Year: 1874

nifty Of that calling, whether in the chair of
office or learning or following the pillow that
feeds ALL We are glad to see this devotion
to any calling make the most of time and
opportunities for improvement, the mechanic
with his tools learning TO use them to the
best advantage, the physician with his books
searching out the labyrinths of human frail-
ty and remedies for its ills never counting
the cost of time or opportunities for gain,
pleasure, or fame when his richest rewards
OF pleasure or fame are far the most success.
ful efforts in the amelioration Of human suf-
iering, but with the highest sense Of duty.
In the selt.sacrifcing devotion to this or any
other professional calling such occupant is
yet man and no more than n man, with all
the obligations Of a mutual dependence, and
there is nothing in the lowliuess Of another's
calling from which he needs TO shrink with
any dread Of disgrace if time and circum-
stances favor or give opportunity to take the
mechanics or the plowman's place. The
true dignity Of any mans profession is only
tarnished by time wasted in pleasures, in
plans and hopes for self.aggrandizement and
more especially the weak assumptions of rank
demanding the servic attentions of the low
| ly. There is no evidence clearer of a small
mind than these assumptions aud claims Of
mental superiority Quite often we meet
what ought to be called ministerial strutting
under the pretence of ministerial dignity.


But this brings me to the consideration Of
the final topic had in view in the outset
the true dignity Of devotion to the sacred
calling of the Christian ministry.


Whatever the genius of civil government
and social relations in worldly matters may
do to establish distinctions of rank, the whole
genus and moral worth OF religion must for
ever exclude them from the mission of the
church In all its public and private offices
it is ." All ye are brethren"


The Office of the ministry is from the yer y
nature Of the service the lowiest in rank.
whatsoever will be greatest among you, let
him be servant Of ALL" On one occasion
when the question of rank was raised lit.
tie child was set before them as the best
model Of all that was great in their calling
From first to last the one great question to
be settled with every candidate for the apos-
tleship was, could they give up the world
with all its enterprises for gain or homo r,
aud accept in the room of all these indul-
gences a life of toll, iguominy, suffering and
death ? Had they confidence enough in the
moral worth of their mission to devote their
time to it and wait for their reward in
coming world2 When the two sons of Zebc.
dee, or their ambitious mother, or perhaps
both, applied for seats OF distinction in His
kingdom, the reply was : "Ye know not
what ye ask. Can ye drink of the cup that
l drink of, and be baptsed with the baptism
that | am baptised with ?" They say, We
arc able" "Yo shall indeed drink Of my
cup, &c, but to sit on my right hand and on
my left is not mine to give, but it shall be
given to those for whom it is prepared of my
father which is in heaven Share with me
all my suffer;ngs aud privations, aud even
then trust the Father on high to give all
merited rewards.


Both the dignity and the sacredness oil
the ministerial Office forbid the occupant ev.
er again engaging in the common enterprises
of gain or honor. But no minister's hands
or cloth are too good to mix in the dirt OF
secular employment when it is to feed hun.
cry children. 1t is even the highest honor
of the calling when poverty is endured and
hardships welcomed for the sake Of devotion
to sacred calling. The impeling necessity
may make us willing to work as Paul did
for the same object, with no more fear oi
disgrace, and yet every secuarized votary Of
ambition for wealth or fame in the ministry
has put his hand to the plow and turned
back. A secularized minister has tempta-
tion greater to himself, and is himself more
N""E~'NN' W 'hhh ~ 81 uN
man had never been minister.


As ministers we have no claim TO exemp
tion from the burdens OF toll. We are still
or should be one with toiling world. How
the ministry Of the lowly Nazareno could
ever be transformed into sacerdotal pompos
ity could never understand, but 80 it is
There seems to be a charm in the thought
of serving a big master, gladly depriving
children Of bread to feed, pamper and clothe
Il pompous priesthood. 1t is the greatness
Of the scientific mind learning to commune
with Ged that bears sympathy for the
humblest of his creatures There is u dig
nifty in the mission of the imperial presence
from the heavenly world, in the surrender o
Matthew at the receipt of customs, but wha
Of littleness, ignorance, and poverty assum
ing to claim such attentions frou compan
ions in want? NJ II. KEEP.
Dalton, ArOoStOOk Co., Ne.