Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1918-11-14


all men to himself. The business of
the ancient priest was to offer sac
rinces; that of the prophet, to fore
tell events; but that Of the Christian
minister is to preach the Gospel.
The priest was by birth made ell
igible to his trust, but by his conse-
Grafton was initiated into his Office.
The prophet received his autho
rity by Divine call The prophet
seems to nave been in possession Of
the mind of God relating to many
Incidents Of Isreaps history. At
many times his word was regarded
as the voice of God speaking to his
chosen people.
The office of the Christian minis
try more slowly resembles that of
the prophet. His authority con-
sists in call from God recognized
and endorsed by the church. The
first evidence Of divine call is in
the consciousness of the individual.
1t may be at first slight persua-
sion which deepens into an intense
conviction that he is called of God
to preach the Gospel.
Some writers distinguish between
what they call the ordinary call and
the extraordinary call.
In the ordinary call, they teach
that the young man arrives at the
conviction that he should preach,
from the consideration Of his quail
fications, mental tendencies, and sur
rounding circumstances; that the
same influences lead him into the
ministry, which with some changes
would have led him to enter the pro-
fession of medicine or law, or to en-
gage in some secular pursuit. He
believes he can do more good in the
ministry than in the practice of
medicine or the profession of law.
He simply follows the indications
Of Providence manifested in his own
nature and in the world around him.
We believe that in order to receive
call to the Christian ministry the
individual must be in hearing dis
lance of the Divine Voice, however
uttered. We believe that there are
persons in the world who because of
their careless lives have never heard
the voice of God calling them to the
ministry. God cannot call one who
does not give himself to serious
thought concerning Christian duty.
The extraordinary call to the
Christian ministry does not consist
in an audible voice, or in any vision,
or dream, or in any extraordinary
external circumstances.
The message which God sends is
purely spiritual. Like a still small
voice, it influences the inner nature,
and is extraordinary only in that it
| is special divine communication.
In it's slightest form it is a per-
suasion that he who receives it
ought to preach the Gospel; in it's
strongest form, that God requires
him to do this work at the peril Of
his soul.
| We believe that an impression
that one ought to preach may come
before conviction. Especially is
this true where the young has been
favored with religious education,
and has been the subject of deep
religious impressions though he has
not yet yielded his heart to God.
Pardon the personal illusion but
even before conversion the writer
felt that if he surrendered to the
Lord he ought to preach and this
{ conviction kept him out of the king
dom for nearly four years.
Certain things are necessary be-
/ fcre a call Of any kind can reach
the consciousness CT the Individual
IIe must feel in his own heart the
love of God, with an accompanying
desire to do all the good he can. He
wants to be useful and not disobedi-
ent to the divine call
/ Where one is called of God to
preach it will be manifested by col
lateral evidences. Intelligent Cody
people who are spiritually discerned
will notice the graces and gifts of
the one called. 1t is necessary that
much care and prayer be employed
before this collateral evidence be &C
cepted as reliable.
We believe that there are men in
the ministry who have been greatly
injured in being mislead. Some
people have regarded goodness as
the one essential qualification for a
/ Christian minister. Young men
without any apparent gifts or graces
have been constantly reminded of
their amiable traits and urged to
enter the work, until he decided
that God was speaking through his