200 years ago this past May, Lemuel Haynes (@theBlackPuritan) preached his resignation sermon to the West Rutland congregation he had pastored for 30 years. It was titled "The Sufferings, Support, and Reward of Faithful Ministers" 1/
It is one of the longest of his sermons (that I've found published) and is predicated on his resigned surrender to what he felt was the church's slander and mistreatment of him. 2/
He said, "I lived with the people of Rutland for 30 years, and they were so sagacious that at the end of that time they found out I was a n****r, and so turned me away." The sermon is a biblical promotion of faithful shepherding & sincere testimony to pastoral suffering. 3/
Some highlights: "Faithful ministers derive strength from Christ to preach, and discharge ministerial duties." (As opposed to from their congregations, by implication.) 4/
On when a minister is unfairly treated: "It may be the case that people do all they can to destroy his influence and come forward with this hypocritical plea, 'the man's usefulness is at an end' and so cloak their wickedness under the garb of religion." 5/
"Lying about the ministers of Christ has been a common thing." 6/
"How can I rest, how can I sleep, when so many of my congregation are exposed every moment to drop into hell!" 7/
"Oh! how affecting to a pious minister, to see the flock, that was the delight and joy of his heart and once committed to his charge, become an easy prey to the enemy of their souls!" 8/
Here's a beauty for all who suffer: "The scars and signals of sufferings in the cause of God that his people carry with them will procure more illustrious monuments than pillars of marble." 9/
Anyways, there's a lot more. Nearly every week in some venue I hear from or about pastors being cruelly mistreated by their congregations. They have little recourse. We hear about bad pastors all the time. Nobody's watchblogging bad churches. I'm not saying they should! 10/
But many pastors (and their wives and kids) suffer in silence, b/c raising complaint or arguing their case only makes it worse & can honestly affect being hired. So they hand it to the Lord, wipe their eyes, and move on - tender, skittish, wounded. 11/
If that's you, maybe find you a copy of this Haynes sermon. Make a cup of coffee or tea, sit down and read it. It is doctrinal & careful, and yet firm & resolute. If they'd had microphones in 1818, he would've dropped one at the end. Faithful are the wounds of a friend. 12/12
