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


That companion is Christ. AS such set
him before this people. In the midst of
their experiences bid them turn to him,
who is full of love and tenderness and mer
cy, "touched with every feeling of human
infirmity." Never was there love like his;
never lover whose devotion could compare
with his.
Preach with faith. Nothing great has
ever been done without faith. 1t has
crowned with success the invention of the
mechanic, the campaign of the general and
the diplomacy of the statesman. In no
| sphere is it more imperatively needed than
in the ministry. No man should be so
completely magnetized with it as he who
declares spiritual truth. If the preacher
does not behold immediate results; if large
congregations do not flock around his pull
pit Sabbath after Sabbath; ifsouls are not
saved in multitudes if the fruits of his
ministration can not be traced in the daily
lives of men he concludes that his ministry
is q failure, forgetting that Zone soweth and
another repeth." Be not discouraged,
should you not be permitted to 60 out into
the fields white for the harvest, the fruits
blushing in their ripeness, to cast your
sickle in. Still scatter the seed. To sow is
as honorable as to reap. Christ was q
sower; he was not reaper. The church
is gathering tn fruits of his sowing. You
shall not SOW in vain. The seed shall take
root, bud and bring forth fruit to the glory
of God. You have the best authority for
such hope: "For as the rain cometh
down, and the snow from heaven, and re-
turneth not again, but watereth the earth,
and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it
may give seed to the sower and bread to the
eater; so shall my word be that goeth
| forth out of my mouth; it shall not return
unto me void, but it shall accomplish that
which please, and it shall prosper in the
thing whereto sent it," There is your
pledge. Preach under the inspiration of
that promise and your ministry must lie one
OF power Duty is ours; consequences are
Gods.
Preach, feeling your accountability to God
Moses endured as seeing him who is invis-
IDLE. The ambassador entrusted with i'm
portant matters at foreign court is stimu-
lated to duty and restrained from impru-
dence by the knowledge that to his own
government he must render strict account
when he returns. Before God you must
one day stand and make return of your
ministry here. A solemn thought. What
tremendous responsibility it suggests
The mere anticipation would overWhelm
the servant if it were not that his master is
love and makes no harsh requirements.
Preach with this end of your ministry and
eternity in view.
My brother-Permit me to congratulate
you that you enter on your ministry here
under such favorable auspices. May the
devotion of this people continue in its
morning freshness, strengthened with the
strength which comes from the compan-
ionship in trial and sympathy. May your
days be happy, enriched with the loving
presence of Jesus, and the consultations of
his word, and when you shall enter the city
across the stream and angels roll the stone
away, so that things not now revealed are
seen in their true significance and full glo-
ry, may it be yours to discover that through
your ministry here, a community was ele.
| waited and quickened to nobler living, null
| titudes of souls were saved and the Re-
| deemer was honored.
May Gods blessing rest ON you; may you
be baptised with His spirit and at last be
crowned with His joy.
THE CHARGE TO THE PEOPLE,
By Rev. ]. L. PAXTON, of the Churchville
Presbyterian Church, Hartford Co., Md.
l am here to-day to discharge duty
laid on me by the Presbyt' ry duty that is
decidedly q pleasure. don't mean that it
is great pleasure to "charge the people" for
that is the part assigned me by the Presby-
tery-that is rather delicate matter, and
it is very hard for minister to not regard
and advise the congregation from the min
ister's point OF view-perhaps not altogeth.
er an unprecedented view.
1t is a pleasure, because l am glad to
see this church once more represented in
the Presbytery, and in its pulpit and among
its people by settled, fixed pastor and /
am gladder still because this pastor of
your choice is who he is bears the name he
does-a name honored and loved by the
people OF this congregation and this coun-
ty, by you all and your fathers before you.
What more becoming than that q church
whose existence and career are largely due
to the labor and prayers of that pioneer of
Presbyterianism in this county, the elder
Finney, should be served in the Lord, half
century following his first sermon in Har-
ford, by his son. Full of years and be-
loved by all, we have laid the earthly house
of his tabernacle in the grave. And to- day
we consummate between you and that son
of his on whom his ministerial mantle has
fallen, relation he devoutly hoped to see.
May it be, as the years go on, a relation,
full of joy, encouragement, blessing, to both
pastor and people.
And since that will depend largely on
you, the people, let me say some things
concerning some duties toward your min
lister. Your rights it is not necessary to
dwell on; most people know too we'll their
rights, and insist too much on them,
whereas with their duties they are less ia
miliar, and not usually so demonstrative
about. Just so with congregations, for
congregations are only an aggregate of
single hearers of the Gospel, like States are
simply an aggregate of individual citizens;
and congregations usually know their
rights fully as well as States and private
parties do theirs, and are no less backward
in demanding them, or at least in making
complaints if not attended to. So my
charge will concern congregations duties
towards its pastor-not its rights.
Now in the first place, always bear in
mind this fact, viz that this Brother whom
we install over you to-day is your own free
will choice. He has not been appointed over
you he has not been sent to your church
and empowered to direct its affairs and
conduct its services by King or Pope,
as is the case in many churches, altogeth-
er irrespective of your wishes, and entirely
e Il