Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-09-08
PEOPLES Drum.
MCLEOD GIVES VIEWS ON CHURCH DUTY.
Thinks Preachers Too Poorly Paid And
But Little Encouraged.
While Members Are Too Stinting In
Charity Towards Each Other.

puzzled to know why they do not
succeed better | have finally con
cluded that the greatest hindrance
to their success is the membership.
/ hear members of the different
churches say, tnat our church would
do better if we had the right man IN
the pulpit. Now l conclude that
when you hear any member use this
kind of talk, you may mark 1T, that
such member is not doing anything
Tor the furtherance of church work,
but little contribution now and
then and 5rag to some one, how
much he or she has contributed. and
then to say that if we had the right
kind of preacher, our membership
would grow like a mushroom-and
if we had minister TIC suit me, |
would give ten or twenty more a
year. Not word of encouragement
not prayer for the success of the
ministry. And it IS a too common
thing, that while the preacher is tax
ing his brain and energy to convince
such one, that there is an Eternity
and judgment to come, such per-
son is snoring in his pew, dreaming
of better preacher, and larger
membership, not word of encour
agement for the poor fellow who is
working his life away trying to do
such people good.
heard a member of one of the
churches here, say not long AGO, that
he didn't like his preacher much. |
asked why? He said, because he
hardly ever called on him or his fam
lily. | asked him if he ever visited
the preacher? He said, no-o.o. l
hardly ever have time. SEE New
er was there a truer saying than
that of Sam Jones: THE membership
wants a seat in the surry, while the
preacher gets between the shafts,
and pulls the load. "
How many, would like to know,
how many of the membership in this
town gives dis or her preacher the
brotherly talk, and encouragement,
that they are justly entitled to. l
suppose there are some who do.
Again, think that most ministers
in these parts seldom get the full
amount promised for their services,
without begging, persuading ETC.,
ard it must be humilating. Ali |
will say disgusting, to sensitive
man to be compelled to resort to
such measures to get poor living,
and be compelled to use the closest
economy to make both ends meet.
still sucn menDers expect the wife
and daughters of the preacher to
dress neatly and as fine as the best,
and if they dine at the preachers
home, they expect the best of edibles
or at least as good as any of the
members, and the wife knowing that
such expectations exist, wearieS her.
self trying to meet such conditions.
All these things help to humlliate
and kill the courage, and energy of
the minister IN his church work, and
therefore preacher who is able to
do good work loses his energy under
such conditions, and can not do as
we'll and give as good services as he
could do if he received a word of en-
couragement now and then and new
err hears of criticism in regard to his
sermons,
Again the membership very often
hinder the course of religion, by
their own actions. We too often
find fault in brother or sister in the
church and the first thing we do In
such cases is TO shun them, instead
of going to the one whom we con-
clude is going wrong and giving him
or her a word of counsel, and encour-
agement we point the finger of scorn
at him, and by our own Indifference
and unconcern, help to drive him or
her to ruin especially if his or her
ruin would be of financial interest to
ourselves. Oh, if we could only see
ourselves us God sees us, how differ
ent our actions would be toward the
fallen brother or sister. Many are
driven to ruin no doubt by the ac-
tlons of those who look so sanctimo-
NOUS in church, and give their hand |
to every proposition made by the
preacher, while the world can plainly
see that a goodly number of such
christians are just like sinner-as
soon as he leaves the church door.
1t is bad enough for us to condemn
our own souls, but how sad the fact
that we, by our example, pull others
down to ruin. If we hear of woman
who has acted in such a manner as
to suggest suspicion, we begin to
shun her at once, and pass the hint
around Ia such a way, that it mag
mites daily, instead OF going to such
a one and offering her counsel and
Encouragement. And often when
the tt nth develops, she is cleaner
than the critic. The mote in our
own eyes never develop likes the
beam in the other fellows eyes. The
daily walk of the Christian should pe
such that the world cannot see