The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-11-03
Listeners.

Good listeners are quite as needful to
the success of preaching as good preachers.
Careless sitters whose faces are blank,
whose eyes wander like the fools eyes to the
ends of the earth, and whose heads turn up
on their shoulders like tops, are the bane of
any public speaker Averted faces, down
cast, dreamy or vacant looks, and slumber-
Gus stupidity will chill any man, however
ardent, who tries in vain to catch and keep
the attention of these annoying folks. There
are also the whisperers and the gigglers and
those who if not rude enough to talk aloud,
employ their pencils in defaciDg hymn-boOks
and bibles; and the starers, who look their
n6r1neA out of countenance and scrutinize
lDl1knk; and the fdgetty
|S9sit still for three minutes
As5s; and all the rest of the restless
ones. Then there are not few who bring
such great burdens cut of the world into the
house of God that one wonders how they ever
can pass the doors and get into their seats,
SO full are they of dry-gOods and groceries,
and stocks and bonds, and bank accounts
and speculations. Others come with trou-
bles which are not easily laid aside when they
leave their homes, and even the best OF
church goers are not always masters of their
own thoughts when cares Cypress and Satan
tempts. Some hearers are captious, opin-
donated, critical, and so BIASED by prejudices
that they are not and cannot be fair judges
of their preachers. Is it any wonder that
"the good seed of the kingdom " finds little
nour8hment in these diverse grounds? Paul
and Apollos and Cephas would have found
very small encouragement among them. An
angel from heaven would have to preach
some other gospel to please them all.
Yet there are times when all eyes are riv
cited, and all ears attentive, and souls are
sWayed by the magnetic power of the preach
er. Better still, there are periods of deel
religious interest when great masses of hun
gering and thirsting souls SO crave the pure
word of God that the plainest truths of the
gospel are welcomed from the lips of un-
learned and warm hearted men. Then what
pleasure and inspiration there is in the
throngS of earnest listeners, whose fixed gaze
and changing features tell how the Word is
moving their whole souls. There is some
thing in this power of mind, this face to-face
proclamation of the glad tidipgS which is
akin to the inspiration of prophets and
apostles. The nearer who looks straight into
the eyes of the preacher and who takes in
every word as if it were the breath of his
souls life, is in himself an unconscious
source of power to the speaker. 1t is part
of the divine arrangement for the success OF
the ministry Of reconciliation and for the
propagation of the gospel. Congregations
differ much in this matter. Some are always
attentive, respectful and deyout; others are
easily diverted from the subject; others are
dull, phlegmstic, and without sympathy with
the sermon, prayers or hymns. Its matter
of training and habit to large degree. But
often the preachers are blamed for not be
ing interesting when the fault is entirely
with the hearers. "Take heed how ye
hear" said the great preacher of the Ser
mon on the Mount.