A WORKING MINISTRY.
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MENdo not get a support, or do much good, in any calling, without work, and there is no calling on earth where the distinction is wider, between the industrious and indolent, than in the christian ministry. We can not be supported in the ministry without work, and it is not right that we should be. The Lord puts us upon the same footing as other men. We must rise early, be at our books, off to our appointments, through winds, rains, and snows, cold and heat, with zeal and earnestness; preach with spirit and power, whether the audience is great or small, rich or poor, both early and late. We must come to thepeople with something cheering, strengthening, inspiring, awakening, stirring, and thrilling the hearts of men with the theme of Calvary. There must be no murmuring, complaining, and repining about the amount we have to do; we must do it cheerfully, and show that we delight in our Lord’s work. It is a most sacred honor to us—a mercy from God—that we are permitted to work for him, in his most glorious cause at all; and the work must be performed cheerfully, freely, and with all the heart, or it will not be acceptable to him, whether we are supported or not.
The Lord has said that “the laborer is worthy of his hire,” and if the preacher of Christ imparts spiritual things, he is to receive in return, temporal things; but a “laborer” is aworkingman, and the Divine rule is, “if we sow sparingly, we shall reap sparingly.” The man who preaches the gospel is by all reasonable men expected to do as much labor as his strength will permit. It is reasonable that he should be expected to apply his energies as men of other pursuits. The field is wide open before him, and he should be a zealous, enterprising, and persevering man, making full work in his calling. A man who does not work any save a little on one or two days in a week, does not receive much reward in any business, unless obtained by fraud. The physician who makes a good support, works early and late, both good weather and bad. The lawyer who makes a good support, is one of industry and energy. The farmer who prospers, rises early, toils hard, and perseveres late. In all departments, industry, perseverance and energy characterize men who prosper. This is as true of the ministry as anyclass of men on earth; they can never prosper without the most untiring industry and perseverance. It is utterly useless for a man of idle habits, addicted to loafing, wasting his precious time in useless gossip to speak of his wants, his lack of support, or to try to induce persons of industrious habits to feel that he is in need. They will throw the whole matter off by saying, “Let him make an effort and apply his energies, as I have to do, and he will have plenty.” But let a preacher apply himself to his calling; persevere in it, making every effort in his power; thus showing to all who know him, that his labors are actually arduous and incessant, and he will receive full credit from not only his brethren, but the community generally, for his industry and faithfulness, and his temporal wants will as certainly receive attention, as thathis work is of God.
The Lord has men yet in this world, good and true, who will reward labors of the faithful and persevering preacher of the gospel and support him. Indeed, there is a kind of fixed principle among men, as well as in the Divine administration, that industry shall berewardedand indolencepunished, and it is not more certainly a settled principle in reference to any class of men than preachers. We can not expect to be wrapped in cloths, silks, and satins, with fine salaries, for preaching one or two short discourses on Lord’s day, and then lying in the shade all the week; much less can we expect christianity to prosper, or the approbation of heaven rest upon us, in such an order of things. We must penetrate the whole land in every nook and corner, and preach the Word of the Living God to every creature.
We have not written this for any preacher older than ourself, but for the sake of young men, whom we desire to see useful, influential, and well sustained ministers of the Word of God. All such we entreat, to study and labor to do the Lord’s work, and he will supply their wants out of his inexhaustible storehouse.