The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1862-02-13
BIBLICAL SKETCHES
SKETCH XXI.
BY /" UNCLE WILLIAM"

| DhEICd AAl,
THE PREACHERS FOR THE PEOPLE
The preachers who labour among
the poor, must not think that any
thing will do in the shape of SER
mons. AS we have already said
the working classes can read facts,
and the great bulk of them know
much more of real and practical
life, than the generality Of those
who are their superiors in wealth
and comfort. Proprieties of style
and manner, and attachment to a
fashionable place of worship, are
not the ties by which the millions
will be kept together. Their de-
mands are much more important,
than these. They are capable of
appreciating thought. feeling, ener-
gy, and power, sympathy and love,
in the pr eacher. And as they do
not, in general, care much about
particular creeds, they look for
somthing more than a string of
well-chosen, and nicely-adjus
words. The white cambria hand
kerchief, which adorns the fashion
able pulpit, is nothing better, in
their estimation, than the evapora.
tions of steam. They like the
preacher who can fasten their at
tention, pierce their consciences,
and move their hearts. They are
not critics of words, but they know
when they are touched, perturbed,
and reused; and who is prepared
to expose his own ignorance or
vanity, by denying that such test
of judging Of the capabilities of a
preacher of the Gospel, is a far bet
ter one than that by which fastidi-
GUS congregations of fashionable
places choose their ministers? 1t
is our opinion, that the reason why
ministers have not succeeded more
and far better among the people
than they have done, is easily as
certained; they preach books rather
than sermons. They are so thorough
ly mechanical in all their sayings
from the pulpit, as to address their
hearers just in the mode and style,
in which they themselves were ad-
dressed at college. Thepeople like
to listen to the man who can look
into their eyes, rather than into his
o,On dry and technical notes. Who
can be surprised that pastors do
not succeed better? We fear that
ministers, in general, do not aim
at great success. Are the young
men at the different colleges at
present likely to aim at great sue
cess, as the result of their minister
ial labours? We know that they
aim at B. A., and would like to
rise as high as M. A. We also
know of q certain number Of men
who, in committee assembled, said,
ave must have scholars; let us
have as much piety as we can get;
but we must haze scholars" The
resolution was carried, and the
Tutors were told that the college
must gain a name as a seat oflearn-
ing. The learned instructors went
to work upon the growing brains
placed under their care, and, in a
very short time, some died of con-
sumption, one turned out an infdel,
and another retired; so that the
few scholastic gladiators, at the
end of twelve months, were few
indeed.
The preachers for the people,
must, if they would succeed, avoid
the tame, dull, and heavy style of
preaching. People do not come to
a place of worship to Be lulled into
a sound slumbey neither do they
attend to be almost frightened out
of ;heir senses, by showers of fire
and birthstone, sudden screams,
wild exclamations, and unnat-
ural gestures. Nature should
be allowed to be herself in the pul.
pit, as well as out of it; and the