The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-09-01
Lick OF POWER IN THE PULPIT.
Boston watchmar


1t is boldly affirmed by many and qui-
city assumed by many more that the pull
pit OF to-day is losing power with men.
This is no doubt in some sense true. The
pulpit has to-day relatively less iufu-
ence than it had half a century ago.
But is the cause to be attributed wholly,
rs many intimate, to n decline in the
style or character Of preaching? We
think not. We think, on the contrary,
that it may be fearlessly asserted that
there was never more ability, more learn
ing, more power in ranks of the christian
ministry than there is at the present
time. We believe, too, that ministers of
to-day are on an average as devoted
to their calling as those of former gen
Grafton.
But while ministerial culture has in
creased greatly within the last fifty
years, general culture has increased in a
still greater ratio. The clergy a.e no
longer distinguished, as a class, for their
learning. Education is more dif'used,
and is of higher order among all classes
than it was in the times of our fathers.
The pulpit is not now, as then, the chief
popular intellectual power in the land.
1t divides its influence with the lecture
system and the press, which latter agen-
cy especially has acquired prodigious
potency among us. Men need not 90 to
| church now to gain mental stimulus and
ideas.
More than this, far greater demands
are made upon a minister than were
made a generation ago. More literary
culture is expected of the pulpit. An
increased amount of outside work is de-
volved upon the pastors of our churches.
The minister of to-day must be n we'll
lead man in order to satisfy the intellec-
tuaI tastes of his hearers. He must be
an intelligent observer of the progress OF
events, know something of politics and
of whatever is agitating the public mind
When due account is made of the drafts
upon preachers time and energy apart
from his regular ministerial work, the
visiting that must be done-and many
people are thoughtlessiy exacting in this
matter-the books, reviews, and papers
that must be read if he would keep him
self at all abreast of the age and be "'
workman that needeth not TO b'
ashamed, #" it ceases to be a matter OF won
der that his energies sometimes flag
and he is not always so profound or bril-
liant as his critics might desire.
1t is one thing for lawyer to maxi
half dozen great efforts year at th
bar. or Tor statesman to make a singh
great speech in a session of congress, o
for a scholar in the seclusion of his well
! stocked library to turn off an elaborat
review article once or twice in twelve
!, month. and quite another thing for
i minister. often harassed by the petit
cares of a household or the petty trout
les of a parish, obliged to deny himsel
: many helps to intellectual effort, to Pre-
duce week after week, year in and yea
> out. sermons that will interest and IL
" struct an intelligent sand, perhaps, fastic
! ions congregation. 1t is no wonder i
i with all that is expected of it, the pulp
y sometimes fails to meet the popular d,
mand.
But another and more serious difhcu
5 ty is found in the settled and GROWN
~ aversion among large class in the con
smunity to all religious instruction. Ii