We learn about his:
(i) pleas for funds at Education conventions;
(ii) pleas for funds from the State;
(iii) incessant preaching ('three to four sermons a day for three to four months);
(iv) health 'turns';
(v) attribution of his success to God;
(vi) attribution of his success to other faithful pastors.
I liked how Baker pointed to the place of local pastors in his ministry: 'I wish no credit to be given to me at the expense of pastors whom I so much respect and love. They are not only men of talents and piety, but efficient men, working men — pastors, in my opinion, of the right stamp, and whom, without an exception, their people love and delight to honour. If the voice of a stranger has wakened a new interest in their churches, this is no uncommon thing; for well do I recollect when I was a pastor myself, how the visit and preaching of another brother would, by the grace of God, exert a quickening influence upon myself and the people of my charge, when we ourselves were in a cold and slumbering state. There is something in a new voice, especially, when, for several days in succession, the great truths of Christianity are brought to bear upon the minds of men as the rays of the sun upon an object by the concentrating power of a burning-glass. If the meetings held recently in several of the Presbyterian churches in this region were ' remarkably blessed,' I ascribe it, under God, in a great measure to the fact, that much good seed had been sown in ground previously well prepared; and also to the cordial and efficient co-operation of pastor and people with the stranger from abroad. And, after all, the whole must be resolved into this — 'Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.' But if my preaching was crowned with a remarkable blessing, I believe one reason was this : Bearing in mind that the ' word of God,' and not the word of man, is quick and powerful, I was as a man of one book, and that book the Bible; and taking the hint from an inspired Apostle, I made Jesus Christ, and him crucified, my constant theme. This was certainly Paul's great doctrine ; this was his sharpest sword, his chief battle-axe; and influenced by his example, I seized upon this heavenly-tempered weapon, and wielded it as well as I could.'
Local pastors should not underestimate the importance of visiting pastors and visiting pastors should not underestimate the importance of local pastors.
And both should not underestimate the importance of God's Word.
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
No comments:
Post a Comment