The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-07-11
COMMON SENSE AND THE PULPIT.


COMMON SENSE AND THE PULPIT.
Great care is expended in providing mental
training for the ministry. In no generation
and in no country has ministerial education
advanced further than in this. With the ap-
pliances of our Theological Seminaries the
student may enter upon his work presr,ms-
bly, as well furnished as his capabilities will
permit. But there is another quality, and
one of eminent Importance to his usefulness,
which the schools, however effective in other
respects, have not been able to impart, viz:
common sense. knowledge of men and things;
knowledge of the ways of the world; knowl-
edge of what is wise and prudent or discreet,
or advisable in given circumstances; knoWl-
edge as to when and how to gay certain im-
portant but delicate things; and also when
not to speak, however strongly impelled
thereto; knowledge of what the French style
the savoir fare, the chow to do it;"-these
ale what we have no chair for teaching in
our Theological schools, and if there we're
chairs, who could successfully fill them?
And yet the want of this is often the most
seriOua draw back to a minister's usefulness
With excellent learning and piety, good
preaching talent, and earnest zeal, how often
we see ministers fail to reach the mark which
had been expected of them. Sometimes, in.
deed, those of extraordinary gifts and attain
ments have been least successful. They have
been, not unfrequently, standing enigma.
People have been constantly saying, "What
can the matter be? He is man of ability,
he is pious, he is willing and anxious to work,
and yet somehow or other he does not get
on" And there are others who do get on
well, but it is only for while. Invariably
making good beginning, almost invariably
they soon lose favor or confidence. Now,
whilst these phenomena may be traced in
some cases to infrmities of temper, unqueS
tionably they often arise from want of com
mon sense. For this reason they fail to see
the fitness of things; they do not appreciate
times and seasons; they make conscience of
what is mere expediency; and they dogma
tie or undertake to dictate where gentle
suggestion or kindly remons!rance would &C
compHsh the end. Of Paul's method of
catching with guile, or becoming all things
to all men, they know and will know moth
ing. Spite of remonstrances, and perhaps
of painful experiences, though they can milk
as good pailfull as any one, they sOW up
set it by some fOolishness. Pity there we're
not some Seminary for teaching common
sense. I---
So far from inducting ministerial candi
dates into this invaluable attainment, our
system of training often practically neutrali-
yes or extirpateS whatever of this element
the youth may have possessed at the outset.
After four years in College and three in the
Theological Seminary-shut out from actual
practical life, however much the student may
have advanced in book-learning, he has lost
heavily in knowledge of the outside world.
And yet it is in that world that bis life-work
is to be done, and for which his educational
training was designed to fit him.
The typical Methodist preacher of times
now nearly gone by, was a striking illustra'
ton of the contra part of that of which We
have been speaking. His knowledge was
small as to book Harrington he had never
been to the schools; but it was large as to
men and things. Fresh from the shop or the
field, he knew how to mingle with the people,
and how to address them Gin their own
tongue" Whatever might be his lack of
even elementary scholarship, practically he
was far from being fool. Hence his life
work was often wonderful. He as far sur.
passed what might have been expected Of
him, as the well furnished, school bred labor
err referred to faited as to what was antici-
pated of him. Now it cannot be that learn
ing necessarily tends to unfit one for practi-
cal life. knowledge, however large and. va
ried, and habits of application however thor
ough, surely need not make fool of man
in every thing else. Give our young candi-
dates all the scholarly preparation possible,
but by all means see to it that meanwhile
they are in some way coming in contact with |
the world. Even if they should spend the
vacstions in the country store, the workshop,
the field, or horrible dictU as "book agents"
that would answer some good purpose. But
we are not sure that to intermit year or
two between College and the Theological
Seminary, to learn business and the ways of
men, would not be wise expedient, and in
the long run gain as to effective life-wOrk.
Let our preachers know men, know the world,
and they will then be able to transmute all
their scholarly acquisitions into current coin
for the benefit of their hearers; they will be
able like the apostles to speak to every man
N his own tongue; they will find hearers,
ind will be in the best sense &" the men for
he times.
Proposals.-Special attention is called to the
oronosals of the Committee of Publication fnund