The office of the clergyman correctly understood and rightly performed, is a high and important one. Many millions of people look to the clergy for their spiritual guidance, and for a true and full interpretation of the Scriptures. It is true that of late years the laity are becoming more their own Bible students, and their own preachers and interpreters of Holy Writ. They are growing more and more into the notion that they can do their own thinking, their own Bible reading, and their own praying. Yet notwithstanding this, as we have said, large numbers turn to the clergy as their priests and apostles in spiritual affairs.
It need scarcely be suggested then, that the clergy bear upon their shoulders a grave responsibility. Should they not, therefore, hesitate to attack or denounce, or in the slightest degree, raise their voice against any system whose purpose is even in the direction of good, although it differ from their standards? Not only so, but should they not carefully investigate and understand what it is they are attacking lest perchance they may be mistaken therein? If, for instance, any single utterance or sermon should prevent one person from coming into a better understanding of divine Truth, or from being healed of a disease (especially if it be beyond the reach of ordinary methods of healing), or relieved of a single pain or sorrow, they have thereby done a wrong to that person. Whatever is wrongful is sinful, and under our supposition, the clergyman is at least running the risk of committing a sin.
The only answer to this supposition would be the oft-repeated claim that the person's sickness might have a chastening effect and thereby bring the patient nearer to God, and thus the clergyman might be doing his friend a kindness in preventing his restoration to health. If this be the answer, may we not properly ask our clerical friend to be consistent and apply this rule as a general one? If it is God's will— and God's will is God's law that in this particular case the sick man should remain sick unto death that he might be chastened, is it not likely that a similar cause would have a similar effect in all cases? God's law is unvarying. Like cause produces like effect in every instance. God is not a capricious and vacillating God. The Scriptures unqualifiedly declare him to be "the same yesterday, to-day, and forever"; they also as unqualifiedly declare him to be the God of the living, not of the dead. Yet notwithstanding our clerical friend's supposititious answer, we have not the' slightest doubt but that if a dangerously sick parishioner should come to him for advice as to what he should do, he would without a moment's hesitation tell him to go to a physician and get cured if he could.
