The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-08-09
" A worlds confederation,
A Parliament of man."
Manly Ministers.

fuse to be the creature of occasion or cir.
cumstance. He should have the courage
not only of his convictions, but of his
feelings as well, and should carry his
manllness out Of the pulpit into all the
affairs OF life. Not infrequently the min
lister seems far stronger in the pulpit
than out of it. His voice is frmer there
and his bearing loftier, and his aim
higher than it is seen to be on the street
and in the house. His manliness seems
to be professional, and the better RANGES
OF 1t reserved for stately occasions. And
then the world accuses him of using the
pulpit for barricade. He is holder be-
hind its protection than in the opener
and freer encounters of daily life.
Precisely at this point the minister
meets his sharpest temptation in the
direction of manly qualities. 1t is al
ways perilous to make great power abso-
lutte, even for single hour. And there
is danger to frankneGs and fairness in
the monopoly of address which the pull
pit secures to its occupant twice every
Sabbath. Not only has the minister the
intrenchment of his creed, and a sympa-
thetic audience inviting to boldnesg or
autocracy even, but he is secure against
challenge. If his opinion is to be ira
versed, it will be in another place, and
when further and deliberate opportunity
will be given for reply. A political
speaker or a lawyer must needs see the
question at every angle and cultivate
fairness in debate, for he is liable to
instant challenge. The minister suffers
the disadvantage of freedom from such
challenge, and from the sacredness with
which his proclamation is invested, the
triple sacredness of day, place, and sub
ject matter. Since, therefore, circum-
stances do not guard the minister, how
jealous he should be of his manhood and
how severely he should be his own guard
and Judge; how Yigilant of his sincerity,
his trankness, his fairness, and every at.
tribute Of manly public address! And
IN our judgment it is at this point that
the manhood of ministers suffers the most.
They do not so much need to be exhorted
to the courage Of their speech as to these
other qualities.
Conventionalism of every phase is a
great foe to manhood. And the pulpit
would be the gamer in moral power if it
would be less hedged about by this and
that sacred fashion. Let it be so sacred
that there, if anywhere on earth. the
people who look to it may find trans
parent sincerity and absolute personal
truthtulness. 1t is not necessary to a
minister 8 spiritual power that his au-
dlence shall themselves believe all the
creed, but that they perceive he does.
They will forgive what they NAV think
to be his errors, and they will easily for
give, or will fail to notice, his blunders :;
but mental or moral posturing hath not
forgiveness, and is utterly destructive of
spiritual power. First, last, and all the
time the love of truth must be visible
and loyalty to it must be seen to be un-
considered.
Manhood, whether among ministers or
others, means good many things; but
first OF all 1t means to be genuine and
true. In some it will appear in the
predominance of courage. They will be
our reformers. In others, in qualities of
fairness, prudence, sincerity, humility,
gentleness. But always the manly man
is the man who is thoroughly himself.
He never dramatizes. He never acts a
part. He puts on no airs. He is not
wise in his own conceit. But if he has
the basis Of an honest and truth-loving
nature, he will have power. If he makes
mistakes, he does not exalt them into
virtues. He can confess weakness and
error. But always his inner self, with
all struggles and failures, comes to the
surface; and all who hear him and see
him will know they have no failures nor
struggles that are not matched by similar
experience in the breast Of their leader
and in that knowledge they have most
mistaken basis for trust in him, and far
more for devotion to the ideals toward
which he 50 supremely strives TIE In
telior.
When God has great work for any