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The Relative Duties of Ministers and Churches
by Gilbert Beebe
Signs of the Times May 1, 1857
Great care is required in the discussion of so delicate a subject, lest
on the one hand we give countenance to the popular notion of manufacturing our
own ministry, and offering inducements for ungodly and covetous men to crowd
themselves into the work, uncalled of the Lord, and for filthy lucre's sake.
Or, on the other hand, in avoiding that disorder, we run so far into an
opposite extreme as to overlook, and thereby fail to obey such instructions as
are clearly laid down in the Scriptures.
We would observe first, that no man is to take this work on himself
unless called thereto of God, as was Aaron to the priesthood. We can find no
authority in the Word for human interference in offering inducements to draw
out young or old men into the work, until such gifts are developed as afford
satisfactory evidence to the church of God that they are called of God to that
work. When such evidences are obtained, the church is required to consider them
carefully and prayerfully, in the light of the Scriptures. Then it becomes us
to inquire, first, Has God by his Spirit made them willing to serve in that
calling? For they must enter the work, not for filthy lucre's sake, but of a
willing mind. Paul says to Timothy, "This is a true saying, If any man
desire the office of a bishop (or pastor) he desireth a good work."
Finding in the church a brother entertaining this desire, we are taught to
examine closely to see if he possesses the following indispensable
qualifications, (for some may have a desire to render themselves conspicuous in
the church, and may covet the ministerial work from very improper motives, and
such have given the churches great trouble. Some have been licensed to the work
to get rid of their clamor, or as the easiest way to dispose of them, instead
of saying to them that the church lacks the evidence of their calling. But in
all such cases, the church has suffered from their disregard of the divine
rule.) Let them first be proved, and here is the rule: "A bishop MUST be
blameless, the husband of one wife: vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to
hospitality, apt to teach." These are put down as indispensable
qualifications, and the church of God is to be the judge whether the proposed
candidate, or volunteer for the work is in possession of them, as positive and
indispensable qualifications. If in all these particulars all is satisfactory,
we are next to consider the negative, or the disqualifications, not given to
wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre, but patient, not a brawler, not
covetous, one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection
with all gravity. (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall
he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with
pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil. (I Tim iii. 1-7).
There are many other portions of the New Testament which treat upon the qualifications
of the ministers of Christ, but our limits will not allow us at this time to
present them. From the above established rule we learn that the brother to be
recognized as a minister of Jesus Christ must sustain an unblemished reputation
in the church, and his walk and conversation before the world, (those that are
without) must also be irreproachable. Of course we are not to understand that
the world are to speak well of his doctrine, or allow him to escape reproach
and persecution such as Christ and his apostles bore. But he is not to be known
in the world as a brawler, a striker, a man given to wine, or greedy of filthy
lucre, not covetous, or, like the daughters of the horse-leech, crying, Give!
give!!
Next in importance to the unblemished character sustained by the
candidate for the Christian ministry is, Is he apt to teach? Many men of
intelligence and of grace are destitute of this qualification, and the church
would starve under their ministry, if they were not otherwise fed with knowledge
and understanding. And if the minister cannot command intelligible language,
how can he be apt to teach? We would not insist upon eloquence of speech, as
these terms are used by men, for Paul, who as a learned man could have
commanded. it, refrained from it in his ministry, and came not in the
excellency of speech, or of wisdom, but he was with them in weakness, and in
fear, and in much trembling, and his speech and preaching was not with enticing
words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that
the faith of the saints should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power
of God. Still there may be, and unquestionably is, a fault with at least some
of our brethren in the ministry, and an inexcusable carelessness in regard to their
language. If to be apt to teach requires that the instructor should, like the
wise man, search out suitable words, and if, as he has by the spirit of
inspiration told us, that "words fitly spoken are like apples of gold in
pictures of silver," it must be proper and right that preachers of the
Gospel should at least make themselves familiar with their mother tongue.
To do this, we presume there are very few cases, if any, where anything
more is necessary than a trifling effort on the part of the preacher himself.
If the church be at fault, it is that they do not urge upon their preachers who
are deficient, the necessity and importance of spending some of their leisure
hours in studying their grammar and dictionaries. We have known young men to
enter the ministry whose opportunities had been very limited, and consequently
were very deficient in their language, who have grown to be old men, without
any perceptible improvement in that particular, but it would be hard to find a
case where a good practical knowledge of the rules of grammar might not have
been acquired by them in that time without in the least restricting their
ministerial labors, or detracting from their opportunities to labor for the
support of their families. There certainly can be no good reason why a young
preacher should idle away time which might be employed in the attainment of
profitable knowledge, and in mental improvement.
No brother is at liberty to construe our remarks as intending any
reflection upon our aged brethren in the ministry, who have never been
privileged with opportunities which are common in our day. Many of our aged
fathers in the ministry were raised amid the turmoil and strife of the
Revolutionary War, or in parts of our country where the country was new, and
opportunities were very limited for mental improvement, still their usefulness
has been realized very extensively, and their praise is in all the churches. We
only design to call the attention of the young to this subject, and not only
ministers, but all others, would realize an advantage by applying themselves as
opportunity presents, to the attainment of useful knowledge.
To secure all the advantages which we recommend, we see no need of
building or establishing Theological Seminaries, or of waiting one moment after
being called to the work of the ministry. The most stupidly dull and clownish
preachers we ever met with have been among the students sent forth from
Theological Schools. One from Hamilton Seminary, in our State, once edified the
people in our vicinity, by informing them that the Ganges, where pagans
sacrifice their children to its waters, was located in the Canadas. But aside
from their deficiency in geography, they are uniformly, so far as our
acquaintance with them extends, by no means in advance of pagans in the
knowledge of divine and spiritual things. The things of the Spirit of God can
only be taught by the Spirit, and all our spiritual preparations for usefulness
in the church of God most come from above. Still public speaking requires the
articulation of sounds, by which ideas are expressed and conveyed, in order to
which our natural and physical organs are employed, and our natural
understanding is brought into requisition. Hence the propriety of correct
language. "How forcible are right words." Some have betrayed an
unwillingness to take the trouble to learn the proper use of words, and their
precise meaning, lest it should encourage pride and vanity, either in
themselves or in their hearers, but that very class of speakers are more frequently
than any others found straining to use highflown words that they do not
understand themselves, and very incorrectly imagine that their hearers are as
ignorant of as themselves.
Our impression is that the most simple language we can possibly command,
if well understood by the speaker, in public preaching, is by far more suitable
and instructive, and to our ear, it is the most eloquent and forcible. None but
coxcombs, and vain, conceited fops, will strain to use terms in public speaking
which they imagine their hearers do not generally understand.
While on this subject, the reader will permit us to say, that there are
many disagreeable faults into which preachers are very liable to fall, such as
speaking with a sing-song tone, or with affection, an unusual key, with
unbecoming and awkward gestures which a little care on their part with some
occasional hints from faithful brethren, would serve greatly to relieve them
from, and render them far more acceptable and pleasant to their hearers. But we
have pursued this part of our subject as far perhaps as is profitable at this
time, especially as we are conscious that the writer has very many faults to
correct in himself, as well as to point out in his brethren.
The improvements suggested can be acquired without money, or exemption
from labor. We know a precious brother who has attained a high elevation in
literature without the aid of schools, or exemption from labor. He told us that
he had often carried a book in his bosom when ploughing, and while his team were
resting, he would employ the moments in study until he had acquired the
education which he now finds of priceless value to him as a minister of Jesus.
There are many other important requisitions for a preacher of the Gospel, which
we have not time nor space to dwell upon in this article; and our remarks on
the duty of the church to the preachers of the Word, must also be deferred for
the present.
Please direct your comments to Mike Krall.
