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    the reason for such a course less in regard to the Christian ministry ? in a pursuit where , if a man ' s heart be not engaged , he can hardly fail to be despised and wretched , —where a supreme love for the work is its chief reward , is needed as much to countervail the vexation arising from the difficulties of the office , as to cooperate _ withj ; Msc ^

    labour which is rarely found either in pecuniary compeTency , or the improvement and respectful attentions of a congregation . The choice must be free , or the labour will not be a pleasure ; and sure I am that unless a love of the labour predominate in the heart the duties of the ministry will be wretchedly discharged . There is no office in which spontaneous and self-denying exertions

    are so much needed . To do good a minister must not stint himself merely to the literal interpretation of his bond . For every good work he must be ready . Volunteer efforts and volunteer sacrifices he-must make , without grudging and without thinking he does a whit more than his duty , if he wishes to accomplish his work , and to lead men to God .

    Besides , he has to mingle with all men as a friend and a brother ; himself of a cultivated mind with men ignorant , prejudiced , and gross ; himself of pure and elevated tastes with men whose thoughts rarely ascend above the range of sensual affections and pursuits . There is no other instance in the whole of society in which so much of what is good and elevated meets together with what is bad and low . The Christian minister , so far as he discharges the duties of his office , mingles with the worst as well as the best characters in life . With the foulest forms of human

    depravity he becomes acquainted , Witnessing , at least occasionally , the most revolting exhibitions of passion , anger , violence , fraud , cruelty . He leaves the society of the intelligent , to visit the ignorant , of the good to visit the bad , of the refined to visit the brutal ; he leaves the neatness and comfort of his own home to visit the filth and wretchedness of the hovel . I cannot but think that those know nothing of human nature who expect that these most important duties will be discharged if the love of man and

    the love of God , if , consequently , the love of the work , be not a predominant affection of the soul . Most important , then , is it that in the work of the ministry every candidate should make his own election , and make it at an age sufficiently advanced to think , judge , and act independently . If early made , it is not the youth ' s but the parent ' s choice . Let it be deferred till the mind is

    sufficiently enlightened and the judgment matured to make of itself a well-weighed and determinate election . It is , too , an advantage to leave home at a later rather than an earlier period . The affections are stronger , the character more determined and stable , the judgment more ripened , and , therefore , a better guide . It is an advantage to enter at a public place of education at a later rather than an earlier period . Virtue is less in danger * wise designs are

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    164 THE TRUTH TELLER .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 1, 1833, page 164, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2615/page/4/