Sometimes, it may be necessary for a pastor to leave their parish for a while to travel elsewhere. This should not be something done lightly according to Herbert, because the parish should be our greatest joy; ministers who are always looking outside for ministries to bring them joy, rather than to their own congregations, can be a menace — as can those who spend inordinate amounts of time thinking about things that are of little use to the flock to which they have been called as a shepherd.

That being said, when pastors are out and about they should not forget that they are pastors. They should not rip the dog-collar off (literally or figuratively) the moment they cross the parish boundary, but remember their calling wherever they go. That is, they are to travel like Christians.

That doesn’t just mean behaving well on the road (cutting someone up or speeding on a motorway wearing a dog-collar would give a very bad impression, for example — try wearing one if you need an incentive to drive better!). It also means keeping their pastoral eyes open for evangelistic and ministry opportunities along the way.

Whether or not a modern motel or Holiday Inn would be as happy for us to hold a public prayer service each day as such places might have been in Herbert’s day, is hard to predict. Whether one’s hosts would be as happy to have their way of life critiqued as Herbert seems to advise, is also less easy to say. He would have been well advised to suggest looking for positive things to encourage in others we visit. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy” is true (Proverbs 27:6); but “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) is harder for many, but equally necessary and often more effective in such hit-and-run pastoral situations.

Though perhaps what he says here is not intended to be judgmental, but rather, a prayer for winsome courage in difficult pastoral circumstances?

CHAPTER 17
The Parson in Journey

The country parson, when a just occasion calls him out of his parish (which he diligently and strictly weighs, his parish being all his joy and thought) leaves not his ministry behind him; but is himself wherever he is.

Therefore, those he meets on the way he blesses audibly, and with those he overtakes or that overtake him, he begins good discourses, such as may edify, interposing sometimes some short and honest refreshments, which may make his other discourses more welcome, and less tedious.

And when he comes to his Inn, he refuses not to join, that he may enlarge the glory of God, to the company he is in, by a due blessing of God for their safe arrival, and saying grace at meat and at going to bed by giving the host notice, that he will have prayers in the hall, wishing him to inform his guests thereof, that if any be willing to partake, they may resort thither.

The like he does in the morning, using pleasantly the outlandish proverb, that “Prayers and Provender never hinder journey.” When he comes to any other house, where his kindred or other relations give him any authority over the family, if he be to stay for a time, he considers diligently the state thereof to Godward, and that in two points:

First, what disorders there are either in apparel, or diet, or too open a buttery, or reading vain books, or swearing, or breeding up children to no calling, but in idleness, or the like.

Secondly, what means of piety, whether daily prayers be used, grace, reading of Scriptures, and other good books, how Sundays, holy-days, and fasting days are kept. And accordingly, as he finds any defect in these, he first considers with himself what kind of remedy fits the temper of the house best, and then he faithfully and boldly applies it; yet seasonably, and discreetly, by taking aside the Lord or Lady, or Master and Mistress of the house, and showing them clearly that they respect them most, who wish them best, and that not a desire to meddle with others affairs, but the earnestness to do all the good he can, moves him to say thus and thus.