The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-26

service docs not ut all depend upon the re-
cruting sergeant, but upon the regular
| officers, who are educated aud trained TO
their business.
Reviyaists, like recruiting sergeants,
| may be useful but .hcy do not perform
| the essential work of q religious campaign.
| To get up an excitement, and shake sim
| ners over the mouth Of the pit" rs Elder
| KNAPP used to say, and raise n tempest OF
songs and ainens aud halleluiahs, whirling
dizzy-headed people into the ranks Of pro-
Tossing Christians. is not n difficult thing
to do. But IL is dinlcult thing to keep
heart in the new converts, and hold them
| from backsliding, and so manage with
them as gradually to change their tcmpo-
rary fright and Excitement into those
deep-seated religious principles which show
| their power In an honest and cody life.
This dinicult work the pastors have to do;
and it is but a small part Of their oncrous
| duties.
In fact The iuties OF pastor IN Ihls city
are not only exceedingly toilsone aud try
| ing and wearing, but they are also per-
petual. Sickness aud sorrow, religious
disbursement and spiritual despair are
confined To no sot times or seasons in their
ravages, and the pastor may bo called upon
ut any hour by his dock for help against
these ravening wolves. He must visit the
sick, and cheer the despaiTing, and
strengthen the faint-helrted, aud ell
tighten the doubling, and to great extent
actually bear the spiritual burdens of
large portion of his flock
In all these matters the rcvivalst does
not help the pastoral all. On the contrary,
If the revivalist gainsany recruits lie adds
to the pastors burdens by turning In
| upon him n rabble of spiritual novices
whom 1t will task all his skill and faithful
ncss to save from backsliding. The ex-
element under which these revival re-
cruits come into the church Is no help to
them or 10 the pastor. IL is q detriment
TO mistake 1t for u reinforcement of re
| ligious principle, Is rs absurd as 1t would be
to look upon an attack of white swelling
us an accession Of muscular strength
One of the most important, harassing,
and benehccnt features of pastors work
is his ministrations TO the poor of his
church. In this city, every church has its
poor. In many cases they are educated
and refined people, and have but little OF
that toughness of nature which helps one to
battle with the ills OF poverty. They are
| barely able TO live, Mt the best; and when
| sickness and death invade their household
they are plunged into absolute want. They
| cannot be allowed to perish IL would be n
disgrace TO the church TO permit them to
become objects of public charity. They
naturally pour out their sorrows to their
pastor, and he consults with his rich
| nfpthrpn and tha rich hpaf
him with funds TO meet the exigencies or
the case. Sometimes the sufferers are too
difidtnt 10 make their necessitous condi-
ton known; but the pastor. whom ex-
perlence and sympathy make keen-sighted
In such matters, secs what the situation is,
draws out the facts Of the case, and seeks
aid for the sufferers OF the wealthy men,
bers OF his society. And If he is "A true
pastor, who by n faithful and cody life
has won the esteem and confidence OF his
flock, he never applies in vain to the rich
for help FOR the poor. The leading pastors
OF this city bear testimony 10 the unex-
ampled bcnevolence and liberality Of the
| rich members OF their churches in all such
matters. They pour ont their money liko
water TO help their necessitous brethren.
To such an extent is this the case that
the churches in this city that have faithful
pastors actually seem TO be like so many
vast and well-mauned life boats, in which
thousands of the poor, who would other
wise perish. safely ride out the storms OF
poverty with eli they are assailed.
But it is only the Woodworking pastors
who can bear such testimony about these
things. The mere brilliant and eloquent
preachers, who delight TO shine on the plat
form, and who neglect their suffering
tocks tI--t they may have opportunities TO
win applause of men, are not apt to be
trusted over much by the clear-headcd rich
men Of their congregations. Nor do such
| preachers know much about the needs OF
their flock, either physical or spiritual. So
long rs they can win admiration for their
eloquence, the souls and the bodies of their
Pensioners may starve for aught they
care. And verify they, too, have their re-
ward. "Woe be unto the pastors that de-
stroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture.
Ye have scattered my flock and driven
them away, and have not visited them.
Behold, | VIII visit upon you the evil of
| znuT dninOa anith fha ord