Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-02-23
JOYS OF CHRISTIAN MINISTRY.
By Rev. Smith Baker

JOYS OF CHRISTIAN MINISTRY.
By Rev. Smith Baker
Text.-"And he that reapeth receiv-
eth wages, and gathereth fruit unto
eternal life; that both he that soweth
and he that reapeth may rejoice to-
gether. John :36.
Every true work is joy in itself
The greatest opportunity and the most
glorious privilege in human life is to
preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ
The ministry needs no pity. One be-
comes weary and disgusted with hear
ing about the sacrifices and hard
times Of preachers. No man makes a
sacrifice who is called of God to
preach the Gospel. Much is said con-
cerning why more young men do not
enter its ranks. We are told the in
ducements are not enough, that there
Is no scope for the greatest ability,
that the salaries are too small and
that the profession has no attractions
for first-class young men. All his
tory, as well as true spirituality, con-
tradicts such sentiments. No other
profession has had so large proper
ton of critical, learned students, pro-
found thinkers and eloquent speakers.
No other profession has so led the
world in all the deep and fundamental
principles Of thought and life.
A great joy of the minister is the
study of the Bible. Every true man
loves his science. The study of the
human body to the physician becomes
a passion. The study Of the flowers
to the botanist is delight. The study
of the stars is to the astronomer is
In itself satisfaction. They read
Gods thoughts over after Him in ma
ture, but the Bible is a greater and
completer revelation of God. 1t is a
message from Gods heart to man.
heart. In it the soul comes nearer to
God than all the material universe
can bring us. The Word of God to
you, enters your SOUL fills and
thrills you. Your heart burns within
you as God opens to you His truth
and love.
The faithful minister has unspeak-
able joys Of memory. The best men
have enough to be ashamed Of
enough of their unfaithfulness to re-
gret, but the honest, faithful minis
ter has an everlasting picture gallery
bringing gladpess to his heart, not
of great things done, great sermons
preached or great outward deeds per-
formed. There are but few noun
tains, but millions of beautiful hills.
There are but few rivers, but mil
lions of little streams singing through
the valleys. There but few Pauls,
and Luthers, and Wesleys, and Spur
geons, but hundreds Of thousands of
faithful ministers into whose souls
run little streams of sweetest men,
Ories. Pictures are not of greatest
value from their size, but from what
they represent. After years of ser
vice, some of the sweetest memories
which will come to your heart will
be of little things in your first most
obscure parish. You will love to look
at them. They will be the gems of
memory. When the years have gone,
some man whom you had forgotten
will thank you for leading him to
Christ, when he was boy, thirty,
forty or fifty years before, and here,
thanking you for the help you We're
to them once Thus memory will grow
richer through the ages. 1t will be
one long possession of joy. The aged
minister may live in an humble home,
he may no longer preach from the
pulpit, but he is rich in the flood of
sweet memories which are his.