Evening journal., 1907-12-19
LACK OF MEN
FOR THE MINISTRY
By The Rev. c. v. eiIreath.


No new subject. but it is one of inn
mense Importance and interest "The
harvest truly is great but the laborers
are few" Contrasting the greatness
of The harvest with tie fewness of tho
laborers one might easily be led TO
take a very pessmistic view of the
situation and really despair of "a
remedy whereby the latter may be ir-
creased to the extent of the needs and
requirements OF the former. But we
have no doubt regarding the remedy.
1t, or rather He. is quite adequate TO
the need.
The Person of our lord in the per-
son of His Chosen Messengers is suih-
cient for an needs. But the answer
comes back that these messengers are
too few. Very true Yet the Lord
of the harvest will according to flis
promise, send more If we pray for
/ them and work Tor them.
1 /. doubt not that remedies sug-
| gested by recent letters i'm our church
papers would prove helpful Perhaps
Bishops might be made out of better
material, !. e.. out on better priests,
1 dCacons and laymen; larger salaries for
/ the clergy and better treatment at the
hands of the laity would certainly be
no drawback; the Vestrv system might
! we'll be abolished. 1t is an abominable
congregational idea which has no al
vine right of existence and is con-
stant reminder that Bishops have lost
the use OF the power TO send; and bet
ter advantages FOR the free education
of young men looking forward to the
ministry would do no serious harm.
But the solution of the problem is
not to be found in these. There are
difficulties to be met in the church far
more serious than these We believe
the church to be an organism, divine.
scriptural and historical. clothed with
authority. seeking to do her work
through human instruments. These
/ Instruments, like any otheS machinery
/ through which power IS welded, are
/ liable to disorder and friction. When
/ the Bible, the church guide. is dissect-
ed and mary Of its parts termed a
myth, when ratonalism and unbelief
are rampant in the church. do you ask
: what remedy shall be applied to induce
/ young men to flock to her ministry?
Young men of proper habits and well
informed do not readily cast their lot
with disorder. OF course. if their in
! formation is of the right kind, as re-
CARDS the church and their relation to
I Ged they win doubtless feel at times
that duty calls them to her ministry,
/ but in many cases, perhaps the ma
/ jority of cases. the disorders are q
great hindrance. and so young men
turn to other professions. OF course
/ they know and we all know that the
Church is an right The Church IS
/ never wrong. IF things go wrong in
the Church. if Iationalism abounds. If
the Word of God is assailed, il the
safeguards which have hitherto dis
tinguished the church from mere hu-
man organizations be cast aside, and
disorders multiply, we say not that
/ the Church is wrong. but only the ma
chinery IS out of order
Tt is quite evident that the thing
needed, the remedy to be applied here,
IS the leaven of right faith, of true
Christianity. or a real religion. We
have heard Of throwing a little religion
into the constitution. of the Church, but
it is not needed there. 1t is badly
needed in the church members therein.
/ more especially i'm the clergy and this
i is work for those true loyal souls, fun
of faith ard love. to apply the remedy
and stand firmly upon the Rock.-Dcl-
aware Churchman.