Morning journal and courier., 1883-12-17
St. Thomas Church.

n1nIsters of Christ and Stewards of the
 mysteries of GOd-What am Episcopal Clergyman Says About Ministers and Their Duties.
 At St. Thomas Episcopal church yesterday morning the rector, Dr. Beardsley, began by saying that the epistle for the day suggested the subject of his discourse, the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God" the text being from first Corinthians. fourth chapter and first verse; After des- cribing the nature of the priestly office the preacher spoke as follows concerning it's duties: The chief lines of practical duty are sufficiently manifest. However we may diff fer in opinions, however we may differ in matters connected with the immediate and general policy of the church, we all agree that in these times and in our land the life of 8 Christian minister must be an exceed inRly busy one. It must of necessity have it's parts for diligent and scriptural research and its parts for private and pastoral inter- course with the people. The most that we can expect from the student in theology when he comes fresh from the lecture room of his professor is fitness under God to be- eiI, his work, knowledge of the use of the materials placed in his hands. With the aid of these materials he is to be student ever after, s'giving attendance to reading" ''do- ing the work of an evangelist and making full proof of his ministry" It has been sometimes said that professional studies are to cease with the period of admission into holy orders but such is not the testimony of experience, it is not the dictate of common sense it is not the judgment of the church.
 Our Lord on memorable occasion declared,
 'tNo man having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God,'' No man. The metaphor is equally forcibIe and instructive when applied to g humble Christian in the pursuit of his vocR- ton or to a minister in the way of his duty. Turning back implies inattention or pref
 erence for directly avoiding engagement. It does not necessarily mean an actual relin- quishment of duty, but want Of faith, want of hearts, a want of energy in it's pros- ecution. It is a plain violation Of the spirit of the ordinal; when the candidate before he is clothed in the authority of priest in the church of God is exhorted 'sas much as in him lIeth to apply himself wholly to this one thing" or as the exhortation of the bishop more significantly states it to 'tdraw all his cares and studies this way. All his cares and studies." They are not to be remitted They are not to be directed into the old channel of worldly gain and
 
 his fidelity aud all his diligence the office of minister of Christ, though the noblest with which man can be charged, is in every respect singularly limited in it's visible re- suits It is not for example like the office of sculptor who takes the rude block and fash
 ioning it day by day with industry and skill
 leaves it not till it emulates the loveliness of life. It is not like the office of the artisan
 who, with his implements and his stock of
 material, tolls sedulously at his occupation
 till the finished piece of mechanism counts the hours and tells the minutes. The minis. ter of Christ must be content to labor in faith He can do little more than make Q faithful publication of the grand truths of the gospel and throw in the seed of the word. He may live and die ignorant whether much or whether any has sprung up into harvest of righteousness. And even if he be priVil- eged to behold the ground covered with lux1riant produce he cannot be said to have been otherwise instrumental in accomplish ing the beautiful results than as having strewed the earth with the grain entrusted to his care by the great proprietor of the soil.
 Every minister has his own work to do, and he must do it according to the position in which he is placed and the emergencies by which no is enapmpasaed. If he is in com