The Benevolent Work of the Church, and the Report of the Committee of Twenty-One [pp. 246-272]

1872.] THE BENEVOLENT WORE OF THE CHURCH. 271
The single treasury is desirable and practicable, if the Church
determines to have its organizations consolidated as near to
unity and economy as possible. On any other ground it is
an open question and of minor importance.
On the subject of MINISTERIAL RELIEF, the report simply
proposes a spccial committee of practical men, able to investigate the matter thoroughly, through whose labors and
counsels the Church might in due time choose wisely from
the many methods, in vogue or proposed, for effecting this
important object. The matter was felt to be one of highest
moment to our ministers and their families. Much solicitude
was known to prevail in regard to it. In the judgment of
many, and those who have given most attention to the subject, it is believed that this vital interest calls for further
legislation, and that the solution of the problem will demand
the very highest wisdom which the Assembly can bring to it.
But as this subject was thoroughly discussed in the July
number (1871) of the Atncmcc~u Prcsbytcrian licv~w by one
of its editors, we barely allude to it in this paper.
It has been claimed that "the only want," to make our
present methods all we could reasonably desire, is a revival
of religion. This, most of all things, is certainly our need.
The solemn truth cannot be too often and earnestly urged
upon ourselves, publicly, socially, and in our private communings. (1 Cor. iii. 5-7.) Nor can we too urgently seek
this Divine help. Yet, "spirituality did not so monopolize
the apostles, as to dispossess from their minds all value for
the matter of extenial regulation, or cause them to undervalue, as an object unworthy of their most earnest attention,
the`outward business of the house of God.' There is nothing in the doctrine of spiritual influence, or the undoubted
proposition, that whatever is true and good in religion, is a
product of the Holy Spirit's operations; there is nothing in
all this, which supercedes the importance, or the uses of
external machinery.'' *
* Dr. Chalmers on the "Outward Business of the House of God."