Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1910-11-03
HELPING
THE PASTOR

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essWszag HE notion prevails more or
.FFA less extensively In all the
KdhA N churches that the pastor is
AyEgK solely responsible for the
49, successful prosecution of
religious work. AS a re-
suit of this fact he is frequently left
to stand alone, and to do what he can
without much assistance of any kind
We need not waste time to show that
such a view is essentially erroneous.
The great Pauline and Protestant doc
trine OF the priesthood Of the people
puts every individual believer under
bonds to contribute the full measure
Of his influence to the furtherance Of
the kingdom of Christ. We wish that
we could impress this thought with
due emphasis upon the minds of all
our readers. Its Importance is such as
to entitle It to the most serious at
tention. To be more specific, there are
many ways in which the flock can and
ought to aid the pastor.
They can relieve his mind from the
pressure of worldly cares by providing
for him a competent support. 1t would
be a great calamity If the salaries
of Christian ministers should ever be-
come so large as to constitute an at
traction to insincere and ungodly men.
But there is not the slightest prospect
of any immediate danger in that direc-
ton. The real trouble is that so many
able and excellent men are put on
short rations, and compelled to prac-
tise a pinching and almost niggardly
economy in order to make ends meet.
Nor is there any good reason why 1t
should be SO. That the majority of
Christians are poor, we very well
know; but still there is scarcely a
circuit or station among us that could
not, by equitable distribution of finan-
cial burdens, make a comfortable pro-
vision for It's pastor. The failure to
do this is to be attributed to the
thoughtlessness of some folks and the
downright stinginess of others. This
is plain language, but none too plain.
The doctrine that the laborer is wor-
thy of his hire is of divine, and not
OF human authority.
They can strengthen his spirit by
entering alphabetically into all his
plans Of work. If they look upon his
efforts with an unfriendly eye, or II
they simply sit still in idle indiffer-
ence, they make lit virtually impos-
sible for him to accomplish anything
that rises above the level of COM
LIT,
! neglect to lend a helping hand neu-
tralizes his best endeavors. How can
he confidently essay any great task
when he knows that he is to be met
with hostile criticism or with frigid
unconcern! 1t is bad enough to have
the sharp opposition and the keen con
tempt of chose that are without" but
a great deal worse to suffer the same
treatment from those that are within
the fold. If, on the other hand, the
members of the church do their pastor
the naked justice of giving him their
intelligent cooperation, they multiply
his power hundred times, and guar
antee the corresponding fruitfulness
of his ministry.
"Let Your Light So Shine"
Still more can they be helpful tc
their pastor by leading lives that are
worthy of the gospel of Christ. We
suppose that nothing heartens a mar
of God so much as the fact that those
to whom he proclaims the truth are
diligently trying to fashion their char
acters according to its requirements
To bring about this very end is, Of
ought to be, his one supreme desire
II he fails here, he fails everywhere
No mere superficial semblance of sue
cess in other respects can be com
pensation to him for the fact that thu
men and women committed to hi
keeping are disorderly, or inconsisten
or worldly-minded. No other burden
lies half SO heavily on him, or give
him half so much concern. 1t disturb
his waking thought, and walks like
forbidding specter through his YER
dreams. Oftentimes, II he be OF a
acute and sensitive nature, he feel
that, without relief, he cannot longe
bear up and go forward. If your paf
tor is In this condition, will you no
come to his relief, and that speedily
Christian Advocate.