The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-06
TEE RELIGIOUS NEWSPAPER

The reg der Is referred 70 another part Of
this paper for an editorial article copied from
the " e. Presbyterian. A hearty ackno#l
edgment is due to cur much respected CO.
temporary for this courteous compliance wiGh
the request made in the Central Presbyterian
q few weeks ago. But il all esndor we con-
TESS to some difficulty il ascertaiuiag pre-,
cisely what view our brother of the " G.
Presbyterian takes of the question discussed
There is 60 much balancing first one way
anatlen theother, with exceptions which tn n
ont at lassto be no exceptions, that the mind
becomes perplexed as to the conclusion. 1t
may be that The fault is on oar own part
It will be agreed that it is the duty of all
ministers of the gospel to "preach the
word, as far as they have health and
strength, talent and opportunity. They are
to be jealous and faithful in this work
" Mediate on these things; and gre hyssf
gohOlly to them This, of course, cannot
mean that he must never DO anything else,
for as be has other rela.ons 10 life, domestic
and social, there are corresponding duties
growing oUt of chem. But it certainly means
that this shall be the great business Of bis
life; all other employments baing subordi
nate to that one great end. If this De SO, if
al this Is involved 10 the flee and the obi
cations belonging to it. then Pcesbytery
has no authority from the Constitution Of
our Church or the Word of God, to give
release from it, aad let him 60 about other
kinds Of business.
The solution of the whole question, we
think, depends very much upon the meaning
to be attached to the term preaeling the Cos
pei. o, perhaps it ia covered more properly
by this question; What is to be understood
by the term, "he a0ork of tie mjaistry?'
In it's widest sense it includes all those du-
ties which private Christians are bound to
perform by the law of love; but these are
especially incumbent upon ministers by
divine vocatioa, and are TO be discharged as
belonging to their Office. In addition to
these they are charged with the official work
of preaching The word translated to preach,
uuqueationably refers directly to TIE oral
proclamation of the gospel. This proclaua
ton with she living voice was undoubtedly
the chief mode in which that gospel was at
first propagated, aud there are good and OBJ
yious reasons why il must so remain TO the
end
Bat is this the only way? Il goes far to.
wards conclusion Of the whole matter to
notice the terms on which the commission
was given BY our Saviour to his Disciples
Ia Matthew the word ''teach" is twice used
aud in Mark it is the word preach" When
the E ,angelist Lqks wrote his gospel, it was
a treatise of all that Jssue began both to
do and to teach" Wbea the Saviour as
cended far above all heavens" he gave
apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and
teachers; and all these we're given "for the
perfec,ing of the saints, For the work Of the
ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ. -Eph. iv: r. Now if any one
will look into bis Concordance he will find
this wcrd teaching referred to as a part
of the ministry of Christ and his apostles
about as often as tie word preaching" With
out dwelling here upon the fact that in the
tine OF the Apostles the art of printing was
unknowD, we have on cur side the significant
fact that their ministry Was not confined to
an oral proclamation of the gospel bat then
a great work for the churches then organ
lied was accomplished by what they wrote,
and in its relation to all coming ages that
was certainly by far the greatest work of
their lives. It should also be remembered
that in those wonderful visions of the Reve-
lation, the command to the "beloved disciple"
was not to preach the things which he had
heard and seen, but to "'Orite" them.
Under this view then we believe it is en-
tirely consistent with the Office of minister
Of the gospel to give bis whole time to the