There are many persons whose gifts qualify them for usefulness in the
occasional or the stated preaching of the Word, but whose age or
attainments or needs do not make it expedient to ordain them. To such
it is usual to give a license, authorizing them to preach either within
the bounds of the church, or, more widely, wherever Providence may open
the door. This confers no authority to administer ordinances; the only
ministerial function it authorizes is that of preaching and conducting
public worship. Here I suggest: 1. It is evident that such a license
should be given only with wise discrimination. A man of unsound
judgment, of defective knowledge of the Scriptures, or of doubtful
moral and religious character should never be accredited as a preacher
of the Gospel, however strong may be his personal impressions of duty
or attractive his address in the eyes of the multitude. In the end he
will be likely to injure rather than aid the cause of religion. The
want of caution in hastily or thoughtlessly granting a license has
often resulted in introducing to the sacred office men whose career has
been calamitous to themselves and to the churches. 2. No man should,
ordinarily, venture to preach without a license or some form of
authorization from the church. Every Christian, it is true, is
required, in his sphere, to publish the Gospel; but this surely does
not empower him to assume the office of the public ministry. A call
from God in the soul of the man is, it may be admitted, the matter of
prime moment in a call to preach; but an inward impression of duty to
preach certainly gives no right to the ministerial function, unless it
be confirmed by the church, the Divinely-constituted judge of
qualification. To enter on the public work of the ministry self-moved
and self-appointed has no warrant in Scripture or in reason and is an
act of assumption and disorder which can only result in evil.
3. Churches and pastors, while using a wise discretion, should
carefully seek out and develop ministerial gifts. Much power doubtless
remains latent which with proper care might be developed and utilized
in ministerial work. Many a Christian life now left undeveloped, might
be greatly enlarged by being thus placed in its true sphere of
activity; and many a waste place within the bounds of our churches,
under the culture of a licentiate, might be made to glow with spiritual
life and beauty. It is surely one of the highest duties of a church to
recognize and make effective the gifts Christ has bestowed on it; and
among these none are of greater moment than the gift of ministerial
power.
+FOOTNOTES:+
[1] New version.
[2] Cowper _Task,_ book ii.
+SECTION XVII.+