The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-05

OX1Iu&t.~
IAis text. my friends taken from
Il NOW living Ia the twshtIeth century,
e needs no special sxsgesis.' It y writ
Z ten ia plain English. II 10 adAressed
10 nobody worthy OF menston. Wis-
tler the author may be regarded ~
4 Inspired or not we willingly leave 70
i the Judgment of the candid reader;
Nc the text speaks truth. perhaps
Aons who read Il and ponder u may
get . little Inspiration out OF II for
their own lives.
- The Writer of the Text.
"a From what information n At hand
We believe the writer did not suspect
that the text or eplstie contained any
thing OF unusual significance or merit
But like some other religious litera-
larger than the thought Of It's author
IL may have practical application in
u many directions. 1t may s4rvs NJ
helpful serInonette. delivered from
!, One IN the pew, to the rest who are
~ n the pews. anywhere ameng the
q Saints scattered abroad In Christen-
dom. R.
II You will already have noted, by
1@ inference. thar the discourse ~ UNI
~ usual because II does not come from
/ the man In the pulpit. In fact, from
reliable sources We are able to learn
- and afirm that the text is given, not
BIZ a man, but from the pen Of wo-
man, and In the entire absence of
the pastor who IL supposed to do the
preaching. The meaning of the text,
my friends, may perhaps best he
gathered at the start by reading IT in
s connection with the context. as fol-
lows: Just now we are without q
pastor. Mr.. Fl. had been here eight
wears, and II seemed time for a
change 30 we are all busy holding
things together. We have Just start
ed another circle of the Kings
Daughters
As the Former Pastor Regards II.
u. In the first place. my friends. from
the standpoint of the preacher who
IL not present, but whose spirit still
hovers over the hoek he has left. this
ufterance In the epistle Just received
i - more eloquent than many long
sermon filled with much learning.
Picture. II you will. the pastor who
!. has said farewell to his beloved pee
Pile after eight years Of labor. Ira
agfne the yearnings Of his heart, Is
. he drinks of the possibilities of good
I or III which that church must face,
4 Without leader. Imagine the far
greater yearnfng. Of the Mastsr Ehep-
I herd. whose under-she pherd the pas
tor has been.
,xst Recall the instances within your
avn knowledge and obaervation, In
which the departure Of the pastor
was the signal for a general and col
ieetive departure. likewise. of the
spirit OF Christian service from the
hearts OF all the members or the!
church. Think OF the naenshs OF
Agonixing Inactivity that so often fol-
\ low the close of one passionate and
the beginning OF another. Bear ina
\ mind the dolefai record of things
not dope. OF plans not laid. uf com
mtttee meetings not held, Of sick peo-
j pie not visited. of newcomers not wei
somed. of weak members who be-
tame spiritually dead. OF spuis not
saved. and of church that declined.
a In few months 80 far that when
the new pastor did come. he had To
spend the whole of his first year In
! recovering the ground last by the
church during the time when II was
doing nothing. just because there was
no pastor on hand to drive people to
work. Oh. the sadness Of such cases,
with all the loss they mean--and their
number IL legion,
n Holding Together.
. Then. secondly, think Of our text:
Z SO we are all busy holding things
together" and try 10 realize what
this fact will mean to the new pas
tor. when he does come. and to the
church 10 which he comes Think OF
the spiritual values realized by the
church members. who have In them
! the regular activities OF the church.
regardless OF. the temporary pastoral
vacancy.
Think of thu reputation of the pas
tor who Ia Just gone, Whose name, |
With Intelligent churehmen, viii stand
high or low, not according to the ffg-
ures ON the church books At the end
Of the eight years. or the resolutions
pubitshed when he went away. hut /
according to the actual amount Of
life and vigor indicated in the church
body after the pastor had gone. Sell
dom are the results OF pastorAta re-
Iiably known. I assure YOU my
friends, till subsequent months and
years reveal the true character Of
the work.
Think further Of the spiritual Sig |
nihcanee OF body OF Christians who
care enough for their former pastor
and who sufficiently anticipate the |
coming OF their next pastor. to do
what they can themselves In the In
terregnum. 80 that real gain, net loss, !
may be the heavenly record. | have |
: known souls to be saved. men to /
be converted to Christ while = pull !
pit committee tarried. have known |
I great things 70 BE- planned and &C
yet working. under these conditions |
A Haw IAttie Word.
\ May now. as further thought, |
ask you to note carefully the frst
word OF our text. 500 Though |
!. small II means much; II Is like the |
"fors'' In Paurs first chapter or the
Roman epistle and the ssverilysp OF /