The daily gazette., 1875-02-17
correspondence Of the Gazette.
IRE" 1HeOtOgic0I iSenaiaaa1v I.
MADISON. n. ] Eab,,o,.v 1oz.

MADISON, N. j.. February Is. 1s75.
o,i Rev. George +. Gro oSs, d. D., L. Id,
editor OF 1he Methodist. and formerly a
pastor in Wilmington. Del. delivered
His lecture before the students of fhe
seminary on ''The Minister in Relation
to the World" on the 10th Instant '' ''''
Inc question is, how do we appear 70
the secular world, and what lessons csn
W.; we learn from itS Each profession train,
t is pecnhar chain and type of mind as
T'le hlwyer, the scientist and the minister
LET US analyze the features of the cieri.
oa u;nalh; ;; see IN what lies its strength
The charges brought aoa;pst IN q ol,,.,,
oy the!secular mind are that II odbars,,
70 antiqnated forms; that II ia ohstruo
1--WE, impractical and effeminate from +,
iacR OF collision of thought with thonSht
UNI hoIq peing Hf sympathy with IN.
spirit of the world. "''" ''e
Nhat are the facts, the causes. and
now can We restore robustness
ist. lonng men preparing for the
Shfistian ministry should make it their
business to be conyersant on the leading
suestlons OF their epoch, and come in
contact with minds Of other professions
than that of the clergy. N''o'
We see an illustration of this mistake
IN the priests of the Roman Catholic
cnurch, Tor they are members of a com
pact body apart from the rest of the
world. entertaining no thoughts foreign
10 tne immediate work i'm hand, which
results in onesidedness and are mere
tools in the hands of the Pope: and
thns. not coming in contact with cog.
nate minds and the world, they are una
PIE 70 sympathize with the people and
adminlster to their wants. We should
py ali means escape this and cultivate
selves up within our own religious views.
Ind. The minister speaks under cir
cumstances which preclude liberty OF
controversy, We must not only remem-
Der the world that assents, but alsS the
world that dissents from us; not only
live amid the laudations of the church.
but also listen to what the world has to
say; deal with both; he at home with
beth.
Sd. There have been great struggles
against the ministry which have been
excited BY the sacerdotal type of the
clergy. There is a great temptation to-
wards thls-the love of power-and it
certainly debases the clergy; but the
world is fast delivering itself from cleri-
cal domination. The revolt of the world,
as for instance in the case of VoItaire
and Garibaldi, has not been against the
church but against sacerdotalism and
the priesthood. The minister does not
lmpart validity to the sacraments but
comes in aid Of church order.
4th. There is great danger of under
estimating lay piety and over-estimat-
ing that OF our own. Being shut off
from the world and the battle Of life, We
are not able to sympathize and fail to
give due allowance for the difficulties OF
o lay position.
5. The ministerial chair, if matured,
units q man for the independent robust
ness of lay life. The theological student
should not receive pecuniary assistance.
Pay your own way. 1t will make men OF
you. Scout the idea that you are an OBJ
ject of charity. We have only one life
to live, and let us be men while we live
it. And then we will know something
of the hardships of secular life and be
able to grapple with its difficulties when
placed in contact with it.
6. The clerical and secular minds ara
brought into contact in the field of lite
rature and science. The minister of to-
day, in order to cope with the theories
of scientists, must know as much as they
know. and then he can speak intelligent
ly and not put it down only by dogma
tizing and quoting scripture. Never bs
afraid of truth. 1t will stand through
all the ages, for it is the harmony of the
world. TEE f. Scope.