Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-04-24
A MINISTER'S ADVICE TO MIN
listers.

lively discussion. but was unanimously
approved and ordered to be printed. The
Doctor being our regular correspondent
and having been sick. sent it to the PRESS
as his contribution
''How can we reach the men in oul
congregations who have not confess
ed Christ ~
The question is a practical one,
for undoubtedly we all have such men
in orr congregations. They come to
church because of habit formed in
early life, or for the sake Of compan-
ionship, or because of the pleasure
they derive from listning to the SER
mons or music. Some, it is to be
feared, come to secure popularity,
some to help forward their business
enterprises, some "to be seen of men,"
and not few to be seen of women.
But these do not Confess Christ. =
They, in measure, keep the Lords
day and reverence the Lords house.
Many Of them contribute toward the
support of His ministers but they
reject Him as their personal Saviour,
and despite their light and knowledge
are perishing in their sins.
The question under dicussion i'm
plies that our paramount purpose in
dealing with those who compose our
congregations should be to have them
confess Christ. | accept that as
correct statement. May He by whom
we have been called and commission
ed have mercy upon those of us who
to any extent, have lost sightof this
duty, have famed our hearers to
slsep, or have made ourselves greater
in their eyes th9n we have Christ,
the Lord of Glory, their only Savior
and oursl
In attempting to answer this cues
ton L would say, that we should
strive to take all stumbling blocks
out of their way. Difficulties which
may be SO named may be put before
them by ourselves. We may be OBJ
jectionable to some on account of
our manners or, as they would blunt
ly say, our want of manners. A
Christian minister ought to be gen
tleman and to the full extent of his
ability so carry himself, in the pull
pit and out of it, as not to repel but
win men.
We should be careful as to the
methods we adopt III the perfor-
nance of our duty, choosing them
wisely, and sacrificing nothing Of
the great aim we have in view for
the sake of ease, or conformity to
usage. The successful fisher for
souls does not thresh the waters and
drive the fish away, nor does he fail
to lay aside everything which will
disgust or render indifferent those
whom he hopes to capture for Christ
There is large class of men who
despise sycophancy, and nowhere
does it seem to them SO contemplate
as when seen in a professed ambassa
dor of Jesus Christ. The minister
who for the sake of popularity, or
pecuniary or professional gain, will
fawn upon the rich or fatter the
proud need never hope to save the
sinners before whom he prostrates
himself They look upon him with con.
tempt so far as he comes before them
as one who would commend them. be
fore the court of Heaven. OF all
men the most manly should be those
whom Christ has commissioned to
arouse a perishing world and to cry,
"Repent We, for the kingdom of
Heaven is at hand!D
1t is to be feared that some men
in our congregations encounter great
stumbling blocks in the form of in
consistent and unworthy members
whose names are found upon our
church records. Why should a sin
ner who claims that he has not yio-
lated the third commandment, or
the seventh or the eighth care to
''confess Christi in church some of
whose front pews and official seats
are occupied by men who they know
are so SHINING against God Here,
brothers, lies the reason why so
many prominent men are members
of Christian congregations but refuse
to unite with the church. They scorn
the hypocrisy they would have to
sanction by such a fellowship, and
feel that outside of such church
their salvation is as sure as that Of
many within it.
Before we stretch out our hands