Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

148

NOTICES OF MINISTERS.

time was fully occupied, every day in the week, by the special duties of the Society, and very soon every Lord's-day likewise. Here, in fact, my public ministry began. There were several chapels in the town, in all of which I preached occasionally, and in some repeatedly. The good men with whom I was officially associated were, as already intimated, catholic Christians, in the proper sense of that term. Justice to myself requires me to say that I considered this no small recommendation. I regarded them for it, and look back with almost unqualified satisfaction to the year I spent in the town. With its ministers I had, of course, much to do, and found them all courteous, kind, and friendly. It would not be correct to say that there were no peculiarities of disposition, and no sources of temporary disquiet; such an assertion would be out of keeping with the characteristic frailties and imperfections of men at their best estate; but upon the whole, and all things considered, I deeply respect those of them who survive, and cherish the memory of the departed. One of them, the minister with whose church I became connected, was a man of vigorous understanding, great talent, and considerable literary fame. His style was peculiar, and his mode of illustrating a subject such as no man who was afraid of being thought singular would have ventured to adopt. With a certain class of minds in the place, he was popular; but he frequently said things so much out of the way, that he was charged by some, most unjustly I am certain,-for I spent many hours with him in his study, and consequently, knew him well,—with affecting an originality to which he had not sufficient claim.

[ocr errors]

Another, poor warm-hearted E- was the orator of the town, but a cloud came over him. May the blessing of Heaven rest upon his widow and children! A third was a plain, humble, unassuming Christian pastor, to whom the great truths of the gospel were

[blocks in formation]

unspeakably precious,-perhaps the more so from the trials of his lot. He needed, personally, those consolations which he was in the habit of administering to his flock. He struggled many years with domestic affliction and deep poverty; and now, good K-! his struggles are for ever ended.

For one or other of these ministers, when not engaged in the surrounding villages, I was frequently called to supply; the first, however, was not only my pastor, but my special friend and adviser; and it was by his advice that I was induced to accept a call to the pastorate, which, before the close of the year, was presented to me by a village congregation.

Details, as well as the results of five years' experience of the rural pastorate, must be left for another chapter. Meantime, I conclude this with a brief recurrence to the subject of the era at which we live; for there never was a period in the world's history when it was more necessary than at present that Christian men should be fully alive to the signs and seasons.

The world-whether or not it be a delusion remains to be seen-has caught the echo of the strain to which I have referred, and has struck for itself the key-note of a new song respecting the good time. Men lift up their eyes, and labour in hope. The wearied traveller rejoices that his journey will come to an end. The burden becomes lighter when the thought enters, that it will fall off some day. The night of terror gropes its way to the anticipated dawn. Vernal suns will rend the thick-ribbed ice. The iron gate will open, and the prisoner will go free. The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the lame man will leap as a hart; and the groaning creation will laugh in the exuberant enjoyment of glorious liberty.

And why should not these things be so? Is the idea of the progress of humanity inadmissible? Are all the seeds of education lost? Have all the days of light

150

LABOURING IN HOPE.

been absorbed by the thick darkness? Are schools, colleges, and pulpits-the press and the platform-the home, city, and foreign missionary fruitless? Not so. They have all prepared, directly or indirectly, for the impending change; they have created a thirst which must be satisfied, and excited desires which demand gratification. They have not done all that they intended, but perhaps more than they meant. It is so far well. The impulse given to mind is likely to be permanent; let it therefore feel the attraction of that which lies beyond, and its course will be "straightforward."

Meantime, existing agency should be employed with increased vigour. Educate, educate! It is light that makes manifest. Theology, philosophy, science, art, and song-come all! There is for each a niche in the great temple, if it will but clothe itself in the lovewrought robes of Christianity. There need be no mutual collision; there is room enough; and if ye understand each other better, there is need for you all. A friendly conference might exhibit unity in diversity, without a particle of discord. At any rate, whatever lightens the burden and cheers the heart of man, asking him to look upward and onward, has a hearty hail from the believer in the new age. Nations are tiring of ignorance, slavery, and war; they covet light, liberty, and peace. Preparatory elements for the ultimate gratification of their wishes are rapidly accumulating, gathering shape and form, and will shortly receive vitality. China has sprung from a sleep of incredible length. India looks with an eye of incredulity on her gods. The gates of the world are open to the heralds of Christ's everlasting kingdom. The continent of Europe waits for a purer type of the truth. The people of the Jews are everywhere moved by most earnest expectations. And thinkers are everywhere, without mutual consultation, impressed with the thought that

THE WORLD NOT FORSAKEN.

151

the world has not been abandoned by its Redeemer; and that the dark problem of humanity is about to be solved -and that very soon-amidst transcendent light, to the utter confusion of EVIL, and the measureless joy of GOOD!

CHAPTER VI.

EXPERIENCE OF A VILLAGE PASTOR.

"Whether in crowds or solitudes, in streets
Or shady groves, dwells Happiness, it seems
In vain to ask-her nature makes it vain;
Though poets much, and hermits, talked and sang
Of brooks, and crystal founts, and weeping dews,
And myrtle bowers, and solitary vales,

And with the nymph made assignations there,
And wooed her with a love-sick oaten reed;
And sages too, although less positive,
Advised their sons to court her in the shade.
Delicious babble all! Was Happiness,
Was self-approving, God-approving joy
In drops of dew, however pure? in gales,
However sweet? in wells, however clear?
Or groves, however thick with verdant shade?

[ocr errors]

Pollock.

[graphic]

HE rural pastorate. How pleasant the association of ideas which these words suggest! Innocence, primitive simplicity, beautiful natural scenery, the gospel, the Sabbath, and the village chapel, are all brought before the mind. The train of humble worshippers, in plain but clean attire, going to and returning from the lowly house of prayer, appears before the eye. There they have often heard words of peace, which have fallen on their hearts like the dew of Hermon, diffusing holy joy, and imparting that hope which maketh not ashamed. You hear in the distance the sound of the morning hymn rising from grateful souls. The music might offend a scientific

« VorigeDoorgaan »