The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-08-09
suNDAy SERMON.
Rev. Powick's sermon In the NJ.
Church.

Rev. Powick's Sermon In the NJ
Church.
The golden text Of the Sunday school lesson
has furnished the theme Of the sunday
evening sermon, during the summer, at
the Methodist Episcopal church. Last Sun
days text presented the subj Get Of Pastor
and People Remember theiu which have
the rule over you, who have spoken unto you
the word of God: whose faith follow, consid-
ering the issue Of their life"
The word which is rendered "rule" signifies
literally ITO lead" Too often it is pressed
into the service Of ecclesiastical tyranny as
though it meant that the christian pastor was
master and his people servants. While we
dare not ignore the solemn responsibility to
/ God in which the pastor stands for proper
government and discipline in his church, we
do well to remember that he is forbidden to
"lord It over Gods heritage" The pre'eml'
nence Of the pastor is not the pre-eminence OF
authority, but Of service.
It is the duty of the pastor to be leader in
the realm of religious thought. While he If
not to be ignorant Of current events he is moi
TO be a newspaper scavenger on the one hand
nor mere book-worm on the other. He is
to be a man of affairs who not only know
books but men, and, above all, God. He
should understand the signs of the times aud
the drift of events and the moral tendencies
of the age, so as to be able to interpret the
thoughts of God with reference TO them, an6
to turn the current towards God 1t is hi
business to "speak the word of God" will
reference to the current problems of society
Aud the authority with which he speak,
should be in accordance with its conformity
to the written word of God.
He should be a leader in religious activities
and to stand in the thickest of the figh
against every form Of evil. The early apos
ties had to contend for doctrines which w
now accept Our work is largely to get mel
to harmonic their practice with doctrine
> they already hold
He should be conspicuous as a leader in ex
. emplary living. His personal life should b.
above suspicion He should be an example
= in all things to his fock-so says st. Peter
He should feed his flock-not fleeceit. Ifhi
=, interest in the children he baptizes and tn
dead he buries is measured by the money h
4 expects to receive for his services, he dis
graces his calling and forfeits his right to tn
respect of his people If he can be fully pai
= in money for his services they are not wort
very much. If his course of life is such tina
his example cannot be safely followed, he is
:, dangerous man.
Such pastor has no need to enforce tn
Injunction, Remember them which have tn
> rule over you" He will never be wantin
for the respect and love of his people. H
= will never need to remind them of his au
thority. By the omnipotence of loving ser
= vice in their behalf he will win their Toys
love. In nine cases out of ten where the II
ations of pastor and people are strained it
the pastors fault. Not always because {
what he says or does but because of the mar
:, ner in which he says and does it. Neverth'
less it should be remembered that he is ma
=, of like passions with the rest of mankind an
% encompassed with the same infrmitie
While he is entitled to the exercise of Il
charity that beareth all things, believeth a
. things hopeth all things, endureth a
:, things" he is entitled to no considerable
:, when he pleads natural inirmity when IL
y real difficulty is moral obliquity. A minist'
!. who is not an example Gin word, in charit
- in conversation, in spirit in faith, in purity
= is curse, instead of a blessing to society.