The Remembrance of God in our Youth, "Remember now thy Creator, in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, "And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter; and Peter remem- bered the word of the Lord, how he said unto him, 'Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.' And Peter went out, and "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."-Matt. "But when he heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not the physician, but they that be sick."-Matt. ix., 12. The Vision of the Olive-trees, "Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive- trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? And I answered again, and said unto him, What are these two olive-branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord. Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill, cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."— "Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of his calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his good- ness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, accord- ing to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus Christ."-2 Thess. A SERIES OF ARTICLES AND DISCOURSES. ARTICLE I. On the Importance of a Pious and Enlightened Ministry. THE Christian ministry is of Divine origin. It is the instrumentality by which the cause of truth, righteousness, and piety are maintained; the means ordained of God for the salvation of men. In the arrangements of Christ for the establishment of his kingdom in the earth, the institution of the gospel ministry is very prominent. He selected the men, trained them for the great and arduous work under his own eye, sent them forth to preach the word of truth, and gave them directions for perpetuating the holy order. The wisdom of this appointment has been demonstrated by the experience of the whole history of the gospel church. Every great interest needs special supervision; and the greater the interest, the more thorough and systematic should be the supervision by which its affairs are to be guarded and directed. And the guardian influence which is exerted by the ministry over the church, is clearly seen to be wisely adapted for the accomplishment of its great and momentous objects. It was designed of God to exert a great moral power over individuals and communities, for the advancement of the highest interests of mankind, both for time and for eternity. Hence, good men have always looked with anxious solicitude to the character and qualifications of the ministry. This solicitude is natural and right; for the state of public morals, and the prosperity of the church, depend, in a great degree, upon the piety, ability, and faithfulness of the gospel ministry. Both the state of the church, and the character of the times in which we live, require as devoted, as able, and as faithful a ministry as at any former period. The first and most important characteristic of a gospel ministry, is decided piety. This qualification is indispensable; it is demanded both by the Scriptures and the nature of the ministerial office, and, for the absence of which, nothing can atone. Unsanctified learning and talent will rather obstruct than advance the Redeemer's kingdom; will rather tarnish than promote the glory of God among men. Every Christian teacher should be a truly converted man, and should possess the graces of the Spirit in a strong, vivid, and prominent exercise. He should be truly and eminently a man of God; full of faith and the Holy Ghost; and should be rooted and grounded in love. Without a decidedly pious ministry, no church can possibly, for any length of time, sustain a devotional and spiritual character. Her graces will languish, her energies will dry up, and her spiritual life will vanish away. But, while piety is indispensable, it should not be forgotten that there are other qualifications, which are also essential in rendering a minister of the gospel useful and successful as a public teacher. The great head of the church would have an energetic, as well as an honest and devoted ministry. And hence, the necessity of looking into the intellectual, as well as the moral and religious character of the ministry. The enlightened age in which we live, and the general intelligence which is disseminated among all orders and conditions of men, obviously require an intellectual as well as a pious and devoted ministry. It is absurd to suppose that a man who possesses a rude and uncultivated mind, is properly qualified to preach the gospel with success, to a polished, intellectual, and intelligent congregation, merely because he is truly pious. Pious, he may be; but if his talents and learning are not sufficiently commanding to gain and fix the attention of his audience, he can be the means of doing them but little good. There seems to be a great absurdity in giving our children a polite and polished education, and then doom them to hear an uneducated ministry. Where education is widely diffused and disseminated among all classes of the community, as in this country, the ministry should also be educated, in order that they may become competent and useful teachers of the Christian religion. And if the church duly respect herself, and have a proper regard for the glory and honor of God, she will, with a proper feeling, insist on those qualifications in the ministry, which are essential in rendering them useful as pastors. That God has ordained an able as well as a devoted ministry for his church, is clearly manifest from the precepts of the Bible. The priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth. Neglect not the gift that is in thee. Meditate upon these things. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. These precepts speak a language clear, plain, and decisive; a language that cannot be misunderstood. And, |