cording to the apostolic precept (1 Tim., iv., 15), should occupy himself in these things (that is to say, the things of his ministry), and be always occupied in them. We shall return to this subject. But in respect of gravity, and supposing that the pastor has more leisure than generally belongs to him, we say that every occupation does not accord with the gravity of the ministry. I do not like agricultural, industrial feats: If a minister has property, let him take care of it; but let him proceed in this kind of work no further than is necessary. In things of this kind, the mere reputation of aptitude will injure him. Costume, or rather dress (for we do not speak of the official costume, or of the insignia of the pastor, in public functions)-costume has the double object of impressing him who wears it and others. The importance of this badge varies with time. Our time, having little liking for metaphors in social life, or, perhaps, seeking other symbols here, seems disposed to abolish gradually a solemn costume. But no one, as to this, should be in haste to give an example. It is in this almost as with neologisms in language, for costume is a language: It must, in all cases, be freely accepted. It will always be expected. that the dress of a minister, if it be not one worn only by ministers, should have a uniform and invariable character; while a man of any other profession may vary his apparel. It would be better, even, not to wear costume, than in a manner to disavow it by negligence or impropriety.* Gravity in Discourse.—To speak little is the first rule: To joke little is the second: To discuss moderately, to * Propriety, a half virtue, which may unite to itself a true and whole virtue. † Ephesians, v., 4. (Evrpañeλía, scurrilitas).-Nugæ in aliis sunt nugæ, in sacerdotibus blasphemiæ. ST. BERNARD: Traité de la Considération, liv. iii., chap. xiii. Bien loin aussi le rire intempérant : Du rire amer il est peu différánt; "He shall not cry, Calmness is impos"The God of peace abridge discussions, is the third: Not to have a loud voice and high-sounding speech is the fourth. nor lift up his voice."-Isaiah, xlii., 2. ing. Peace is a silent thunder-bolt. shall bruise Satan under your feet."-Rom., xvi., 20. I add, care to speak of things rather than of persons. I mean, not only care to avoid evil speaking, which need not be said, but every thing which savors of curiosity, and resembles gossiping. I do not like, however, an affected reserve. Besides, we must remember that the Christian, and with greater reason the pastor, should speak according to the oracles of God (which does not mean only announcing the oracles of God), that the word of Christ should dwell in him richly with all wisdom (Col., iii., 16); that his words should be seasoned with salt, and communicate grace to those who hear; and that, if every one will be required to give account of the idle words which he shall speak, this account will be yet more severe for the pastor. It may, perhaps, be well to remark, that while prescribing to themselves a kind of restraint when in the world, ministers are sometimes tempted to be too free among themselves: ecclesiastical gossiping has, in certain countries, passed into a proverb.* I have but little hope from the official gravity of one (and but little respect for it) who, in private, violates the decorum which should never be dispensed with in the most intimate relationships, though I would by no means deprive ministers of the sweets of familiar intercourse. Folle gaîté dégénère en satire ; Tel, qui, d'abord, ne riait que pour rire, En le perçant, un cœur qui l'eût aimé. * "In no profession are there so many story-tellers (Anecdochen Kramer) as in the clerical, as there is none that furnishes so many anecdotes as this."-HARMS. Whence this second circumstance? I well know that it is so. It is not necessary to be always prescribing rules for the exercise of gravity; on the contrary, this should never be done; for gravity, when it is natural, comes from within. § 2. Simplicity, Modesty. Simplicity is opposed to affected dignity and reserve (I should say, emphasis, if this word could be applied to manners as it is to language); faults which proceed not from an excessive gravity, but from an undue sense of our own importance and authority. We may, perhaps, look to the severe strictures of the world to correct this vanity. The official character of the pastor is every day becoming less and less imposing; though every one who is not exceedingly ill bred will be disposed to accord to the pastor a certain measure of respect, simply on account of his profession and his position in the civil community. The external character, the dress, are things of small importance, if they have nothing within to sustain them. We gain little, on the contrary we lose, by claiming a blind respect, and taking a rank in society which is not yielded to us. Clerical reserve and stateliness impose on but a small number, and I should not recommend them even with this small number. It is unworthy of a minister to use such means—not to.depend simply upon the truth, of which he is the organ, but to seem to think that a mysterious virtue attaches to him. Catholic sermons demand respect for the priests, a thing which can be better understood, since here the priest personifies religion. All this, moreover, may be said without prejudice to authority. The minister has not to ask pardon for the truth. §3. Pacific Spirit. Is he not a man of peace, who is called to "make peace" (Matt., v., 9)? who is a minister of that wisdom "which is first pure, then peaceable" (James, iii., 17); who is a disciple and representative of Him who "did not cry, nor contend, nor lift up his voice in the streets ?”—Isaiah, xlii., 2. Moreover, knows he not, from the Bible and from experience, "that the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace ?"-James, iii., 18. "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."-Rom., xiii., 18. It is precisely because his ministry is a warfare that this recommendation is important. It must not be forgotten that, as a minister, he stretches out hands “all the day long to a rebellious and gainsaying people" (Rom., x., 21); that he is called to rebuke sinners, and even in certain cases to rebuke them publicly (1 Tim., v., 20); that, as a minister and a Christian, he appears upon a stage furrowed with controversies; that there is not a truth whose remembrance is not interlaced with that of an error; that theology is hardly less a discussion than an exposition; that, if his convictions are serious, he has borne them away as rich spoils of victory, dipped in his own blood; and, in short, that he will have, on more than one occasion, to defend the rights of his ministry. وا St. Paul might very properly have thought of all this when he said, “That a bishop must not be self-willed (Titus, i., 7); and "that the servant of the Lord must not love strife.' 2 Tim., ii., 24. And this not only includes litigation, but disputes, useless or endless discussions, an impracticable punctilious spirit, the love of trifles.* We can not say that ministers are exempt from this spirit : The habit of living always in the same circle of ideas, occupations, and persons, that of speaking without being contradicted, so that the first and smallest contradiction surprises them, may contribute to it. The world exaggerates, I would fain think, when it says that, in general, they are not distinguished by the facility of their intercourse, and that they are thorny men, with whom one fears to have to do; but to * Assemblies consuming their time in discussing small concerns. silence the world on this point, it is necessary to be of a very peaceable spirit. It must be understood that I speak here of ordinary occasions of dispute, arising from the ordinary relations of society, and not of controversies, properly so called, nor of the odium theologicum, the best name, it is thought, for hatred par excellence; and with reason, too, for when one hates in the name of God, he does not hate by halves. It is, surely, enough for a pastor to find contention in the precincts of his office, and not to be able to avoid it on that stage: He can not restrict himself, like other believers, "to replying with gentleness and respect to those who ask a reason of his hope."-1 Peter, iii., 15. He must, perhaps, engage in discussion, if there is every security for seriousness, order, and decorum: But, on the one hand, he ought not to “cast pearls before swine;" on the other, he is more frequently called to expound than to discuss, and he should not too easily give up the first of these positions. There is a way of retaining it; a peaceful spirit is not a stupid one. § 4. Gentleness. "Let your moderation be known unto all men.”—Phil., iv., 5. There is something particularly imposing in gentleness, since we can not but be struck with it at the first view. We shall speak more at large of the charity of the pastor when we are to examine his office; it is there that it fully displays itself. Here we have only to look at his gentleness, that is to say, his exhibition of obliging, affable, prepossessing, amiable qualities in the ordinary relations of society. He is the man of the good God: He is the representative of mercy : He ought not to repel, but to attract: But all must come naturally, without affectation; there should be no studied part; for a studied part in this matter is never well acted His goodness is not soft and effeminate, but manly. Better a little rudeness than that benign and paternal air which some |