Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-07-28
THE PASTORAL RELATION.

The relation OF pastor to the nock com
mitted to his care is most sacred in it's char.
acter 1t has its origin directly in the ap
pointment of him who gave to his church
some apostles, some prophets, some evangel
ists some pastors and teachers-for the per
fectpg of the saints, for the work of the min
istry, for the edfying of the body of. Jesus
Christ.
We speak not now of the pastoral connex'
ion as it is regarded by many in our day--a
mere pecuniary transaction between minis
ter and congregation, to perform certain
specified duties for certain specified sum
Such relation must necessarily be a merce'
nary one, and where nothing beyond this ex
lists, there will only be ministry who accom-
plish, as an hireling, their day, and hiring
people, cursed of God, and rendered spiritu,
ally dead by the very teachers they have
heaped unto themselves. No, we refer to
the holy and beautiful relation instituted by
the Redeemer between pastor and his flock.
To both of these how important the mutual
duties, how great the obligations, how numer-
Gus the cares which connect themselves with
this relation, and yet how sacred its attach
ments and how delightful the confidence it
inspires Blessed are the people who know
the joyful sound, but doubly blessed are they
to whom the feet of those who bring glad
tidings of peace are the feet of pastor and
a friend
In a secondary and subordinate sense, we
may apply the language of Christ concerning
himself, and say of every Christian minister
"He is the good shepherd and knows his
sheep, and they follow him, for they know his
voice." Such one is not an hireling. He
lives not for himself but for his flock. He
desires not theirs, but them. His very being
is consecrated to their welfare, and he could
impart to them not the goepel only, but his
own soul. He weeps with those who weep,
and rejoices with those who rejoice. He is
afflicted in their affiicton, and their prosperi-
ry fills his heart with joy. All feel that in
him they have friend, and lie becomes the
centre toward which the sorrowful turn as by
some common law. The perplexed and care
worn freely unbosom their cares to him, and
20 away with the uplifted eye of hope. The
penitent, whose sin-sick soul groans under a
load too heavy to be borne, instiuctively seeks
his dwelling and with a faltering lip asks Of
him the momentous question, "What must |
do to be saved ?" The widow and fatherless
find consolation in their loss by the words of
his lips, and the tears Of the mourner are
wiped away by the hand of his sympathy.
The pillow of the dying is smoothed by his
prayer, and death is made easy by the conso-
lations of the gospel Even the lambs of the
fock-the children of the Church-"know
the voice" of their shepherd, and are encour-
aged in the path of virtue by the smile of his
approval. In word, he is at once the faith
full reprover of sin and the friend of the sin.
ner, an instructor of the wise though fool
for Christ's sake; minister Of the sanctuary,
and vet teacher of babes an ambassador
of Christ, and yet the servant of all for Je-
sus' sake.
How beautiful is this relation, sancti6ed by
the Spirit and cemented by mutual love !! Out
of it spring aims at once new and glorious in
their destiny, and from it proceed attachments
which shall endure when the sun and moon
are no more. 1t introduces the soul into a
new world of thought, holier atmosphere of
feeling and a higher sphere of Christian et'
fort. So far from frowning on the ameni-
ties of life, it sancti6es them and makes Them
subservient to its benevolent purposes. The
law of kindness, the ties of friendship, the
bonds of affection, receive from it additional
strength, and become the willing hand maids
of religion. Nay more-whatsoever things
are pure and virtuous and lovel ely and of good
report are baptized by it in the element Of
love, and become hel pers of its efficiency and
supporters of its power
1t is sweet for the pastor to look forward to
the time when, after supporting many faint
ing head, he shall lie down to die with the
holy sympathies clustering around himself
which he felt for others to leave behind him
a fragrant memory as dear treasure to the
hearts in whose midst his last breath Was
drawn. 1t is blessed to look forward to lay
ing his body by the side of those whose souls
he had guided to Heaven; to rise with those
whom he had taught to give their bodies to
the grave without sigh, and to ascend at the
appearing of the Lord side by side with those
who shall constitute his rejoicing in eternity.
But oh, the ecstatic blessedness of entering
heaven, with the people Of his charge, never
more to separate, never more to die line
Workman.
s1- To be satisfied with the acquittal of
the world, though accompanied with the Sc
cret condemnation of conscience, this is the
mark of little mind but it requires a soul
of no common stamp to be satisfied with its
own aceuittal, and to despise the condemna-
tion of the world.