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In what does the Call consist?

edifying of the body of Christ." Thus the selection of those given to the church was in the hands of its great Head, who had sat down on the right hand of God until His enemies be made His foot-stool. If any change were made in the economy of the Church in this respect, it is incumbent upon those who allege the change to produce the authority; but no such authority can be found.

The true minister in the present, as in the apostolic age, is called by the Lord Jesus to his sacred office. No man taketh this honour upon himself; but he who is called by God, as was Aaron. Such were the teachings of the ancient Church. St. Chrysostom says: "No man, nor angel, nor archangel, nor created power, but the Paraclete Himself, had instituted this office, and chosen beings yet living in the flesh to fulfil the ministry of angels. Such also have been the teachings of the Church in its leading branches down to the present time. In several of these the candidate for the ministry is required to say that he believes he is "moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon him the work of the ministry."

In what, then, does this divine call consist, or how is a young man to be perfectly sure that he is called by God? This question is of immense moment to every young minister. Without this assurance, in moments of darkness and times of despondency he will be assailed by doubts. He will question whether he was ever called to preach. He will be led to inquire whether it is not his duty to abandon the ministry. The more strictly conscientious he is, the deeper will be his agonies and the greater his perplexities. But if he doubts he is shorn of much of his power. The doubter never accomplishes much. The doubleminded man is unstable in all his ways. The man of deep convictions, even though he occasionally errs, is the man of power. Thomas, who, I suppose, seldom made a mistake, is never heard of except in asking questions or expressing doubt. And so far as the New Testament history goes in the early triumphant spread of the Gospel he is never mentioned; while Peter, confident even to boldness and recklessness, receives the keys of Heaven, to open its doors to the Gentile world.

Doctrine of "the Ordinary Call"

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The first evidence of the Divine call is in the consciousness of the individual. It is a persuasion, which, slight as it may seem at first, deepens into an intense conviction that he is called of God to preach the Gospel. There is not quite so much unanimity among writers or churches as to the mode of this call as to the fact of the call itself. Some writers, of distinguished talent and high position, distinguish between what they term the ordinary and the extraordinary call.

In the ordinary call they teach that the young man arrives at the conviction that he should preach from the consideration of his qualifications, mental tendencies, and surrounding circumstances; that the same influences which lead him to enter the ministry would, with some changes, lead him to enter the profession of medicine or the law, or engage in some special pursuit. He simply follows the indications of Providence manifested in his own nature or in the world around about him. These are found in his physical capacity, intellectual power, fondness for study, readiness of utterance, benevolent tendency, and religious. life. He beholds around him a world lying in wickedness. Men are going astray. He has felt in his own heart the love of God, with an accompanying desire to do good, to do all the good he can; and looks upon the work of the ministry as a work of benevolence and love. He believes he could be useful in teaching the ignorant and in elevating the aspirations of the young; in holding the attention of congregations and in persuading them to believe the Word of the Lord. He reasons within himself, and says that as a minister he thinks he could do more good than as a physician; that he feels an aversion to attending the sick, and almost a horror of surgical operations, and doubts. whether he could bear the frequent loss of sleep, the intense strain and anxiety connected with the profession, and whether he could face the dangers of the terrible epidemics. He has some scruples with reference to the law. He has a vague idea that he could scarcely keep a good conscience amid the solicitations of clients and the bribes of thieves. He often doubts whether he is quite fitted for the quick repartee and controversies which so often occur; whether he could bear the respon

sibility of having the life of a man dependent on the success with which he may be able to plead the case before the jury. So he selects the ministry, because he sincerely believes that thereby he can best promote his own happiness and the welfare of humanity. This, I believe, is a fair statement of the views held by those who regard the selection of the ministry as determined merely by the questions of qualifications and adaptation.

I have purposely omitted the influence of unworthy motives, such as the consideration of the ministry affording a comfortable livelihood, seeking to be put into the priestly office for a piece of bread; the motives arising from the pulpit being a forum where eloquence can be displayed and elocutionary power exhibited, or applause gained, or the consideratlon of the association of the minister being with that class of the community which is most intelligent, tasteful, and enterprising. Even these last motives may properly be considered in selecting mere secular employment and profession. By providential indications one may be fully satisfied that it is best to enter a certain employment, and that in it the approbation of God will rest upon him; yet this is not what I think the Scriptures teach by the Divine call. Paul did not enter the ministry because he had been schooled in Cilicia, or brought up by Gamaliel, or on account of superior powers of logic, or because he preferred it to some other occupation. He preached because he had received from Christ authority and command to preach the Gospel.

He was directly sent as Jesus had said: "As the Father hath sent me, so also send I you." So was it with all the Apostles. I do not deny that the motives named may be worthy of consideration in their proper place. They may be regarded as coincident with, conformatory to, the higher call. But I believe the true call of the minister is a supernatural one, not embraced in this description of the ordinary call. The extraordinary call of such writers is what I deem the true call to the ministry. It does not consist in any audible voice, any vision or dream, or any extraordinary external circumstances. The message which God sends is spiritual, like the still, small voice. It influences the

The Voice of Conscience.

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inner nature, and is extraordinary only in that it is a special divine communication.

In its lightest form it is a persuasion that he who receives it ought to preach the Gospel. In its strongest form it is that God requires him to do this at the peril of his salvation. Even in its faintest form there is this distinction between the call to the ministry and the choice of other professions: The young man may wish to be a physician; he may desire to enter the army; he would like to be a farmer; but he feels he ought to be a minister; and it is this feeling of "ought" and obligation which in its feeblest form indicates the divine call. It is not in the aptitude, taste, or desire, but in the conscience, that its root is found. It is God's voice to the man's conscience, saying: "You ought to preach." In cases where children have been educated to the ministry, where the heart has early submitted to the divine influence, and where associations and studies have been directed to this one end, it may oftentime be difficult to distinguish between the purpose or expectation and the feeling of duty. The feeling becomes strongest when there is a conflict of motives; but in the depraved human heart the conflict will surely rise. The holiness connected with the idea of preaching is not in harmony with man's native tendency, and often in those who are religious from childhood the strength of that native tendency will sooner or later be manifested. The conviction that one ought to preach may arise prior to conversion. Especially is this the case when a young man has been blessed with religious education and has been subjected to deep religious impressions, though he has not fully yielded his heart to God. A few instances I have known where thoughtful, talented, and generally conscientious young man have stumbled at this point; for they feared to submit themselves wholly to the divine will, lest it might be their duty to preach the Gospel!

But never are such persons converted until they are willing to be and to do whatever God may require. Generally, however, the impression that one is called to the ministry arises after conversion. Sometimes it comes in the very moment of conversion, and with the peace that calms the troubled spirit

there is a yearning to bring the world to the feet of Jesus. Usually this conviction arises in the early stages of religious life, and especially when the young Christian begins to speak and pray in the social meetings. Then a greater work rises before him. He feels it to be his duty to persuade sinners to be reconciled to God. In some cases this impression gradually unfolds itself, like the dawning of the morning before the rising sun. In other cases it comes almost with the suddenness and dazzling power of the lightning's flash.

There

Admitting the existence of this conviction, how is it known to be of divine origin? Conscience tells us that the persuasion is there; but how can we know whence it comes? I think there is nothing unphilosophical in referring it to a pure spiritual source -even to God Himself. In this respect it resembles the work of conversion. Peace springs up in the heart; but whence that peace comes consciousness alone cannot tell. Yet the true Christian at once and correctly ascribes it to a divine source. is a school of philosophy, represented by Coleridge, which admits the existence of these impressions on the human mind, and that they come from the divine source; but it denies that any man can affirm that the impression he has is from God. They say we cannot have any knowledge of our impressions, because they are known to us only through consciousness. This consciousness, being only a knowledge of our internal states, cannot give us any information of their origin. And, hence, while it is admitted that the Christian is born of God, it is denied that he can have any knowledge of it except by way of inference from his mental states. The same reason will apply to the doctrine of the ministerial call-i. e., the young man may be truly called of God; but it is impossible for him to know it except by way of inference from surrounding indications. This philosophy I believe to be radically defective. I have no time to enter into metaphysical discussions. This lectureship is not the place for it. Yet I believe that the same mental constitution which necessitates us to refer some internal impressions to external, visible, material objects, leads us with equal force and certainty to refer other impressions to internal, invisible, and spiritual sources.