The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-14
For the Central Presbyterian.
" T. w. HIS" Article.

This writer states that in ministry OF
over twenty-five years he has never
known an applicant for admission, under
the extraordinary cases provision, to
be rejected; and that this fact proves
that this provision covers all cases in
which the candidate is Of good mind, apt
to teach, well versed in Scripture, etc.
The force of this depends upon two
things: (l) The number of such cases he
has known during his long experience.
(2) The assumption that the whole ten
dency of our practice and the practical
dead-letterness of this provision do not
deter such men from considering the
question of call to the ministry. This
assumption simply begs the question in
one of the most important points raised
by the advocates of a change.
2. "Now local preacher in the Meth
odist Church has no more authority to,
preach than any ruling elder in the Pres
byterian Church."
If this statement is correct, at. w. H."
either knows great deal less about the
Methodist local preacher or great deal
more about the Presbyterian ruling elder
than the present writer does. We would
like to see his authority from the two
Books of Church Government before &C
cepting this statement
3. A minister is called of God, and
how can lowering the standard of educa-
tion interfere with Gods call to such an
office This device seems to me to ig-
more the necessity of Gods voice in the
matter altogether
We are reluctant to essay the invid-
ious task of correcting a minister with
an experience of over twenty five years, "
but really this strange paragraph de-
mands it. Suppose our Church were to
demand the degree of Phi. D. from Ger
man university as sine qua non to icen-
sure, would not his argument hold Just
as well? Does he mean to say that such
restrictions as Church rules and Church
power might throw around the ministry
would not, and could not, come between
the call of God and the soul of man,
causing the latter not to hear or not to
heed The efectual call of the sinner
is Just as truly and entirely of God" as
is the call to the ministry but it is to be
supposed that ct w. H." breaches &C.
casionally on the SIN and Danger of Re-
StSttmg the Spirit of God The aggres-
sive brethren believe that Greek, Latin,
and Hebrew interfere" more with Gods
call than this device" does.
4. For what is education 1t does
not consist in examining the mind full OF
knowledge; and that is not the educated
man who has memory full of knowl-
edge of any kind. Education is drawing
out the powers of and faculties of the
mind. 1t is teaching Us how to think,
how to study, how to reason"
The aggressive brethren will thank the
Doctor for that lucid statement, and they
will pit it against the universal assump-
ton of their opponents that education
consist in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew (and
a mere smattering at that an assump-
ton that underlies all these protests
against an unedncated ministry"
B. The comparisons between the doc
tor or lawyer and the preacher % The
former have more time for study. (2)
They have more powerful spur to dill
gence. (3) They have the association
and aid of their fellow doctors and law
yers, which advantage the preacher has
not
This % point is new idea to us. If
the young preacher is so busy, aOhat is he
busy at ? We agree with at. w. H"
in thinking that he is generally buster
than most other young men, but what is
he doing? He does not ordinarily begin
work in a parish like large city charge;
his pastoral work generally is not so
large at first as to occupy the most of his
time. Is not he buster studying?
I. I
if conscience does not spur the young
brother to diligence his resources"
brought from the seminary will prove
small capital
The association and aid 60 is less
than ct. w. Fl" imagines, and is more
than counterbalanced by the great facili-
ties in the abundance and cheapness of
religious literature. Here is the situa-
ton Of the young minister according to
our writer
But the minister, young and inexperienced
must depend at once upon bis own resources
Perhaps there is not a brother presbyter in fifty
or hundred miles with whom he can meet and
compare notes. His work must be carried on
as most Of US know from experience, by main
strength and awkwardne ss" Hard knocks, and
many an awkward blunder, not provided for in
the scholastic course, must be endured before he
knows how, or rather learns how, IN this sterner
school Of experience, to perform the practical
duties Of his profession"
If experience is the chief teacher, and
main strength and awkwardness' the
text books, it would seem that somebody