MINISTRY
301
MINISTRY
conscientiousness, to fasten more and more deeply upon his convictions, while at the same time his judgment of his fitness, his inclinations, and his circumstances may be totaUy adverse to the course. Hence he is in a t^vo- fold danger of error ; on the one hand he may mistake for a distinctive divine call his own general promptings to do an}'tliing,however uncongenial, for the sake of his JMaster; or, on the other, he may yield to a self-depre- cating modesty and the force of obstacles, and neglect a real call. Under this balancing of arguments, per- haps the safest guides are two— one internal, the other external In the first place, let him carefully examine his own heart, and see what motive secretly prompts him in this direction. If it be the love of applause, a desire for distinction, a vanity for public prominence, or a wish to gain a ready mode of subsistence, of course he must conclude himself to be unworthy and unfit for the holy office. If, again, he is chiefly drawn to the work under a mere sense of condemnation if he refuse, we ap- prehend he has not reached tlie highest intimation of an incentive to duty in. this path. He, like every other believer, of course, must quiet his conscience by being Killing to do any dutj', even this, if clearh' made known; but it does not follow that he is called upon to do any and every disagreeable thing, simply because it would be a cross to him. A better and more decisive, as well as consistent test, is to ask himself, '• Do I seek this place, or consent to assume it, because I look upon it as the most exalted and useful one I could occupy ? Is it one in which I feel that I can most effectually glorify God and serve my generation?" If he still have doubt in answering the question, then let him turn to the other outward test. Let him tnj it, and experiment will soon satisfy him whether his call is genuine or not. This experience will especially determine four points; namely, 1. His natural qualification or disqualification, in point of physical, mental, and spiritual adaptation ; 2, His probable measure of success, as evinced by the fruit of his efforts ; 3. His greatest lack, and consequent- ly the points \vhere, by study and care, he should more fully prepare himself iu the future ; 4. Tlie providential indications, by way of opening, means, etc., for his farr tlier progress. The Church, meanwhile, through his friends, fellow-members, and the pastor, will thus have an opportunity of judging on all tliese points, and then advice will not only be welcomed by him, but must in the end be conclusive.
Our result, therefore, under this head is, that while preaching the Gospel in some form, aiui as a specific work, is the general duty of all believers, it is the sole or exclusive dut}' of those only who, by undoubted in- ternal and external marks, are divinely called to the office, and sanctioned in it by the Church at large. This last is the ultimate or determinative sign,
II. Ordimtliiiii. — The second great and pecidiar func- tion of the Christian ministry is the administration of the holy sacraments — namely. Baptism and the Lord's Supper, Other clerical offices — such as officiating at marriages, funerals, chaplaincj', expounding the Script- ures, dispensing ritual duties, etc. — are entirely subor- dinate and immaterial to these. The sacraments like- wise may, no doubt, lawfully be administered by a lay miordained person, or even by a woman, in case of emergency or private celebration ; but, for the sake of propriety and system, they should be a matter of Church order, and this is the meaning of the term "ordination." This, therefore, is a purely ecclesiastical distinction, which affects the ordained individual only as to certain churchly relations or functions appertaining to himself individually. For this reason it is performed but once, and as a ceremony. Whether it be executed by the bishop, a presbyter, or neighboring pastor, is entirely conventional. The true "apostolical succession" is maintained wherever the line is in accordance with the established Church usage in the case.
It will be observed that preaching and "orders" do not necessarily concur in the same person. Hence some
churches have ordained elders who are not clergymen. Hence, likewise, tliere are ordained local preachers and unordained travelling preachers. The election to cleri- cal orders rests, in the Episcopal churches, with the bish- op ; in the Presbyterian churches, with the Presbyterial Synod; in Methodist churches, with the Annual Con- ference ; among Congregationalists, Baptists, etc., with the congregation itself.
HI. 7'he Pastorate. — This is the last and crowning office of the Christian rainistrj-. It does not necessarily involve the two preceding, for in all churches there are occasionally pastors who are not ordained men. In the jNIethodist Church there are at least sub-pastors, namely, class-leaders, who have no other clerical functions ; and many of the Roman Catholic priests do not preach at all. On the other hand, there are numerous " evangelists" who, as local preachers, have no pastoral relations, nor any ordained status. The pastorate, moreover, differs from the preaching element of the ministry in its local and transferable character. The commission to preach is world-wide, long as mind and body last ; but the pas- toral jurisdiction is necessarily limited to a particular community and on stipulated terms. The appointment under it always implies a mutual understanding and consent between the pastor and his people ; and it is a piece of clerical imposition when the latter are permit- ted to have no voice in its formation and dissolution ; as it is an act of prelatical tyranny when the former is not consulted, or allowed to express his wishes and judg- ment.