The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-07
MINISTER'S HEARTACHES.

HOW PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER'S ARE COMPELLED
TO ITINERATE-A LESSON FOR RESTLESS
METHoDIsTs.
Under this caption DR.. Cuyler, of Brooklyn tells
tho lay readers of the Evangelist plain
palatable truths regarding their treatment Of minis
ters. He has received several letters the subject
chiefly from pastors in tho West. who complain
loudly of the disloyalty Of their people to them.
Instead o: raying to tho aid of their pastors and
sustaining them in the Masters name and for the
Masters service. they straightway begin to find
fault and pick flaws. aud within two or three years
worry them into resignation. All tho cavilling
criticisms of irreliglous pewholders eagerly
caught up and hurled at the pastors head. until his
usefulness is destroyed and he is driven off with his
wounded heart into some new aud equally torment
ing field of labor. AS long as the novelty Of new
minister lasts the church makes a temporary head
Of the fckle flock forgotten and the ambassador
OF Christ is "badgered' into reluctant retreat.
This is a sharp indictment to bring against pro-
fessed people Of God but stern facts warrant
syllable oft.
prominent Western pastor writes that with the
exception OF few ministers lately installed. there
Is not pastor in his Presbytery who lie not thus
cruelty harassed He says that within short time
he has seen ten men driven out Of their pulpits
simply because their congregations were grown
weary OF them and were laundering after the novelty
of new face ana voice in their pulpits. He
turther ADDS, that 1--WE have no peace no security.
no feeling of stability in pastorates." Nor is
this ugly epidemic confined TO Presbyterian
churches. An eminent Western Episcopal bishop
declares that the average length of pastoral service
in his 6ss-ose does not exceed two years By that
time the people weary OF their rectors aud disodge
them to make for others who are, in turn. no
more satisfactory than their predecessors. Method
ism escapes this growing evil by Its enforced tine
rancy but in the Presby terrain and other denomina
tons the epidemic for divorcing pastors is even
more fatally prevalent than for divorcing wives.
II all the pangs and bitter disappointmcnts and
heartaches that hidden behind tho study walls
be revealed to tho public eye. thcy would make up
terrible "cloud of witnesses" They would explain
the score. of many spiritual drought and many a
fruitful field turned into desert, and many torn
and desolatcd church. When Gods people dishonor
His faithful ambassadors He dishnnors them and
withholds the blessing. DR.. Cuyer does not claim
that the best minister Ia faultless but he
most socmnly that the humblest and feeblest man
who conscientiously devotes his single talent TO
Jesus Christ and to saving souls deserves as much
respect sympathy and love, for Jesus sake, is
accorded to Spurgeon, William Adams John
Hall. The most efectual way to keep young men
out OF the ministry is for Christian churches dis
honor the sacred Office ana to degrade their own
pulpits. Methodist ministers who hankering
after settled pastorates might profit by little expe-
rience of this sort or by reading carefully the
percnces Of others. They might learn to bear the
ills they have in the itineracy rather than fly to
others they know not Of