LECTURE XV.

Duty of a Pastor to enlist the Co-operation of his Church;-for his own benefitfor the benefit of his church. The times favorable for this object. Different kinds of employment suggested.

HAVING devoted several Lectures to that most interesting department of pastoral duty, connected with revivals of religion, we turn now to other branches of the same general subject.

From the very nature of his office, it devolves on the pastor to take a general supervision of his flock. He must live in the midst of them, direct their religious movements, and keep himself acquainted, so far as practicable, with their spiritual state. But it is not his duty to do every thing that is done for the spiritual benefit of his people. It is not his duty to attempt it; and that for In the first place, he cannot do all that should be done. And secondly, it would be a great injury to the members of his church, if he should.

two reasons.

The duties of the ministry are onerous, I had almost said overwhelming, at the best. With all the assistance a minister can derive from his church, his labors often seem to him greater than he can bear. Were he, then, to dispense with the co-operation of his church, and undertake to do every thing himself, the consequence would be, either that many things would be left undone, or he would soon break down, and find himself incapable of doing anything.

There would, moreover, be that other dreaded conse

quence at which I hinted. The members of his church would suffer injury, for the want of appropriate spiritual employment. In this way, a vast many church-members actually do suffer. They rust and languish for the want of something to do something which they can appropriately do for the advancement of Christ's kingdom.

It is a great blessing to God's people, that he has called them to labor directly in his service. And this, doubtless, is a principal reason why such arduous labors are assigned to them. God might dispense with their instrumentality. He might carry forward his designs of mercy by his own direct agency, or by the ministry of angels. But in that case, he knows that the spiritual interests of his people must necessarily suffer. They would be deprived of a great honor which appropriately belongs to them-the honor of being "workers together" with God. They would be left to the corroding, corrupting influence of spiritual sloth; to mope away their time in melancholy musings, or to engage in unworthy and unprofitable pursuits.

It is by active exertions for the promotion of Christ's kingdom, that the best affections of God's people are called into exercise. The more diligently they labor for the spiritual good of their dying, perishing fellow-men, the more deeply do they feel for them; the more earnestly they pray for them; the more truly they sympathize with him who consented to lay down his life for their salvation; the more closely do they bear his image, and come to be like him.

In this way, too, the spiritual enjoyment of God's people is promoted. They are much happier, as well as holier, when actively employed in the service of Christ, than when left to indolence and sloth. Who was ever more diligent in the work of the Lord, than the great apostle

of the Gentiles? And viewing him in his whole Christian course, where shall we look for a more highly privileged, or a more truly happy man? Notwithstanding his toils, and perils, and sufferings; he customarily speaks of himself as having "great joy;" as being "filled with joy;" as being "exceeding joyful in all his tribulations." With heart-felt gratitude, he welcomed every opening door of usefulness, and spoke of it as a grace given unto him, that he should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ."

It was, doubtless, a principal cause of the rapid growth and prosperity of the primitive Christian church, that its members were summoned to such ceaseless toils and sufferings for its advancement. They had no time to be melancholy. They had no time to quarrel among themselves, or to become engrossed in other matters. By constant use, their spiritual armor was kept bright. By constant exercise, their inward graces were increased and strengthened, in a high degree.

The same effect which this holy activity had on the primitive church, it may be expected to have on the church of Christ now. The human mind and heart are the same. The nature of religion, and its demands upon the active exertions of its friends, are also the same. It is a great privilege now, as it was in the days of the apostle Paul, to be permitted to labor for Christ.

Impressed with considerations such as these, the watchful, faithful pastor will seek employment for the members of his church. He will enlist their diligent co-operation in the work of the Lord. He cannot himself do all that requires to be done among the people of his charge. He would not do it if he could. He knows that his brethren of the church need just that kind of discipline, which a division of labor and responsibility would give them;

and while he superintends and (in some sense) directs the whole, he sees to it that as many of the church as possible have something allotted for them to do. One brother is to attend to this matter, and another to that. On this sister some appropriate labor is devolved, and something else upon that. By this means, the whole church is brought to labor together under the direction of the pastor; and while they are thus united in labor, they grow together in faith and love.

I count it one of the peculiar privileges of the present age, that it presents so many opportunities for labor in the cause of Christ: and labor too, not only for the officers of the church, but for private Christians of every class. Every one, who has a hand and heart to labor in the Lord's vineyard, can now find something appropriate for him to do. In this respect, the times are very different from what they were half a century ago. Then, there were no Sabbath schools; no extended circulation of Bibles and tracts; no Education, Missionary, and other charitable societies. A great many Christians, more especially those in humble life, whose hearts prompted them to labor in the service of Christ, saw little or nothing presented which they could do, and they pined and languished, often, for the want of appropriate spiritual employment. In some instances, their feelings would break over all restraint, and lead them to engage in services of a questionable character.

But Christians have no need to suffer in this way now. And ministers of the gospel need be at no loss, in devising modes of employment for the members of their churches. The institution of Sabbath schools is a great blessing to the churches, inasmuch as it furnishes employment for so many of the members. One must be superintendent, another secretary, another librarian, others

constitute important committees, others are employed as teachers, others still are connected with adult Bible classes, and in this way nearly the whole church is occupied in connection with the Sabbath 'school. And while most of the members are connected, in one way or another, with a large central school; some are encouraged to commence smaller schools, in remote districts of the parish

or town.

It is but an imperfect view of the Sabbath school system, to regard it as benefiting only the children which are instructed. The benefits to connected adults are often greater than those to children. How much more do the teachers, in general, study the Bible, than they would do, were it not for the trust they have assumed? And how much more closely and faithfully do they study it; and to how much better purpose? Besides, as we have seen, it is a blessing to Christians in private life to have important trusts confided to them-to have responsibility rolled upon them to have appropriate employment furnished to their hands. Talents, which otherwise would have been buried, are thus drawn forth. Graces, which otherwise would have languished, are brought into exercise, and thereby strengthened. Christians, who otherwise would have done little good, and laid up little treasure in heaven, become in this way greatly useful, and prepare to shine among the stars forever and ever.

The remarks which have been made respecting Sabbath schools, may be extended to most of the other religious enterprises of the day. In the monthly distribution of tracts, for example, the blessing descends, not merely on those who receive the books, but on those who give them. And this is another mode in which a considerable number of the members of a church may find appropriate and useful employment;-useful, not only to