The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-11-10

OCTtOUST 3 huyuZtTte, anu soon 1OunQ 1tS
way into the pulpits, and thus reached
the mass of the church-going people, 1
mean the conception that to help young
men into the ministry was a mistake,
that it multiplied ministers beyond the
power Of the Church to assimilate them,
lowered the tone and the character of the
recipient, and altogether flooded the
Church with an inferior class of preachers
who were unsuccessful, and deservedly
so. Religious newspapers took. up the
discussion, and their readers We're filled
with suspicion, if not with positive an
tagonism, to this particular channel of
Church benevolence. 1t does not require
any great amount of suspicion to cause a
man to close his purse strings. And this
vague feeling of difference of opinion
existing in the Church upon this subject,
soon diminished its benevolence and af-
fected materially the revenues. Worse
than all, the young men were discouraged,
and many a youth who after educating
himself and exhausting his means, would
gladly have consented to be helped by
the Church, was deferred from accepting
that help lest he might be placed in the
category Of those whose manhood was sus-
pected. What marvel that the Church
is now reaping what it has sown and is
crying aloud because of the diminution
of the ministry
The world is to be saved by "the fool
ishness of preaching" and the supply of
preachers is the vital question at all times
and in all churches. In the hour of our
need in this, as in all respects, there is but
one resource
Prayer.
Pray We therefore the Lord of the har-
vest that he may send forth laborers into
his harvest" A good minister of Jesus
Christ, more than any other gift of God, is
an answer to prayer. [ was once told by
the mother Of minister whose history
has been a remarkable one, that she had
consecrated him to God before he was
born. From Samuel until this day, those
who are wise to rule in Israel and win
souls, have first been given to God in
sacrificing prayer and then given back in
blessing tenfold to the giver and the
world. l am pursuaded also that
The Personality
of the minister of the gospel himself has
a great power in attracting young men to
the ministerial calling. A man like the
lamented DIR. Plumer, over whom DIR.
Hoge spoke such fitting words, draws
more young men into the ministry than
he is aware. Youths at school, at col
lege, at home with great, vague aspira-
tions stirring within them, are helped in
finitely in the choice of calling by hear
ing such ministers of the gospel. No
young man of piety and reverence can
listen to a gospel minister, of noble per-
sonality, wholesome in his nature, hearty
in his conservation, without feeling the
stir of an emotion within him which seems
to say, "I also would be minister"
AS for the influence of the beneficial
system upon the character of the recip-
lent, it is a mere matter of experiment
and not of theory. 1t is the old charge
against the gospel method of a gracious
salvation that to be saved by charity
to take the benefit of Christs substitution
as gift-in fine to be redeemed without
winning redemption oneself-is degrad-
ing to manhood whereas it is found ex-
perimentally to be the highest inspira.
ton of true manhood known amongst
men. So judged by the facts, young mer
educated by the charity of the Church
instead of being lowered in tone are ele-
vated-instead of showing a dwarfed
manhood manifest the loftiest manhood
The post of heroism in the modern church
is not in the pulpit of the lofty-spirec
church, it is in the forefront of the fight
with heathenism. The missionary who
for Christ's sake gives up the amenities
of home and country and civilization, anc
exiles himself among strange faces anc
unsympathetic peoples-and who attacks
single-handed the colossal superstition
Of heathenism, is the real modern hero
And as matter Of fact he is, in the ma
jority Of cases, the preacher who has beer
educated and equipped by the benevo
lence Of the Church. Judged therefore
by the highest test Of disinterestednes,
the theory that deserving young mel
should be helped by individuals and by
the Church into the ministry is not mis-
take. I" By their fruits ye shall know
them. L. NC.