The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
WORK AND BREAD.

euge may Dc u6eu GO Cub III many ulreCtiobs'
In the first year of the war, and while the
General was organizing his staff, and drilling
his army for deeds that have filled the world
with his name and with theirs, some persons
of influence tried to use it in behalf of a
young gentleman who was their kinsman.-
To their application he returned the follow
ing answer:
"Your letter and that of my much esteemed
friend, Hon. Mr.. --, in behalf OF Mr.. -,
has reached me to day; and hasten to reply that
| have no place to which | can properly assign
him. | knew Mr.. personally, and was Ia
vorsbly impressed by him. But if person desires
Office in these times, the best thing for him to do
is at once to pitch into service somewhere, ana
work with such energy and ZEAL as to impress those
around him with the conviction that such are his
merits he must be advanced or the public service
must suffer- IF Mr.. - should mention the
subject to you again, think you might not only
do him but tho country good service BY reading
this part of my letter to him My desire is to make
merit the basis of my recommendations aud seec-
tons,
No better answer could be given. to many
who are now seeking place. 1t is not
wrong to seek one, but thousands err by
waiting too long. They must have exactly
or nearly all that would be both comfortable
and profitable; and because one just such as
they would like does not turn up" they sit
still and DO nothing. The plain truth With
most of this sort is that they refuse hard
work, and then complain of hard times
What better advice can be given to all such
than General Jackson gave for this young
gentleman? Let them "pitch into service
somewhere" Do not be too choice; if best
is not attainsble, take better; if that is out
of reach, any honest work is good place
anything rather than idleness. Work with
such energy, and zeal and success as to i'm
press the conviction that such are your mer.
its you must be advanced or the service you
are engaged in must suffer.
1t should be recorded to their credit, that
the great mass of our young men are putting
their shoulders to the burden in the very
best spirit of endurance and sacrifice. They
prove themselves here, as they did in the
camp, worthy of their cOuntry'S confidence
and love. Nothing can surpasS their energy
and determination, except the matchleHs
style in which their mothers, wives, sisters,
and daughters are bearing themselves
through the trials of the day. But the 9th
ers, whether men or women, land there are
too many of both whose chief employment
is carefully to do nothing, and then carefully
to complain that they hardly know one day
where they are to get bread for the next, let
US earnestly exhOrt to listen to the advice
of our great and good General" pitch IN. "
There is a marvellous connection between
work and bread.
And has this advice no point for those
who undertake the work of the ministry p
We know the brethren of our Church, and
never expect to know better class of men
upon earth. If He who walked of old among
'the seven golden candlesticks" should again
call US to hear " what the Spirit saith unto
the churches" the record would, beyond q
doubt, contain much for them and for their
people, which would be precious memorial.
But it does not require inspiration to say
that some are too much tempted to wait for
ga line of things made ready to their handS'
and are wanting in spirit of Christian en-
terprise. Certainly the old, strong, estab-
lished churches ought to be taken care of,
for they are the capital upon which the az
gressivs movements of the Church must rely.
1t is as clearly duty to supply and main
tain old churches as to organize new ones.-
But is it not worse than a mistake to wait,
and wait yet again, and do nothing, because
some well-organized, thoroughly selfSuStain.
ing church does not make out regular call,
with well-ascertsined salary to back it p
Is there not sometimes a sinful reluctance to
throw ourselves into new fields where great
destitutiOns are found, and where immortal
souls can be gathered in crowds to hear, Just
because the whOle matter Of full support is
not completely assured beforehand? The
case is worse when it is remembered that
through the agency of our Committee of Sus,
tentstion far better and more certain main.
tensnce is guaranteed than our fathers of
this and the last century we're able to obtain.
Yet they joyfully went forth (eVen though
often in tears) "bearing precious seed" and
how blessed the harvest gathered unto eter-
nal life
1t would be wrong to conceal the fact that
our churches are often penuriOus, and de-
plorably fail to do even the little they prom
Use. No doubt the soldier of the Cross must
endure hardness. The point at which We
aim is to hold before the eyes of all the
wholesome counsel of General Jackson
Whenever brother sees good field for
need that certain place should
be occupied, let him "pitch IN" let him
"work with such energy and zeal as to
make the community feel that, like the Mas
ter, he has come " to seek and to save that
which was lost, and that they cannot do
without him. We do not say that he may
not have trials, and be called to "endure
hardness" but We do say it will be rare
,ase if such an one is allowed to suffer-
There is in the economy of nature very in
innate connection between wOrk and bread.
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