"Let us exerecise our minds"

This was the favourite saying of the man that first mentored me in
ministry.
A man of such dry wit that many could not see through his comical
asides.
A Victorian that some thought went to bed wearing his clerical
collar.
A deeply spiritual man and yet at the same time -
A man of incredible administrative ability.
When "reporting for duty" at the Manse he would always insist that
we "break off" from what we were doing to listen together to the
Morning Service on what was the equivalent then to Radio 4 (a
helpful practice I still religously follow all the years later).
Let us exercise our minds...
At the time I was doing this with a vengeance - having pastoral charge
of twelve country chapels, sharing in the ministry of eight others and
studying at Cambridge.
As you can imagine I became something of an athlete in things physical
and spiritual. It stood me on good stead for what was awaiting me just
over the horizon.
Many a time I had good reasdon to remember the dear friend who never
opened a meeting without a word of scripture and solemn prayer.
Bless him - who just now, in his nineties, is wrestling with the problems
that attend old age.
Can I pass on to you, at the beginning of this New Year, that pearl of
wisdom that he out of the goodness of his heart passed on to me his
probationer..
Let us exercise our minds - in the word of God and with solemn prayer.