3 Sermon Illustrations on Church Ministry

An anxious, retired, and diligent country clergyman, waited upon a layman of enlarged, enlightened and truly Christian views, to lay before him the case of his prostrated and embarrassed parish. "If we cannot raise a few hundred dollars," said he, "to pay off a small debt for erecting the church, it will be impossible to get along." "It is exceedingly difficult," was the reply, "to raise money abroad for these purposes; cannot a subscription be raised amongst your own people to pay off the debt?" "I doubt," was the rejoinder, "whether twenty dollars could be collected for the purpose."

The friendly adviser well knew that this could not be owing to absolute pecuniary inability. He paused a moment for reflection, and then asked, very irrelevantly, as the minister thought, whether he had a Bible Society in his parish. "No," said he. "Well, then, go home and set about forming one instantly. If your difficulties are not surmounted by this means, they exceed the measure of my wisdom." In the retirement of his study the expedient appeared at first to the good clergyman absolutely hopeless. He relied much, however, upon the wisdom of his adviser, and reflected that at any rate it was a good work, and the only thing which could relieve his sorrowful reflections by the energy of action. Accordingly he set himself diligently to work, and after encountering many difficulties succeeded in doing something for the Bible cause. But that, though a blessed thing, he considered a mere trifle, when at the end of two years he announced with inexpressible animation and delight to his noble adviser, that his church was paid for, an organ purchased, his family made more comfortable than ever, and that all the affairs of the parish were going on most admirably.

It seems all that was wanted was a lively interest in religious things. Let some of our poor parishes who cannot pay for churches, or feel unable to build them, who have no ministers, or worse still, are starving those they have, try the experiment of getting up vigorous and interesting missionary associations.

A young minister received a call from two different societies at once, to become their pastor. One was rich, and able to give him a large salary, and was well united; the other was poor, and so divided that they had driven away their minister. In this condition he applied to his father for advice. An aged negro servant who overheard what they said, made this reply: "Massa, go where there is the least money and the most devil." He took the advice, and was made the happy instrument of uniting a distracted church, and converting many souls to Christ.