Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-09-08

occupy Uery dangerous ground. 1t
gifted and successful they are in dan
ger of being destroyed by vanity and
pride; of going up to hell. And If
/ humble Of being tainthearted and dis
couraged in view of the greatness of
the work, and assured opposition of
Satan, from the wicked outside the
I Church and the formal and backslid-
den in it. Paul himself, felt to e1-
claim, who is sufficient for these
things?" A negative position on
the part of the Church; the worldIi-
ness and want of spirituality, indieat-
ed often by absence from the Sabbath
School and prayer meeting; or, by the
non payment of tithes, binders fearful
ly. But if these things are great
hindsrances, SO much SO as to give a
faithful minister cause to fear want
of success, what evident need there is
for alarm, when perhaps two three or
four continually animadvert upon his
efforts and make it their business to
talk him down all around the parish
"One (such) sinner destroyeth much
good" and is on the way to hell.
Such would dc we'll to think of the
fate of those who Knocked the ancient
Prophet; and as well, those words of
Jehovah, "Touch not mine auointed
and dc nay prophet no harm"
1t doesn't take much brain to make
critic. Any fool can find fault, for
in this world of imperfections no one
is absolutely perfect. Faults are like
grace in one respect, they abound,
and, "verily they who seek them shall
find them
,Spurgeon once said, in his John
Ploughman's talks, 'I never knew a
good horse which had not some odd
habit or other, and [ never yet saw
minister worth his salt who had not
some erotchet or oddity. NoU these
are bits of cheese which these cavilers
smell out; the first is too fowery and
the second is too dull. Dear me If all
Gods creatures were judges, in this
way, we should wiring the doves neck
for being to tame, shoot the robin for
eating spiders, kill the crows for
swinging their tails, and the hens for
not giving US milk.
When a man wants to beat a dog
he can soon find stick, and at this
rate, any fool may have something to
say against the best minister in Eng
| land"
"a person called to tell has minister
that he did not enjoy his preaching as
he once did. Said the minister,
Before you go any further will you
kneel down and pray for me-" While
upon their knees light came to the
dissatisfied member, and rising he
said, II am ashamed of myself and
have no fault to find. Since [ have
prayed for you [ cannot find fault
with you, and [ believe now that the
trouble has been all in myself. [
never prayed for you before, but now
I always will"
The entire Church should be
Aaron's and Hur's holding up the
Prophets hands.
THE SOURCE OF A MINISTER'S
COURAGE.
We havs been looking at the
causes of minister's fears, now we
will contemplate the sources of his
courage. And first, he knows he is
divinely commissioned. The ministry
is not merely one of the learned profess
sions; it is an ambassadorship. Gods
ministers are appointed of Heaven
to represent the King of Kings, our
Lord Jesus Christ, before men.
Ministers of the gospel have some
thing else to do besides entertaining
their hearers; they hare to cry as
acatchmen on the waIt, to the imperil-
ed soul, as one that will! be held
accountable for those who perish unless
he faithfully warn them.
They mast "re6uke and reprove the
erring with all authority long suffering
and doctrine" They must speak the
message God gives them, no matter
whether men will here or forbear, no
matter whether they smile or frown.
Hoso can he fear or falter, with all
heaven at his back. Upheld by angel
hands. the prayers Of all the holy
and the arm of the Almighty, like
Paul he cries, though prosecuted and
imprisoned, eff God be for US who
can be against us?"
Then he has the right on has side,
or rather he is on the eide Of right.