Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-06-12


ey? Does not the Thought thatrycu are
trying 10 save men aud comfort men
and bring them To the Saviour whether
you are standing by the opened casket
or by the sick bed or on the street or
IN the pulpit give you tranScendent
asd at times almost overwhelming joys?
That these spiritual rewards are real
and satisfying is demonstrated b. the
tact that the ministers are the only
class OF men who, as a rule, want their
sons 10 follow IA their own footsteps
and their daughters to marry men OF
thcir own profession. II you go TO an
average lawyer and ask him what lie
would like his sons to be he answers,
almost anything rather than u law
YER" 10 physician. anything but a
doctor; 70 a newspaper mau, any thing
but an editor; TO Il merchant, and you
will often find him struggling and saw
ing SO that he can give bis boys n col
lege education for entrance into some
professional career. But a consecrated
minister invariably wants his sons to
enter the gospel ministry Ii you ask
your pastor this question, What would
you ike your son TO bef'' he will I'm all
probability answer: "Woll, would not
like TO persuade my boy 10 be min
lister. If he becomes 4 minister 1 do
not want him 10 be a man made, but a
God made. minister. But IL the Holy
Spirit should ever work upon his heart
| think the happiest day of my life
would be when could hear him
preach In Chris tan pulpit. May God
give me this joy" When some one
asked Henry Ward Beecher why he
entered the gospel ministry he an
swered: Il could not help it. Who ever
heard of Lyman Beechcr's sou doing
anything else but preachY The reason
all those boys became preachers was
because Lyman Beecher instilled into
their hearts what the joys of the Chris
tan ministry might be. Over half of
my seminary classmates were the sons
OF ministers. The happIest day in my
fathers life, / believe. WINS the day he
preached my ordination sermon and
finished II In voice trembling with
emotion and with eyes moist with
tears OF rapturous Joy. Oh young men
who feel today the yearnings for the
gospel ministry. i know that, If conse-
Grated. you will have the happiest,
most joyful and the noblest profession
al life that is now open to any Chris
tan man.
The JOY OF Self Surrender
But the JOY of self surrender Is not
the only reward. The gospel ministry
affords more opportunities for useful
ness than any other profession. Every
true man wants to make the most OF
his earthly life. If he has ten talents
he wants TO use them where they will
be most effective; if nc has only one
talent he wants to make that one tai
ent useful. Like a capitalist. he wants
to invest his mental and spiritual tai.
ents where the investment is sure and
where he can get the most returns for
the principal invested. Where can a
consecrated. educated young man have
*Sorc influence for good than IN the
Christian ministry?
When the young man graduates from
the theological seminary he immedi-
ately takes his place ut the head of
country or city church. What does
that mean? Simply this: The young
man Immediately becomes the leader
Of a conSccrated band of Christian
workers. who are ready to work for
Christ In any way the young pastor
directs. II means that his individual
personal influence is doubled. trebled.
Quadrupled-aye. n hundredfold In
crcased-by the conSecratcd band OF
workers who welcome him into his
new charge. IL means that by the
power OF his Christian colaborers
working with him and for him he can
In time absolutely dominate n whole
region for good. Study the history of
Jonathan Edwards i'm Northampton.
Mass. Study Lyman Beecher's min
isterinl career in Litchfield. Conn. Aft
er he had been for short time in his
COW parsonage mighty revival swept
over that town. When some one con-
gratulatcd him on the results OF his
new pastorate this trumpet throatcd
messenger of God answered: do not
copgra tulate me. 1t is not my work.
bur that or TIE 21U consecrareu praying
men and women who ore working by
my side" study the life OF Moses
Hoge OF Richmond and Of the late Or.
talhSt OI NSW Olle3nS.
But" says soinO young man, why
do you cite the careers of great men? I
am not great man and never will be. ."
The same gospel success which came to
these consecrated men upon large
scale can come to you, consecrated
young minister, upon Il smaller scale
Young man, l tell you that IL Is impos-
sible for any consccrated minister, CT
Their In the country or the city, to be
surrounded by Il praying, working band
OF faithful followers and not have his
life tell NIGHTLY for good in the region
In which lie lives. Ought not such an
influence for good bring "A Joy, q rap
turous JOY, in the heart of Christ's
preachers? Cannot all truly eonsecrat-
cd gospel ministers on account OF the
Infinite opportunities of usefulness
which have been opened to them 10y
fully chorus the glad paan which was
once sung by the sainted Horatius b.
mar:
thank thee. Lord. for using me
For thee to work and speak;
However trembling is the hand
The voice however weak
For those to whom. through me. thou hast
Some heavenly guidance given;
For some IL may be saved from death
And some brought nearer heaven.
A Happy Fellowship.
The gospel ministry Is n profession
whose members are treated with re-
spect and universal kindness. How
with respect: The very lowest and
most depraved are generally silenced
at their approach. When the minister
comes around the blasphemer's lips are
closed, the lewd story is untold, the
evil Thought IS unexpresscd. When the
Catholic priest on an GRAND OF mercy
enters the lowest dive every head un-
covers and every cursing tongue is
stilled
How with kindness? Because from
the very moment you step into IL there
are scores and hundreds OF people who
will do everything in their power 10
make your life happy. When Installed
in charge the church reception will
show You how many friends Won have