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VOL. X. Comiramitations. To tlie Elders. The Eiders which are among you I exhort, who ara also an Eider, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed : feed the flock of God wjyoh is among you, taki-ng the oversight lkere<sf, not lPy Constraint, but willingly; not for filthy of a ready mind. 1 Peter v. I—2.1 —2. p The Apostle not only addresses thesaintsin general, but in the above, he addresses hifffceff rectly to the Elders, and exhorts them to certain duties, and one very important duty w M to feed the church of God. Dow very important, indeed, Is this duty to feed the church of God, (not the Church of antichrist,) but of God. In this text, as well as many others, we believe the term “El der,” is applicable to the ministers and preachers of the cross of Christ, who have been not only born into the kingdom of God, but also called of the Foly Ghost, and impressed with the duty of preaching the gospel; and as there is such a close Oonneciioff'MSfciLe ehuioU Stu T-ministry-, for -the Apostle first says the Elders which are among you, And then says to the Eiders, “ Feed the flock which is among you and so close is the connection that God does not call his ministers to the work of preaching without giving the church an impression for him too. We think that wenit is the case that God impresses the mind of one of his ser vants with the weight and duty of preaching — that he gives the church some weight of that brother’s gift, and turns their feelings towards him, And while he can’t think what is the cause of his burden and distress, the church is already of the opinion what is the matter, and to his great astonishment as well as mortification some of the brethren will tell him that he ought to try to preach, and will encourage him so that he is not put to the necessity of asking leave of the church, but the church is ready to hear him before he wants to be heard ; neither does he love to move his membership from church to church to get Ordained and get the care of a church, but God will give him a nursing mother where he is born. Though it will ho a digression from our subject, you will please excuse me while I give a passing notice to those thatthrust themselves into the min istry, and then I will return again to my subject. Like Ahimaaz of old, they will ask for privilege So carry the tidings. They are wonderful fellows, DEVOTED TO THE SERVICE OF THE OLD SCHOOL BAPTISTS. V. ■ “OSS MBS, ©fill ffAIMi ASS ©fill BAPS'ISSS.” COVINGTON, NEWTON CO., GA., FEB- 15, 1860. and quite swift footed. They are apt to feel their impressions alone —the church is not weighted with their gift, and perhaps the reader has known some of them who have went from church to church where they thought it most likely they would he called to ordination; and after they succeed, (if they should), have they ever been use ful in feeding,*be flock? Have churches ever prospered Ministry ? Have they not directty set the hrethten at variance on*, with an other They will directly begin to oppose some leading point of the doctrine of the church, and will confuse and prejudice the minds of £he breth ren and sisters—they will begin to speak evil of the way of truth, and of those that preach it, as well as those that publish it from type—they will to immortalize themselves. You will soon find them challenging their brethren. They will speak great swelling words of vanity. They are as clouds driven with fierce winds. They are very fierce, indeed. They rise quickly, and pass over with a storm, and leave destruction behind them. Tlfey are wells without water. The Apostle does Dot say that they are not wells, but that they are wells. So it does not take water to constitute a well; yet water is in wells ; but these are wells They are ve ; ( y deep in their views of doctrine; but me crnircn./s neittun'(h<.i\iur'lrr,- tered, and cannot thrive under their ministry. — They are wandering stars. Now, the mariner tin the sea has his compass. It points him to the po lar star; bnt if that star should wander, could he ever port his vessel ? Neither can the church be established if she is under the influence of these wandering stars. They will fight the doctrine of Predestination to-day, and to-morrow they will half-way preach it, both in the North and South. AU are on the extreme but them ; and yet they can be any where, and would like to unite all the different elements together, but as they are wan dering, they can’t stay in one community long at a time. They must be moving from country to country, or from one community of churches to another, where they can gender more strife and division. But as I suppose these gentlemen will not thank me for my notice of them, I will return to my subject again, and to the Elders of the church as before stated. The church will he his nursing • mother, and we are of the opinion that his first impression will be to feed the church —not so much to con vert sinners, but to feed the flock. Now, to feed the church is to break to them the gospel bread, and to preach Jesus the way, the truth, and the life; and that no man cometh unto the Father hut by him, (i. e. he brings them there,) and to dec'are his doings among the people, and not the doings of man. 1 have thought that this was one way we could tell the gospel minister—that is, he will preach much about what Jesus has done, and is doing, and will continue to do for us. In doing this he will necessarily deal in the doctrine of election, for this is the work of God. He will also present the sovereign and unchangeable will of God— His fore-appointments —His Absolute Pre destination. He will break the bone and bring out the marrow and feed the flock. He will tread out the gospel grain, and load your soul with plenty. While on the other hand, the minister of anti christ will preach much about the doings of man —what man can and he is able to do—much about his free-will; and that much depends on the will of.man. In vain may you set under their preaching and wait for a morsel, for you will not get it. But the Elders in thus feeding the flock on substantial food, will cause them to be healthy and strong. It will unite them together, for we do be lieve that a sound, consistent ministry will beget its likeness in the churches. Did not Paul think so when he said to Timothy, “Take heed to thy self, and to the doctrine: continue in them, and in so doing thou shalt save thyself and them that hear thee.” when false teachers come, ooi/ie,) th-e tsuurohas wiU b<3 betUJ.- able to stand against them ; and when those men will arise, speaking perverse things to draw awav disciples after them, and the elder or watchman sees them bringing division and confusion among the churches, he should not be neutral, and say that he will have nothing to do with it. He should warn the flock, he should fight for them, he should bark at those wolves, and bite them— they should not he suffered to enter in, for they will not spare the flock. But again, the flock is not only to be fed, but the oversight ii to be taken: this the elders are exhorted to take, he should see that order and discipline was administered in the house of God, (not that he is to give any rules or orders of his own) hut to see that those which Christ has given are administered. This he is to do, not only by precept, but also by example; show ing himself a pattern and an example for the flock, that they may be led thereby. He should, not be a brawler, that is, quarreling with illness, cross, fractious, poutisb, selfish, or bigoted. But to the contrary, no striker, not giveu to much wine, not greedy for filthy lucre, not covetous, but first showing himself a pattern of good works, and then admonish and encourage his flock, and where there will *be unruly and striving ones to see that gospel usage was carried out, and justiof administered. ISAAC R. TEAT, NO. 4