Ministerial Life and Work

Uring my five years at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, it fell to my lot to deal with the various aspects of ministerial life and service which are usually included in

the term Pastoral. This: involved regular addresses in Chapel on Saturday evenings, weekly lectures on Pastoral work, addresses at the openings of Terms, and occasional informal ‘Conferences’ on some of the more outstanding ministerial and pastoral problems.

This book embodies the substance of what was then given, and it is reproduced in the hope that those to whom it was originally delivered may like to have a record of what I have reason to know were occasions not without interest; and also that other brethren in the ministry may find it of some service.

If some readers should feel surprise at observing that several aspects of ministerial life are not dealt with in these pages, they may perhaps be reminded that my opportunity for treating Pastoral life and work extended at most to only thirty weeks each year, and that therefore with (as a rule) but one address and one lecture a week, it was impossible to cover more of the ground.

If, too, any brother in the ministry should be surprised at the comparative absence of reference to problems of Biblical Criticism and of scepticism, and to ways of meeting them, it ought to be said that these were dealt with in the Wycliffe Hall work by means of other courses of lectures.

Occasional repetitions may also provoke comment, ‘The explanation is that the entire substance of the book was not given every year and, so, certain subjects were discussed under two or three different headings. But it is hoped that the prime importance of such topics will be sufficient justification of any such repeated treatment.

The book is intended primarily for clergy, and brevity with a view to the reader’s own meditation, study, and elaboration appeared in every way best fitted to further the work of the ministry.

Ever since my thoughts were first turned in the direction of the ministry, I have felt a great attraction for all questions dealing with preaching, methods of ministerial work, and problems of teaching and service; and I have read as widely aS opportunity has permitted various volumes of Lectures on Preaching and Pastoral work. ‘These chapters are therefore indebted directly and indirectly to very many writers whom it is now impossible to recall and name.

It only remains for me to say with what joy (and I hope profit to myself) I have recalled in writing these pages the happy occasions on which I met the Students in the delivery of the addresses and lectures here recorded. ‘The earnest attention of those. Saturday evenings in Chapel, and the keen interest and animated discussions of the Friday evenings in the Library will never be forgotten by me, and will be cherished among the happiest times of my life at Wycliffe Hall. May both writer and readers of this book make “full proof of their ministry.’

1911. W. H. GrirrirH THoMAS.

T. PAUL points out im one single chapter (Col. 1) that the mimstry is related at once to Christ ( v. 7); to the Gospel (v. 23); and to the Church ( v. 25); to Christ as the Source, to the Gospel as the Message, and to the Church as the Sphere. All considerations of the Christian mimstry must take account of these three aspects, and in the various parts of Holy Scripture where the ministry 1s dealt with, it will be seen that this threefold relationship im one or other of its phases is kept in VIEW.

The Biblical idea of the ministry may be considered in a number of ways. We will now look at it as suggested for us by the Old Testament Prophet, by the New Testament Apostle, by the personal experiences of St. Paul, and by the counsels he gave to one of his younger ministerial brethren.

Then follows a consideration of the ministerial
call and its subsequent obligations.

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