The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-02-07
VACANT CHURCHES.

There are many of our churches for the present
without pastors; aud this must to some extent
continue to be the case until the supply Of minis
tiers is increased The want of pastor to labor in
word and doctrine, aud take the spiritual oversight
of the flock is an afH lotion greatly to be depored
Those who are in this sad case should not cease to
pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth more
aborers, and they should be unremitting in their
efforts to supply their restitution.
There is meanwhile in many of these vacant
churches an evil, consequent upon their being va
cant, that should be removed, and that is not be-
youd the control of the churches themselves
Those churches that are without pastors for the
most part give little or nothing to support the be-
uevolent operations of the church. Some which
though neither large nor strong have nevertheless
been regular and liberal in their contributions, when
they have been blessed with the services of pas
tor, cease to give as soon IS the pulpit becomes
vacant.
I Now, brethren of our vacaps churches, this
ought not so to be- God in Withdrawing your pas
tor, has not taken away from you the ability to
give. But on the other hand you can, not only do
as much for the work of the church at large as
formerly, but you can add to your contributions to
the work without, what formerly you gave for the
support of your pastor. You may think it rather
hard that when you have not the privileges of the
gospel, you should be expected to continue to pay
as when you enjoyed these privileges. But, dear
brethren, God has not diminished your ability to
help in the great work Of the gospel; and will you
refuse to give your help to other communities, be-
cause you cannot share the benefit yourself? Shall
the principle of disiuterested benevolence be ignor
ed a? God, by taking from you your pastor, has
neither released you from the duty of giving as he
has prospered you nor debarred you from the
privilege of using your means to help on his great
work. Remember the words of the LORD Jesus,
how he said 1t is more blessed to give than to re-
ceive.
Whilst other Christian graeeS may be anguish
ing from the want of the regular ministrations OF
the word, do not add to your misfortuues by failing
to cultivate also the grace of giving, And besides
the direct good from the cultivation of this grace,
you will have the more reason to look for the bless
ing of God upon your church when you are doing
duty to others.
If all the vacant churches would give to the
Sustentatiou cause what they could afford to give
to support pastors, there would be means at the
command of the Presbyteries to bring into the
field many ministers, now either wholly or in part
employed in the work of preaching, and thus to
some extent supply the existing destitutiOu.-
They would be able to employ evangelists who
could at least occasionally visit all their vacant
churches. And the way would be opened t. give
them pastors when the young men pOW at our
Seminaries are ready for the work. Let these
churches give the $500, or $500, or $500 they are
willing to give for the services of minister, and
if it does not come back to them in supply of
their own restitution, the work Of raising and Civ
ing this money will keep up some life in the va
cant churches, and their donations Nh 90 forth to
bless others, and help in the great work of evan
geliziug the world.