Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1888-10-18

| salary is sure as general rule to prosper
We must have piety, humility, submission
and endurance in the ministry, but that is no
reason why we must have starvation, Let us
| look and see II some of the nine, have not for
these reasons, turned their backs upon the
gospel ministry right here and entered other
professions where honest toll is considered
worthy OF comfortable living.
Brethren, / submit the question, is 1t not
shame, that the church, in these troubles
times about wage working, strikes, mobs,
Anarchy, blood shed, should be last to give
an adequate compensation for the work and
labor done. The church the cxponant and
upholder of right, the last to give honest pay
for honest toll. And always first to make IL
reduction, for it is notorious fact that in
times of financial trouble, when retrench-
ment becomes necessary, large per cent OF
our church members, begin with the church
first. Cut Off their religious family newspa-
pers, reduce the subscription TO their pastors
salary or cut down their contributions from
a dollar to ten cents When young men see
all this, Is 1t any wonder that good and plous
young men hold back from entering the min
istry. so, to-day. l ask the church, "Where
are the nine"
g. This is an unusually critical age. Often
the ministers conduct, manner and character
are bright under the most severe criticism.
Parents and older persons have gotten into
this habit In the presence of their children
and the young. Not long since, | went into
a Christian family, and ut the dinner table,
was shocked and grieyed To hear brother
preachers character so rudely and irrcventiy
handled, and that too before the younger
members of the family, and yet there was
no charge against his moral character En-
tirely forgetful, that minister's character
like Samson's locks Is the source OF his
strength and that If they touch 1t they weak
en- him, and yet those Christian people pray
the Lord OF the harvest into. the field, but Is
it any wonder that they hold back
As chairman OF Com. of II. NJ. for my Pres
bytery once visited congregation to ascer-
tain the trouble between them and their
preacher / went from house to house, almost
every place went, their preachers conduct
and character was most severely criticised.
He was almost drawn assunder. And the
great cry was he has lost his hold upon the
young people. And said no wonder, when
they hear all this in their homes. Not one
of the nine about whom we are enquiring
have come out OF that congregation lately
and my faith is, that 1t will he q long time be-
fore they will, and who can blame them,
they do not want theif names and characters
to become a foot ball for such people and
the preacher has to take 1t good naturedly or
move on. No wonder that move has become
the general order of the day. On and on and
away from such treatment is that. Is IT any
wonder if some of those for whom we are en-
curing are TO be found in such congregations
as that.
flour people will learn to go TO church with
their hearts filled with sympathy and prayer
for the preacher add for the success of the
Gospel, and their hearts properly attuned
TO Gods praise, they will rot re-
member whether the preacher said
Mephibo'shcth or Mopbib'osheth, but they
will remember. "The Lord he Is good, the
Lord he is merciful." "Bless the Lord, oh my
SOUL" And, perhaps very soon, some Of the