Year: 1871

| own disposal ; they can better devote
their own time TO study, without danger
OF interruption they can better arrange
in the morning plan for the emyloy.
ments Of the day, or in other words,
they can better make a programme Of
the day, determining what is TO be done
IN the forenoon, what in the afternoon,
and what in the evening they have
more opportunities Of retirement 10 their
"studies," or libraries, and can more cas-.
lily seclude themselves from intrusion,
than any other class Of professional men.
A merchant must be in his counting.
room, banker in the bank, lawyer
cannot so seclude himself that there may
not be easy access to him, physician at
all hours Of the day aud the night is
subject the calls Of others. There is no
minister of the gospel who can not secure
| absolutely a portion of each day, tor
doing what he has mind TO do.


In like manner, minister of the gos-
pei has more direct and certain access to
the people-to u community-on moral
and religious subjects, than any other
class of men. 1t is his very vocation, it
is the business Of his life, to be in con.
tact with all classes Of men on these
subjects, in any way in which he may
choose to approach them, whether in the
! pulpit, in private conversation, in the
family, in the familiar weekly lecture or
prayer-meetlng, in the chamber of sick
ness, or in the house Of mourning


When, therefore, he addresses them
through the press, there is a feeling
which goes before him that he is not in
truding /; that he is not departing from
the regular business of his life, that he
is not making an assumption in regard
TO his right or his ability to instruct
Others. He is Oh the understood and
acknowledged line of his calling, and
the community will regard him. He
mingles with the people in the most
tender scenes of lite. He is one OF them
lu more di. ect sense than appertains TO
any other class Of men, he is welcome al
their homes and their tiresides as men,
Der almost OF their own families.


The christian minister has, or is sup
p sed to have, the proper qualifications
for work of this kind. He Is usually a
man of liberal edecaton, and is expected
so TO keep up his studies AS to be abreast
or ahead of the mass of the community
around him. There is no man in tie
community who is expected to be more
Intelligent than the Christian minister
on the general subjects which pertain to
the welfare OF man perhaps there is no
one who is more intelligent on these
general subjects, however others may
excel him III particular departments of
knowledge. A merchant will, of course,
be better informed on the matters of
trade; a lawyer on the things pertain
ing to the law physician on the prac-
tlce OF medicine; professor of anatomy,
CT chemistry, Of surgery, of astronomy,
of natural philosophy or mathematics,
may be expected to be in advahce-per-
haps far in advance-of him, on those
points of knowledge; but it may be
doubted whether any of those who are
actually engaged in those professions or
callings, are expected to have, or do ac-
tually have, as large an amount of in
formation on subjects lying outside OF
their particular profession, as the edu-
Gated ministers of the gospel.


On the great themes which pertain to
the highest interests of man, vast field
open alike to men of other professions
and to the ministers of the gospel. Ex-
perience has shown, however, that it
will not be occupied largely by those
classes of men. 1t becomes therefore,
the more inviting to ministers of the gos.
pei, and it may be added that there is,
therefore, more solemn obligation rest
ing OH them to occupy that field. The
field is not one that is purely professional.
IL is not field for the merchant in the
affairs of merchandise, or for the lawyer
in the line of his profession, or for the
political economist IN his line, or for the
teacher of Latin, of Greek, or OF the
mathematics, in his line, or for the Chris
tian minister in his peculiar line. That
large field of general interest which en-
braces the subjects Of education, OF
schools, of cultivated manners, Of just
maxims of life, of temperance, purity,
honesty, courtesy, Of the domestic rela'
tions, of the duties of a citizen, of the
duties of charity, concord, and peace, Of
Libraries and of liberty, all of these are
fields to be occupied from age to age
and in each generation f; all these should
be occupied by men who, by their posi-
ton or their education, are qualified tc
influence the public mind.


single illustration, in conclusion, will
furnish an idea of what is intended by these
suggestions. 1t will be derived from the news
paper-the county newspaper There is
probably, scarcely county newspaper in tn
land, in conducting which the editor woul'
not gladly avail himself of the aid of Chris
tian minister in promoting the general object
referred to, and in increasing the usefulness o
his paper. 1t is not, perhaps, too much to sa!
that the educated pastor of church in
county town could have, if he chose, one o
two columns week of such a paper at hi


disposal for purposes which, if they are no
decidedly religious, are in the line OF the grea
business of his life. The editor OF such
, paper would not desire the aid of clergyman


in its business or its political articles; Ii


would not wish, and probably would no
, tolerate, articles of sectarian religious char
acter or articles that would be strictly reiig
ious at all but there is apart from these,