The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-09-15
Pretentious or MOTT
" THE MINISTERS OF CANTON.
SUMMIT, MISS, Sept. 9, 1878

| "a Communication from Canton signed 'Yil-
liw.' which appeared in the 1imes OF @ late
| dete, does Injustice to the Protestant ministry
minister ct Canton, which informs me he left
| the town only after his entire hock had left,
| ana after being assured he could do NO good by
| staying. Hes retired to place near oy. ieay-
] any good or was wanted. Only fifty whites,
| more or less, were left In the place, end abons
ninety per cent Of all who took siok died.
"Now take the case First His flock had ell
| left; this relieved him as o pastor. Second. He
could do no good to the sick or dying, as he
| wss assured by those who ought to know; this,
released him as minitt,r. Third. He was
| neither nurse nor ply sican and 80 was not
needed;lhence he is released as philanthropist
Why should he stay Only as food for the
feverf
81 submit this Is not the time to ssperse the
] character of God d-fearing men, no less worthy
though lees pretsntious than 'Yilliw's' favor
ite. w. E. TYNEs."
We quote the whole of this very able letter
from q gentleman in Summit because we are
pleased to see that it corroborates our own
views and demonstrates with logical exactness
the inutility of Protestant ministers-in their
spiritual capacity-remaining in any locality
where horrors abound, sickness is widespread,
| and des th is aimc st supreme.
"Only fifty whites more or less, were lefs"
We have often read thst the good shepherd
leaveth the flock that are safe, the ninety nine
that are sheltered from danger, and goeth
after the one that needs protection and care.
NINETY per cent of all who took sick died"
If there could be q stronger appeal to q ply
sician of souls, than this awful and pathetic
statement, we know not in what words it
would have to be written; for here the needfnl
ministration, the consoling assistance, is all
for the immortal part of man, for that ethereal
spirit which came from the hands of God and
is shout to return to His adorable presence.
"He could do no good to the sick or dying.
as he was assured by the 30 who ought to know;
this released him as q minister"
No additional words Of ours are needed to
prove that there was no neglect of duty, no
obligation laid aside by the minister who could
do no good by remaining in plague infected
city. And moreover, although conscious of this
fact himself, he had the comforting assurance
Of those who ought to know what the relations
of pastor to his people are, that there was no
need Of his services
she was neither nurse nor physician and so
was not needed this released him 40 philan-
thropist."
This is well put and very true. A minister
Of souls is only nurse to hope, physician
sgainst despsirl He is not needed to smooth
the dying pillow, wipe the pallid brow nor
moisten the parched and speeohless lips. 1t is
his rather to ease the anguish of the heart by
words Of peace and pardon; his to anoint the
cold extremities all the senses of the body, that
they may be re-consecrated to Him their ak
er, and soon to be their Judge.
It is his to feed the fainting soul with the
Bread of Life, and to whisper into the failing
ear the copsoling words of One who has pro-
mised to raise the repentant sinner from death
to life eternal.
why should ne stay : Only as food for
fsverf'
The holy Apostle ST. Paul says: BLESSED be
God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who hath blessed us t0ih spiritual blessings
in Christ"
Unless he had these spiritual blessings to
bestow in the name and by the power of Christ,
why indeed should he stay Why furnish food
for the fever
81 submit this is no time to aspsrse the char
acter of God-fearing men, less worthy
though less pretentious than Yilliwis favor
ite."
There lie an aspersion however upon "Yilliw's
favorites, ,"-snd q word-pretentious-spp
to them here little in keeping with the first
thought of the above paragraph. From our
are presumed to be the Catholic priests of the
afh tcted town of Canton.
Catholic priest who remains ct his post
and faithfully performs his many arduous
duties, is not pretentious, he is simply obey
ing his heavenly master. The awful fear OF
death-the human fearNmay be in his heart !:
but he does not yield to it, not through pre-
tension bot through fear and love of God, to
whose service he has COD secrated himself both
in life and death.
And let us tell W. E. Tynes that we are able
to form higher estimate of Protestant min
ibter than any he has ever thought of; for we
think that one who exposes his health and
risks his life because he thinks duty requires it,
is almost as noble, as sublime, as Catholic
| priest
Catholic priest is q s,ldier enrolled in q
glorious cause, sworn to the performance of
heroic duties, anointed for the work and con-
secrated irrevooably to the service of souls-iI