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

l <Ao a NAAeASA VIC hN1u W lCopOIs1DAAS
tiles for the young, We need TO realize that
the Sunday school is not thing apart, but
that it is the church itself at work study
ing Gods word and training the children. A
work in which both pastor and the session, as
a session, are deeply interested In and respon-
sible for, and that our young men are not 10
be allowed to run wild, and grow like colts
upon the prairie, and depend upon revfva
meetings and human instrumentalItles to
Iasso and bring hem in, but that they are TO
be trained up and kept in the way they
should go. The church needs thorough, sys-
tematic and cooperative work for and In be-
half of the young-a work that will keep the
youth in the fold and work that will go ont
after those who have strayed.
Because this part OF the chul chs work has
not been done as faithfully as it should an
emergency arose, and as 3 result we find an
organization has arisen to meet the emer-
gency. Irefer to the Y. NJ. C. A. Greatly left
TO themselves, the young men of our land are
forced to take care of themselves, and right
well have they done it, too.
Brethren, the church is Gods only ordained
and organized way and means for the saliva
ton of sinners and up-building of Christians,
and hold, If the church bad done her full
work for the young, there would have been
no such an organization to-day, for there
would have been no necessity for 1t and no
room for ii; and If there had been, God would
have provided for its organization in his
word. But the exigencies of the times called
| for it and it came, and great and noble work
they have done, too. And God has greatly
blessed their endeavors. And although they
have done, and are still doing, grand work,
still may we not inquire of them, Have you
not some of the nine in your ranks, as Sec
retaries, Bible readers or evangeltsts?
Feeling that they, as a class, are largely left
to take care of themselves, is 1t not true that
they have called into and kept in their their
service certain per cent of our young men
who otherwise would have entered the Gospel
ministry?
A brother minister once said to me: Where
are the pious young men, to whom you would
look for candidates for the ministry; are they
not in the Y. NJ. c. A.? 1 said yes, but whose
fault is it? They are doing great work for
themselves, and the organization is nursery
and training school for the church, and
doubtless they are turning some into the min
istry. Yes, said he; but in doing such good
work there, may they not have compromised
the whole question of the regular Gospel
ministry? SO when we assist these young
brethren, and bid them Godspeed In their
good work, it may be well enough to ask
them, for the church, "Where are the nine?''
And so say to the young brethren OF the
Y. NJ. c. A: 60 forward in your work and
labor of love until the church Is willing and
will take this, her legitimate, work off of
yours, unto her own shoulders.
Tlor, or,, a ,vroo ,,oo,,, ,,,hS oro ,vo;,,..
and down through our land preaching the
gospel, who are unauthorized by any
church or court to preach. Yet many are
running wild after them. And in some in
stances the Holy Ghost seems to honor and
bless them, and we honor them and invite
them into our pulpits. We call them Evan
gelists, though they have never been called
and set apart to that work by the church.
Still the land is being filled with them.
SHALL we forbid them, Jesus said unto John,
in Luke 0, so: "Forbid him not for he that is
not against u.s. is for u.s." But might we not
in the ranks of these, find some OF those for
whom we are inquiring,
God forbid that should say aught against
the Evangelist, would that we had more men
regularly called and set apart to this work,
for they are needed and the work is ordained
Of God. But are we not as church and a
people too lax in our views in regard to those
who are going all over the land and all
through our churches, or many of them, who
have never been set part by any one to the
work. And at least may not their increasing
number have something to do with the want
OF increase of candidates for the gospel min
isty.
2. Ministerial beggary may account for
some who "have not returned to give God
the glory" There are few young men of
metal or pride who have grace enough at the
beginning to overcome the tide OF prejudice
which is found both i'll the world and in the
church against gratuitous, chart able Or BEN
eticlary education. Young men OF spirit
unwilling to assume the attitude of a depend
ent servant toward an Independent Iaity.
one young candidate of piety and promise
who was a beneficiary, said 10 me, no one eX-
cept those who have tried 1t, know just how
hard it is to accept it, Gods grace and spirit
alone can make one willingto undertake it,
and it was only after had felt the burden of
"Woe is me, If preach not the gospel" that
l could go forward, sndI believe that many
stop right here.
L think the principle of beneficiary educa- |
ton is correct, but the widespread opposition
to it Is perhaps doing much to deter young
men from accepting it, and therefore keep |!
ing large per cent from the ministry. Such |
persons need 10 be asked ''where are the |
nine?" And our people need to be educ ted
as to the Importance of this great arm Of the
c,urch'S work.
While our church does not indulge in the |
religious luxury of offering meat to idols yet |
it takes money to live, and the small salaries |
paid are often unchristan, because unucccs-
sary. Many congregations make mistake |
whom they starve or half feed their pastor |
when they compel him from sheer necessity |
to study economy more than theology, they
do it to their own hurt
Young men looking at the ministry are too
much disposed to vary Peters question aud
ask "Lold If we leave all and follow thee
what shall we have therefore ~
When they spend much time and money to
prepare themselves for efficient labor, 1t Is but
! light, proper and scriptural that they receive
reasonable compensation for their labor
"For The laborer is worthy OF his hire" And |
this is just as true of the pulpit as 1t is of the
bar I find M authoritV from tho word of