Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1904-06-24

word-Jesus the Savior--as Paul says,
Whom we preach-warning every
man--and teaching every man, In all
wisdom; that we may present every
man perfect in Christ, hence Christ in
VOW the hope Of glory.
The ministers social relations in the
community. Christianity favors the
cultivation OF social principles-hsnce
the gospel minister above all men can.
not withdraw himself from the world.
He sonnot be exclusive, for he has de-
voted himself to the welfare of his
fellow men; and to the salvation of the
world. Wheresoever men are there he
IL to do them good-however low or
vile-hesmust be ready to lift up and
rescue the perishing and care for the
dying. What a blessing the christian
minister brings to the house of sorrow,
to the chamber OF sickness. to the
abode of burden and distressed souls,
The character of the minister sh ould
combine the spirit of faithfulness to
God with faithfulness to men, He
should not fail in his duties to either
The minister Of Christ must pity the
weak, forgive the ignorant, condesend
to men of low estate, with malice to-
ward none but with charity for ALL"
with prayer and desire that all might
be saved. The minister must not only
appear to sympathize, but his heart
must go out weeping with them who
weep and rejoicing with those who do
rejoice. The widow and fatherless,
the poor and the neglected, the down
cast and the forgotten, the sick and
the sorrowing. Hence the christian
minister is the man of the people, the
community; the man of God; among
the people. However there are two
extremes to be considered. A minister
may have SO strong desire to separate
himself from worldly things and world
ly men as entirely to loose the social
spirit, or on the other hand he may
have SO intense desire to smoothe the
way for good influence among all men
and to come down to the level and
sympathy of all, that he may not only
thereby loose his dignity, but COM
promise his principle; and he may un-
conscientiously adopt the principles of
the world and of the evils there is in
society. He may go SO far as to come
upon the ground of doing evil that
good may come.
The ministers of the gospel ought to
be sound as to their principles; for a
minister without sound principles is
easily led astray, and carried away by
the evils of society and of the world.
Said Christ, They are not of the world
even as am not of the world, Yet
he prayed that they should not be
taken out of the world, but kept from
its evils. Hence while in the world
the minister should not be of the world.
He ought to show that christian relig-
ion is principle strong enough to
live in the world without practicing or
participating in the evils thereof. The
pure and undefile religion is unspotted
from the world.
If the minister surrenders too much
and suffers himself to be governed by
the same principle that governs the
world--so that he may have social
intercourse with it, and general good
time-he gives no clear testimony to
the divine spirit of Christ, neither will
he be able. by this means to raise
society, bat will himself be dragged
down by it. While minister should
observe the customs of polite society,
and may have friends whom he loves
among the decidedly worldly class; yet
he should cultivate no society where
he is forced to hide his principles or
his sacred offices, and appear to be
what he is not. Hence the need of
ministers whose hearts are renovated
by divine grace-washed in the blood
that eleanes from all sin, and whose
principles are derived from the sacred
oracles of divine truth. -...
A minister's holy calling and pro-
fession requires of him common sense,
sound judgment, disoreation, honesty,
truthfulness and refnement-having
all the courtesy of christian gentle
man. The minister is public man in
tho community While his first duty
Is to his family and the church; he be-
longs also to the public; responsible
ties of a public nature rest upon him;
he is an all.around. so to speak,
everybodys man. Subject to Calls here
and there; such are the nature and
work of the minister in the community
He should not shrink from legitiment
requirements of a public nature, when
they do not interfere With more essent-
ial du,ies-wlth love to God, and the
law of love to our neighbor. We
should endeavor to raise a higher
standard of morality, and build up
higher and holier life in the commun-
ity, the true christian life in society
realizing comprehensive view of his
relations to all men, yet not to the
neglect of his duties to his family and
to his church. Though at the same
time cultivate the duty and power OF
following out the wider relations Of
moral and religious principles and
duties to their practical results-good
will toward all mankind-in the COM