The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-02-02
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN
THE PASTORAL OFFICE.

That the pastoral Office Is one OF olVlne
appointment no Presbyterian will deny
Whenever the apostles had founded church,
they turned over to elders the work of gov
ernment and discipline, and on one class i'm
posed the duty of preaching the word, and
with the help of God, building up the saints
in the faith of the gospel. The tenure OF
this office is lifelong. The man who accepts
it should do so with the understanding that
he is to hold it during life, unless there are
very clear indications of providence that 1t
is his duty to remove to some other field
But is it not evident that there are growing
up in our church new views or at least new
practices on this subject? How short is the
period of the continuance of this Office now,
compared with the times of our Fathers p
Five, six, or seven years is about the average
duration of the pastoral tie. Why is this?
AS general rule it is because one party or
the other to the contract becomes dissatisfied,
and proposes to dissolve the tie. A minister
becomes discouraged because he sees but lit
tie fruit of his labor, and resolves to ask
Presbytery to release him from his charge;
or the congregation begins to grow tired of
the ministrations of the pastor and hints are
given which sensitive man regards as suf
6cient, and he takes the steps to have the re-
lation dissolved. Sometimes man is called
from one field of labor where he is useful to
another. He acts conscientiously, thinking
that the sphere Of his usefulness will be en-
larged. Herelies on the pledges of the con-
gregation to fulfill their covenant stipula-
tions, " that he may be free from worldly
cares and avocatiOns. He remains few
years, laboring with all his strength. The
church grows, sinners are converted, the
claims of benevolence have due attention,
and every thing prospers for time. Then
perhaps deaths occur, removals take place,
and some few become offended at the close
ness of the preaching, or for some trivial
causes that should never have given offence,
and the subscriptions begin to fall off. In
stead of dividing the deficit among those that
remain, the pastor must be the loser. The
gets into arrears and there is
an indispositiOn to make up the deficiency.
The consequence is that the pastor an
noulces his intention to ask release from
his obligations. There may be cases where
a congregation is so weakened as to be un-
able to continue the support pledged at first.
The instances however are rare, as when
there is wiU there will ordinarily be wGy.
In this abundant country which teens with
the productions of the soil, the support of a
pastor is comparatively easy, if the burden
is properly divided. After the disruption in
Scotland and the organization of the Free
Church, the people were poor. Yet "they
had mind to work" They appreciated the
blessings of the gospel. They realized that
the gospel was Gods ordained instrumental
ity to save precious souls. They knew that
without the gospel preached in
their sanctuaries their children would perish.
They resolved to deny themselves. They
determined to give until they should feel
their giving, as the Lord Jesus Christ felt
what he gave; and the result was that in a
few years they had built new churches, new
manse8, and were giving their ministers a
support which enabled them to live and
preach "the glorious gospel of the blessed
God" to their dying fellOw-men.
In the work entitled, The Gospel Self
by the Rev. A. L. HOg8head,
he describes exactly the state Of things which
takes place in many congregations. He
says, alluding to some defects in our methods
of pastoral support, sit often occasions the
pastor to incur the prejudice and displeasure
of the people, and thus damages his influence
and usefulness. In the majority of pastoral
charges the people fail to comply with their
engagements. The pastor after bearing long
with broken promises, and suffering much
embarrassment in his work is constrained to
" stir up their pure minds by way of remem-
brance." Under the influence of chafed
feelings which he has long restrained, he
speaks with warmth, perhaps with severity.
Some almost always take offence, and the
most delinquent are the first to do 80. These
charge the pastor with talking too much about
money, with not preaching as well as for
merly, with nOtVisiting enough when if there
is any truth in these charges, Meir delin-
uuency is the chief cause of the failure
Alienation is the consequence.
"The pastor drags along awhile, weighed
down with discouragement8, and at last re-
signs his charge, and the people give their
"reluctant consent" with the salvo Of many
professions of high appreciation of his worth
and the efficiency of his labOrs. The minis
ter tries another field, probably to repeat a
similar experience" (See p. S5.)
MoNAoAN