The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-05-19

Wilson, D. D.. of Wilmington, N. c.. at
the opening of the General Assembly,
May goth, in Charleston, S. c. b
90 Lord, send now prosperity. Psalm 11S: 20
The poem from which this prayer is
quoted, is, throughout, an utterance OF
the Church: the utterance of gratitude
for past experiences and of confidence as
to the future God had, according to
His promise, brought her out of long
captivity, but there were still other of
His pledges which were to brighten into
splendid fulilments His special grace
was to surpass His special providences !;
so that where there had been those hid
ings of His face, harder to be borne than
the hidings of his power, there should
henceforth be only light and in this light
was the Church to enjoy spiritual pros
perity with which no mere temporal ad-
vantages would compare. This alluring
prosperity was, however, to come not by
miracle nor by chance, nor yet by virtue
Of listless waiting on the part of its ex-
pectants. The voice of prayer must
rise to claim it. The hand of faith must
open to receive it. Lifting that voice
and extending this hand, each member
of the body of Israel and all together as
united whole, are, accordingly, seen
to stand, saying: 80 Lord I beseech
Thee, send now prosperity" What pros
perity we already have, maintain. what
we do not yet possess, add; but send only
that which is real and lasting: and send it
at once. Truly prayer not less compre-
hensive than earnest
That in this appeal to her divine
Head, is represented the true attitude Of
the Church in our own day, it were
needless task to illustrate. A still fur
ther and larger prosperity is always to
be sought in behalf of living organism
whose law is that of progress, and whose
decline must begin Just so soon as an
imagined perfection has been reached :
and this is especially the case where the
organism in view is of the nature of a
personal existence.
l. There is, therefore, only one in
quiry which here demands an answer
what Is it that constitutes a Church 8
prosperity; which is equal to the ques-
ton, how does she best realize the idea
Of her mission or to this simpler inter
rogatory, how shall it be ascertained
whether she is in the experience of a
healthy growth?
That mere automatic expansion is not
indicative OF such growth, we at once
perceive by a look at the papacy, where
In mechanism takes the place of life.
That mere extent of territory occupied
does not testify to it, we are assured by
thinking of those primitive churches
whose hands, so soon paralysed, were
Joined in circle the area of which in
cluded a great portion of the then civil
ized world.
That mere breadth of snowy foliage
fails to give proof of it, is seen in certain
well-known specimens of modern ecclesi-
astlclsm, not necessary now to be named
which, whilst obtruding to the sight
many limbs of bold assumption, are vet
able to exhibit but sparse fruitaee of
saving truth to the disappointed taste
Nor as is sometimes superfciallv
thought, does growthful prosperity.de-
pend for its expression upon the numbers
whose names serve to swell the rolls of q
protesting membership-asi is witnessed in
not few instances Of individual church
es, whose communion tables are crowded
with nominal believers, many of whom
are nowhere else felt TO be on the side of
Christ, It's, indeed, taking spectacle /;
that Of a vast army gathered beneath the
banner Of salvation's imperial Chieftain.
but, what other than an impediment to
It's efficiency are those thousands of them
who are always faltering in the ranks -
the. trembling doubters, the hinching
dodgers, the prepared deserters the
images Of soldiers only. upon vvboee III
fitting and Aimsy arnor the ring Of ao-
Iual battle IS never heard, in whose life
less hands the blade Of conquest is never
seen to cut, and upon whose shrinking
persons IS never discerned the gatherings
ana blood Of persevering heroism?