The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-11-09

their faces, and forms, and voices, and
manners, are as plain before my eyes, as
III had parted with them a year ago.
There they had stood for years, watch
men upon the walls of that part of Zion,
amid all the changes that had taken
place.. Pastors had come and gone
were installed, and the relations dis
solved, or they had died among. them.
But here We're these same men, in the
same unchanging Office, watching over
the same people, with, or without pastor.
Children were born and baptized, grew
| up to ratify the covenant vows, and were
admitted to the communion, by the same
elders who had seen them baptized. In
the course of years, these children grew
up to be men and women, were married
and presented their offspring to God, who
were, In due time, admitted to the Lord s
table, by the same old elders who had
given the hand of welcome to their pa
rents.
In all the fluctuations that come to all
our churches-times of drought and times
OF refreshing, times of prosperity and
times of adversity-there stood these
same old men of God, faithful to their
ordination vows, rejoicing with them that
did rejoice, and weeping with them that
wept.
When an old pastor died, they were
the ones who wept the bitterest tears
that were shed over his grave, and when
new one came they were the first to ex-
tend to him the hand of cordial well
come. If he pleased and gratifed the
people, they were pleased and gratifed
too, and if he did not they were the ones
to smooth over rough places to extenu-
ate and apologize for him, and to curb
all harsh judgments and criticisms that
might injure his character, and influence
and usefulness. To them, the pastor was
"our pastor" and so the Lords amounted
messenger, sent in answer to the prayers
of the church, and to be upheld by the
confidence, advice, sympathy, and pray
ers OF all the people-but especially of
the Session. Too old and sensible to
think that any man was perfect, they
knew that good church could make
good pastor, as well as a good pastor
could make good church. And SO, in
stead of helping to damage his character,
and to cripple his influence, they set
themselves to work to encourage him, to
animate and cheer his heart, and to en-
dorse and enforce all his active efforts for
the good of souls.
They may not have as much zeal, but
they are apt to have more knowledge
than the younger elders; and while the
latter may get up a higher pressure of
steam, the others are kind of "gov-
ernor, to open the safety valve and pre-
vent an explosion. They may be called
old fogies, but they are apt to have the
confidence of the people, and they know
that among the "Lord's freemen," ruling
is not the only attribute of good elder.
To "rule WE'LL" is to secure double
honor, and to set worthy example, is
to clinch the nail which the pastor drives
every Sunday, in his sermons. Their
prayers may be rather stereotype in form
and expression, but they come from the
heart; and they "set copy for those
who are learning to pray They are apt
to be set in their ways, but their ways
are apt to be the good old ways their
fathers trod before them, and which ex-
perience has shown to be the surest and
the safest ways for the true welfare of
the church lover which the Holy Ghost
hath made them overseers."