The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-09-27
More Advice to Young Ministers
BY A RURAL BISHOP.

would be temptation to me, and bring
forth more heads of discourse than l
could cluster under one homily. But 1
hope not to be drawn out a third time,
prolific as the theme is.
l. Consciousness is apt to be fault
with young ministers. An unnatural
one, it would seem, and one that might
be left to the superannuated brethren,
into whose fellowship the Rural Bishop"
feels himself approximating. But really,
inexperience is apt to beget impotence,
and impatience intolerance. The young
brethren want things to keep pace with
their own zeal, and they are almost
ready to blame Divine Providence if they
do not; at any rate, that improvidence
which keeps the church from providing
for the execution forthwith of all the
plans laid out by eager and perhaps
ambitious pastors. All, what sermons 1
have heard from preachers not three
years out of the Seminary, on the de-
generacy of the times, and the signs of
Generalization generally apparent in the
state of Zion here and elsewherel Such
jeremiads of lamentation in prayer-meet-
ings uttered over those not there, or who
being there, do not come up on their feet
in prayer and exhortation to the help of
! the Lord against the mighty l am con-
strained to say [ never saw much effect
from such discourses, except to depress
the whole meeting to lower state of dis
couragement and indisposition. Those
not at the meeting could not hear the
philippe, and those that were present
wished they had not heard it. The min
lister himself was the only man left to be
pro6ted by it, and he was not. For
bear the experiment, my young brother
Repress the least tendency in it by others
even if it be some resident minister in
the congregation who not having much
else to do, feels that faultfnding is his
special vocation. 1 knew such presby-
ter who rose in meeting on fast-day
after number of prayers had been Of
fered, and proceeded to analyze prayer
in general, and point out the defects of
many prayers in particular, winding up
with the exhilarating conclusion how lit
tie likelihood there was of this church,
at any rate, having its petitions an
swered in the present state of things
He was no sooner through with his re-
marks than the pastor spoke out
=" Will the brother, before he takes his
seat, be good enough to offer such
prayer as he thinks a0ould be appropriate
and likely to obtain the answer ?" The
brother" however, dropped into his
sitting posture as if something had hit
him. 1 would that all similar aids to
devotion could be as well, if not as wit
tily disposed CT. Do not despise the day
of small things. Make the best of what
you have, 1--WE are saved by hope"
good deal more than by despair, or even
Encouragement.
3 Consistency is good topic Just
here. l have known ministers lecture
their members for staying away from
prayer meeting, and then repeat the same
fault, for the same reasons, as regards
meetings of Presbytery and Synod, A
| Synodical Committee was once appointed.
to reason by circular with DELINQUENT
brethren, and they took up the same ar
gument that these brethren had been
heard addressing to their own par
ishioners. "The meetings are so unin-
teresting, you say. Come and help
make them otherwise" as you tell your
members Brethren that have more
taste for debate and business can carry
them on without me-" But it is not a
matter of taste whether we shall attend
to church business any more than ne
elect to pray in conference meeting.
You tell your members, Let every man
bear his own responsibility, and that
makes the service easy and the burden
light" l knew a minister who, leaving
the pastorate for paStming-that is to
say, farming-left off all going to prayer
meeting, and almost to church, except
when some pulpit needed temporary
supply. Is he not an edifying example?
Only an extreme instance of the way
ministers are apt to forget their preach
ing to others when the time comes to
practise it themselves.
3. Be natural. One Of the most un-
natural requirements, l admit, even
though 1T include sitting for your
photograph. There is such a thing as
being too Official and getting into too
self-conscious state the moment we have
some public duty in hand. How we do
drop into unearthly tones, or rise into
wise eyebrows, or stiffen into starchy
mannerism. Our preaching ought not
to be a solemn soliloquizing or apostro-
phizing, but something that has to do
With the people who are present to hear.
1t should be the style Of conversational
discourse transferred to the pulpit, keep
ing us In contact with those we address
an arOuuaut vryitb n ,,;o... 4