power
of the pulpit lies mrch in faithfulness
in the fullness of its instructions and
in the fearlessness of it's applications.
A pulpit that is told what it must not
allude to, the pulpit which dares not
utter truth honestly, is worth little for
its moral power. If the minister is
honest he will offend some that are in
the pews. But bold and truthful utter
ances will, in the end, commend them
selves to every mans conscience, so that
the minister may find himself all the
stronger among the pews for daring to
tell the truth. There is nothing so con-
tcmptible as a cowardly pulpit, nor
treachery more fragrant than when the
legate of religion does not dare to utter
the message of truth and duty. Let
then the pulpit be honest and help the
pew to be true and faithful-then will
there be reciprocity of sentiment and re-
gard, strength and triumph, union and
harmony, and the pulpit exert its true
power.