Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1874-10-01
Pastoral Vasitusioms = aeWeehing N
Favor Of them.


10 ne Editor Of he Commercial
In your issue Of the 2sd inst, I waa interested
In reading the extract from the Inter- Ocean, re-
lating TO tho subject Of pastoral visitation. |
There Ia An appearance Of candor in the article,
which commends 1t, at first aisht, to the good
sense Of the reader but o. 1t contains sweep
ing assertion regarding the state Of feeling g
which pastors are subjected while Visiting their
female parishionern, deem the writer's pre-
sentAtion ~ harmful in tendency, aud hence, Il
ask indulgence for . few structures 1t is TO
the following sentence would call at.su-
ton Thousands discharge this duty ,(the
| Into sin, yet we hazard nothing in saying
| that NOT ten in the thousand but are terribly
tempted at times, and by good conscientious,
pure-minded Christian women, who treat their
| pastor - though he could not thrill with nat
ural desire and were already beyond the possi-
bllity Of sin."
Now while tho writer of the article undoubted-
" speaks from his own personal standpoint, he
himself being pastor, ~ he claims, it is unwise
II not cruel In him, to pass evil judgment upon
the great mass Of his clerical brethren. I take
issue at this point, and fatty deny the truth OF
such statement % is here made. Pastors in
decd are men Of like passions with others-they
are indeed men but then they are holy mem
they are sanctfsd or set apart for pure life,
and pure work, and to this end they have re-
nounoed the world and lusts thereof and 10 not
able are they for real piety and good
works, that when single fall
occurs in the ranks Of the ministry, there is q
greater pother about it than il dozen other
men were convicted a. guilty Of the same sin.
And this serves to show how deeply imbedded
In the public mind is the belief OF their gener-
al purity Of thought and life Aud the belief ia
we'll founded, ~ the facts will show.
That there are women in the churches who are
unwise and indiscreet in their personal inter.
views with their pastor may be admitted, but
these are exceptional. The great majority Of
Christian women do not pursue course that IL
inimicAl to pastor virtue but OH the contra
ry, one that is calculated to uphold him, and
make him brave and strong for every good pur.
pose.
. From the postulate I have above cited, thu
writer goes on to argue the inutility of pastora
visitation. and the Importance of giving more At
tention to other demands that arc made upor
him. And 30, because Judas, having the bag o
money, betrayed his Lord, il it to be said tina
every other disciple who is intrusted with til,
funds Of tho church, will go and do likewise
his high place, must the whole fraternity be &C
, cused Of danger from sensual tendencies, while
engaged iii the performance Of their duties to
. ward woman2 And for this cause must minis
ter absent himself from families who need hi
! presence--familiss with which he needs CONTACT
In order to understand their wants, and impari
instruction publicly, or otherwise, as theil
cases may dctermine9 l grant that prudence
| Ii uomAn0ou-BreAG pru00nCo-On the par
, OF . clergyman, In all his intercourse with tn
people. But there are mulhtudes Of women q
well as men, who are wonderfully helped by sym
pathy and Christian counsel and sometimes
they can nowhere be helped 30 well, as at thei
own homes. These are hard times indeed. 70
many. There are people all about us, VIII
scarcely know how they shall live. There ar
I thousands Of crushed spirits-women ~ we'll a
D men, who are dying Of trouble. There is man
, an aching heart, many weary watcher a
ut the bedside Of some who are soon to pas
+ away from earth. Must the pious sympathetl
christian friend, the beloved pastor, be exclude
from these scenes OF care and trouble, becaus
forsooth some men have betrayed their trus
and done wickedly2 church fair, or sociable
; which the article in question recommends
b substitute may be well enough in its way but
: is poor place to sit down and talk over tn
griefs to which we are subject, and point out tn
virtue Of endurance and the blessedness o
= faith, as the panacea for human ills.
! might say more butt forbear. am not
/, pastor but 1t seems to me, that it is neithe
!, wise nor good, to encourage dstruAt Of tn
purity Of minister ordained of God for tn
b highest interests Of humanity, and whose func
ton, like as was that Of the Master, IL to visi
the fstherless and widows in their affection, an
l keep itself unspotted from the world.