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Cfliitrihtimii DR. GREEN’S MEMORIAL.—No. 6. ADVANTAGES OF THE ITINERACY. Having glanced at the causes for the ten dency of our ministry, especially to the aban donment of the system of itineracy , 1 would briefly discuss some of the advantages of it, that the short-sightedness of those who pro pose anything endangering the continuance of it may be shown. The first view I would present is this: The itinerant is the Scriptural plan. Who gainsays this that follows the first itine rant preacher, the Lord Jesus Christ, through Galilee and Judea, to the “coasts of Tyre and Sidon,” and to the regions beyond Jordan, preaching the gospel of the kingdom ? Who doubts it that listens to the injunctions of the Great Head of the Church to his apostles, and to the seventy preachers, who were sent by him, as his forerunners, “ two by two, into every city and place whither he himself would come;” (Lu. x:l) and who returned from their itinerant labors to report, “ Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name?’’ (Lu. x:l7). Such injunctions as these, “ Go ye unto all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature;” (Mk. 16:15) “ye shall be wit nesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utter most part of the earth,” (Acts 1: 8) neces sitated the itineracy. .Obedience to them sent Peter throughout Jewry, if not to “Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bi thynia;” (for his first Epistle is addressed to Christians “ scattered ” throughout those regions of the world, and it was customary for the apostles to write Epistles to the churches they had founded,) and sent Paul throughout the bounds of the Roman Em pire, with a Barnabas, or a Silas, or a Lukfjg as his co-laborers. To say nothing of wjpi tradition tells of Thomas penetrating very heart of India, of Andrew preachi* throughout what is now Turkey in Europe, and Turkey in Asia; James, the greater, in the remote region of Spain; Mark, the evan gelist, in Egypt, etc., etc, In every city “elders” were “ordained” to be officers of the church, assistants of the apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers, whose duty it was to “ oversee ’’ the inter ests of the several churches of which they were members and officers. “ Ruling El ders” our Presbyterian brethren now de nominate similar officers in that church; but the very letter and spirit of Christianity sent preachers from Peter the apostle to Philip the deacon, here and there and every where preaching “Jesus and the resurrec tion.’’ The second view of the advantages of the itinerant plan over the settled pastorate is this: It is unfriendly to secularization. No vow of celibacy, no monastic separation is needed to advance the gospel by holding fast to the Lord’s altar, where the real itin erant is found. He is separated by his man ner of life from the business, the cares and the honors of the world. He is the servant of souls. He is the Lord’s evangel. The frequent changes which itineracy compels; the consequent uncertainty as to what locali ty will be the field of his ministerial labors; the renewed interest in souls committed to his care, induced by his connection with each new charge ; the necessity for activity in the pastoral office, that acquaintance may be extended aud perfected in the brief pe riod that the itinerant remains, and for mul tiplied labors in the pulpit, by protracted meetings, etc., as what is done by him must be done quickly, defend him who is at heart consecrated to the work of the ministry from engagement in secular affairs, saves “him that warreth from entangling himself in the things of this life.” Thirdly. It admits of aggressive move ments impracticable under the settled pasto* rate plan. The Methodist itinerant, found in every secluded glen, mountain fastnesß, sparsely settled region ; with the negro upon the island or river plantation, the red man in his western home, and the pioneer in his rude log hut; seeking for those scattered abroad, preaching the gospel to the rich and to the poor, is the crowning glory of our church, and an impregnable argument in favor of the continuance of the itineracy. No ohurch has kept pace with us in “going into the regions beyond” the sound of the Sabbath bell, the organized congregation, and the settled community. It was impos sible for them to do so, no matter how ar dent their zeal, whilst hampered by that departure from Christ’s plan, and primitive example—the settled pastorate. They have only approximated to our success in this re spect, when they, regardless of their theories, have itinerated with us. Fourthly. It fills every pulpit and leaves no church without a pastor. How un like the results of the settled pastorate ! Churches, even in cities sometimes, for months without a pastor; whilst frequently poor, small congregations are left as sheep without a shepherd, to seek wherever they sau5 au find the preached word, or go without it.* Such a thing does not occur under our system of itineracy. Our churches are all served, our pulpits all filled, and this be cause our frequent changes permit the em ployment of ministers of an order of talent that could not find' employment as settled, permanent pastors, and sends men to hard, poor fields of labor, as well as to rich, pleas ant charges. lifthly. The frequent changes the itiner oxy occasions, causes every taste tobepleased at some time, and each class of hearers to be fed with “food convenient for them.” The expounder of doctrines—the metaphysician PreshvtoH^ 0 . b o ef ° ro .l he^ ar the writer observed in a ment y to th« ESS®!’ ■ t !'?. New York Observer, a stat - ovtir 3nn PrLnS ls ik a memor ? serves him, that h “' hM “ the u ° i “ —the logician—the impassioned declaim er—the man of tropes and flowers—the pa thetic —the weeping prophet, follow each other in rapid succession. The itineracy, instituted by our Saviour, is precisely what is needed. All grades of talent are secured and used by it, all varieties of taste are gratified, and the greatest good to the great est number is the blessed result. In this respect it is a wonderful element in our success as a church. Sixthly. Extraordinary talents in the ministry can be used to greater advantage in the building up of Christ’s Kingdom under this system than is possible under the settled pastorate. To some the Lord gives five tal ents —as Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas. What immense power is brought to bear by using such men in various places, changing them frequently, sending them from one city or district of country to another, to uplift the cross, to win souls to Christ, to tear down Satan’s kingdom I How much is lost by confining such men to one congregation of a few hundred persons for years together, or for life! Seventhly. It prevents those uncharitable strifes, violent contentions, and schisms, so frequent in other churches, occasioned by the desire of a minority —sometimes a large minority—to effect a change of pastors. Such an occurrence is a very rare one, in connection with our system of frequent change in the pastoral relation, and the itinerant must have rendered himself insuf ferably unacceptable when it does occur. What more need be said as to the ad vantages connected with the itineracy to cause the M. E. Church, South to tremble at the remotest possibility of its abandon ment ! Yet, as I will endeavor to show in my next its destruction is inevitable, if the memorialist’s suggestion in these words is adopted : “ Should not the restriction ’’ (re ferring to the two years’ rule) “ be taken off from the appointing power,” “ leaving the Bishop to return them’’ (the preachers) P‘ as often as, in his judgment, shall be for the glory of God and the best interests of the church ?” A Member of the Ga. Conference. MINISTERIAL STUDY. A SIRMON PREACHED BT BIQUEST BEFORE THE GEORGIA CON TERENCE. BY THE REV. W. KNOX. “That the man of God may he perfect, thoroughly fur» nished unto all good works.”— Tim. iii. 17. [concluded.] The Preacher should study the PRECEFTS of the Bible. I have insisted on the doctrine of justifica tion by faith ; but it must not be forgotten that faith is not to be held in an antinom ian sense. The faith by which we are jus tified ii itself an active principle,—it is that which “ works by lova, and purifies tke heart.” It just a? naturally produces the fruits of gospel obedience, as “ a good tree brings forth good fruit. ” It just as natu rally sends gushing forth the healthful wa ters of life, as a pure fountain sends forth unadulterated streams. Let no one hug to his bosom the delusive thoughts that he has a living faith, while he does not keep the commandments of God; for “faith without works is dead. ” Faith and works are inseparably connect ed ; and no one should be daring enough, or impious enough to attempt to disjoin them. I am seriously led to suspect the Christiani ty of any man who seeks to detract from either, or to magnify the one at the expense of the other. He who preaches only the doctrines of the Bible, or he who enforces only its practical duties, preaches only half the truth. It would take two such to make a gospel preacher! As it is important, and even necessary, that we should be right in doctrine, so it is 'alsp important and necessary that we should be right in practice. We must not only believe right, but we must also do right. The “ man of God ” is not only to be “ per- Ject ” in doctrine; but he is also to be “ thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” In the Sacred Scriptures a great deal of stress is laid upon obedience, which is but another name for practical holiness; and every thing done looks to that as the object. Man had fallen, —had lost from his heart the principle of obedience; and the whole machinery of the gispel was intended to re store it. An atonement was provided, where by the guilt of his iniquity might be forgiv en. The preaching of the word, church or ganizations and church ordinances, the quickening, enlightening, assisting influen ces of the Holy Spirit were appointed and given, to enable fallen, sinful, helpless man, to avail himself of the benefits of the atone ment, so as to be saved from his sins, and do the will of God : in other words, to facili tate and effect in him the great principle of obedience. t Obedience is the great end; and all right views of doctrine, all the teachings of the Bible, the whole economy of grace, are im portant only as they lead to this end, —as they enable us, not only to know, but also to do, the will of God. As early as the days of Samuel, it was taught, that “ to obey is bet ter than sacrifice;” and He who “ spake as never man spake, ” distinctly and emphati cally said, “ Not every one that saith un to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the king dom of heaven; but he that doeth the will ot my Father which is in Heaven. ” It is, important that we believe right; but what ever we may believe, however correct we may be in doctrine, yet unless we do the will of the great Father above, we shall not “ enter into the kingdom of heaven. ” Let m‘e beseech you, then, my brethren, to study the Bible, —th,e Bible in its doc trines, the Bible in its precepts. the scriptures, said tile blessed Saviour to the .unbelieving Jews, “ for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. ” • The question here arises; How is the Bi- SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE. ble to be studied ? A few thoughts on this subject, may be very appropriately in dulged. 1. The Bible should be studied in reference to its chronology and history. This direction is included in the general “ course of study, prescribed for the gradu ating classes of our ministers; and it is al together too important to be overlooked. The Bible is not arranged chronologically : its events do not follow each other in the or der of time. To know at what time a book was written, or an event occurred, will great ly assist you, my brethren, in your research es after truth. How often has a passage been rendered obscure, and its meaning wholly misunderstood or perverted, for want of a knowledge of its chronologic order, or the historical reminiscences with which it is connected ! Besides, the historical portions of Sacred Scripture, will affbi and you many a vivid thought many an apt illustration, many a fertile theme; and enable you to present more clearly and forcibly the truth you would inculcate. 2. The Bibleshould be studied thoroughly. The Bible requires study. The truths which it contains lie t ,o deep to be discov ered by merely agitating its surface. We must go down into its depths if we would bring up some of its richest treasures. And yet, perhaps, no book is studied so superfi cially as the Bible. There is scarcely any other with regard to which, we are satisfied with so casual a reading, so occasional an exam nation, so slight an appreciation of the sublimely important doctrines which itdevel opes, the great, essential principles which it so beautifully unfolds! 3. The Bible should be studied as a whole. No book seem3 to have been so much a bused as the Bible. The principles of in terpretation applied to other hooks, are too often lost sight of, when thp Bible becomes the subject of investigation. It is misquo ted and misapplied. An important doctrine has sometimes nothing for its support but a misquoted, or an unharmonized text of Sa cred Scripture. A passage is wrested from its context; and, like a rock torn from the summit ot some mountain, it is seen in isolated position, and there are no means by which its relations can be traced, and its properties ascertained. Instead ot compar ing one part with another, and thus mak ing the Bible, in a large measure, its own interpreter, detached portions are taken, and made to support doctrines, widely different, and sometimes even contradictory, in their meaning. Endeavor, my brethren, to study the Bi ble as a whole; seek to harmonize one part with all the rest, and to unite its truths in one compendious, harmonious system. 4. The Bible should be studied for the purpose ofas&Nainiwhrxt it teaches. The Baconian system of induction made a great change in the world of letters, and especially in science; But, unfortunately, it has too often been ignored in the study of the Sacred Scriptures. Many open the Bi ble, with their hypotheses already laid down in the form of Creeds, Articles of Religion , Confessions of faith, or in some other way ; instead of coming to the Bible to ascertain what it does teach, they have already as sumed what it teaches, or what it ought to teach, and their only business seems to be to hunt up proof-texfs in support of their assumptions. Its words and expressions are warped and twisted to their notions ; or if this cannot be done, if tho words cannot be thus tortured, they are, in some instances, ready to discard the Fible itself, rather than to give up their favorite dogmas ! Approach the Bible, my brethren, for the purpose of knowing what it teaches. C reeds are not to be thrown aside, as altogether use less ; but still in studying the Sacred Scrip tures, you would do well to lo3e sight of them and set as humble disciples at the feet of the great Teacher, and learn the lessons which He teaches you in His Sacred Word. 5. The Bible should bastudied in connec tion with well written Commentaries, the annotations and expositions of the great and good men who have studied it. The course of study embraces Watson’s Theological Institutes, Smith’s Elements of Divinity, and Wesley’s Sermons, The de sign obviously is, that you have an exhibition of the doctrines and principles of the Bible, as seen and understood by these laborious students of the Bible, and eminent ministers of Jesus Christ. And right here, is greatly needed a caution. While you study carefully the writings of these great men, and the notes, annotations, and criticisms of Commentators and other learned divines, you are not to embrace their views of Scriptural truth, unless they are in accordance with the convictions of your own minds; neither are their writings to super cede the necessity of your own earnest, con tinuous study of the word of God. The opinions of great men may be bet ter than yours; they have had opportunities for searching out the meaning of Sacred Scripture, that you may not have; and they may be right in their views, while you may be wrong in yours: still you are responsible, not for what they may have taught, but for what you teach. The Bible, and not their writings is your authority. You are to study the Sacred Scriptures for yourselves ; and availing yourselves of all the helps you can get, you are to form your own conclusions with respect to the doctrines and principles contained in them. The Bible, —and I would have tais thought deeply engraven on your minds, —tho Bible , and not the decis ions of Conferences , and Synods, and Asso ciations, and Conventions, —the Bible, and 1 nqt (he Creeds of men, Confessions of Faith, Articles of Religion , —the Bible is the rule, the only and the sufficient rule, both of our faith and practice ; so that whatever is not contained therein, and not deducible there from, —though it may be taught by Fcclesi astical tribunals, though it may be set forth in the articles and homilies of the Church, though it may be sanctioned by those who aspire to be Christian teachers, is not bind ing npon any man’s conscience, either as a doctrine to be believed, or as a duty to be performed! My younger brethren, the undergraduates of this Conference, for whose special benefit this sermon was appointed to be preached, let me, before I take my seat, address a few additional words to you in ’ kindness and in love. Ido not assume to be your teacher ; but I would counsel you as an elder brother. Let me say to you, as Paul said to Timothy : “ give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine .” “ Meditate on these things, give yourselves wholly to them, that your profiting may appear to all. ” For aught I know, you may be able, or at least some of you may be able, to preach without all this study, so as to please the people, so as to ex cite their admiration, so as to elicit their highest encomiums; but your sermons will be like the flash of the quickly passing me teor, which dazzles for a while with its bril liancy, and then dies away in the far-off ob scurity, instead of being like the less dazz ling, but steadier light of some beautiful star ever shining in the pur ty of its God-gifted radiancy ! Give yourselves to study, not only during the short course of your gradu ation, but throughout the whole of your min istry “ Study to show yourselves approv ed unto God, workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth : that as men of God you “ may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good, works. ” Preach Christ. In the sacred desk, and in your intercourse with the people, meddle not with the mere political affairs of the country. Let others, if they choose, secu larize their pulpits; let them assume the legislative, judicial, and executive functions, and discuss the questions of civil, political and international rights; leave to them the business of forming politico-ecclesiastical combinations, and of requiring tests unknown to the Word of God; let them hurl their philippics against all those who pronounce not their shiboleth and who adopt not their policy : but let it be your employment, my beloved brethren, to labor in the spiritual vineyard of youi Lord and Master. What ever may be the rights and privileges to which you may lay claim as citizens; how ever properly you may seek information with regard to the civilpolity, in which you, equally with others, are interested; and however judiciously you may exercise your rights, and avail yourselves of your privi leges, on all proper occasions; —and far be it from me to interfere in these matters: — yet, in your character as ministers of the ev er blessed Gospel, be determined to know nothing but “ Christ crucified,” —the doc trines and principles which cluster about the Cross, as the grand central point of the Christian system! Preach Christ. Seek not your own popu larity, but the exaltation of Him whose ser vants you are. My dear brethren, I know of no position more dangerous than that of a popular young Preacher, especially if he be a popular revivalist. Full of finely wrought sayings, sky-towering metaphors, rhetorical flourishes, his sermons please—captivate the multitude. They listen to him with rapt attention, follow him with eager, hasty foot steps, and are by no means stinted in their praises of his genius. While, however, they are so much delighted with his pulpit per formances, they are not spiritually benefited by them. Famished for want of “ the bread of life,” they go away unfed ; and he him self, satisfied with the admiration he has won, lays aside his studies, as useless lum ber, and gives the fullest license to his un bridled imagination. He soon becomes ashamed of the homely verbiage of the Bi ble, and expresses its sentiments in language so ornate, that few would recognize them as utterances of the Book of God ! He may read a text, because it is customary and ex pected; but he soon leaves its green fields, for the utmost heights of the cloud capped mountains. He speedily gets away from the regions of common sense and Bible sim plicity, soars away to the starry heavens, and whirls for an hour amid the worlds of his own creation. After a few years of daz zle and show, he falls and fades, and dies, leaving the world no more enlightened, no more improved, than if he had never lived in it; while in his fall, it is to be feared, he drags others along with jiim ! Preach not yourselves, my brethren, but the Lord Jesus Christ, not in “ words which man’s wisdom teacheth, ” but in “ the power and demonstration of the Holy Ghost, ” not in the spirit of ostentation and display, but “ in singleness of heart as unto God,” —not for the purpose of gaining admiration, of acquiring fame, of called a great preach er, but for the purpose of “ winning souls to Christ, ” and of prepaiing them for ultimate blessedness with the saints in glory; and though you may win no eclat, may never fill the high places of the church, may nev er be courted and flattered by the fashion able religionists of the day, may never ob tain the celebrity of an eloquent pulpit di vine, —but you may be confined in your*la bors, may be pushed out to the very out skirts of civilization, maybe kept on poor circuits, where you will fare hard, and re ceive but little in the way of worldly com pensation :—yet you will have what is worth all the loud huzzas of applauding multitudes, all the sumptuous living that is- to be found among the wealthy,—the approval of your own consciences,—the prayers and blessings of the poor, and, what is better still, the commendation of Him who gave it as one of the oharaoteristios of His Messiahship,—» “ the poor have the gospel preached unto them ; ” “ Well done, good and faithful ser vant j thrfu hast been faithful over a few things; I will make thee ruler over many (flings: enter thou into the joys of thy Lord.” Religious ffiktllanj. Shaker Bible.— The Shaker Bible ii a book not often allowed to be seen by the “ world’s people.” It is entitled, “A Holy, Sacred and Divine Roll, from the Lord God of Heaven to the inhabitants of the earth, revealed in the Society of Lebanon county, Columbia, State of New York, United States of America.’’ It pretends to be a divine revelation, and the testimony of eleven mighty angels is given who attended the writing of the roll. An edition was printed about twenty years ago at the Shaker establishment at Canterbury, New Hampshire. The book contains some pas sages from Scripture, altered, amended, en larged, or curtailed, with original additions and amendments, as they are deemed neces sary to suit the peculiar notions of the dis ciples of Ann Lee. It is a very curious volume, even more remarkable, though of less pretended antiquity, than the Mormon Bible. A copy is ordered to be sent to every king or potentate in Christendom, and one Sent to the Government of Canada som« time since was returned or refused. Death of the “Preaching Colonel” in India. —An Indian communication an nounces the decease, near Agra, of Major- General (better known as Colonel) Wheel er, of whom, so much was said as “ the Preaching Colonel,’’ at the time of the mu tiny. “ During the last three or four years he entirely devoted himself and his property to the training of a number of orphans gathered in the last famine at Delhi It was his opinion that, as England had conquered India by a well trained native army, so, in a spiritual sense, missionaries can only accom plish the conquest of Hindustan by training up an army of soldiers of Christ. This was no easy task. His patience and persever ance were not in vain, however, and he lived to see several of his bigger boys begin their work of imparting the Gospel to their countrymen. . . . . . He was a man to whom a young missionary might look up with deep admiration as a pattern of Jevo tedness and self-denial. Such heroism is needed to be admired, for it is scarce. He had no ambition, for. i-mbition’s idol is self. We justly mouru for. the removal from our midst of one who counted earthly riches and honor and ease as loss for Christ; but great and honored will he be.” War on Clergy and Churches. —The grand inquest of Buchanan county, Mo., have, on their oaths, solemnly declared: “That Reginald H. Weller, a non-juring clergyman of'the Episcopal faith, not hav ing the fear of God before his eyes, but being seduced by the instigation of the devil, did preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to man, contrary to the Ad; of Assembly in such cases made and provided, and against the peace, government and dignity of the State.’’ This sounds more like the days of Philip the Second and the Duke of Alva in the Netherlands than anything modern or American we have read for a long time. If a “Grand Inquest” in the United States can begin in this way, it will soon be able to reach the dignity of “ the Council of Blood,” which so long presided at Antwerp, when Alva and two of his Spanish Dons presented whom they pleased, and hung and burned whom they would. In the Missouri case the new victim of intolerance is re ported to he one of the most zealous and exemplary divines—a fearless, able, earnest champion of the Church of England—and we are told by his people that there never lived a better, truer or braver soldier of the cross.— N. Y. Express. Methodist Doctrine. —lt may be well for some of those who profess to follow in the footsteps of John Wesley, to put in more constant practice what that good man taught on the subject of freedom of opinion. We give the following from his writings: “ Condemn no man for not thinking as you think. Let every one enjoy the full and free liberty of thinking for himself. Let every man use his own judgment since he must give an account of himself to God. Abhor every approach, in any kind of a de gree, to the spirit of persecution. If you cannot reason or persuade a man into the truth, never attempt to force him into it. If love will not compel him to come, leave him to God, the judge of all.” An A dult Bible Class. —A correspon dent of the National Baptist , after stating that nearly one-half of the members of his church are found (as they should be) in the adult classes of the Sunday school, speaks of a class, consisting of eight persons, the youngest nearly seventy years of age, the oldest eighty-four, with a teacher of eighty one, who has been a deacon over half a oen tury, as probably the most regular class iu the school. “The seats are generally full; and it is a pleasant sight to look on that company of gray-haired men eagerly en gaged in the study of God’s word.” Methodist Re-un ion. —The Northern Methodist Episcopal Bishops, in their Cen tenary Address, profess to be willing to a re-union of the churches, North and South, ou the platform of agreement in (Joctrine, loyalty to the Government, and opposition to slavery. The Richmond Christian Ad vocate remarks that this platform has three planks—one, spiritual —and two, political. Confederate Money. —A church which was indebted to its pastor for a year’s salary,. held a church meeting after the fall of Richmond and paid up every dollar of their indebtedness to tho pastor in Conjederate currency. If that was wrong, how much better is it to pay, as so many churches are doing, nothing at all?