Some Problems
clergyman’s experience which are not easily settled,
and it is often useful to compare experiences. few of these problems may be considered by way of illustration.
“ROM time to time questions and problems arise in a
SECTION 1. ON TAKING UP NEW WORK.
When a minister comes to a church, whether as newly ordained, or from another charge, much will depend upon the way he sets out to work during his first weeks. It will be found wise, if not essential, first of all, to pick up the threads of his predecessor’s work, and continue for some little time at least the methods already in existence. Only afterwards should he initiate plans of his own when he has been able to gauge the situation aright. He will find it particularly helpful to give attention to the members of the paid staff of the church, and elicit their sympathy while he shows the same to them. ‘They will prove his best friends if only they are enabled to see that he intends to be friendly and closely associated with them.
When a man enters a new sphere the difficulty is of course much greater in regard to the work of the parish, because he is at once responsible for what goes on. A wise pastor has suggested that the new man should begin by feeding the flock, because, as it is well known, a man can do anything with sheep if first he feeds them. But to commence by exhortation, still more by anything like lecturing, would probably result in the people not readily entering into sympathetic fellowship with their new pastor. With regard to changes which are generally thought to be inevitable on the advent of a new minister, there are two methods possible. The man may decide at once on what changes he feels necessary and make them, or he may avoid instituting any changes until he has become known and trusted by his new people. ‘The latter is by far the wiser and more Christian method. One thing at any rate should be avoided if the man wishes to glorify God and be the means of spiritual help. He should not make changes gradually, and almost weekly, for some time after his arrival. ‘There is nothing more trying and irritating to worshippers than to find some new method or practice nearly every Sunday they come to Church. It makes them wonder what will be the next change, and how many more are likely to come. Suspicions are easily aroused and not so easily laid, while if the clergyman shows himself to be a man of God, one who loves his Saviour, his Bible, and God’s people, it will be found that the congregation will respond to him and rally round him in connexion with the work. A newcomer should never forget old worshippers and valued workers. In these days when we are so apt to reverence anything that is called ‘up-to-date,’ we are liable to forget that the Church ought to be comprehensive in both directions. While rightly giving attention to the needs of the young, we should not forget the needs of the old, especially those who have been the chief supporters of the Church. It is doubtless difficult to harmonize the claims of both parties, but we do not believe that the task is insuperable if faced in the spirit of Christ and with an earnest desire to work for the best interests of all in the congregation. ‘There is a very real danger in upsetting all that has been distinctive of a predecessor. A well-known American clergyman has pointedly said that a new minister should ‘enter into” the labours of his predecessor, not ‘stamp on’ them. Every man must have his own way, and it is more than probable that our predecessors were not quite so inefficient or old-fashioned as we are inclined to think. At any rate we are certain that a new incumbent will show his spiritual fitness for pastoral work if he pays careful respect to the past, gives sympathetic consideration to the needs of the old, tried, spiritual members of his flock, and endeavours to bring all classes of needs together in a desire and a determination so to live and work that the worship may be ‘in spirit and in truths),
SECTION 2. RELATIONSHIP TO NEIGHBORING CHURCHES.
We have already considered this subject to some extent, and it must suffice to add one or two general remarks of a practical kind which may prove of service in the intercourse of parochial life. It goes without saying that a minister should always be friendly and perfectly courteous to the pastors of neighboring churches, and if he can find out, by his reading, why they hold different religious views to his, it will help him to enter into their feelings and spiritual position. ‘This attitude will give him sympathy in meeting with them as occasion arises. It is often possible to unite in social work of various kinds, such as welfare, hospital, and prison activities. United services on national occasions such as Armistice Day may be held in churches alternately each year. Evangelistic meetings, addressed by a special preacher of ability and experience, can be the occasion for united effort, while union services arranged for the visit of some well-known Bible teacher will be found a source of great blessing. “These and many other attempts at true union of heart and mind will occur to the minister who is anxious to show a kindly Christian spirit, even while he recognizes differences of opinion on certain points, realising that men of other denominations are just as conscientious in their position as he is in his,
SECTION 3. IN REFERENCE TO THE OTHER SEX.
Circumstances in parish work frequently lead to the clergyman necessarily being very much thrown into association with lady workers, and this suggests the need of the greatest possible care and circumspection. Both in his pastoral visiting, as we have already seen, and also in connexion with various Church organizations, it is essential that the clergyman should maintain his true position, not merely as a clergyman, but in particular as a Christian man, a man of God. Anything approaching lightness on the part of the clergyman is to be deprecated, while of course, to use the word ‘flirtation,’ as it often is used in relation to a Christian minister, is to speak of that which is nothing short of deplorable and disgraceful.
Almost without knowing it, the clergyman may easily be led into difficult situations, and for this reason it is essential that he should maintain a life of fellowship with God that will enable him to ‘walk circumspectly,’ and to give no occasion of stumbling lest the ministry be blamed. As we have already pointed out in other connexions, the great word of the Apostle Paul in writing to Timothy, ‘gravity,’ is the key to the situation. When a man realizes who and what he is as a minister of Christ, it will enable him to walk carefully and accurately under all circumstances. Difficulties with the other sex may easily be brought about without any fault on the part of the clergyman himself. Human nature is human nature whether it refers to women or men. It is recorded of a Curate that he came to his Rector and said that he wished to leave. He was asked why, and was evidently reluctant to say. ‘Is it the stipend?’ said the Rector. ‘No,’ was the reply. ‘Has it to do with the work or the climate, or the surroundings?’ ‘No.’ “Do tell me, then.’ ‘Well, it’s Miss Brown, I really cannot endure her any longer.’ ‘My dear fellow,’ said the wise Rector, ‘do you not know that Miss Brown lives in every parisht” Whatever the cause or difficulty may be, there is perhaps no part of a man’s life in which it is more essential that he should ‘watch and pray.’ The young unmarried minister often finds himself in circumstances of real difficulty, although he is simply and faithfully going about his Master’s work. But prayer for the guidance and grace of the Holy Spirit will not be in vain, and wisdom will be given according to need under all circumstances. If a man will take care of his character God will take care of his reputation. If a man keeps right with God he can go anywhere and do anything that falls within his duty.
SECTION 4. DIFFERENT SOCIAL GRADES.
In many a church it is a serious problem how to bring and keep together the Christian people of different social standing. There is a tendency on the part of the rich or the better educated to avoid association with other members. This may be done quite unconsciously, or it may arise from a lack of interest or a feeling that they have nothing in common. ‘There is an equally strong feeling on the part of those less favoured that the Church is not for them, but only for the well-to-do and leisured. ‘These distinctions frequently make it difficult for the minister to thread his way through the mazes and do justice to everyone. But it is here that the minister can, by example and precept, be truly helpful to the cause of unity in his flock. First and foremost he should lay the greatest possible stress on the fundamental principles of the Gospel: “Ye are all one in Christ Jesus,’ and he should preach in season and out of season that ‘in Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female.’ He will be able to do this very definitely, and perhaps best of all in connexion with the Holy Communion; that Sacrament of unity has its very clear and blessed social aspect which should from time to time be emphasized. It should also be comparatively easy for the minister to suggest ways in which these social gulfs may be most satisfactorily though unobtrusively bridged. ‘This will need all the tact and thoughtfulness of which he is capable, but he will be amply rewarded when his congregation can sing with truth: ‘Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, Our comforts and our cares.’
Of course it is impossible to avoid recognising facts in regard to various social grades, but there is no reason whatever for the clergyman, of all men, to accentuate these. His duty is to accept things as he finds them, and bring to bear upon them the first principles of the Gospel of Christ, and if he himself knows by personal experience the full reality of New Testament liberty in the Gospel, he will endeavour to emphasize those eternal truths which are necessary for all.
SECTION 5. THE GREATEST PROBLEM OF ALL.
As we draw these considerations to a conclusions it must be evident to every reader that the most important matter connected with the ministry is the man himself. This is indeed the greatest problem of all. Almost everything in the ministry is connected with the personal factor, and calls for the expression of the clergyman’s life, and if only this is right, it may be said without much hesitation or qualification that everything else will be right also. It has often been remarked how soon and how certainly people discover whether a man is in earnest. People are very sympathetic with a beginner, and they will give him plenty of opportunity to show himself a man, but it will not be very long before they will take his measure and decide as to his reality and power. It may be said without any fear of contradiction that the average judgment of a congregation concerning their clergyman can as a rule be safely trusted. At a closing address when some young men were leaving a Theological College the Principal said to them, ‘Gentlemen, you are now regarded, and you will be for some time regarded, by your congregations as young men of promise, but the time will come when they will expect you to be young men of performance.’ In a book of Hints to Parsons, the following pointed but true remarks are found:
‘You may pretend very skilfully, but you will not deceive them long; and really this makes four-fifths (or shall we say nine-tenths? ) of the secret of gaining an influence over them. If you are a humbug, nobody will tell you so, they will, perhaps, like you well enough, they won’t grumble, but they will simply care less about God, the fire will grow cold, religion will go on dying in the parish,
And the longer a man stays in a field the severer will be the test. At first he will obtain a good measure of popularity, but afterwards, when the novelty has worn off, and people have become accustomed to his expressions in teaching, and his methods of work, the call is great for the maintenance of spirituality of life. “The prime necessity in Christian work is the ability to ‘continue.’ ‘So Daniel continued.’ ‘Wherefore having obtained help of God, I continued.’ In these words the Apostle gives us the secret: ‘Having obtained help of God.’ It will be only by the grace of God that a man will find his ministry continuing to grow in freshness and force as long as he remains in the parish. But when the life is true to God, when the grace of God fills the heart, when the Spirit of God controls the life, then indeed does the greatest problem of all find its solution, and the man continues ‘strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.’
236 MiInIsTERIAL LirE AND WorkK
Life is largely made up of activity, and the ministry finds itself engaged on a multifarious variety of work; ‘the trivial round, the common task.’ At times brain and body are apt to stagger under the load, and we are tempted to succumb uncer the pressure of the burden. Then it is that our simplifying and unifying factor comes in with blessedness and power, and we begin to realize that everything is to be done for Christ. No task that comes can possibly be outside His ken or sphere. No work that is really our duty can fail to be accomplished if done unto Him. ‘For Christ’ is the talisman that opens every door. ‘In Christ’ is the guarantee of grace sufficient for every task. As George Herbert says: —
‘Teach me, my God and King,
In all things Thee to see;
And what I do in anything,
To do it unto Thee.
‘A servant with this clause,
Makes drudgery Divine;
Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws,
Makes that and th’ action fine.’
‘Drudgery divine.’ This is only possible when we do everything for Christ, when He is the motive, the inspiration, the joy, the power of service.
“To me to live is Christ.’ Receiving everything from Christ. Seeing everything in Christ. Doing everything for Christ. ‘This is life in its simplicity, sufficency, and satisfaction. ‘This is ministry in peace, power, and progress. Away from this is unrest, dissatisfaction, emptiness, weariness, powerlessness. Apart from this is disappointment, depression, discontent, despondency, and despair. But when Christ is our life, ministry becomes a privilege, a joy, a delight; an ever-deepening experience, an ever-heightening glory to God. So let us sum up all by saying that for life and ministry Christ is always necessary, Christ is always available, Christ is alway sufficient.:
‘Yea, through life, death, through sorrow and through sinning,
He shall suffice me, for He hath sufficed,
Christ is the end, for Christ was the beginning,
Christ the beginning, and the end is Christ.’
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