SUPPORT GSPS |
The Gold, Silver, Precious Stones team appreciates your contributions in support of this work. Please send your correspondence to:
Gold, Silver, Precious Stones
P.O. Box 240
Harvest, AL 35749
|
|
|
|
A Concise History of the Ketocton Baptist Association (1808)
The method customary among us in providing for the ministers of the gospel.
THAT it is a duty incumbent on those that enjoy the gospel, to contribute for the support of the preachers thereof, appears to every attentive and unprejudiced reader of the holy scriptures. It is found there to be one of the divine councils -it is ordained that they that preach the gospel shall live of the gospel -it is likewise founded in justice -the laborer is worthy of his reward -the soldier is entitled to his pay, by the power that employs him, and careful husbandmen, who feed, pasture and defend their flock, eateth of the milk of the flock: this truth is generally assented to by our people, and deemed obligatory on them.
But the compliance with this institution (in a very partial way) has been differently practiced in some of our churches -it has been frequent to have a written subscription, and each member of the meeting, by a voluntary act of his own, sets his name with the sum subscribed, which sum is expected to be paid up in the course of the year -in some churches it has been much confined to the members only as subscribers -others, where they have a written subscription, have proposed it to the congregation, as well as to their own particular members, which proposition has appeared gratifying to many of our friends, and their aid considerably felt in the support of the ministry. Some churches have objected to a subscription, and have submitted to the several members, to act at their own discretion -when to contribute to their preacher, and the amount, as it might be convenient, or never, if not disposed to do it; the latter of which has often been.
Other meetings have sometimes calculated the sum necessary to be raised, and the several members, by mutual agreement have submitted to the deacons, or some other two or three members of their body, who are acquainted with their circumstances, to judge what the proportion of each shall be, and have found no hindrance to the peace and tranquility of such churches -for, if such a mode should prove burthensome to an individual under some distressing circumstance, it is made known to his brethren and the person sympathized with, and his burthen removed. But with the curious, there may be a great anxiety to know what the preachers get -for the conclusion is often that they get a great sum, though the person so concluding never gave anything, neither does he know where it comes from -but it must be so, they get a great deal of money -for the satisfaction of such we will give them a candid relation of the matter. Most of our preachers do receive some aid from their brethren and friends, without which they would not be able to go as much as they do -but as far as we are acquainted, they have never received to that amount (exclusive of their own care and industry) what would support them, and enable them to travel and dispense the gospel -it has been found necessary for the preachers with us, to accustom themselves to farming, mechanical business, or some honest course of industry, and train their families to labor -without which they would have become a reproach to the cause, and their traveling abroad to preach the gospel much obstructed.
But there are several reasons why public characters lie neglected. Time was when preaching was a lucrative job, and men divined for hire. So soon as the gospel was preached in its simplicity, it was readily supposed the propagators acted fro m purer motives than the former, and lest any should be prejudiced, there was an objection raised to receiving what was necessary, and which would have been expedient under other circumstances: another reason; the Baptists, generally speaking, are of the common people, and low in circumstances in the world; and feel their difficulties in providing for themselves and families, and therefore much is not to be expected from them -besides, in early times of the gospel among us, the preachers could have no view of gain, or worldly honor; there was no such temptation offered, but quite the reverse -they were exposed to sneers, ridicule, reproach and contempt -bonds, afflictions, persecutions, and distress, marked their way as sheep appointed for the slaughter; so that had their inclination for gain been never so strong, the circumstance in which things were, at once forbid their succeeding in such lucrative views; it does not appear to be the mind of Christ, that His ministers were to accumulate and hoard up wealth by their preaching the gospel; a competency is what the great lawgiver has assigned H is servants, and they are entitled to no more. They that preach the gospel shall live of the gospel -it is, by far, greater satisfaction to the man of God, when he can make his way in traveling and preaching without receiving anything from the people -for the two following reasons: when a laborer in the vineyard examines himself respecting the motives which inclined him to preach, how satisfactory to the mind when he can readily decide it was not gain, honor, nor anything of a worldly nature that proved a stimulus -but a consciousness of duty, out of love to Christ, and bowels of compassion to the human family -and an earnest desire for the conversion of souls, and a general spread of the kingdom of God among men. A second reason -when a collection hath been spoken of, for the preacher, the motion has been treated with so much indifference, and often by those from whom a different conduct might be expected, together with severe reflections, they are all after money -and many (as we hope) of the truly pious seem never to have taken up the idea of the expense of constant traveling, wearage of clothes and horse, the giving up interesting business at home, leaving wife and children to shift for themselves, and the melancholy reflection of almost continual absence from family -but we suppose this last conclusion is from the retired situation that such Christians are placed in, the little acquaintance they have with traveling, and that they are at but little expense, being supplied by the productions of their own manufactures, by which means they become contracted, and lose that generosity of sentiment that ought to occupy the breast of each heir of glory.
Under these circumstances, the laborer, seeing and hearing how the subject is treated, cannot fail shattering and wounding his feelings; and naturally leads him to desire he could fulfil the work of the ministry without receiving anything as a compensation for his labors -but where the preacher is poor, so that he cannot go without help, better for him to reconcile himself to inward wounds, and outward aspersions, than flop in the progress of his ministry, or lay down the gospel of salvation. But there is a considerable difference between thirty or forty years past, and the present time, as to the conduct of the populace towards ministers- prejudices are much conquered, and their judgments better informed -so that preachers of late are not held up in contempt as formerly; whether it arises from want of zeal for God, honesty and faithfulness to man, and a want of circumspection in life and conversation, or whether it arises from an opposite behavior, we will not, with confidence, assert.
The conclusion among the honest and laborious is, that they are to go and preach as much as in their power lies -it being the principle they first set out on, and the principle that still prevails; if the people to whom they preach be so confined and hard hearted that they refuse to deal out to Christ's servants that which is just and equal, and which is enjoined on them that are taught in the word -a people thus negligent must abide the consequence to their own master- they stand or fall, but the laborer is not to measure his duty by their conduct, nor slacken his diligence and engagedness because of their negligence. So far from giving up the work-, that there appears a greater necessity for standing on Zion's walls and sounding the alarm, and holding up the signal of approaching danger - shudder not at poverty nor disgrace, when employed in declaring the divine counsel, and spreading the favor of the knowledge of Christ -it is a point acknowledged that he that labors with one hand for his daily bread, and with the other hand holds out the gospel of life, is entitled to double honor -but how trifling the honor conferred by man, in comparison with that honor which comes from God -the great shepherd will one day appear, and bestow a crown of life, and welcome all His faithful servants into the joy of their Lord.
|
|
