The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-12-12

can't pay; how can you expect him to leave
the cares OF this world out of his sermon
and preach to you gospel of love, Joy and
peace. An underpaid ministry is blight
on our churches, and the poor preaching
of which complaint is so loud and general
is just the natural, the becoming fruit of
inadequate support. A man who serves at
the altar ought to live by the altar, so says
Paul. Why, you want anything fine and
good, you must pay for it. See how peo-
pie feed their fields with bone, their cattle
with corn, their business with adyer-
tisements, their houses with oil and paint,
their minds with study, their hearts with
objects of affection, their hands with inycn-
lions, tool and machines to do their work,
end nature rewards them with thick wav-
ing crops, with durable houses, with in
creasing property, with great learning
Why, the liberal hand maketh rich, and
the niggard, reluctant hand maketh Door
poor fields, poor merchants and poor pull
pits II you want tree to grow, and
throw out wide branches and bear luscious
fruits, and furnish grateful shade YOU
dig about it and dung it you give it wa
ter and soil-and just 80 with Minister'S
Treat them generously lift them above bodi-
ly cares; free their minds from the constant
worry OF addition and subtraction, and YOU
deepen the roots of their power-you
spread out the branches of their influence:
you hang them thick with fruit Of earnest
effort and convincing preaching. You make
minister more self-respecting you do away
In him with the fear of man. He is not
afraid to speak out the whole counsel of
God. He is not timid, time serving, fear
full OF giving offence, when he knows of.
fence ought to be given in Gods name,
like the man is, who has large family, it
may be, and is dependent for his pittshce
on the within of two or half dozen rich
deacons who hold rod over him; who
have a bond and mortgage on every word
he utters, and every doctrine he discusses,
and every sin he reproves. God pity all
such ministers and take them to heaven.
Loosen them from that most ignoble and
degrading of all positions to a conscien-
tious man, where lie has to be disloyal to
truth; false to his convictions; keep back
what he knows ought to be spoken, or
offend those on whose will and favor de-
ponds the bread his children cat and the
house that covers their heads.
In the third place Be regular and pune
tual in coming to church services.
This is your home. Your pew has q
claim on you whenever worship is offered
here. Therefore make it a rule to be in it,
for your own sake and for the sake of your
example, and out of consideration for YOUR
pastor. Why, we preachers have feelings,
and nothing pains and grieves US like
slack, loose attendance on our ministra-
tions. You know you are our guests, in q
sense, on Sunday. As the ambassadors of
Christ we receive on that day; you have q
standing invitation from us for that day,
and we expect you, We prepare for you.
so, even If the weather is bad, yourself u
little indisposed, still make an effort to
come. Let your chivalry, Ya'ar tenderness
and consideration for the minister, give
weight if that can be necessary to the
command of your God, the needs of your
spirit, and bring you regularly and pune.
tuaily to the service of Gods House. ----
lastly Be working church. Nelson
at Trafalgar hung out on his flagship the
watctword, England expects every man
to 40 his duty" So does the Captain of
our Salvation, in the battle ofTruth against
Error, the good against the bad, expect
every man to do his duty. My friend,
brother in Christ, you are a priest unto
God, 80 says the Apostle. You are to do
something for Gods church as we'll as your
minister. He, the minister, hasn't the
hundred eyes of Argus, or the hundred arms
OF Briareus. You must use your eyes for
him; work with him; influence every one
you can, not Christian, to come to your
church. Have good word to say for your
household of God, whenever opportunity 10
given. We Presbyterians are not aggressive
enough. We need some of that energy and
zeal of which other sister churches have
enough, and a little to spare, think. Let
us appropriate it. You will never have
to reproach yourself for inducing people
to come to the Presbyterian church.
If anybody likes pure word of God,
honestly preached, don't hesitate to speak
up in favor fyour own church but re-
member, without disparaging any other of
the various bodies into which Christians
are divided. Therefore, be working PEG.
pie, in prayer, in holy living, in regular
worship, in speaking word in season and
out of season, in mutual helpfulness, in
generous giving, in seeking out and bring
ing within the fold Gods strays, wander
ing prodigals, the DEVILS dupes. For you,
brethren, are fellow-laborers with God, az
we'll as we ministers. You have your work
as we'll as we, and the successful perfor-
nance of ours depends in great degree or
the right discharge of yours.