St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-09-08
A Plea for a Changed Condition in
the Relation of Pastor and People.

EXTRACTS from address given at State
Conference, Randolph, VT, June 9, 1909, by
Rev. Donald Fraser, Berlin, VII
Judging from the amount of attention
that has been aroused the ministry of
America has lapsed or graduated from
being profession into being problem.
We share the distinction of the Negro,
the tramp and the submerged tenth and
now they are writing magazine articles
about us. II we have really become
problem we are a serious one for the
gospel ministry holds the strategic posi-
ton in the life of this great common
wealth. The church stands between
America and materialism. These thous-
ands of obscure pastors who man the
country parishes and take spiritual over
sight in our rural communities are the
ordained conservators and promoters of
the religious life of the democracy.
Whether men realize it or not they are as
the shadow of great rock in this drift
ing desert of competition and selfseeking
which we call the United States OF
America. If the ministry is engulfed in
secularism nothing can save us from the
desolation of Sodom. The couAtry
which will not maintain her churches, as
retreats of the heart and soul, as Ravens
for the disillusioned and disappointed,
is bankrupt In the resources of con-
tinuance. This is the issue before us
when we realize that the gospel ministry
is becoming as a city beleaguered by
famine
After a careful survey and consider.
alton of the conditions | am convinced
that the remedy for the present unsatis-
factory relation of pastor and people
must come chiefly from within the min
istry. If our price has fallen in all
probability the kind OF goods we supply
has lowered the price. We have not
prayed enough, nor studied enough, nor
visited enough. Being our own masters
we have omitted the lash of discipline.
We have cut down our working hours in
many cases beyond the dreams of labor
unions. Above all we have given par
simoniously Of our sympathy to men. We
have lacked the magnetism of humanity.
The consequence is that we have baked
at obstacles any drummer in the land
would have taken at leap. We don't
know our Bibles as we ought, we don't
know our fellownaen as we ought, we
don't know our God as we ought. There
are families in the parish we have never
visited, men and women with whom we
talk thirty times in a year and never
once have we offered our goods for sale.
We have made our pastoral round of
visits and have never taken the pack
from our back. No wonder our back is
heavy with this burden of unsold goods.
Further the minister who would
restore the status and value of the min
istry must be anti-commercial in hts
motives. He must add to the energy
and zeal of business success a totally
different motive and spirit. We can only
gain our place in the community BY
losing ourselves there. We must magnify
the office by unwearied selfsacr6ce. We
are speaking of the Office of ambassador
of Jesus Christ. We must give our very
best to those who are willing to pay but
little in return. Let America know that
no sermon is too good, no labor too
vast, no sympathy too tender, no patience
too persistent for parishes and men who
care nothing for these things. This is
the amazing grace of God to men and of
this we are ambassadors.