Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-06-21
MUTUAL COOPERATION.
The Ways In Which . Congregation
Can Help Their Pastor.

The Ways In Which . Congregation
Can Help Their Pastor.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
1. BY attending regularly upon the
services Of the sanctuary. Nothing
helps a pastor more than encourage
ment. II he becomes discouraged he
will do poor work both in the pulpit and
out Of 1t. A pastor becomes discour-
aged when he sees that his services are
not appreciated. He will think this II
his people do not regularly go to Gods
house. Besides large congregation
helps pastor in the proclamation Of
the gospel. No minister can preach
we'll to a handful Of people. Ministers
as general thing preach their best
sermons to large congregations.
2. BY speaking to him encouragingly
about his work. 1t Is a mistake for q
congregation to suppose that they will
make their pastor vain by speaking
we'll Of his sermons. No consecrated
minister can be made vain in that way.
When an editor Is told that his paper
is appreciated, he determines to make
1t better paper. Just so when con-
gregation tell their pastor that his ser
mons are blessing to them he deter
mines to preach better ones.
8. By speaking well Of him. That
pastor may exert great influence
for good he must be respected and
loved by all who know him. II mem
bers Of church do not speak well Of
their pastor, how can they expect 9TH
ers to respect and love him? The in
fluence Of many a minister has been
destroyed by a slanderous tongue. Pa
rents make a great mistake when they
speak disparagingly Of their pastor in
the presence Of their children. The
influence that he might have exerted
over them is destroyed. If people can
not speak we'll of their pastor they
should not speak Of him at all.
4. BY practicing the truths that he
breaches. We repeat that nothing helps
a pastor more than encouragement.
II after he has preached faithfully on
the observance Of the Sabbath, he no.
tices that the younger members Of his
congregation spend great portion Of
the Sabbath in visiting and taking bug
gy rides, would he be very much en-
couraged? Suppose after he has
preached on gambling he finds that
many Of the men Of his congregation,
deal in cotton futures and that many
Of the ladies' who have sons to whom
they should set good example attend
card parties; would he be encouraged
in his work? II the motive that actu-
ates him were a selfish one 1t would
make no difference to him how goddess
his people were. Since he earnestly
desires to benefit his people spiritually
and to lead sinners to Christ, It is not
surprising that he becomes discouraged
when he sees little fruit Of his labors.
Inconsistent members Of the church
are hindrance rather than help to
their pastor in his work. That con-
gregation may help their pastor they
must avoid being stumbling block to
the ungodly. They must shine as q
light in a dark place.
s. BY directly helping him In the
work Of the church. II only the officers
of an army should fight no victories
would be achieved. A pastor can no
more do all of the work Of a church
than officers Of an army can do all OF
the fighting. Jethro's counsel to Moses
should teach a congregation that their
pastor will soon wear away II he Is
allowed to do all the work Of the
church.
6. BY praying for him. They may
be of more help to him in this way
than in any other way. While Joshua
and his army were contending with
Amalek, what was Moses doing? Pray
ing. There are some who cannot DO
much religious work. There Is no one
who cannot pray. 1t was In answer to
Moses prayer that Israel prevailed.
The inefficiency of many pastor is
due to the fact that his people do not
pray for him. An eloquent minister
received a call to large city church.
For some time after his installation the
church was in very prosperous con-
dition. But after a time matters
changed. It was so plain to the session
that the church was not prospering,
that a committee was appointed to
confer with the pastor. His explana-
ton of the low spiritual condition OF
the congregation and of his inefhciency
was that they had lost their prayer
book. They had ceased to pray for him.
The reason why many churches are
not prosperous is because the pastors
of those churches are not remembered
in the prayers Of their people.
Z. BY promptly paying their pastors
salary. There are people who pay
their pastors salary, but they do not
pay it promptly. They pay the grocers
bill and the wages Of their servants
promptly, but they pay their pastors
salary whenever 1t suits them to do SO.
There are others who do not regard
their subscription to their pastors
salary as q debt. They break the SOL
emn VOW they made when he was In
stalled. Few ministers have any means
of support outside Of their salaries.
Their salaries are very small and their
expenses are heavier than any other
class Of men. They spend great por-
ton of their salary for books that are
essential to their efficiency. How can
any congregation who do not pay their
pastors salary promptly expect their
church to prosper? 1t is impossible to