The Central Presbyterian

An Apostate Minister—No Excuse for Infidelity.

A minister in whom the late Rev. Andrew Fuller had once placed entire confidence, and with whom he had for a long series of years been very intimate, fell into an awful public sin, and threw a blasting mildew over religion throughout an extensive community. In the very midst of the intense excitement created by the sad event, came the season for a public meeting of ministers, annually held in connexion with the Church. Some of the neighboring clergymen proposed the omission of the services on account of the state of the public mind, but to this arrangement Mr. Fuller very decidedly objected. The usual session was held, and Mr. Fuller himself appointed to preach. A vast crowd assembled, expecting of course, some allusion to his former friend; nor were they disappointed. The sermon was on the sins of professors of religion—their frequency, causes, and awful results. His feelings throughout were very tender, and many of his hearers, both clergy and laity, were, during the most of the sermon, in tears. He, however, restrained his emotions within bounds till he approached the close of his sermon. Then addressing the unconverted part of his audience, he besought them not to become hardened in their guilt, or neglect the salvation of their souls, because some who had borne "the vessel of the Lord" had sinned. "I need not," he added, with great tenderness of spirit, "make more distinct reference; but O, remember that if I, and these my brethren in the ministry, and every other professing Christian in the world, were to make shipwreck of faith and character, and to fall into crime like poor —, religion would be still the same grand system of truth and morality, and you would be eternally lost if you rejected it. The Lord Jesus Christ is the standard of character, and not poor sinners like us."