Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-03-25
Sermon by Rev. B. 3. S. Hough.
A SHORT SKETCH OF HIS REMARKS ON THE
MUTUAL RELATIONS OF THE MINISTRY AND
THE CHURCH.

A SHORT SKETCH OF HIS kEMAhAo ON LIE
MUTUAL RELATIONS OF THE MINISTRY AND
THE CHURCH..
On last Sunday morning Rev. R. r. 8. Hough,
appointed to this station at the last Conference,
delivered his first sermon in the NJ. E. Church
South to a large congregation.
He is amiddle-aged man, of fine appearance.
His face wears an expression of earnestness and
determination, and is covered with a neatly
clipped iron-grey beard. His manner is grace
full and easy, and his distinct utterance and
pleasant voice at once attract the attention OF
his hearers.
He based his remarks upon the 18th, Nth ana
18th verses of the LIST chapter of the End Epistle
to Timothy:
'The Lord give mercy unto the house OF
Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was
not ashamed of my chain.
But when he was in Rome, he sought me out
very diligently, and found me.
'The Lord grant unto him that he may ind
mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how
many things he minisiered unto me at Ephe-
sus, thou knOweSt very WELL"
Taken as whole the character of the Apos-
tie Paul strikes us as a strong one, and in some
aspects so strong and elf-reliant that it would
at first seem that he did not need the encOur-
agement and sympathy of his fellowmen. Yet
no man was ever more sensible to friendship
or more DESTROYS of sympathy. Therefore, he
felt keenly the desertion of his friends in time
of trouble, yet his strict sense of duty urged
him to do what was right, even at the expense
of the loss of his many friends and followers.
We find frequent evidence of his keen SENSIBLE
ity to friendship and sympathy throughout all
his writings especially in the last chapter of
Romans, which is filed with his salutatiOns to
his friends. The text shows us the fidelity with
which Onesiphorus followed Paul in prosperity
and in misfortune.
We know but little of this Onesiphorus. only
that he was an Asiatic and follower of Paul,
by whom he was held in the highest esteem,
for he mentions him twice in the last Epistle he
ever wrote.
When Paul was in prison in Rome awaiting
his trial for life. he sought him out and minis
tered unto him and sympathized with him,
though he was far from home and surrounded
by enemies.
It is in such devotion as this lies the success
of the Christian ministry-in the adhesion Of
the members to the work of the church con-
Quoted under the guidance and care of the min
istry The minister is the standard-bearer, and
must go to the front, but he cannot do much un-
less he has the hearty support and full sympa-
thy of his followers in his attack on sin.
The church too often forgets that the minister
is only a man, with all mans faults and
weaknesses. Yet it was not through the an
gels that circle the great white throne, but
'nio"s A"A' 'na' oou 50" III W pie'u "oio'0
the truth of his gospel.
ine munster, III 'ne weakness VI MS nun"n
nature, needs the support and sympathy of his
eohetegation' Us Aiucn as Iae conereea'ion' -
us trlais anu troubles, needs tnat oi the HILLS
Ter. let no true minister OF Christ wouio oe-
penu upon that aiohet hor ilainiy upon IL MS
true dependence must De IN Goa ana Ch1ist
"iInout IL ne VIII SILL 20 lorwafo W 10 Ine
"ork SET before hlin' tnousn IL may oe Win d
neaVy neart ana sOrroWlns soul.
goo mas taught US mat ne VIII not make
cMofcn tne "eals VI spreaoihs LIS hoiy 'rutu
uniesS the niinistIy LAS tno sympa'hy anu
reaoy support Vi us nie"oers.
Inc great WORK accomplished oy Inc mills
'ers " Inc MetnooisC chorcn IN inc early settie-
inen' " ILLS country "aSo"ins W .he ia.' 'ha'
'neii neai's were III 'neir wofA' anu having ~
chulcnes 10 oepeno upon, tney rsiiso soiely Oh
INC soouness anu loving Ainoness VI tneir uoo
70 pfoVioe ior anu Jake care Oh tneL. 6ut now
'l0' 'nere are orsahizea cnurcnes IL Is oiiiicuit
W a"aAen .ne inenoels 70 sense Oh .he great
800 "ese ~ oAe'A ANU '.u."i eapPoio
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~ Voc NV "1oAo 'no - Anpa'nS anu suppoi. VI
oAoe WIZ opoi 'no p"i Siinss' noi VI JIG
i - WIN praise Tue me preacnine Vi
- ~ a u oiio" ~
1nousn oil arc heeueo anu are sooo III proper
VI tne neai. wnlsn consinces nm tnat ne may
,eaus LIE ioi,o~eis wnefe Tue splrit ol Inc Lamp
90 in-''ii "Aue' 'ie nioen0e u ioNe " ooo
''n ~. AAaA'
!pe enuio I'll III WHICH socn sy Ii aIny as ILLS
eA1s's Do' e.n ,.in,o'e. "nu WIZ pio,
sAo'' onoe' "ou DioSsins ano NC 'no nioanS VI
49, So "..,ouo ms ~ IL
p,,A'' ~ w. -. 'no AeA. =. .Ao
.i.AS $3.50 ~. $3.50 ~, l.n1 "
~ AnPo'ny 10 'Ao pay 81 VI 'Ae Minis
Ter 10 GOD Tor his blessing upon the g1ver, and
greater IMAM all, Inc dlVlne mercy Oh GOD. 1or he
says, VINO waters snail nlmselI De watered'
IL Is the 1ervent outpour1ng OF believing
soul that brings down blessings upon others as
well as upon the petitioner. for Christ has said
give and IL snail De given unto you. There are
some payments ostter than gold, and thls be-
neY1ng prayer is one OF them.
lie nrmiy peneVeo IN the transmission OF the
dressings octalneo py prayer anu peleveo mat
as long as there was any one on earth IN whose
veins ran any OF the blood OF Onesiphorous, he
WAS fecipieht VI Tic piessinS caiieo ooWu up
on him and his family.
In conclusion, he earnestly commended the
SUBJECT OF MS discourse TO the careful thought
and study OF his congregation. He had come
mere as stranger. He brought with him no
great learning and no great talents, but
neart 1ul OF desire TO teach the loving gospel Of
our savior ana Inc noiy WORD OF God. With
Tue sympathy anu prayers oi MS congregation,
ne 1911 assuleu .na1 0oo woui" piess DIS iaoors
anu iiiaAe hiin Tic iussrulhent Oh accomplish
ing much gooo.
much more must he. an humble minister of
cutie 80, ~, -. -,
oiii is'' neo1 1ne prayers anu iuii Christii-n
sympathy of the members of the church.
Rev DR MANry on "RA prrsr SrNnAy
ScHoo1. WORK n-Dr Chas Manly Pastor oftha
Rant;st cburcb Of this o;tv vos in ottandance
loSt WOOD in piohr,ond ~, tho ,,,oot,nr, ~ tho
ppb,ieotior Ronti.t cooiot, ond ~, Eri,Iov n;oht
noa. -, ovoo,1a.,. -, ..po,,,;.t
soto,,, W. 90 49, I,,,routo,,eo of -, r.
I.rro,,,t, 49, sa.,-,ro - 49, es-oot w.
e,rass 81 tha snaao- 49, a. 80 49, - ~,
WIN "hion one naptisIs nave prosecuted IL, ne
sAse ue'a,'ou S'.''iS'ics DIS .he S"nuay scnool