Newspaper Page Text
November 10, 1909.
Contrit
THE EXIGENCY AND
By Rev. R. C.
Two things need to be s
say both of them with all tlv
sible. One is that our Chu
the want of more ministers;
can do, and should do, more
ply the deficiency.
i. There is nothing new i
has been said over and ove
and reiteration that has air
Hut for all that it needs to be
mind of the Church. We 01
one instant of the fact that tl
is a pressing one, and a nil
In the aggregate, thousands
of the ordinances necessary t
spiritual life, and essential tc
largement of the Kingdom (
and ultimate dissolution ar<
cally and inevitably follow ft
The conviction is forcing
Christ ordained our system c
working it according to the
not be admitted that Christ
an organization which whei
to His will exhibits a defect
a defect is most fatal to its
admitted that He who rede
dained that His redemption
through preaching, left His
supplying an adequate nuni
not he admitted that Christ \
ers the duty of giving to His
quest, left them helpless to p
ship for the onward march,
apprehend the plan of Chris
ing to work it properly. Ii
organize an army for conqu
provision whereby the army
cered, the wisdom of the g<
credited.
Of course. Christ is not r
icnt, crippled condition in w
self. This crippled conditior
have never had a sufficient
adequately man our organiza
from some other periods on
dition is more pronounced,
radical one, but apparently
be in reality and necessarily ;
grave reason to fear that in i
missed the mind of ti e Masti
2. We are not doing all tl
to do to remedy the defect
principal cause of our failur
to the Quaker theory of a call
sively wait for the spirit to j
victims of a false mysticism;
pose directly $nd signify Hi:
THE PRESBYTERIA
>uted |
HOW TO MEET IT.
Reed, D. D.
aid and I should like to
e plainness and vigor posrcli
is suffering sadly for
and the other is that we
than we arc doing to supin
the first statement. It
r again with an iteration
eady grown monotonous,
kept constantly before the
ugm noi to lose signt tor
ic need for more ministers
atter of vital importance,
of our people are deprived
o the nourishment of their
> the maintenance and cnaf
Christ. Decline, decay
; the results which logiom
vacancy.
itself on my mind that if
>f government, we are not
Author's intent. It can
provided for His Church
11 administered according
: at the very point where
efficiency. It can not be
emed the world, and orshould
be made effective
Church with no means of
ber of preachers. It can
vho laid upon His follow5
cause a world-wide <;on>rovide
an efficient leaderEither
we have failed to
t, or we are signally fa.ilf
any government should
est, and should make no
could be sufficiently offiavernment
would be disesponsible
for the ineffic
men our unurcn hncls lti
is chronic with us. We
number of preachers to
tion. The present differs
ly in that our lame conOur
defect is not only a
a permanent one. If it
i permanent one, we have
our organization we have
er.
lat we can do and "ought
Why? I believe the
e is that we lean too far
I to the ministry?we pasjive
the call. We are the
; we expect God to inters
will to those whom He
4- *
N OF THE SOUTH.
wishes to preach the Gospel. Ni
ity must mediate the call. Th
dence of its divine source. V\
preacher shall have the same kii
tication for his call to preach th:
apostleship; he must receive it 4
tlirniio-li mori Kt?<- *- U ??1- T
mail, u Ht UllUU^ll JC311
Father who raised him from th<
Have we scriptural ground fo
to the ministry? No doubt the
is from God. But not more so
to discipleship. We hold that
through effectual calling. Win
It is the work of God's Spirit,
an effectual call to a sinner and
with Christ than we can give a
call and bring him into the minis
is as much of God as the other,
sinner we recognize it. as our
duty, yea, our supreme duty to 1
is our first business as preachers
that thirsteth, come ye to the w?
be any less our duty to serve as
f A i ^ T
VM.? vvy I..V uiiiilOll Jf . J. UV11V VC
duty pressing, urgent, imperativ
the exigencies of the case. Whe
of God suffering, sorely suffering
ministers, we should sound tin
earnestness. We should pray th
but we should do as we do in
the appropriate means to answei
I am not forgetful of the fact
sembly has enjoined it on pastoi
out suitable young men and lay 1
of the ministry. I doubt not this
extent being obeyed. But I do
yet taken hold of the heart and
Church as it should. I believe t
of our pastors and sessions are
like their full duty in this respec
There is no reason why this d
nr\ tA nnctArc nriA cpccinnc Ta
sinner the injunction of the B
heareth say come.'" It is permit
to offer his services to voice the
ance. Why should not every
with the need of more preacher
voice God's call to the ministry
Church would resolve itself int
for the army of Christ, it would n
warrant in doing so. But if fc
for the officers of the army? I
Church should bestir itself to se<
and a more efficient preaching
A^ U.'o A ol,?11 C.,
viimvn UVJ iiuo auu wv, oiiau IIII
launch an organization defcctiv
point.
A gentleman in Yorkshire one
out for a walk; but the boy,
nf hpr ornf 1 ncf inrl m ooti n nr o
ww<w.9 iiivviiug <1
asked: "Please, master, have yo
a little boy? 'Cause, if you have,
Dundee Weekly News.
5
o human instrumental
is would mar the evile
demand that the
id of heavenly authenlt
Paul claimed for his
'neither from men, nor
is Christ and God the
: dead."
r such a view of a call
call, if a genuine one,
than the sinner's call
every sinner is saved
it is effectual calling?
We can no more give
bring him into union
Christian an effectual
.try. The one of these
Now in the case of the
duty, our imperative
ncdiatc the call. This
i to cry "Ho every one
iters." Why should it
i the medium of God's
it is our duty, and a
e just in proportion to
n we see the Kingdom
r for the want of more
e call with persistent
e Lord of the Harvest,
all other matters, use
r our prayers.
that our General Ass
and sessions to look
before them the claims
? injunction is to some
not believe that it has
I conscience of the
hat comparatively few
discharging anything
:t.
uty should be restrictuching
the call to the
ible is "let him that
ted to every Christian
divine call to repentChristian,
impressed
s offer his services to
? Surely if the whole
o a recruiting agency
iot be without a divine
>r the army, why not
believe the whole
:ure a more numerous
force. Only let the
id that Christ did not
e at the most vital
day took his little bov
from some cause or
l policeman, tearfully
u seen a man without
I'm that little boy."?