Case study #10: John Griffith reflects on the dangers of premature encouragement

We (mostly) welcome the emergence of new gifts for service and leadership in our meetings. One does hear, from time to time, of meetings that are too “top-heavy” with older people in roles of responsibility, leaving no apparent way in for new voices. But mostly, I think, our meetings are eager to add younger (or at least newer) Friends to committees and other roles within the meeting. It is naturally the case that new gifts will first be glimpsed in ministry in the meeting for worship, because of its freedom.
An encouraging word (“Thee was favored” is the classic model) can be comforting and strengthening to a person who feels that their rising to speak was a risk and maybe presumptuous. To know that the offering was gratefully received by at least one other Friend helps the newcomer to grow in their sense that they have found a spiritual home. But the situation is a little more complex if the young person suspects that they may have a calling to the ministry in (something like) the traditional sense. Encouragement can then seem like affirmation of that calling and gift, when there has not been time for clarity. Moreover, it is not often understood at the early stage that the service of the ministry is not an individual. matter, not a personal adornment or accompishment, but rather is a service which emerges from prayer, and from the corporate matrix of worship. The gift is best employed when the minister has done the work of separating affirmation of faithfulness from the pleasing (or reassuring) of the ego.
John Griffith speaks from his own experience about how encouragement can stimulate overconfidence and a too-rapid growth in a person in whom a gift of ministry is emerging.

I have found my mind engaged to be somewhat particular concerning the manner of my entering into the work of the ministry, to stand by way of caution and proper encouragement to others, who may peruse the same; having in the course of my observation had cause to fear proceeded very far, to their own great wounding, and the hurt of others, in bringing forth untimely fruit, which is exceedingly dangerous, and carefully to be avoided.

You will note the language of fear and danger that is woven into his narrative — this will be the subject of a future essay.
He notes that as he came to accept the possibility that service in public ministry might be a callling for him, he was encouraged inwardly according to his faithfulness. In addition, it helped him begin to find a place within the community life of the meeting.
As I was enabled to wait on my ministry, I experienced a considerable growth and enlargement ; and, in a faithful discharge of duty therein, great peace and heavenly consolation, like a pleasant stream, flowed into my soul. I also found, that it was a means of engaging the minds of friends, in a sweet and comfortable nearness of unity with me, which I had never before so largely and livingly felt.

This, I think, was in some measure my own experience. Even though (like many others) I felt that I had “come home” when I found Friends, I was not “at home” in the sense of being at ease: shy and introverted, I made my way in communnity life with some difficulty. Yet when the urge to speak in worship brought me to my feet, fear and diffidence mostly fell away, and I could speak, often authentically, out of some place of inward growth. With a sense that my contributions were often helpful, I, too, experienced some increase in capacity. (One elder Friend said to me with a smile over coffee one morning, “You have grown, you know. You used to just blurt, but now you do better.” )
As I was reading in the journals, however, I began to realize that I might be experiencing what Friends once saw as a calling to the ministry, a sustained gift and task. Thisi made me vulnerable to a longing for confirmation of that suspicion, and therefore every time I rose to my feet, the stakes were higher, and affirmation had two levels of meaing — ̉the first, and most important was that instance, that morning, I had been faithful, but the second was some verification of my calling, my self-coception. This blending of self with gift takes some time to disentangle, and until it is done, the needs of one’s ego for affirmation can be intrusive and distracting. But, except for the old journals, it was long before I found anyone to guide me (or take me in hand) except some other young people, just learning about their own gifts. This was a blessing I have always been grateful for, but mutual support was not the same as guidance from a more experienced Friend.  One can stumble about for a long time in such a situation.

John Griffith notes at this point that
Many young well-minded people, and some others of little experience, seemed to admire my gift, and would sometimes speak highly of it, which they did not always forbear in my hearing. But oh how dangerous this is, if delighted in by ministers! It may be justly compared to poison, which will soon destroy the pure innocent life. My judgment was against it; yet I found something in me, that seemed to have no aversion thereunto, but rather inclined to hearken to it, yet not with full approbation. The same thing in me would want to know, what such and such, who were in most esteem for experience and wisdom, thought of me. I sometimes-imagined such looked shy upon me, which would much cast me down; all which, being from a root or fibre of self, I found was for judgment, and must die upon the cross, before I was fit to be trusted with any great store of gospel treasure.
I begun also to take rather too much delight myself in the gift; which had not divine goodness in mercy, by a deep and distressing baptism kindly prevented, might have opened a door for spiritual pride (which is the worst of pride) to have entered in, to my ruin.

During the apprenticeship in the minstry, such distracting concerns with one’s self-worth can interfer with one of the challenges for discernment that any Friend will recognize: Is this compelling image or thought to be shared, or not? It is perhaps hardest when early in the ministry to recall Joseph Hoag’s advice that  the minister must learn as well as teach.

I have given some hints how it was with me, by way of preparative for the great and important work of the ministry, and the danger of my being misled ; even at sometimes when I had right openings, and felt the sweet efficacious virtue of the love of God, through Jesus Christ, to mankind : which, doubtless, is the sensible experience and enjoyment, at times, of every faithful follower of Christ, who never was called to the work of the ministry.
I was in those days apprehensive of some danger of being led out at that door ; but I have since more fully and perfectly seen the danger of this and other by-paths, which would have led me to give that away to others, which I was to live upon myself; and out of the humble dependant state, in which only there is safety, to have a will and way of my own, that I might be furnished and enriched with much treasure.
But sincerity of heart, and my endeavours to preserve the single eye, through the watchful care of immediately fitted and supplied, every time Divine Providence over me, brought the day of the Lord upon it all: so that I eame clearly to see, and experimentally to know, my sufficiency was of God; that there must be a steady dependance on the Lord, to be was to engage in this solemn service.

The meeting, especially those who (officially or otherwise) act as elders in guiding and encouraging ministers, especially “infant ministers,” has difficulties of discernment, too. It is one thing to welcome new gifts with joy; but that is not the same as helping (under guidance from the Teacher of teachers) to form and nurture the emerging gifts, so that the new minister finds her way towards maturity in the service. It is important not to rush to praise or censure!

The meeting I then belonged to was large, and a valuable weighty body of Friends therein ; who, as far as I could observe by their carriage, did own and approve of my weak and low appearance in this service : yet they used Christian prudence, not to lay hands suddenly, but gave me full opportunity to make proof of my ministry, and to feel my feet therein.

But remember that John was inwardly struggling with the tension that arose from his growth in the service, and the temptations to take it personally, so to speak, and to grow not only in confidence, but in self-confidence, in which a dependence on the Spirit’s guidance is the root and touchstone of a growth and service in integrity. Some discerning Friends could see the situation:
I have reason to think, that solid friends, by observing my large growth in the top, with spreading branches, were in fear of my downfall, in case of a storm.

Here, in my experience, is a situation when a more experienced minister is very able to offer a word in season, to sympathetically help the young minister recognize what’s going on, and see what the necessary inward work is that they should be attending to:
... sincerity of heart, and my endeavours to preserve the single eye, through the watchful care of immediately fitted and supplied, every time Divine Providence over me, brought the day of the Lord upon it all: so that I eame clearly to see, and experimentally to know, my sufficiency was of God; that there must be a steady dependance on the Lord, to be was to engage in this solemn service.

I ardently desire, that all who have the least apprehension of being called into the work of the ministry, may dwell in an holy dread of the divine presence, and know their own wills wholly subjected to the divine will, waiting for a distinct and clear certainty of the Lord’s requirings, not only in entering upon it at first, but also at all other times. And as self comes to be laid in the dust for ever, they will receive undeniable evidence, in their own minds, of the certainty of their mission; and they will not be without a testimony thereof, from the witness for God in the consciences of mankind, amongst whom they are sent to minister. They will be a savour of life to the living in the truth, and of death to those who are in a state of death.

Let it ever be remembered, that nothing of, or belonging to, man, can possibly add any lustre or dignity to so divine a gift. Neither will the best and most curiously adapted words or doc trine, ever so truly and consistently delivered, be any more than as founding brass, or as a tinkling cymbal, without the power, light, and demonstration of the spirit of Christ.