New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-16
DIR. JOHN HALL on PREACHING.
TIE PREACHER AT WORK.

TIE PREACHER AT WORK.
| END OF THE SERIES OF LECTURES BEFORE THE
| YALE DIVINITY sCHOoL-ANswERs TO STUDENTS
| QUESTIONS ABOUT TIE METHODS OF FULFILLING
| TIE DUTIES OF A PREACHER.
| lrROM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIDUHE'J
KEw-HAvEx, March, 12--Dr. John Hall supple
rneuted his course Of ten lectures on PREACHING
in the Yale Divinity School, by an informal exercise
in Marouand Chapel at 3 p. In yesterday. in which
he answered questions which from tIno TO Tune dur
inc the conrse had been submitted TO him In writing
bv tho students The following was the substance
Of the questions and answers;
O. what practical did the speaker make OF Hebrew
IN his work. A. He should NJ hlnk OF preaching from
any difficult Old Testament text Without reading 1t Ia
the original especially as the translation In the poetca
and prophetcal books was often unfortunate 1t was
also desirable means OF getting at nic1 shades OF mean
ing and was essential for sefrespect, II for nothing
more.
O. Was 1t desirable on entering new field to make
use Of rolls OF membership. etc, as means TO scquAn
| anceshipi A. Rolls OF the society aud OF commuUt
capts aud all such Information, was Of nndoubied
value and the DeTiy-arryed preacher should DC most
diHgent in so fixing the people III memory.
O. Should the newlyarriyed preacher Ia his first calls
talk especially religious topiosl A. II the place
we're small 50 that he could call often. II he being
introduced merely in routine wA. perhaps NOT but
where the place large, and calls would be infre
quent the opportunity should not be let Slip and 1t was
ia general we'll 10 set out at the start 10 one would want
~ continue.
O Ought every sermon to have Christ for It's focus
A. An sermons should present Christ directly, and
should DO essentially Christ!y In their bearing.
O. Was 1t well, in preaching continuously, to follow
any system or round Of doctrine A. 1t was we'll 10 be
consecutive. Such course was often Of value. There
mast be- eastways system IN thought and truth must
DO presented in rs fnIlness-
O. What in the way OF reaching the masses might the
freepew system be expected to dol A. Not much, in
tho speakers view. The system was opposed to the
genius Of American Institutions aud, In 30 far sold
seats meant giving money to God that was an iuyalua
bic training in what really vital part Of Carstin
living.
O. How did the speaker make praycrmeetincs inter
esting9 A. He could not that he did. His general
prayarlDeeting was In tho hands OF his chnrch officers
The question should be. Interesting TO whom" and
that must be God. or the deyout. or spectators Mani
fsy the secret WAS for the people TO learn 10 pray and
then come to pray: and alhe spirit OF faultfnding.
lamenting, rhapsodlzDg, should be eliminated The
Interesting experimenting was too Often young
peoples frolio.
O. How was one to choose a neld OF labor-homo or
abroad East or Vest A. General rules could be
giyen One must consult his capacities. One OF
power for learning q foreign tongue shouldn't 80
abroad, apd inelastic person shouldn't go TO the
frontier Then Providence was 10 DO watched II was
good thing the held TO seek the preacher, and not
the preacher the field. In this respect the Congrega
tional and Presbyterian usage OF popular choice was
voluabIa The speaker had made . move. bat 1t
v,,. arainst bis Judgment; and yet God had guided
and in coming to NewYork he did In IKE manner and
his church might blame themselves II ther almost
forced can did not suit. 1t was always good 70 nave
Ruch an attitude.
q Was the plan Of a Bibie exercise. instead Of q
daa A N
,uoding OF everything, which he had not The "tradi
tons OF the eders held foree the change would clash
with custom, and hurt by It's rregularity. The same
end could be accomplished By formRg-and teaching In
part ones se-Bble eassos and by having the second
| sermon eminenny expo,itory in it's nature.
@ Was solo. quartet. or choir singing included among
the meretricous fine arts" discouraged in OF the
lecturesi A. The speaker doubtless preudiced by
training but he regarded hundred voices though msst
il.tra,ned, fuller Of worship than hundred organ
pipes The point was TO whom was the song worship
to be acceptabei and the answer was. manifesty, to
God Therefore church music, and al tho church
service should be OF the nature o. heart SERVICE what
ever was Its method
@ How far should the pastor 10 calling on the Sick
weld TO physicians as to seeing not seeing patients
Ono could not be held responsible for patient, II
the ntrusied with the case forbade
Pbysicians on the other hand should realize that
spiritual help was often soothing. as well as often
exciting Young physicians weFe more apt 70 DO
arbitrary than older ones. but. Ia general. good
Dbl stefan was to DO trusted o. 10 whether OF Il
were best the pastor TO see the patient The amount
Of tolicltude concerning medical treatment, as COM
pared with that concerning spiritual guidance, was
| saddening The speaker attended parishiOner In
Dublin for whole Winter with most spiritual inter-
views which the patient recovering had no
Of THIS would suggest how untrustworthy might be
sick bed experiences, and how attending to eternal
interests was 10 be urged whom the brain WAS cool
O. How should teachers Of false Religions Mormon
isr-be their entering atpacei A. They should
marked attacks but wero TO DO lee severoy alsRe at
the time their doctrines might DO judoiousy o
pOsed 10 ones qirlet and regular ulDlstrati0ns.
q. How mech should enc prs4sb ~ svn sxpssi4aSsS