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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmis en commengant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre film6s d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est filmd d partir de I'angle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite. et de haut en bas. en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 mmrnt THE RECIPROCAL DUTIES OP PASTOR AND PEOPLE. 1 1 ^a I A. SERMOI^, Preached Before the Deanery of Shediac, AT MONCTON, N. B., DEC. 15th, 1874, BY REY. D. NICKERSO]^^, A. M., RECTOK OP SACKVILLE, AMD Published by Request of the Deanery. SACKVILLE, N. B. : PJilKTED AT THE OFFICE OF THE CHIGNECTO POST. AND J. & A. McMillan, si. john, n. b. , (.11 "u... IV irai!^qpipipniip||p R PR] wmm^i^m ■SF^r ^Si!UWI* i Aii uviimmmmf^miig^ A ^ THE RECIPllOCAL DUTIES OF PASTOH AND I'EOPLE. -♦« ^r- »«' A. SlilRMOi^, PREACHED BEFORE THE BEANERY OF SUEDIAC, AT MONCTON, N. B., DEC. lOm, 1874, BY REV. 1). KICKERSOX, A. M.. RECTOR OF 8ACKV1LI.E, AND Published by Reqiicsl of llic Doaiiny. SACKVILLE, N. B. : PRINTED AT THE OFFICE OF THE CUIGNECTO POST. AND J. & A. McMillan, st. john, n. b. t^^^^^^m^mmr ■^^ wpi fvmi mm TO THE READER. An?rL'«'tw"^ '*K™T' ""*" originally prepared for the St. Andrew s Deanery about a year ago, and preached before it ; but being requested to preach at the late meeting of the Deanery at Shediac the writer blinking that he could not bring a more U8^ef«l •r practical subject before the clergy, determined to repeat it. It h^inJ^l'^'Kl-Prf '''*^*°'"'''"' "^""^^ ^i'h«»t any idea of its erer mav!ir«o' '^' ^^""^ P.'''^" ^ ^^"^ P"^'^° °'*'^ i» the hope that it SfL J^ Z""^^; ?^,?«Py'"g «°IJ the usual time of a sermon ciehvered as a part of the service of the English Church, it is necessarily but a glance at a large subject. J9SJ^ •w^^ '.-lH^i^-"" s i-; 11 :\[ ON. Study to shew thyself .'^pprovid mito (ioil. — vl' Tim. 11. 15.) It has sceii.nd good to .ne, my l.rothron, of tho clergy and luily, that the If^vand simple words which are to compose the address or this ino. inner, c,i,.,ii aim at p(.i„ti„or out an plainly as possible the rec.procal duties we ow,- o.-u-h othrr as (.jc.^uy and people. Tor th.H IS a subj.?et wo should all hear of oneo in a whii.-, as it is one ot the most iraportanl that c.m oceu()y our attention. We eaj. easily judge of this from the fact that when tho relation-? exist- ing between a rector and his people are 8uc!i as they ou-ht to be on both SK.e., tiow rapidly (io.r.s work prouresses in th °t parish low the intorests of His Jhurch are advanced. How consequent, y the pan.^hionors by haying more regard for relioion become bet- ter and ho her men and women, and more an\iv,us to be ready in every good word and work for God and His Chuvoh. How the pastor s happiness increases in a ratio corresponding with his suc- cess, and how Imht and omilhlent is his step, and ready his smile for every one as he goes about his Master's work. On tho oth-r hand when these reciprocal relations are not what they ou^ht to be, what a dillercnt picture to this meets the eve. (iod's^'work and His Church l,oth languish in that parish, for "it is a house div- ided ajrainst itself, and must on the authority of Christ certainly na?t u . '''^y\^'-^ •^^••<>"J?ly oppo..ed to cuch Other, each pmty usually endeavormg to have everything in their own ^ay. Ihe usual, because natural results always follow, of inditrerenco and languor in some, dispersion with 'otht>rs ; and. such is the teeakness of our human nature, often mutual reproach, and some- cundarwL'^lT'''^ ^"^' "''^'^'^ ""^' conse(iuer.tly the unpleasant scandal which in every case is sure to follow, and spread far and neai . As then all, and more (especially those vvho have ever ex- perienced parochial difficulties, can readily understand bow un- pleasant they may become ; we shall all, clergy and people, be the niore wdhng to consider the things that make, not only fo peace but for progress for Christ's Kingdom, ami the spiritual JeK and happiness of its members. "«»are ■»v — 6- In any chrintian community, my brelbrcn, clorgymcn arc a n«- cessity, and probably will be whilo tbe world staiuLs. Thoy cer- tainly will be while men continue to be as they are, the good ami the cril min«:led together ; and if it is true that the tares and wlicat are to jj[row together till the the harvest, we may nay they Tiill certainly be necessary till then. They are necessary for thre« reasons ; the lirst of which is as a bulwark between men and their doubts. We all kn»w there are many who have neither the time, nor the inclination, nor the edueation to test their belief of tho Bible, l)y reading and studying /or themselves. Novv if at any time a disposition to doubt the truth of their religion crosses their minds, they often think (Irst of their own minister, who is, we will say, a man of undoubted piety and learning; and then, to put it biierty, of all the clergy in the worl(\ who are devoting their lives to preaching the (iospel. Tliess men they think are not wearing themselves out in a cause they doubt the truth of, espe- cially when the worldly inducements to labour in the service aro so few. We can more readily understand this by thinking of tho fall and disgrace of any clergyman from his position. Every ono at once exclaims : "What a bhw to religion !" And naturally so. For they argue mentally that when leaders are weak or in- bincere, what can be expected of the followers. In the second place if a particular church is to tluive, or even to maintain an existence in a community, the exporienco of all mankind in all ages, bears testimony to the truth that it muit have an acknowledged head or leader in ihat place. If it has no head to conduct and keep it together, it very soon sulfcrs the in- evitable consequence of death. In the third place a clergyman is a necessity in a community not only to keep down immorality and wickedness, but to incite both by example and precept those who are servants of (Jod to contio- ued exertions. There are some unthinking people in the world who do not believe this. Indeed there have been some thinking men who have not believed it either. As however the value of some things may be learned from their absence, think for a moment what' any community would become if the restraining effects of re- ligion were removed. What would this town become in a moral point of view, if on Sundays no place of worship was ever open? If the word of God was never preached at all? If children came into the world, grew up :*ud passed their lives not only without the sacred rite of Baptism , but without the moral training of the {Sunday Schooi, or home intluences either? If the sick were to di« without the blessed consolations of our holy religion ; and were eonsig; bereavi religioi marriai after th cd to gr no rem vested commu Just as follow t If th point is one wl mission can fee whom t *'I h Lxn.(j An •' 1 hi "1 hr XXIII. And niakes f laity oc( Birth d( laity ma cation, o can exis the cler^ man anc (.'hurch t positive dination We have thankful late you I validity more val pecially i to be lax jy prevaj ■»v — 7— ronsigueil to the curlh without ,i wor.l .iihor of oomfmt fr... ,i Lcreaved mourner, or or hope Ibr the l.un.^ ino^u"^ ^^^^ inarniige r* Ihose who htivo reac of Uio slmIo of mniniitv. ;« i.^ eommuniu would ,1« i„ ti,u„ ir,,e,.,m. Uv .!,■» ■ vc 1 ntVi .rt? one whom his people and hi .«M,m cZ,ul-'r,„.,, '"""'' J.XII.oT '" "»td,men upon tl.i wall,, () ,Jc,-„.s«lo„.."_, |-. And not of tho!)e of wliom lie savs : ;_ I mve not sent these prophets- yet they niii : ^iXllLll)""' '^'""'" '" "'""'-y'-" "'^y l'™.^l'osied.--,.l,,,.. makes a clergyman. .So-ial position .1,,,., noi. ibi- n a,7, f 1 1 aty occupy better pesilious socially ihan uinv of ti^ i .Nation is Usible, briu^r/irLSUe ^faTa, e^XTcK" liankful; and you have reason brethern of th,. l.iH- V„ „ . :"o;c'?a,ui'c''ar;r it't r -rs ::^:!t^ i[ 't-'A ,y prevalent that you may Ve'.>„ wha: yo, plcLc,/o ?»"?".: tt *'»"»^*f •*'*~-^"*H(B — 8— r^L'V,,',1,''t ''?,';; «r 1» on oarlh. The,,, we shall be as aiisreU an I il™ f '. ? '" we arc human an.l mortal. •ni,.re we m-u. . ,., ' ^"^ be an.elic porleetion, an,l ,„||. e.n ,1 no , li, "'V:;': '"'" "'" liloyinents an.l aim oimlit to he tl e ailti -ati m ,i,r '„ ' ' T ?'"" :."n,a„ perfection. FoV e.xa._n,.ie in lu'a; Vn ' ii ie i":^;'",', "If .e . one aw.a, v,hile here, marriage i, liui„.,r,,b " I ! X Kno»ving then, bretheni of llio laiiy no.-, when •■> wo ,)nr:., «;or wlien „. begin tlmt we lower m .^re^^tri ' i'le'" ''"": .leservcdiy forfeit the esteem and re^pmot' o poop e'S; ,:; we tnasmuy „nv otHce, the saered oniej that Go ' I m i-iv^n ,w when we .speak, ftel that we speak bv virti e of oi rol er «„ 5 ron, any inherent good o. right i„ ourscive^. In, b^U,?™ wl' have a ! to t this. We uuvo all felt .at time, when ', n,^"beVo"' Ibe Almighty to minister, that in. the eongregat.o. t e I'oVay ,^ arc bound to I c r u ,,,' ' , , ^ "i^ f^"''^^-; I^'^^'^'^ -^"^"gf' i vet tl.ey not proHaim ourselves, but Ilim '^For T ul of i V "'^ """^ '*" •spirii of fear; but of novv.. • n,l . r i f^'' "o^S'ven us the proclaiirm tn f i.,> o. i . , ^'I'leci ol Cxod to declare H s will s!^"m " vf f|'™l .'';; «"f' -f a»ti"" lUo „,o.s.ge oC ,. croc i '4omrortHbl^ on o,r4vt i. Ari'r"'"?^^ "-'-'' '■"' '''^'= "'« truly tun, tollin," a I XTL?. T'"' ""'" '"' ^'"=°' "'-'t bread „,,o., tl,o ' »n',rSo . , ''V''-'':=f' '« """■«'l ofcousccrat,.! plan V cnouoli in ill il„.»,. "•,,"' '"*'■"''■ '"""•«l- les, it appears ifton the .on , cc^ t ' , IVr . 'J-':'':'w,^' """""" '"'» • ^<> ^l'^"- thino-s'- So II nf t „ ; , " -^ ' ^^ ''" "* sullicicnt for these in aSe ana're i' L"";::,' t't'tlvllMir"""-? ™'"" '*"'■'"" "-" -uic,. requires r;.rsV;,';T;,;-^^^^^^^^^^ wnWUIUiiiii \mmmm —10— FoTTLn[u^'"''uf 'Y'''\ ^^^^'Penence tells us this is the cas.. i^oi If due thought and study of how work may best be done no thes'^hrnirtho'd';"-' '^ "^' ^'^''''^ '' ''' '- «ot me^tateou uiese things , the deficiency is soon manifest enoufrh in some un- ortunate m.stuke, or lamentable failure. All history loo and lie ives and .leeds of all great men in every walk of lib, bea a.„ e Ht r;^ iT f "''' "^'1^ '""'"^ "^ ^'^"^•^''^"S, not by rushing blindly trl % -7 '''' '''"'^ expecting it to solve itself; or lookin- for- sorae fortuitous concatenation of circumstances to canv us^'tH: umphantly through; but by dwelling upon it and Vevolv nc. it diligently, carefully, and prayerfully in our minds ir. the privacv of our own closets, until with our Father's blessing we eeou. way tluough the d.mculty. St. Paul knew this wefl enou'h T e paradox that thought arcomplishes more than action w'; pKhi enough to him ; and that no doubt was why he told TimoUiv t^ through him all faithful ministers to '^stu/y'L shew rem dv^s TthTth;^"' T- ""'' ^^^"^^'^''^ S^^'^'^^ ^ J^-O" from "abo bo that when questions arise, and we know them them to be in every variety and frequency in recurring, we mav folSw the in" junction contained in text, and study the matter. " Ob eire wl a our conscience- according to its enlightenment tells us 100? w 11 we should do. Ask His guidance and direction in the matter aid that He will vouchsafe His heavenly light that the rough place m"! v:iro;trtr:;l;: ^"' ''' '''''' '-'' '^'y^^^^y thea.:on,hi. The text however, and the point it brings before our uotfce though but one part of our duty, is yet the basis of a others answeicd by t. Ihe whole of our duty, I need scarcely remind yon, may be learnt as well from these Epistles, as f^m 111 else Ton n;'-^"n"^"r. ''" «"»'-'^«t' ^"^^ '»«yoi have hean the found mlLtJ o l" "'' '''^'r ^" ''' "^'^'' ^^^ ^'' consistently w Ih ^Studv to .hnw f '"?^' ^ '"^T ^° ^<^J^^'afio» and amus4ent? btudy to shew thyself approved unto (iod," for sufficient thoucrht ui)on the queston will .^variably lead to 'the discov r t"a S amusements must be tempered and regulated by our reliction O litv- ^ ; aU ff\' '^^^.^^ T«"^' '^y P-P'« without parU. 4lit>. how shall I best win their love and respect? how shall 1 apportion my work to accomplish most? hbw shall I pray?worsh d and preach best? The answer to all Is -Study trshewThse r What IS Ihs w,!i ? That is the only <)nostiQu with which wo hare — n— to concern ourselves. I we do his will too. what so many aie unduly anxious to obtain, the favor of theii- fellow-men must fol- low ; for we have the truth propouuded for the extreme case, whif-h always includes tlie intermediate degrees, "When a man's ways please the J.ord, vArl^^- ^^'*^^*' ^^'^^^ '''^ enemies to be at peace witii him" (Prov. XVI. i .) Note this fact, then particularly, that it is (iod we have to please, and let us endeavor to keep our eye fixed singly upon that truth. Xt IS the oidy real safeguard the faithful i.riest or deacon can havp. while It 18 ever the surest gaarantee of success; for the opposit'> upon the authority of Holy Writ will always get one into troubl--. "Ihe (ear of man briu;:eth a snare," (Prov. XXIX. 20.) and, ''lo have respect of persons is not good : \XVnf**->^ P'*^'-c «<■ breanust be borne in "s thou look to Ih. .mnister IW U oo ' v ' n" '""?-: ^^^ oa t.n ; 7; ' "'' '"''" our day ai tinK>th^. 'nu'l;,.^-^ ' s .^T^! i:;!;;! ">"^" ^•-- sub ect thul manv < ee.n ii ir / ' ^''^"^''-^ niu.stered c;..t hook to u„.,.,..s'ui;;;;'u:,t, ;;;:l:;;, :; t;: ■ v';/l;:e'"riS- in tliis ilian tiie'liiw, ,•...' ,' , "^ "" "'°'''= P'iesl-cMft is ill:: it iriir n^ii-^lt'oV^iK*' l::,tr '""';," "".r ="-• ''"i^-" work l,i» ,«,isl> inhiaCtvav "^ ' ' "'""' ""-' """i^^" '" iia a The — 13— be their clergyman, b-.t usualiy thai he may build up the parish, aid in tlie spread of religion, and tlie advance of the churcli. Now Je 18 supposGd to know something of governing his parish, and if lie 18 judicious and careful, may be allowed to -overn it in his own way. ^hou ( a majority of the pari.honers oppose him, their opinion would and ought to have great weight, though it is well to remember that majorities are not always right. ]5ut when one has one way to propose, and another,' another, while a third comes with a different one still ; the minister can only follow hia own Ideas especially if opposed to them all. T.ie great safeanard in every case however for all is charity; and a belief in the right mo- tives of each other though there may be mistakes. Love tSo, will accomplish much in the way of agreement, while time will always bring the right to the sui face ; and where no great interests are at stake. It IS often a useful thing to be able to wait. iiut there is another thought it is well to remember. It is that the people should be us lenient us they can with the faults of their minis er. All clergymen have to give up much in taking their sacred profession. They are after all but human bein-s with a sacred ofhce ; and will consequently exhibit to a certain cxf.ent the usual weaknesses of their a.cre, as every age has its weakness. VShen these are wrong or sinful, no condemnation ca.dd be too strong, liut many things ought not to be magnified as sinful, which are really not so. The influence of tne Puritans has per- raeated society to such an extent ever since their times that an assumption of sanctity, is often more acceptable to many, than an noucst, open, manly Christianity. The one they !hink, show^ a realization of the responsi!)ilities of iiis position ; the other they deem light and llippant. The truth is however, that in nearly eyery case the hearty, manly christinu is tlu; truer one. This is simply because the Almighty has given us all powers of enjoyment, and intended us to make use of them. If then a man never smiles, 11 he has had no great life-long trouble, there is soxolhiu'r wron^r jibout him, and his c'.iristianity. Usually he will be found to be iiypocriticai, lor constant gravity is natural to verv few, and is most commonly assumed. It is no sign that a minister is not a gOQc one If he can be pleasant and merry in his manner, so long as there is is no absurd levity or flippancy which would degrade Jus sacred olllce. '^ When leal faults exist also, if not a reproach they ought to be Dome with, or smoothed over, or corrected if possible. The cler- iJ) man's position is a dilllcult one to fill. Ho must be sociable and exactly so far. lis must be a good visitor ; a good and faithful ■T-- '*.C^3«»Jff.«»-*— ft^,?** *< tlMir rf,fl tv" Absolute^ ntf^'.P.f ™"^ 'P'*'l'"8 '" ''"' ''««' "f they c«r,noi for Then aU elsHX ^'^^r""' H."' ""'' " '^ ''e" i.D- would bl- deeded a fauir ' """ ■'"""= '""'^ ^''y P^'^^t- hifplpfe"' "!j't!l"'"' "■'■;'?'»■■,<'"?" to be cheerfully aided bv eu:* Vt'o' thedC therHrf r '" """""''"'' "^^ ^ ^"^ been ,vell aided by tbS aitv Thl if." Tm" '^^ ""^ "'""y" some cause or other is felt mir.\.. a rtifflculty too that for help him wkh thei SZu? itrtherrra^r R "1'^;^ "?' hold just manly in cheerful [iu8t nev- )le to a»' lever get se everj tious re- ill yet to ome one y to be ) best of is irell perfect- ided by shed for not pos- ave the School s. And always hat for fi' deno- fact is The I religi- church should nister? is very 1 good he did lid not ere is ! been, le res- ey are sciated well) ; »ly be. tial or —15— In conclusion may God bless us all clergy and peoole and mak« U3 more faithful servants of Himself. Then Hirrelig^on Sia abound and flourish more and more, and His Church inc ?ase Jor when the true love of Christ is in the hearts of both minister" and course, ^o true is it thai Christ's blessing always follows HiH service, to the attainment of happiness beth for this^worW and"" ' 'S' W*>!