The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-11-13
THE UNIVERSAI1ST: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10. 1885,

thoughts and holy feelings, kind deeds
and sweet affections, upright characters
and happy homes, the virtues of life
and the hopes of heaven, does infinitely
more for the world than he who labors
with cotton and corn, factories or work
shops, and leaves only material things
which perish with the using.
Now, it may be, some ministers do
not leave very large results of good.
But that only proves the inefficiency of
those ministers, not the uselessness of
the ministry. There are degrees of
success in all professions and men will
achieve and succeed according to their
ability in the ministry, as they will
elsewhere. But, taking all things into
account, we earnestly feel that the min
istry offers as inviting and promising a
field of labor to young men Of right
qualifications as any they can find.
Do you question as to what qualifica-
tions are necessary Z? But little need
be said on that point. We do not need
elaborate treatises on conservation, pi-
ETY., self-sacrifce, etc. Such talk drives
more young men away than it wins.
But let young men who want place in
life where they can do we'll for them
selves and well for the world, come and
show an earnest desire to make this
work their choice, and they can get the
| qualifications. There are thousand
young men in the country who have
good enough bodies, and good enough
brains, and good enough voices, and
good enough characters to be trained
into efficient and -successful ministers.
All they need is the disposition to I'M
dertake it; that the spirit move them
from without or from within to choose
this life-work. The culture of our
schools, the aid of our ministers, the
discipline of experience will give them
the rest. One question more: How
can we get such young men to enter our
ministry Two things can be done
which can be told very briefly.
One is (pardon the seeming egotism,
but 1 am in earnestly to have some such
address as have tried to outline, de-
livered to the classes in our colleges
and preparatory schools, to our churches
and Sunday-schools, to literary socie-
ties, to young mems Christian associa-
tions, before the students in academies
and boarding schools, and business
schools, in word, wherever young men
are gathered together, and competent
man can get a hearing. 1t might be
advisable to have some man make this
subject speciality, and send him as a
missionary to our schools and colleges,
to present in free lecture, ''The adj
vantages and opportunities of our min
istry."
The other way is for every clergyman
to be missionary in his own parish in
this behalf. 1 have never been in a
parish where I did not find material for
the ministry. And 1 believe almost
every live parish has the making of one
or more ministers within it. Preach
our needs from the pulpit. Talk with
the young men in common-sense way
about their life-work. Watch for the
"heretics" frozen out from other folds
and hold an open door for them. All,
friends, had our church been little
more tolerant and hospitable, some
good men who are not with us might
have been won. And if you can't do
any better, visit your orthodox min
isterial friend and convert him. We
don't know who of them may be want
ing new work quite as much as we want
new workers.
In all these ways let our clergymen
be watchful, earnest, active in behalf
of our interests, and then if our churches
will sustain them with juster appre-
citation of the office and work of the
ministry, and more faithful and gen.
erous support Of the cause, our Zion
will prosper. The laborers will increase,
and rich harvests will be gathered, MAX
ing glad all our hearts.