The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-03-31
For the Central Presbyterian.
Letters to a Candidate.
No


And now supposing (what of course l
know is not yet iact) that you have
been licensed, the first practical question
which will likely "vex your righteous
soul" is this: Where shall preach?
You observe, 1 would make the con-
sideration of field of labor succeed IL
censure. One of the evils of scarcity
of ministers and a multitude of vacant
churches is that the latter, eager to sup
ply themselves and afraid OF being left
in the lurch, infest the seminaries, and,
thrusting their conflicting appeals upon
the attention of candidates, prematurely
plague them with the question of set
Element, and often commit them before
they can obtain the counsel of their con-
stitutional adviser, the Presbytery.
wish you may never be embarrassed,
even at the proper time, by the compel
ing calls of several churches for your SER
vices. The fact is very complimentary,
but it is perilous for any preacher, and
especially a young man, to be much
sought after. The latter is apt, anyhow,
when he leaves the seminary, to imagine
that he has the world in a sling. OF
course this starch will soon be taken out
by rude discipline, and he will possibly
need encouragement; but it is well to
escape the necessity of the correction.
Should you, however, be afflicted with
the compliment of several invitations, |
pray you to keep the fact out of the pa
pers. But you must have field, and
you may be required to decide between
several calls for your service; and how
are you to do it
A sanctimonious and obt usive piety
has uttered an immense deal of trash
about the Importance of ascertaining the
Lords will. This cant has been so often
coupled with an apparent eagerness for
conspicuous and soft places, that the
world credits the ministry with scant
and, laughing in It's sleeve, de
risively defines call as an invitation
to prominent church and tat salary"
1t must be COME, sed that there is enough
of this unholy ambition in our ranks to
Justly provoke he sneer But for my
brethren, as a c; i indignantly repe
the charge, that J are Iaercenary, as
a foul aspersion One dead fly may spoil
d pot of ointmen at; and few sporadic
instances of unsanctifed desire for pre-
ferment have brought discredit upon
preachers as whole. But am bold to
affirm that there is not, in all this broad
earth, body of men who practice more
self-denial and more seriously ponder the
question of duty before they take step.
The dictate OF scrupulous piety is OF
course Lord what wilt thou have me to
do?" No minister, fit for the Office, but
ardently wishes to conform his labors, as
to matter and place, to the Lords will
and it would greatly simplify the ques-
ton if the Lord would audibly express
his will to his embarrassed servant. For
good reasons he is not pleased to do this.
But still the preacher must have field
and take one field rather than another
and how is he to settle the matter &C.
cording to the Lord s will. Well, I think
God has left preachers to answer this
question In the same way every Chris
tan man ought to settle any question Of
duty, and it is this: He must, in the use
Of prayer, conscientiously apply his ra-
tional faculty to an analysis of all the cir.
of the case, and accept the
conclusion as the will of G5d. This seems
to me to be the common sense as well as
way of settling the matter.
But let me make some suggestions which
may help you In reaching conclusion.
]. You must, of course, be put in cor
with church through the
legitimate agency of others. say Leqjti-
mate, for there is certain propriety in
this matter which you should never VIC
lste, nor ever allow to be violated for
you. l despise ecclesiastical match
makers, who have always 'hand-plant,
as a tobacco grower would say, to stick
in the first good vacancy. But get all
the light possible, listen to the counsel of
prudent friends, and, for the glory of
God, decide and act for yourself
2. If you have a call from a conspicu-
GUS and rich church and poor and OBJ.
scure one at the same time, be very slow
to accept the former. Primo facje the
Lords will is on the side of the feeble
church; and then you should beware of
the carnal bias toward the Aesh-pots.
We are naturally inclined to prefer the
" riches of Egypt" to "aflction with the
people of God" And who is to serve
these poor churches, if our young, robust,
and unencumbered men decline to do it?
1t seems to me that for the sake of these
churches, as well as our young preachers,
the Presbytery should require every one
of them to serve for a certain period one
or more of these feeble churches. Don't
be afraid that country charge will not