Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-10

Sometimes, as the Dattle wages
fiercely and the enemies are multiplied.
and Israel is hard pressed. the pastors
hands grow heavy with WEAKNESS. and
yet he dare not put them down. for when
he puts them down the battle goes
against Israel. He holds the rod of God
in his hand and the most OF his church
are content to let him hold it. 1t is only
the few who stand ready to hold up the
hands when they grow tired.
Perhaps 1t is thoughtlessness on our
part that we do SO little to help our pas
tor; perhaps 1t is ignorance of what to
do: but in many cases 1t Is because we
are so full of our own affairs that we
really have not time to inquire just how
the battle Is going nor to deprecate 1t
very deeply when 1t goes against Israel:
except with a pious sigh as we turn from
the religious column Of the daily paper
to the sporting page and plunge headlong
into our own interests again.
For instance, how many of the young
men in your society went to your pastor
last fall when the light was on for local
option, or prohibition or no-license. or
whatever form the temperance movement
took in your particular neighborhood.
and offered to enter the fight or to help
in any way in which he would like help
in the matter? What! You say that a
minister ought to keep out Of politics? 1t
isn't his business? He ought to preach
the gospel? Well. II 1t isn't his business.
whose is It? Yours. perhaps? OF course.
Moses didn't enter the fight himself. but
he stood on the hill and held up the rod
of God and that's what the minister has
to do in this great movement. stand in
the pulpit and preach about 1t. To be
sure. 1t isn't very popular to preach
about temperance in some localities. and
II may be as much as his position Is
worth in some towns even. and 1t Is right
there he needs his hands held up. What
II you had gathered the young men of the
church together and organized a band
and drawn in all the influential ones you
could-as well as those who weren't in
fuential and who could only count one
and had stood behind the minister SO that
he felt he had some public opinion with
him. Surely that would have eased up
the heavy weight of his responsibility
little. This might be true OF any pub
needed an uprising OF the people to
quell It,
There are many ways in which we
can help the pastor that there is hardly
room to name them all. He may want
some one TO make a simple little social
call on new family, or q hurt family,
or a family that Is hard to reach and
draw into the church Are you ready to
make 1t? There are many Xxi nds Of peo-
pie to call upon, some rich some poor,
some shy, some forward some pleasant,
some dsagreeable. some sick and some
seemingly better of than you. Can you
forget self enough to go when he asks
and do your best. and leave the results
to God? A pastor Is q sort of master
builder in the church. It must needs be
that we have head. He sees all sides
and knows just where something needs
doing. and. II he Is wise pastor. knows
what to set you at in order to bring about
the best results.
One OF the greatest ways in which you
may help your pastor is by not crtticistng
him: There are times. OF course, when q
cism and you may see grave faults in
his management perhaps or even In his
doctrine. Now, the cause Of Israel is not
to be helped along by your going straight