A godly ministry
(John Angell James, "An
Earnest Ministry" 1847)
We can do nothing without a godly ministry.
Of all
the curses which God ever pours from the vials of
His wrath upon a nation which He intends to scourge,
there is not one so fearful as giving them up to an
unholy ministry.
I trust our churches will ever consider piety as the
first and most essential qualification in their pastors,
for which talents, genius, learning, and eloquence,
would and could be no substitutes. It will be a dark
and evil day when personal godliness shall be
considered as secondary to any other quality in
those who serve at the altar of God.
No ministry will be really effective, whatever may
be its eloquence, which is not a ministry of . . .
strong faith,
true spirituality, and
deep earnestness.