st books are
always few, and they must be read over and over again when other men are
reading the 'great number of books and papers of amusement that come
daily in their way, and which most perfectly fall in with their idle way
of reading and considering things.' And, then, such a minister must
store up what he reads, if not in a good memory, then in some other
pigeon-hole that he has made for himself outside of himself, since his
Master has not seen fit to furnish him with such a repository within
himself. And, then, after all that,--for a good minister is not made
yet,--understanding and memory and industry must all be sanctified by
secret prayer many times every day, and then laid out every day in the
instruction, impression, and comfort of his people. And, then, that
privileged people will be as happy in possessing that man for their
minister as the sheep of Immanuel's Land were in having Knowledge set
over them for their shepherd. They will never look up without being fed.
They will every Sabbath-day be led by green pastures and still waters.
And when they sing of the mercies of the Lord to them and to their
children, and forget not all His benefits, among the best of their
benefits they will not forget to hold up and bless their minister.

But, then, there is, nowadays, so much sound knowledge to be gained, not
to speak of so many books and papers of mere pastime and amusement, that
it may well be asked by a young man who is to be a minister whether he is
indeed called to be like that great student who took all knowledge for
his province. Yes, indeed, he is. For, if the minister and interpreter
of nature is to lay all possible knowledge under contribution, what must
not the minister of Jesus Christ and the interpreter of Scripture and
providence and experience and the human heart be able to make the
sanctified use of? Yes, all kinds and all degrees of knowledge, to be
called knowledge, belong by right and obligation to his office who is the
minister and interpreter of Him Who made all things, Who is the Heir of
all things, and by Whom all things consist. At the same time, since the
human mind has its limits, and since human life has its limits, a
minister of all men must make up his mind to limit himself to the best
knowledge; the knowledge, that is, that chiefly concerns him,--the
knowledge of God so far as God has made Himself known, and the knowledge
of Christ. He must be a student of his Bible night an