Morning journal and courier., 1884-01-11
Calls to the Ministry.

There was small attendance of ladies and
 few city ministers at the lecture at Mar
 quard chapel by Rev. Dr. Burton of Hart
 ford yesterday afternoon. The seats reserved
 for the students were well filled. It was the
 opening lecture in the Lyman Beecher course,
 and it was listened to with close attention from the beginning to the close. The speaker was several times interrupted by ap- plause, and his witty turns and humorous anecdotes evoked hearty laughter. The speaker said he intended to say few words concerning uncertainty as to whether young
 man was really called to the ministry or not.
 There is often grave doubt in ayoung mans
 mind about the reality of his call. Men do
 go into the ministry sometimes by the pull
 of numerous forces, sometimes in blindness, sometimes with illumination, sometimes with
 great quantities of advice. God works along
 certain great established lines, but within
 these lines is vast and beautiful diversity.
 This is seen in nature as well as in Gods
 dealings with men. God is not tied up to
 naturalization in his dealings with men. He
 moves invisibly in the great kingdom of
 wills. Men believe they are shaping their
 own destiny, that they are the masters of
 their own fate. But in fact God is shaping
 their destiny, although in a blind way that
 men do not understand or perceive.
 Dr. Horace Bushnell when speaking of the
 subject of ministerial calls would not make
 out for himself regulation call. His mother
 had great desires for, him but did not tell
 him of her hearts longing. He became 8
 Christian, 8 collegian, graduate, made up
 his mind to become 8 lawyer and so an-
 nounced his choice. It was then that his
 mother expressed her wish. She told him
 that she did not think he hardly knew his own mind about the matter and advised him to accept the Yale tutorship that was offered him at that time. In time the would be lawyer became minister according to his mothers wishes. Dr. Burton said that he didn't know of mother who in, her prayers and yearnings had ever devoted her son to be a lawyer, and added that he did not make the assertion as proof that the pro- fession had no standing. Bushnell was led by innumerable influences to become a min ister. It is true that God not only permits his ministers to find their callings in these groping and accidental ways, but delights in
 
 ilIumined ways. He makes his providence i versatile. If we could only get back into | the secretness of Gods purposes. He uses his liberty in calling man; by the strong | hand of fate or by slight contrivance of l If 8 mans call comes in the | voice as of trumpet he should not be at all | puffed up thereby. Nor should he diminish | the reality or importance of the call if it | comes in whispers that are scarcely audible. |
 pr. Burton went on to speak of some in dications of true call to 8 man to preach | the gospel. In the first place whether or no a man has gifts is a very important question that is always considered. Such questions as: Can he think2 Does he know anythingP | If he does know anything, can he tell it in any engaging way? Is he person whom one can look at with any sort of comfort | Has he a good voice? These are the things that theological professors and councils like to see. But it must not be forgotten that some weak men are mighty in the Lords kingdom. The speaker related an incident of a poor deaf and dumb Zulu who became con- verted and impressed with the fact that he was called to the ministry. He went out among the wild South African tribes and did great good, bringing many of them to the knowledge of the Lord.
 The second sign of true call is a certain of circumstances toward the work. Many aspiring young men meet with various Instructions such as lack of money, a necessity of continuing in some other work, etc. If want of funds is all that flinders, the aspirant need not be discouraged. The ways 0f kn ho | ergetic young student are now almost peril ously numerous.
 The third mark of genuine call is the united advice of judicious friends This is very valuable. Often mans friends know him better than he does himself. Every one should take advice. People of large expe- rience, old ministers, for example, know what sort of men are fitted for affairs It is well to find out what your church thinks about you and those upon whom you have tried your oratorical arts. But you must not lean too much on advice. Who advised Christ to go on in his work? Who took any stock in Saul of Tarsus? Who would have licensed that poor Zulu to preach? Scores or men have proven by their miserable fail ures that those who advised them to enter the ministry were wrong.
 Dr. Burton said that the supernatural signs were even more necessary than the na- tural, of which he had been speaking. Some insist upon the natural as being the only signs of true call. God may serve notice on man in wonderful ways which will make him see his makers hand Abraham had such calls. So did Isaac, Jacob, 1 Joseph, Moses, and all the prophets. The new testament is particularly strong on the side of the supernatural. The workings of 1 the Holy Ghost were then recognized. The , idea of the inner life was insisted upon.
 One should not be discouraged if at times he fails to hear the voice of God You have noticed when band of music is passing along that the sound is sometimes strong and ] ,lear, and then again you lose it altogether ( IS some building intervenes or the sound is iaken up on some wave of air, or perhans he musicians play very softly. In this way loes the music of Gods voice calling us to | pc co-workers with him in his cause some. imes seem to die away altogether. i
 The second lecture in the course will be } .iven at Marquand chapel this afternoon at o'clock. 1