The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-05-30
How Visiting Helps the Pastor.

The following was read in public
meeting of the Ministerial Association
of Friendsville, May 7, 1907, and on
motion of Professor Beahm publication
in these columns was requested
Editor
In the allotted time and length of this
paper, we shall not be able to bring to
this attentive and intelligent audience
but little of what might be either said
or written upon this subject. We
would remind you, however, that the
people do not receive all the good, or
help, that is found in a visit from their
pastor. There are times when the
people are not prepared to receive
visit from their pastor or any one else,
unless it be those who let the house and
children keep themselves while they
spend most of their time in running
around gossiping with thhir neighbours,
and while this class of folks stand in
much need of the good from visit by
their pastor, he can seldom find them
home unless it be at meal time, and not
always then; of course at the dining
hour is when it would be good time
for hungry pastor to call, but it most
frequently couses feeling of embarass-
ment to the house keepers. There are
some who have regular hours to receive
visitors, and a visit at any other time,
even though it be from their pastor,
would not be at all agreeable. The
pastor, nevertheless, is expected to
visit from house to house; no, not every
honse, but only to the houses where one
or more of his members live, and to
such other families who are not men,
bers of any church at all, for none of
Us pastors have any regular right to visit
members of other churches, unless we
receive a special invitation to do so;
to do otherwise, it appear to be to
proselyte, about whom Jesus said:
"Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrits, for We compass sea and land
to make one proselyte, and when he Tor
she) is made, we make him (or herr
twofold more the child of hell than YOUR
selves"
We must not forget the fact as we
go along, that there are times when
the pastor must visit, or have a con-
science that is not void of offence tc-
wards God or man. When we begin to
have guilty conscience because we
have not done our duty in visiting, we
have got to get out among our people
or get out of harmony with our high
calling, and the best remedy we have as
yet discovered to prevent chronic case
of the blues" or the wash-day, or
house-cleaning troubles, is to go visit
ing, or spend few hours ringing door
bells. Whether we find the people at
home are not, we will find that sweet
peace of mind and clearness of mental
vision, and conscience void of offence
towards God and man" has returned,
and that the "blues" have gone. No,
it matters not whether we find the peo-
pie cleaning house, at the washtub,
scrubbing the floors, or not at home,
the pastor who has gone forth in the
name of Jesus and the fear of God, can
return to his study and sit down in
peace and accomplish more in his books
in one hour, than he could have done in
several hours before his visits were
made.
Another way pastor can help add
comfort to his own feelings and happi-
ness to his own soul, is to know why
some are not regular in their attendance