The Religious Herald

Am I Called to Preach?

Am I called to preach the Gospel? How weighty and momentous a question is this! How often it steals unbidden into the desponding pastor's heart; as if questioning his right to stand in presence of the world as Christ's ambassador! And how painfully it sounds in the soul of the young man, who is in doubt concerning his duty. What a tempest of feelings—of conflicting hopes and fears, of desires and antipathies—it arouses in his breast!

And, assuredly, it is a great and painful question, which every man in the ministry should learn to solve most unhesitatingly and conscientiously! which every young man, whose heart is at all moved towards the ministry, should answer with sole and simple reference to his personal responsibility to God. By fervent prayer, by studying the Scriptures, by strict self scrutiny, by calm, patient attention to the voices and motions of the spirit of God within himself, and by observing the workings of outward Providences, he may arrive at a satisfactory conclusion. For, as sure as God calls men to be his ambassadors, He furnishes them with credentials to verify their appointment, at least to their own consciousness. And this verification should be earnestly sought. Without it no man should either remain in the ministry or seek to enter it. To preach uncalled, to run without being sent, to presume to stand unbidden in Christ's stead, what is it but to be a false shepherd, a spiritual impostor? or, to use the phrase of Vinet, to "steal the ministry." An awful sin! which cannot fail to bring a crushing anathema from Heaven on the heart of him, who through venality, or pride of talent, or carelessness is led to its commission.—Boston Herald.