The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-07


aud his being saturated aoith the Bible
language and form of presenting truth
Jesus had twelve apostles but Paul was
the only classically educated one. His
education prepared him to write, yet not
better than John. But he purposely alb
stained from using his literary abilities in
preaching even before classic Greeks.
How few have Ahe wisdom and grace,
when highly educated, to ignore it and
preach with all the simplicity of Paul or
Moody. One delightful "sign of the
times is the place the English Bible is to
have in Columbia This will go much
further than the limited knowledge OF
the dead languages most Of our ministers
have, ten years after leaving the semi
nary to fit them to win souls. What
is the matter, will be asked, that all
this talk comes now about our ministry ?
You admit we need an educated minis
try, and our Church government provides
for exceptional cases. What then is the
matter?" The matter is Just here: Many
have long felt that the exceptions ought
to be nearer rule. The theory OF our
Church is correct, but the application is
wrong. Apt to teach. Yes, let us have
a ministry apt to teach. Aptitude re-
quires power to gain the ear of the masses
as one element. Confessedly our minis
try, as rule, has failed by this test.
Aptitude does not necessarily require
familiarity with the dead languages, nor
with books, so much as with the Book
and the living English, Aptitude re-
quires knowledge of men, and men as they
are, dressed in the manners and modes of
thought of this decade, and not men in
John Ovens o. ugustine's day. Spur
geon owes M very much, to the
fathers" he its. But read "John
Ploughman" his other writings, and
how intensely 1ern and alive is he to
all the phras and modes of thought
of the presen
What led t formation of the Cum
berland Chu and its errors In the
ology? Toe : new wine for the old
bottles it b. orth. Had trained
ministry beer red without our seven
years course, ut not the same num-
bers exist as he two Churches, and
much sounder in theology?
The conclusion of the whole matter,
In the judgment of one who has long pom
dered this, y hat our application, not
rule, is " We need an educated
ministry. necessarily nor SO much
in the lal aud sciences, as in King
James, II pm Twelve apostles
only one lar. Twelve Presbyte-
rian preached d only one, if any, not
a scholar. Nor acquaintance with God
and man and the English Bible, and less
temptation to seek material and inspira-
ton from other books written about the
Bible, is the felt ant of the writer, and
his observation Srein agrees with his
experience. Let as furnish an education
of the very highest type for those capa-
bic and DESTROYS of it. Let us have men
able to answer the ablest advocates of
science falsely so-called. But let us have
more men who themselves are nearer on
the level of the people in modes of
thought, whose textbook will be more
constantly King James's Bible, whose IL
Illustrations and phraseolcgy will be more
home-like, and then, with the same
amount of the power of the Spirit may
We not hope for fuller fulflment of the
gospel ear mark, to the poor the Cos
pei is preached. B. H.
Carrol5tOn, Ky.