Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

A CHARGE

INTENDED TO HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED

TO

THE WIFE OF A MINISTER,

AT THE

ORDINATION OF HER HUSBAND,

"Our conditions are the best preceptors of our duties.' — Burke. 'Give her of the fruit of her hand and let her own works praise her in the gates.' Solomon.

PREFACE.

MY READER,

You need not inquire after the time, the place, the intended receiver of this address, or the circumstances that prevented the delivery of it. Suffice it to observe, that the title is founded in truth, The case was this. At our ordinations, after the confession of faith, and prayer for the Divine influence and blessing to attend the union that has been publicly recognised between the pastor and the church, it has been always customary to address to each of the parties a CHARGE, containing suitable instructions, cautions, admonitions, and encouragements, with regard to their respective duties. Nothing can be more scriptural or proper than such an usage and nothing will be found more interesting and edifying, when it is not eked out in dull formality, and prolonged reiterations of sameness; but is performed in the spirit and unction of the service.

But the writer had often thought, that if on these occasions a Charge could be likewise addressed to another personage, it would be, if not equally necessary, yet truly important. The wIFE of the preacher is indeed, as his nearest relation, interested in all that is said to him: and, as a fellow-member with his people, she is also concerned in all that is spoken to them. Yet it is easy to perceive that there is, with regard to HER, an individuality of character, and a peculiarity of condition, requiring and justifying something more than general and indiscriminate address. And the writer has always been persuaded, that one of the failures in ministerial labour has been owing to the neglect of detail and specification, in the enforcement of moral topics.

The wife of a minister is in a situation distinguished, observable, and influential. How much depends upon her principles, temper, taste, and behaviour! How various, delicate, and arduous are the duties she has to discharge! How much grace and wisdom are necessary to fill the circle of her vocation, usefully and honourably! And yet the place she is called to preside in, cannot be distinctly and expressly prepared for, by any course of previous discipline. Though the age abounds with every kind of institu

tion; no seminary, as yet, has been founded for training up female probationers for the Levitical economy; though they are supposed to be, either from the love of distinction, or the desire of usefulness, not a few. The more needful is something like the ensuing endeavour. In making it, the Author has also the sanction of the Apostle's example. He deemed it necessary, not only to describe the attributes of approved Deacons and Bishops, but also of their wives: Even so must their WIVES be grave; not slanderers; sober; faithful in all things.'

Before the writer was diverted from his purpose, it was not his design to have given the Charge at the same time with the other two addresses; as the service already is wearisomely long: but the morning after the ordination; and while the impression of the solemnity would be yet remaining.

Nor would he have delivered it in the public assembly; for where females are concerned, publicity is not to be sought after; but in the pastor's own dwelling.

From the singleness of the service, the speaker could afford to be longer in his admonition than propriety would otherwise have allowed.

From the private nature of the engagement, he felt himself the more free from anxiety and restraint.

From the quality of the individual addressed, the mode of address itself was in some measure influenced. Females love facts and incidents, rather than discussions; illustrations, rather than arguments; imagery, rather than abstractedness; sententiousness, rather than diffusion: and though they are capable of thinking as well as the other sex, their thinking is more tempered by feeling; and they love thoughts when they are sentiments, rather than notions. Do we mean to censure this taste? It has one incomparable recommendation-it is the manner in which the scriptures are written; and where God has abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence.

Imagine then a preacher of some age, observation, and experience, and in the subject before him, of no little happy experience; imagine such a man rising and addressing his interesting auditress, while her husband, and the wives of several neighbouring ministers are present, in the form and manner following.

Bath, December 1, 1829.

ADDRESS

TO THE WIFE OF A MINISTER,

Proverbs xix. 14.

A prudent wife is from the Lord.

-As

MY ESTEEMED FRIEND AND SISTER: this peculiar service did not arise in the preacher from affectation, or a wish to excite notice and remark, so he is persuaded your ready compliance with the proposal of it, has been only the result of a concern how to please the Lord, whose providence has called you to occupy the station you are now filling. He therefore most willingly engages in it, and hopes that the example, at least as to its spirit, will be hereafter followed. Yet he feels solicitude; and as the effort is novel and probationary, he is not a little concerned for the goodness of the precedent. He fears nothing, indeed, from

1

« ZurückWeiter »