The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-12-09
MINISTERS MEET.
Paper by Rev. Mr.. Nu'tlng on
"SeuTCas Of Ministerial Power"

The regular meeting OF the Union Min
isters' association. of this city. was held
! this morning i'm the small hall IN the
! Y. NJ c. A. building, with a very large
attendance of the clergy from the various
! churches of this city and state.
The meeting was presided over by Rev.
] j. NJ. Lowden, the president OF the assoc
! citation, and the interest of the same cre-
ated in a scholarly paper read by Rev.
Wallace Nutting, ID. D., pastor OF the
Union Congregational church OF this city.
The paper. which aroused deal OF IA
vorabie comment and criticism on the
part OF those present was entitled,
| Sources OF Ministerial Power" By min
isterial power, Dr. Nutting said that he
meant power 60 minister to mankind i'm
| the pulpit and declared that the best
minister IS the one who arouses a craving
righteousness and Is able 10 bring "A hear
or to the satisfaction OF that craving
The best minister, continued the speaker.
is he who takes most things OF God and
succeeds I'm getting men TO take
them. Ministerial power moral pow
er Is the power OF God i'm a human
life, making sin detestable and so setting
Christ forth as to show Him the supreme
object Of desire.
If we prick up our ears we may at
rare intervals hear the public whisper
doubts whether this or that minister ever
received a call from God To preach.
IL behoOYes us TO make our calling sure.
is there any better way than by inquir-
ing into the sources of ministerial power?
AT this point the speaker dwelt upon
such characteristics as physical Rttrac-
ton, muscular power temperament, etc,
as but the mere trappings." as he ex-
pressed it, of ministerial power
IL is time TO learn, he said. that the
direct aid of God In a holy life is the
only redeeming agency.
That sympathy is the only authority,
! that nothing great was ever done without
prayer; that righteousness after redemp-
tion and plus redemption is the secret.
The conversion Is only a beginning.
\ congregation must feel that we are
men of God before we have ministering
power.
Sheer righteousness I'm a mediocre man
is enough to crowd any church and pre-
cipitale "A torrent of blessing. The man
who believes sufficiently and loves suffi-
ciently is dynomic
He is beyond comparison. he denes
analysis
The minister who IL lost I'm God will
take ,..e people with him. let him be as
ugly OF face a. Savanarola or Campbell
Morgan; let him be a. little as Iswes and
as much or an invalid; let him lack early
training like Bunyan or Moody: let him
be without ordination, like Jacob Reis;
let him lack literary illusions as marked
ly as the apostle, John. let his voice be
rasping like one great relormers or bur
dened by provincial dialect like anothers.
God viii make OF this man an ava
lanche. treble thunder. a sheet OF celes-
tial flame.
Ministerial power is all spirit Magnet
ism avaieth for nothing. Declams~ion is
an impertinence. Learning Is only 1T TO
hide. The graces OF man are never
good and he Is never a minister OF the
Lord till he casts those graces like gar
ments I'm the way and cries. "Hosannah
10 the Son OF David: blessed Is he that
cometh. blessed Is the King that cometh
with the name OF the LordI A minister
is the soul Of meekness, the avenue OF
Christ.
An interesting discussion followed Or.
Nutting's paper after which the meeting
adiOrnCd