Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1896-12-12
DIGNITY OF THE GOSPEL MINISTRY

VIC kOEPCA
pecially those ministers. who are not
graduates. and do not wear a clerical
title, notwithstanding as saith Rev.
Andrew Fuller: "They have warm
heart for Christ. sr ardent love to the
souls of poor heathens, an upright
character, and decent share OF COM
mon sense
/ feel impeiled to write in the de-
fence of the gospel ministry, and yet
it may be in vain For some religious
opponents, although occupying chlef
seats in synagogues, are ike unto
Ephriam, Joined to their idols, cake I
not turned, and as q silly dove. IL IS
recorded: Produce your cause, saith |
the Lord, bring forth your strong rea-
sons, saith the King OF Jacob
We notice of q minister In Its gener- |
al and in it's limited meaning:
An underling, a servant, suOor-
dinate, an assistant of inferior rank,
an agent.
2 A chief servant of the executive
authority, one to whom a king or
prince entrusts the direction OF affairs
of state, a person in whose hands the
administration of government Is
placed.
8 The representative OF a sovereign
or government at foreign court,
delegate an ambassador.
One who serves at the altar. one
who performs sacredotal duties the
pastor of q church duly authorized a
license to preach the gospel and ad-
minister the sacrements Webster.
A person may minister, e, afford
supplies, to give things needful. to sup
ply the meaus of relief and yet not
I be minister of the gospel.
Minister, in politics is servant OF
the sovereign executive power in q
state generally speak ing, the head OF
a department or branch of govern
ment. The term minister is frequent
| ly used in a sense synonymous with
| clergymen :-Brandes, Encyc.
In modern language. the term minis
ter is used to signify an ordained cler-
gyman. and ministry to signify his Of
fice.-Dio. Religious Kneul. This
term is in very common use at the
lpresent day, as applicable to preach
ers of the gospel Baptist den9mlna-
tion.
The ministers OF Christ are a sepR-
rate class of persons, distinguished by
a special divine called to preach the
} word. The ministers Of Christ are al
so separate from ordinary Christians.
The special work or service for which
the minister is designed, is the preach
ing of the woEd-Dagg.
| On the dignity, g2lne OF the gospel
ministry saith John A. Broadus, d.
ID, l.. l.. ID s-"Preaching is charac-
teristic of Christianity The great ap.
lpOinted means of spreading the good
tidings of salvation through Christ ii
preaching. 1t follows that preaching
must always be a necessity and good
4 preaching a mighty power"
~ A-.h ~. x>f tI,r hrrvr, W fo 4
has had some form of religion, and
every form of religion has had it's min
[ isterR. Under the gospel Jesus Chris
tenderly regarding the wants of hi
church, gave some apostles and som,
: prophets, some pastors and some teacl
ers for the perfecting of saints for th'
: work of the ministry, for the edifyinl
: of the body of Christ Christ has still
a ministry on earth, and has ordained
y that it shall be continued to the end o
the world.
1t is high. 1t is of great value. N
other office on earth can compare wit
= IT in dignity. To teach the knOwledg
% of God is the frat great business of tn
o ministers of Christ. The name an
l title given to Gods ministers evinc
e the high character of their Office. The
N are about fifty times called men c
1
7. Ministers of the gospel a name az
J. piled TO those who are pastors of a co
T. gregation, or preachers of Gods wore
g They are also called divines and ma
be distinguished into polemies, c
p those who possess controversial Ia
I ents; casuistic, or those who resolv
II cases of conscience; experimental
those who address themselves to th
"a feelings, cases and circumstances {
es their hearers and lastly. practica
o. those who insist upon the performanC
of all those duties which the word {
10 God enjoins. An able minister wi
st have something of all these united
sn him. '--Encyc knowledge.
ne WHO CONSTITUTE THE CLERGY.
Clergy The ecclesiastical body
IN distinguished for the laity. The ter
m clergy seems to signify that the clerS
is the lot and position of the Lord,
K the Lord is their lot -Brandes Ency
d. term very generally applied to Il
ministers of the Christian religion,
k contradiction TO the laity. The use
n this term is very ancient -Encyc.
In the very formation of the Chri
st tian Church certain individuals call
AS and set apart in peculiar manner
the work of preaching the gospel /:
to Die. Rel Knowledge
st Clergy, in the general sense OF {
word as used by US, signifies, the bo
3 of ecclesiastics of the church. in co
ew tradiction to the laity. :--Encyc +
ligious knowledge.
'ur The U. s. Census, 1890. says til
IN there are in the United States 81. {
male clergymen, 1,235 female clerG
o. men. Who, do any person Of comm
sense believe the census taker, styl
clergymen? Who, do the readers
the census, or the people belle
to be clergyman?
till Clergy, the body OF men set apart
nd. due ordination to the service of God
of. the Christian Church; the body of
a clesiastics in distinction from the
ty Websters.
the Clergyman is an ordained minist,
ieh q man regularly authorized to pres
ta- the gospel and administer its or
nances, according to the forms g
ent rules of some denominations. :-Ibid
ay, Mark ye, Webster does not say a '
nee man, but man.
en-, WHO CONSTITUTES THE LAITY2
2 it The great body of the faithful, as
posed to those who are set apart
nts the ministration of the services Q
eet sscraments. :-Brandes.
reh The people as distinguished fr
i've the clergy the body of the people
Jr.. in orders-Orders, to admit to holy
and ders; to ordain, to receive into
ers ranks of the ministry. Webster.
o is Laity, a term from IN early per
the in the history of christianity used
ad- distir guish the people from the b'
red of the clergy :-Dic. Religious Kno
sss- edge.
for Laity, the name given to all peFs
,me who do not belong to the clergy :-F
for Encyc
Layman, one Of the people in
,on. tinction from the clergy; one OF
laity. Webster.
ourl 1t seems to me that the abov
enough to show, and convince an
CT prejudiced person that the ministr
will of high rank. high order, Of great '
at ue and Importance, and that ther
all, no office, rank or station equal to
de- although. there are bad men in