, 1874-09-18

colder 1atitudoa.
PASTORAL V161TATI0N9.
Ono Of tho ado-tasues which las grown outos
tho Docohcr caso Ia tic question Of pastoral
vsltatonb. This question is being discussed
With considerable warmth In ministerial circlos.
as wclf as among tho laymon. An "Ola Pastor"
has polluted out in ono Of tho city papore, very
vigorously nnd forcbly, somo Of tho to'npts-
tions attending theso vieitatlons and tho evils
nriBing from them. Ela communications and |
tho countor-communioation growing out Of
them Beom to have stirred up tho Methodist |
ministers At thclr Association mooting or Mon
day oyonlng ',Bt, and the discussion botwoon |
lnombors, although worry ono-sidod one,
was gratifying from tho spirit OF inno- !
CONGO which poryadod 1t. ALI Of thom |
wore agreed that thoy must come to tho resoue |
OF their timc-honorod privilege OF looking after
tito spiritual condition Of their 1ocks aud ontoy- |
Ing tho social anenitios md listlo tablacomforts
which ato ooncomitants Of tho spiritual duty,
mud which mako 1t agreeable as nell aB impora-
tive. ThoY woro all agreed TINT they would con-
tlnuo tho practico, notwithstanding adverse CON-
Mont. Tho amusing feature Of tho discussion
lies Ia tic fact that thoro was conflict Of opin-
Jonas to tho temptations Of pastoral vislts.
Some Of tlem could not understand What was
moant by It. somo had never boon te1npted,
and othots. knowing what tho rtshs we're, wero
willing to incur them and leave tho roaults In tho
hands of the Lord.
Drs. Jutkion mud Peck seemed to 10 tho only
ones who Ind . realizing Wow Of thcao totnpta-
tions. and cautioned tho brethren against being
too strong on tho soolal aide and too woak on
tho religious. This hits very noar tho centro Of
the mark. II tho brethren had read atteuti7ey
she "details Of Certain pastoral v1slsa mado IN
brooklyn, aud the very remarkable corresponds
once which grow OUT Of theso visits, there would
havo boon 10 doubt in their minds ~ to the real
naturo and extent Of these temptations. Then,
bv putting thoso temptations In tic ono ecalo
and the faot that they themselves arc only hu-
uaan in tho olher, they might havo gaugcd them-
solves and ascortasncd their comparative ability
thom. Az to tho baro fact Of tho pas
toral V'slts mhde to tho family as .
ahoplefd OF aoulss to mintstor to spiritual
wants, and to perform ceftaln saoroa Offices like
thoHe OF marriage or oil conducting funerals,
thoro certainly IL no objection. Amt yet There
can bo no doubt that these sisitaaonH should bo
naado With caution, and that it would bo fur bot
tor for tho minister to recniva hint that the
viattation Was necessary than to make 1t without
Invitation. THO fact that Christ visited tho
house Of Martha and Mary without roptoach, as
Dr. McKovn aaya, docs not furnish precedent
for the modern mlulater. because Christ Was
divine and tho minister Is human because Christ
could always put temptation behind him
and tho minister cannot always. as has
boon many tlmes shown 1t should
also % oosno III m'no tnas pastoral S'elsaaon
ll&o aarmona' III very o1a oasson' growing out
OF hoeesa''less nan5 ot WHICH, 10 noe no" Ok
1ss' 1aofo "aS '1n'o "non sne u9'o'ssae "es
t"e oals soe3eoo' 'aAos"@'on ano eonso1a'1oo'
lheso soufoos' ho"eVes. nave poea gfoatly mn1'
t'pled. anu arc no" 30 numerous 1has ls ls hafd-
ly nece6sary Tor minister to mako ehe con7en'
tlonal visit except upon express fnVssasloa' III
fact, thoBe OF our ciefgymon Who a1o IN charge
Of largo metropolitan churches ha7o almost on
tiroly aSandoqod tho practice, or at loaas maKka
only an annual vislt and oshors' 1t sooms, arc
80 prudent aa to ta4e the'r DaVos "ith tho1a'
AS, however, Tho Methoaist e1ofEymen Boom
! determined TO continue tho practice aud ~
many OF them do not aeom to understand tho
temptations which attach 70 thoso visits, it mn,
DO aa well to romiud them what thos are' 1he
pastoral v'a't should not 10 o. ssoh ehsSscsss
"a to noceasitato M intimate and almost Dali!
| correspondence With but ono woman IN tnd
| nook. and that corrospondcnco ahould not be Of
arc, notrro m In nnakc It nneafo tn writo whom
] tha n,in;stor,. wifo ia ut home. The pastorn]
v,a,t a,,ou,a mt indnea dosire to esop down and
mt 7t sho,,d mt nrodnc, hynochonlra a,
,,,.s =, o1,or,. r. sho,,d mt he 40 f}estruc.
t,vo t,,at ,ha no,nfstor ,,rha in vain to r.
,u,1a what haa ham ahattcyod. IT, anou,;
!