THE Church of Christ was not made for the preachers, but the preachers of Christ were made for the world and the church. The Church of Christ does not belong to the preachers of Christ—it is not their property—but they belong to the church—are its property. The church is not the servant of the preachers, but preachers of Christ are servants of the churches. The Church of Christ is not called and sent by preachers, but preachers are called and sent by the church. Preachers in the kingdom of Christ are no more dignitaries, kings, and priests, than any other members. They are the Lord’s instruments, put forth through the church to do his work, and mighty instruments too, while the Lord is with them, but the poorest, most useless and miserable creatures on this earth when forsaken of God. Or, in other words, when they are doing the Lord’s work, with an eye single to his glory, there are no such instruments for good among men; but when they become selfish, engage simply in their own work, or that which they can turn to their own personal aggrandizement, their usefulness ceases, and they are dead weights upon the cause. Our Lord’s own life is the model of all perfection in human character, both public and private. No community need look for any permanent good from any preacher who does not imitate the character of his Lord and Master. He may be much of a gentleman, very fine, pleasant and interesting to worldly-minded persons, and not do any thing or say any thing that would remind any one of the Savior of the world. But to come under the name of a preacher of Christ, a disciple of Christ, and not be like him, not make men think of him, love him, and desire to come to him, is a deception upon the church and the world.
[PROGRESSING BACKWARD.]
IF some of the movements now on foot are to be tolerated, there is no reason for our existence as a body. If we want organs, gorgeous temples, Catharine wheels, clerical orders, superior courts, organizations and numerous societies, aside from the local congregations of the Lord, the Pope can supply any demand for any or all of these. If there are “means of grace,” he is rich in means. He can furnish them an outlet for their overwhelming benevolence in the innumerable channels he has opened. If the great problem is how to reach the pockets of the people and build expensive temples, put up tall spires and chimes of bells, he has solved it. He has swarms of men, and women, too, doing his bidding and under fine pay, living on the fat of the land. He has a system, a plan, an organization, a grand one; the broadest one ever made by man. Here is the opening for men who long for something of that sort. There is no use in mincing the matter, nor in half-way measures. Why not at one bound go right up to the grand culmination of all this kind of progress? There is no use in trudging along behind the Pope, when a man can go to him and be received into his embrace at once.
What a farce for men to be talking of progress, going on to perfection, keeping up with the age, etc., etc., when they are giving up and retrograding from the grandest progress possible to men—the progress up to the ground consecrated by the feet of the apostles and first Christians. Talk of progress when going back to the feeble and exploded schemes of sectarians and patronizing their shallow devices! Progress, indeed, to turn away from the holy gospel, the power of God to salvation, and scheme to catch people and draw them in by the blandishments of fine houses, theatrical, musical shows and clerical pretentions! No, brethren, all this is empty and powerless for good, and yielding up to the influences of hardness of heart, and aiding on that overwhelming avalanche of unbelief now coming upon us. We must stand by our Lord and the simplicity of the gospel, its faith and practice, worship and discipline. We can defend and maintain the gracious system of mercy and grace given by our Lord, in its own native purity, but we can maintain nothing else. There must be no wedge of gold in the camp, no Achan. We must offer no strange fires on God’s altar. The Lord directs our minds and hearts and keep us in the love of Christ. We long to see those who trouble us cease to give pain to the hearts of the friends of the Lord; to learn to be happy themselves and make others happy.