The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-09-03
PASTORAL CALLS.

toner's and Female Rakes.
The following able article upon the relations be-
tween pastor ana parshioners has been con
tributed TO the chicago Inter ocean over the sig
nature OF IAN Old Pastor" The Inter ocean eda-
toriay voucnes for the fact that he Is an Old pas
tor OF the Methodist Church,
The saddening and scandalous imputati0ns which
nave aeluged the land for weeks past, involving as
tuey 40 one OF GODS ministers, who has held nigh
position and was deemed by all worthy of the most
exalte4 respect, not to reverence, have turned
attentlon 10 the relation which Protestant ministers
sustain TO the women who are members OF their
congregations. The pastoral relation is freighted
WIN immense possibilities for good The educated
man VINO brings his best thought and deepest
Christian culture into that ONCE to help men and
women IN their effort to attain Christian char:
aCter may Suu does exert an influence for 9ood
whose results are of ncalculable value to society.
But there Is form of ministerial labor necessarily
insisted upon by church boards and official over
seers OF Christian societies, which, in the light OF
constantly rn sIsnaers and occasional
doubtful utility If not real injury both TO the
church and Its ministry. allude to pastoral visi-
vited shall visit every family regularly as a part OF
his Official duty involves these facts 81 he must
spend large part OF his time In making these
visits. q He must necessarily often visit at hours
when he Will find none present hut the female
lar and Intimate friend. 4. To him the ordinary
barriers OF mere formal politeness are laid aside,
and he Is met with cordial and confident intimacy.
Now all this is right in itself considered, and
not necessarily prolific OF evil. Yet ministers are
they are for the most part good men, and dis
charge this duty with conscience void OF offence
toward God and man. Thousands discharge this
duty cOnscentousy. without falling into SIN yet
we hazard nothing in saying that not ten IN the
thousand but are terribly tempted at times, and
that by good, conscientious, puremlnded Chrs-
tian women, who treat their pastor though he
could not thrill with natural desire ana were
minister, by the very necessity OF his posi-
ton and calling oultivates the faculty OF
his relation to his Church IS one Of he deep.
est sympathy and tenderness. 1t Is ever difficult
or tnose VINO nave received soni app LOT love 70
soul viii find 1t necessary to struggle with su-
preme energy, and will sometimes be tempted so
regret the gilt OF such power OF love, or to wish
for more liberty in its From chaste affections,
tender sympathy and genuine admiration II is but
O step to that weakness which is ruin. Ministers
rarely cOnsort with abandoned women; they do
not intend evidently mere qualification Of an
unreasoning lust; they fall through real, though
a wicked love. Too often are shocked with the
recital OF the fact that some lady eminent both IN
the church aud in society tor sweet and pure cnar-
acter, and tor her attractiveness to all
intellectual persons. has become the victim
OF an illicit amour with her pastor. ana in
nearly every the facts show that close
friendship developed under opportunity forced
upon the minister by sense OF DUTY into tender
those nameless little actions that are so innocent
and yet so dangerous-the pressure OF the hand,
the eye that suddenly melts as IL meets the admir-
ing gaze, the tones so gentle and thrilling These
all tell that the loving tenderness of these two
into that realm where soul and sense commngle
their balefu but bewtching lures. Even at this
IL
man wise, tue intercourse IS broken of
without crlInnality. and there IS deep
the part Of the pastor and loss Of respect on the
part OF the woman both for herself and her minis
ter Now insist that there Is no end to De accom-
lance to put any man III such dangerous social rela
lions as have described.
this he needs nearly all the time-all OF 1t indeed
IN winch he can do mental work. His thought he
can communicate In his sermons; the prayer and
conference meetings are proper places lOr the IN
inence OF the minister to reach the members OF
life. The church socIable Affords suficient
opportunity TO- cultivate social relations,
anu the family let him o be cue n passa the
occasion be important enough to demand his
smS M anu ne ne s anS
tect his reputation and their own. long expert
ence IN church matters has convinced us that the
demand for personal pastoral visitation comes
mostly from feeling that, In Its absence, the
pastor treats the people with disrespect, and not
from any sense OF real religious need this form
Of ministerial labor. since this subject has at
tracted my attention, have made inquiry OF twenty
members Of Christian churches. snd while all an
swered at once and without hesitation that 1t was
The duty OF the minister TO make pastoral visits and
mitted that Tor themselves they could not say
they had derived any spiritual benefit from such
and genial cordiality Of the visiting pastors.
have talked with many ministers. and they nearly
iary attended i's TO- sbsorbs their Whole time ana
That they believe that thorough and radical
change at this point would be benefit to tho
not In terms lay this work upon the minister, and
we feel certain that 90 In every 100 ministers who
have yielded to sensuality have first yielded to
temptations which came upon them while making
pastoral visits.
The writer knew o young minister Of more than
ordinary ability, OF considerable culture, having
the oratorical temperament and susceptible
toral visiting, called upon o family, ound the lady
alone ana prayed with her. Taking MS hat to
leave, she extended her hand and clasping bis
tremDeQ hA
misunderstood. The minister, suddenly as 1t
mon TO all humanity and as this female rake laid
her head upon his breast turning her moist lips
and fearful eyes up to hun, he kissed her-and was
again, but to-day wanders broken-spirited
semi-infde, given over to every aDomnable
not doubt his veracity. He told me with
tears that he felt that pastoral visiting was the
tor should not be driven by the demands OF his
church into service which is certainly danger
aen he Becomes to others "a and IN
sucS aa ABILITIES n or Phe ss@aeasn has
women. Let the Churches provide t'S Women to
visit women, and let the pastor give himself
wholly to the ministry OF the Word Let it be iuIIy
only weak but wicked, and let the pastor 40 his
work for human souls publicly, and have done with
this Jolly OF pastoral visiting, which brings the pas
tor into tue family unannounced. When the pastor
visits IN the family as pastor let 1t indeed
be religious service, under the aid and with the
assistance of the father OF the family instead of
this intercourse that proceeds all too easily from
pure interchange OF ideas to an impure and dan
gerous sentiment alism. Mr.. Beecher may not be
guilty. We do not think hts gait is proved and
we feel that he has added his illustrous name TO
that OF hundreds OF other clergymen OF lesser note
whose fair lame nas suffered, and whose power for
good has been lesaeued, by wrong view Of the
pastoral relation and an intimacy with women
which would have been accorded TO none but the
pastor. We have had enough or this. and we think
christian pastors should refuse TO obey the de-
mand imperative as IL Is. for pastoral visitation.
Wheh God shall commission anges'to the WORK
OF the Christian ministry such relations may be
proper aud useful but white ''rnen OF ike pas
sl0hs" with other men are put In trust with this
ministry they ought TO be guarded in taeIr inter-
course with all society and especially In their In
tlmacy with women. The ciergymen Of America
90 not desire TINS work. they have done IT, because
IL has been pressed upon them % duty, and
gladly would they welcome advance In the sem
timent OF the whole Church that would not re.