The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-05-09
4 niee Point 10 Decide.

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q pursuit In lie, the particular point be-
ing whether he had not said in some Or
dinstlon sermon that preachers chose
their profession Just like other profession
als, and that they were not called Of God
to preach any more than lawyers or doc.
tors were called Of God TO practice their
professions. One witness testified that
the Prof. had expressed the opinion that
"acall to the ministry was rather deter
mined by the natural fitness OIL q person
Tor that vocation than anything else"
TheideA Of diving appointment and d.
vine consecratlon Of the Office was not,
he said, referred to in the sermon.
1.-THE discourse was of q nature which
led me 10 suppose that he was not taking
any special view Of tho subject, but
rather covering the whole ground. In
other words, the ministerial calling WAS
regarded or treated as Of the same char
aCter as tho call Of person TO any pro-
fessional pursuit, and, therefore, was 10
DO determined more by the natural 1T
ness Of the person for that pursuit, as he
could discover It, than anything else."'
This was the substance Of what the
witness could recall from memory in re.
gard TO the discourse. II was not very
satisfactory, however, to those who were
addressing the questions, and SO they con-
tinued their efforts 10 elicit something
more definite, with the following result
Q.-Wasi ADy distinct analogy drawn
between the'other professions OF life and
the ohristiSn ministry A.-0ther pro-
fesSfons were spoken Of; the calling OF the
lawyer to his profession, and Of the mer-
chant TO his business; they were spoken OIL
In the same light.
Q,=Was there any reference In that
sermon 10 the idea that the origin oil the
Christian ministry Is the result. ol o divis.
Ion oil labor or that the necessities OF the
case called Tor class oil men 10 be minis.
terst .A.-There might have been; and
! think he did state thatthe necessities oil
society originated this division OF labor.
He rather gave secular view Of It.
BY Mr.. Glenwood-Did you under.
stand from that discourse that Mr.. Swing
conveyed the idea that God directs all
men who seek Him for direction, and the
Christian man has as much reason to ex-
pect God will direct him to any line Of
business, as the man who may be directed
to the ministry has TO expect God will di.
rect him thereH Al do not think the
subject WAS brought out in that way at all.
OIL want to know whether the sub
jeot was treated in a way that gave you
that idea Any idea Of 1t was that
everything oil q divine nature was elm
mated, presenting tho subject in view
inWhieh,I had never been accustomed to
regard it. 80.
Q-Was not the subject so treated as
TO convey the idea that the Divine mind
manages tho affairs OF menu A-No, air;
that was not tho idea he was endeavoriDg
10 impress as | understood it. That Is an
idea that is very frequently enforced by
ministers.
By Or. PAtte1son-Q-Was there any.
thing In the sermon Inconsistent with the
idea that God docs order tho affairs OF men
and direct them all 10 their several pur-
suits -A-That feature OF the gospel
ministry was entirely left. out. l do rot
know but-he spoke OF q sense in which
men were called 10 their different voca-
tons, hut all professions were rather put
on the sArne plane, as I regarded II. |
think that this was the leading idea Of the
discourse. l
Q-Your memory is not distinct In re.
gard toiyf-, A-My memory Is pretty
distinct In respect 10 what have stated.
l think II Is quite distinct.
Q-9uppose man had not q normal
fitness tor tbe ministry, would you sup.
pose he was called Of Gods Al would
not undertake 10 answer that question.
The Moderator ruled that the question
was improper, as It involved q mere mat.
Ter d opinion.
The Witness-I do not suppose any
body but theologian could know that,
By Mr.. Halsey-Q-Did the sermon
contain the idea Of a special call or desig.
nation to the ministry-a differing from
other calliugt? Alt did not. AS Ire
collect itcnowhere in thesermon was any
such distinction made.
The above evidence seems to have
tended simply to establish the point stated
In tho beginning, viz: That the ministry
was profession to which a man was
called by virtue Of his tastes or talents,
Just Is be would be called to any other
avocation in lie, This may not be good
theology in the estimation Of those who
questioned the witness, but 1t is certainly
in accord with the common sense and
common experience Of people generally.