The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, March 24, 1871, Image 1
ONE LOBD. ONE FAITH, ONE B APTI8M"—EFHE8IAH8 IV
COLUMBIA, S.C., FRIDAY, MARCH 24. 1871
OLD mum, VOL. V.—NO. 133
about touching the sensibilities of
those who compose it sn<l who are
expected to contribute to hi* vup
port, tie seeks to avoid the “hull*-
4i «f ' * *.. >’ 3' ^ y ■ •*.
crest expression*” which may rioter
intending pew renters, nod put a
long faoc upon the Trussurrr, when
tlmt officer waits upon him with the
next monthly or quarterly Instalment
of the salary.
4. “This same enslaving motive
may be present in a far subtler
ami far more seductive mode of its
o{MMatiou." It to natural for a man
of noble mind to dread a fall into the
error of rdVlenes* ami incivility, if he
uses a faithhil frankness of address
towards those from whom he has
himself iswhwil only themss* (State
ful appreciation, the most flattering
attentions, the most agreeable bospi
talfty, the most open handed gener
osity. Bartel blandish meat* and
personal fa roes, with ths illusions
of ractpeocai obligation which they
imply, form the silken coed that
softly ties the tongue of many s
minister of the gospel.”
\ “In the fifth place, tbo dread
of being personal, or of being thought
perasoat, imposes no unimportant
limitation npon the proper frrodom
of the patptk* We moss distinguish
between directness and personaltty
In pulpit address. Hugh Latimer
fhiled to do teat, hot made sore
of hitting his mark by calling the
name. Bneh mss, woman and child
of his congregation got “hi* portion
is dne season.” Modern manners
hare done weH In changiog that, hot
have done ill iongoing to* ter in the
opposite direct ios. “They hare to*
ported the idea' that if the pastor
km&trn of a member of the congrega
tion to whom the rebuke nf a ais has
a damaging adapted ness, the roar
teey of the pulpit require* that he
should omit the rebuke, teat he be
blame worthily persons!." That idea
is altogether wrong. Opha siu de
mands, and should receive, open
rebnke.
6. M A sixth (mint, wherein the
bondage of the pulpit presses, ts
found In the fact that the rhnrrti
will not , support its ministry by
legitimate coarse* of discipline. ?fo
man with any self respect Hken to
become rox et pnrterm nihil" • • •
“There is no question that the laxity
of ecclesiastical discipline acts pow
erftilly to intimidate the pulpit."
“Ami, unhappily, a daunt lew brave
ry in the palpit would avail little
withoat practical support from the
pews.”
1. Again, “the pulpit is circum
scribed in its freedom of rebnke by
its nucousuious circumscription in
serviceable knowledge of its congre
gation as individual men and wo
men." Tbe pastor is more or less
insulated from the currents of in
formation concerning his people, that
are flowing freely all aronnd him.
y “In general, the minister is not
to bis congregation as are other men,
awl bis congregation are not to their
minister as they are to othsr men.
Whereas tbe community at large
know his people tv a practical, world
ly way, the pastor knows them in
a spiritual, and, as it were, the
other-woriddj-way. The parallax be
tween Deacon Huiith’s pastor’s views
of Deaeon Smith, and Deacon Smith's
business acquaintances' views of Dea
oon Smith, is often something euor
mous." * • * “Many a zealous
imstor would be simply astounded to
learn what the general community,
that know them, think of the Aarons
and Hurs on whom be, not knowing
them, relies for sympathy and sup
port. Fortunate., and, ye had almost
added, singular, tbe church that has
not a sanctimonious deacon, whose
reputation in tbe community is a spot
on the love feasts of his brotherhood;
while tbe unworldly pastor, it may
be, is profoundly—and shall we not
say blessedly I—-ignorant of the true
state of the facts. How can a min
ister rebnke the sin of which he la
as innocently ignorant as a weanling
babe P Groffebv Oleankr.
thsOospsl to ths
LUm) ,n.i*fti0g fill
wbag Ms membms sad ,U» ivmistort
do 1 Mf toil In* dalg to preaching the
goapul to every cssolfe- ^ rm0i
Tha toaoM«6^ ' M>te to t*t , *u
BPiaraUjr. reoogntord, and yet wc
reymnl Ure wot toss UuporUut.-
That the support of tha friatoUy
asks you to rat that bread of Hfe
which will gave you from death. Hi?
is so near that he wilt 5 notice your
first faint effort to come to biiu. and
wTH stretch oqt his hand to help you.
He I# ao near that he will see your
first tear of repentance, and catch
yoqr first sigh for pardon. He Is so
near that before you call he will
answer, and while you are yet speak
ing he will bear.
Burners, wherever yon are, Jesus
to near, ao that to all countries, under
all cures umtauoes, by day **ul by
night, o& home or abroad, yon may
owm to him i no come now.—Mdi§.
fwo parties. Radi party has his
offices to fultl, according to the
fiiw—"IT tha mnmuttf and
particularly, parents have duties to
perform as conditions precedent to
the grace thereto sealed to their
chHdtWo. Ito promises are not given
as premiums to suputeoee*or oofeith
folnws.' jrpr toe they mm expres
terns of the goad will and gramous
purposes of God. AH his promises,
and as much as any others, those
which respect the salvation of our
U PUBLISHED
HY Vjur*
ti
vbvtena from the foUostog ounaid
to The command of Christ to
preach the gospel to giraa to ths
whole church. Ike ohUgatiou which
U hofMMos doss not rote upon Lb*
officer* or upon any one eteea of its
MManbcr*, but to blodtog upon oil
who make up “the U*4|- A church
msittbor has not met hto iMpocmibU
ity when b 4 ' has secnml lb* know l
edge of the gospel for hto own family
and immediate neighbonL Ht ha
not done all that ho to required to do
«he« he nnite* with uthrrs in Ik
support of a pastor, tkae wha an-
far away* even to ths cads of the
earth, hat* Uaime apuo him that
frith to God, prayer to him, and
faith fsinew in the performance of
the duties laid upon us, Tbe coo
dition was expressly stated by. (ted,
respecting the original covenant
with Abraham. “I know Abraham
that he will command his children
and hto homnhold after him, and
they shad keep the way .of the Lord,
to do justice and judgment; that the
Lerfl may bring upon Abraham that
which Ue hath spoken of him.” Gen.
ivihi If. The declaration is ex
pens, “Train up a child in the way
he should go, and when be Is oM, he
will not depart from it"
But the memorable examples of
the children of Lot, of Eli, of David
and yf pjbere 4 |g»ow the promises to
be forfeited by unfaithfulness. The
very' purpose of our children being
placed in our charge, with the sane
uous of the covenant upon us, is
that we may train them up in the
nurture and admonition of tbe Lord.
If we fail of this duty, we need not
he surprised if God retime to counte
nance cor ■nftithftUaeos by follow
ing it with Hto blessing. It may,
therefore, be held as n rule of nniver
sal application, that where the
children of the covenant forsake
the way of holiness, ths primary
cause to parental neglect or tran*
groenoo of ths terms upon which
We are not saying that aa Ih
existed hi this land at ita Amt
dement, to cuald have been el
wise. Ws are nrouoauemg cons
ed by which H to utterly 1
Me to obey the com and
tag ths gospel to the poor.
The children of Oodk people are
by him net apart as hto own peculiar
propertv. rteimhig them thus, he
gives himself to them in a reciprocal
covenant, resting on and appealing
to parental frith : «f wfll he a God
to thee, and ts thy seed after tbse.”
He Invites parents to *aH*fr the
yearnings of parental affection and
anxiety for the salvation of their chil
dren, by bringing them in the arms of
frith, and placing them In the Path
er*s bosom, with Implicit confidence
in bis paterual love, and undoubting
reliance on hto ability to save, and
hto Oddity to lus ooveoaoi and their
trust. He appoint* baptism as the
aerate** and weans of outuumma
ting and seeling this act of parental
faith and consecration, and of enlist
teg for tho lamb* of hto fold the
tender interest of tbe church and its
officers, their ooutinual prayers, their
watchful care, and their guardian
ship, nurture and admouitiou. In
that ordinance, be sets his own mark
upon them, bestows on them the seal
of hto covenant, and proclaims them
I# the world, tbs church, and the
apuii* of light and of darkness, bis
above
Words,
been tbe chief rantnllia
car l*re*h) tertou mnehi
then ww want the resalt
logically from thi* to be
met hto ohligatiou only when bo bn*
done all be possibly so* do to bnag
ths gospsl to boar upon * “every rm
lure." ('hitstian ties ore not local;
>Uch b.vr hm c*mnll> n*o* , . __ ,, h 35
nlwd In Ik. rknrrk. bat nhfck *» -w_ M J. t , * ZzT
SafesIWiri-
are illsjoined, ronfrisiou and foeffi Father of aU,’bat u, 0 are immbrr.
Heney most follow. The one in, that u ^ myteual l*4y of Cbriat ttf the
?^.»P "7“ U ■**** JmlmMttwg uf the Holy Gbcte; so
is entitled to an adeqaate snpfmrt > (hat if uno member suffi, te the
and the other to, that the obligntton . . . U lt ami if So
to fnrutoh this mpport doe* not real i*-**—! *!i [w-
n 'ZZ I .L VOa . ** l '* n "" Ut ™ I «3> S AH jc air Wkm.-
grogntion that ml npn *| The iwcogfoUeti oh thto tint), »ym
IW WMttoto pathy i ith our Mlo* chriattens, a
The first of there principles does ^,,1,,,,, ^ them, to Uhl down
not rnlmit of debate. It to a divine a the Iklde m a principal evidence
iwdtnance that ihore who jireech the of oar stuuu with Christ * Us that
gospel -houUi live of the gospel, k is brother have need and
Our laird say * in reference to hto •hatteth up hto bowels of compsatooa
mimstera, -Tbo luburer la worthy Ovm him, U.w dwrlkth the Uve of
of bis birr.” lie lias a right to IL God iu bin) f~
To withhold it from biro to an injoa | y Hiute|rr» are ordaioml to tbe
41 Wfte—we» i toiitd
Bausons non fr. j
o articles npou the above gi'ii-
anlpecti of which ke l»ece re-
i snr account, do nut foil to
i oat tho ctotf co^rs, as well
»e nature, of the pulpitTs boud
In tbe unfoldin’ of these
is, there to ao wich that to
estives, iostructive, and adinir
pot, that it to lurid to decide,
*JL m • 1:1 «
• te can not be j givel^ what
sfcct. We must content our
a with a compai ut vely meagre
ft, in which our author shall
nutted to speak for himself
writ as possible. Tl4.;f < ir
b ef the average pulpit, otj tbe
be it remem »*ereL is, accord
* this writer, that it does not
Illy, openly and sternly enough
parental bear!*, a yearning love to
their cteltl—«n and anxiety for their
aalratreu, which nothing site will
WWw V*C- r .. iik>
And yet, w« oousuutiy see many
of those on whom God's mark has
been set, whom be bn* refected and
apt apart to lumaelf by an inalien
able right as hto properyr, and des
ignated aa “holy,” who have been
dc-licated by parental faith, and by
the consecration of |*rayers and
tears, and instructions in the knowl
edge and way s of God, grow up to
become wanderer* from the fold, and
apostates from God’s grace and cov
enant of life. There to no subject
in connection with which more pro
found emotions have been stirred th
the heart* of many of God’s people,
thafi this; aiipoaling as It does to
the warmest natural affection*, ex
alted and intensified by grace. With
what poignant distress have their
minds been agitated, and bow se
verely has Uteri hulk been tried in
the efficacy of prayer, and tbe fidel
ity of a covenant God! What means
ths liupsnttrnos of there beloved
and consecrated ones f Are they to
pariah bacuass of oar ahortroomings
and snfaithfuhmte in tiietr (routing T
Is God indeed rhrawer of proper f
Will be keep lus covenant with hto
nawosthy peopto, or is it tortiuted
by oar sins t Haro we w holly mis
us derriietiou in
•f'tW ministry,
are pastors of Uteri orrernl rhurehea, ,B> I
bat too) are minister* la hety things now a
•vmyrwhere. They qspte authorite mnsani
tirel) in Chn«t's name evea when the go
• thousand mile* from home. When regain
Ute rolothm of p pastor with hi* pu*mhi
church to dissolved, ha no mare and ■
osnsss to be s mintoter than tha mains
church enters to hr organised, n* oomph
is a servant of the chureil as a whole, JL O. J
wherever its power may be lodged,
aod ba to bound to obey ita rule over >
him—to go where the church amds
him, no*) to do what it requires him. ,l *
Aa he receives, hto orders from the
ebarrh as a whole, and obeys three ® m! ***
ordain,ht has a claim upon it, which m
•■an not be disputed, for hto support,
sod not a pus ths people to which
ha miatotevi An officer la the army, M
under soy government, Is the arr- f£&]H
vaat of tbs goveromsuU He may ba > im 01
sent first to one place and then to lhronr
soother. He to to go wherever hto •
government reqahea, and to tha m
iP>vernment he looks for hto rapport,
and not to the people whom he may
be employed la protecting. As a
cbwreh, la its wld# and not local ^ttoaet
■mas, com missions and control* fta a “ ar( *
minister*, so precisely In tee ume rn
sense should It support them. 1
i. The effect ire laborers hi the P nWl1
early churdb, whC are mentioned •“
specially iu the !fsw Tests men t. *Jw
were not pasture of part irolar church wrk r *‘
ea, but men without Aarge, who tocom)
went wherever tbs providence sf hr * 0,1
God ,ffifetotedf a door, and who were
supported bpr the geoern! eoatriba retired
tion* of the ebarches. Faal acknowl jjffiiffi
edges the enatributioua which he J
received time sad again from rhnfffik
es ts which 1 ba bore wo pastoral or fr” r
relation. There I* no single local JjM
pastor named In tee New Teats meet,
ontoaa Jamre of Janwatoln ha am
ezeeption. Tbe great aygrosalre M *he t
work lit the Hpodolk age was done
by 11 siijinkr aod not by local
imstore. We do not underrate the
l Is tbe first place, rebuke to tbe
«S prosupposcs ttoral voium^<
I pa-son wbo gi 1 es it. Moral
ge, as already s id, i s u rare
wong men. Miuinlen are iheu,”
are, as a class, |sit|»cripr,, |*er-
m moral oouragd to any other
of men, yet ve*4 few of them
is it in sufficient quantity to
» them properly to cpnfrout
Iwtes wludi ad tiie average
i into bondage.”
la tbe second ph oe, tbe boml-
| the pulpit has m iutel U-ct ua 1
It to not alw *ys primarily
Mntoteni are not morally brave
b. It is also often first that
rie sot inteliectfally iu<l»»|H‘n
mough. These wo poiute of
tot iufirtuity are closer of kin
Is commonly rei{icniberetL|- It
p* moral courgg i to be iutel
My iadepeudent, tid it requires
pteal iudcjn-iult-qi-c to be mor-
pwgeons. BviddiUy, if a pan
pke a stand, tens important
p make up hto niiud where to
Ik Uncertainty Ito weakness.
ie» certainty if misapplied
the M|KM*tlc has argued to must fully'
and most clrarly. 11 is Isugnage to
most ea photo): “Do yc not know that
they which! minister sbont holy
things live of the things of tbe
temple f and they which wait st ths
altar are partaker* with tbe altar 9
Even so bath tbs Lord onlaiued
that they white preach tbe gospel
shall live of the gospel " How the
church meets this obligation to well
known. It to sue of the staoding
reproaches of the world against ths
church, that tbs support given to
mintotera, with a few exceptional
esses, to most shamefully stinted.
Tbe inadequacy of ministerial Sop
port has been a running sore hi the
and It to not Hkelv soon to
often insure t a* uuuUter’s
toinmph. Oftei “hto mental
!»ta the sinews of his moral
k.” Having u< Axed, inde-
t judgment u K»n a gijeu
n > Ae probably compromises.
} » into I m ditch, and
lift nwst of Lor
I>ce tbe weil-fo ti sins of
fhurches aod \ ongregatioiis.
f however, in cl arity be said
Ib .that they r re generally,
h intellectnal b< ndmen before
f morel poItro4^ .. j
church
\\ healed. The coin plaint crones not
from those who are directly interest
ed in this conqtetent maintenance,
Iwt from the private members of the
church and people of the world.
God to carrying on hto work to spite
of the derelictioii of the chuioh In
this matter, find will doubtless eon
tinue to carry; to on. Ministers will
preach who have to live of their
own labor, and not of ths gospsl.
testimony of Peal, that by the
They do not get half the credtt for
this that deserve. God will
still furnish hi- ebarrh with ths
living ministry; he may even raise
•ti’men wift» inch a plenitude of
gifts am! grace and knowledge that
they may, as Paul did, labor night
and day with their own hands, and
yet preach the gospel in season and
out of season. Bat thi* to not God’s
ordinance; aqd It Is utterly vain In
this way' fo expect tbe church to
attain ita foOret HBctewcy. TVs
church win have the approval of Hi
tbs jury hare brought him ia ‘not
guilty f * ‘Only a minute.” ‘When
a sinner is convinced that be to a
sinner, and to sorry for it; when be
desires forgiveness and delivefcance
from sin, aud believes that Christ is
able and willing ts save him, be can
be converted as speedily as the pris
oner can be discharged by the judge.
It does not take God a long time to
discharge a penitent soul from the
condemnation aod power of sin.” ^
hto cor. He to
stttitig nr yowr
Aihich coutribi ti> to abridge
Nat, freedom jof; the j^ulpit
f mentioned t ic pecuniary,
NS| motive, j This does
upou th< teuistijy, ; «s
gross form ;; but, under
of “volufitarytom,” the