The New York herald., 1878-09-30
WORDS OF WISDOM.
"Smite Society and You Smite the
Entire Community"
OUR BETTER FUTURE.
"Beware How You DemOralize
Any Human Being"
FIFTH Az. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

FIFTH AV. PRESBYTERIAN CHU III.
TEE DUTIES OF PASTORS AND ELDERs-sER-
MON BY REV. JOHN HALL
The Rev. John Hail. at the Fifth Avenue Prssbyie-
rian Church yesterday morning, took bis text from
l. Peter, ", 2-..Feed the hoek OF God which amoug
you taking the oversight thereof, not by constran,.
but Willingly; not Tor hlthy lucre, but OF ready
mind" The reverend preacher explained at length
The meaning of this message addressed TO the elders
Of the Church, and showed how ttle the forms OF
shurch government mad changed from this scriptufa
period IL striking illustration OF the influence
OF the Hebrew people upon western and modern
church arrangements to see that nearly all churches
still had SUCH elders; for, after all the words par-
arch bishop, preshyter and elder meant very much
Ihe same thing. In expounding the particular
tsx, Dr.. Hall SAID pastors and elders should
pear mind that their congregations were were
lot their 1ocks but that they were GODS
locks II l think OF the congregation said he
night in be permitted 10 look AZ IT as mine,
but in reality Gods flock and not mine. am but
His officer put feed HIS flock with spritua ana
moral nourishment; 1 am accountable to III for the
performance duties winch he has inlrusted 10
me- 70 be met with HIS divine dlspieas ure II
neglect TAIL in the performances oi these duties.
The dignity he continued whien 1oa naa ro
upon his brother elders, aud which they should prop
ery leei that they had been constituted TO ieea
God's fo'k. Their outies shouia DC executed "oi
ready nina" not merely from periunctory dictate
OF necessity, bat cordially aud with Will; Tor what
ever done by mere constraint was always aohe
raR "cALIIsGn TO THE MINISTRY
There was a loose and mistaken sentiment afloat
from which people spoke OF the scaling TO the minis
trv7, as though a must have supernatural
prompting espouse the ministry. But the CHRISTIAN
minister very Inherent position IN ms re-
spect TO Christian lawyer, merchant or physician,
who should ell eel that the calling which they chose
was the Tor which they were best lifted by God
sfhls is God wants me 10 do, tney should sly
after carefully deDerating over The choice oil their
pursuit. s.ano shall do II Tor Him. /" As 10 the "fithy
lucre the reverend preacher explained that II was
not NJ ny ITSELF but ony by being m de the prnci-
nal ann OF lie. lie would cutcrtain no very high re-
specL Tor Christian lawyer physician or merchant
who pursued his vocation solely with an eye 10 the
money ne gained II the munster made the pc
summary results OF MS labors MS highest
object In hie be OF course, failed 10 reach
the ideal standard OF teacher o. the Gospel
This need not exclude the minister IRON
making a living, for the Gospel showed us that
God IN tended preacher who lived IN the Gospel
20 also live oy Gospel. lawyer who was starved
would be driven 10 illegtimate ways OF procuring
the OF mis- existence ana go IL was Tor the oest
OF the community that a minister also should De
afforded adequate means of subsistence. He should
lead Gods hock the moral and spiritual pastures
1t "a greal TO suppose that preachi1g was
The main of minister, and that the prayers aud
devotional exercises preceding the sermon should be
mere empty formalities. He should use the simplest
and planest language his sermon, sucn language
Q would know the members OF bis congregat ou
would pioy themselves 10 appeal TO each others
feelings and understandings he should not only
preach to them, but pray with them ana praise Win
inenl, ana Jay his sacrifices, in common with MS
flock, the holy altar.