The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-10-04
For the Central Presbyterian.
Home Missions.
An Economical View.
RICHARD M'1LwAINE, SECRETARY

RICHARD NJ ILwAINE, SECRETARY.
1t is generally agreed that it behooves
the Church to husband her resources and
to make the best possible use of the
means at her disposal She is respon-
slble for the talents committed to her
and must employ them wisely in the
Masters service. Chief among the gifts
entrusted to her is her ministry, which
is an essential part of her furniture for
edifying the body of believers and for
winning the whole world to Christ. The
best blessing which God confers upon her
is pious, consecrated and unworldly
ministry. Like priest, like people," II
the ministry are what they ought to be.
the people will foUP W.th Hence the ne
cessity of maintaining high standard Of
ministerial excellence and efficiency, and
OF placing our preachers under circum-
stances in which all their powers shall be
devoted to their sacred calling. Any
church which suffers its ministry to de
preciate, must participate in the deter
ioration and soon feel the deadening
effects of the fatal mistake. 1t is.a mat
ter Of the highest concern to every lover
of the Church that her standard bearers
shall be pure and unimpeachabie in
character, earnest and devoted in Spirit,
and expend their whole strength in their
ordained work. Every particle of minis
terial force distracted from the particuI
lar sphere of Christian effort and employed
in outside concerns, shows depreciation
somewhere and involves loss to the vital
interests of Christ's Church.
Gods Plan.
The rule laid down in Scripture that
they who preach the Gospel shall live
of the Gospel is the only wise and just
plan by which high standard of min
isterial character and excellence can be
secured. God has ordained that his min
listers shall be wholly set apart from the
world, wholly engaged in his service and
wholly supported in their labors. The
Presbyterian Church, early in her his
tory, embraced this conception and en-
bodied it in her standards, and it is to-
day the expression of what she under
stands to be the teaching of Scripture as
we'll as the result of large experience.
And this plan admits of no modification,
and can suffer no reversal. 1t is oil
Divine ordination and is, therefore, not
only wise, but necessary. Gods minis
ters must give themselves to their work
and in doing so must be supported there
in. This is essential to the realization Of
the Divine ideal and to the well being o.
the Church. Experience has shown that
ministry engaged partly in ministerial
and partly in secular work, is a very
lame affair and poorly suited to carry
forward the cause Of Christ. In theory
the Christian Church is nearly unit il
regard to this matter. But the preva
lent practice in all Protestant denomina
tions is sadly defective. There has beer
distressing dereliction in this respec
on the part Of Christ's people, leading t,
disastrous waste of ministerial energy
and force, which has resulted in mani
fest depreciation in the vitality of boil
ministers and people, and has produced
such diminished usefulness, that com
paratively little influence for good is ex
erted, and relatively small inroads ar
made upon the world.
How is IL Among Us?
1t is only Just to say that in some G
our congregations, ministerial supper
has already reached most desirabl
point; that is, it is sufficient to enable tn