Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-04-30
Catching Souls.
BY REV. C. d. CRANE.

We read in the Gospels that when Jesus
called Peter and Andrew and James and
John from their boats and nets to follow
him, he told them that they should hence
forth be "fishers of men," | suppose
that this same word of Jesus comes now
10 every one whom he calls. "From
henceforih thou shal. catch men," Some
have thought these words intended es-
pecially for ministers. / know of no
good reason why they should be given
any such limited application. One might
as well say tha. all the other words Of
Christ are intended for Minister'S
Churches are not supposed to employ
ministers to do their Catching" for
them. No one of Christ's fishermen can
hire another to do his fishing. Indeed,
question whether he will want to. if he
be q true fisherman.
What does Jesus mean when he tells
US that we are to fish for souls Evidently,
the figure must not be pressed too hard.
We are not. by any means, to suppose
that these words justify US in the use of
Just such methods in soul-catchiDg as ere
employed in catching fish. That would
open q rather wide door. The Apostle
Paul, in bis second letter 10 the Corir.
thians az: 16), talks about being crafty,
and about catching with guile; but We
are not to think that he is encouraging o
resort to trickery, even for the purpose of
soul-saving. His words do seem TO have
that meaning, know, as they appear in
our Bibles; bu. really, they teach the
very opposite. PAUL. is using the language
of his enemies. L. is just as il he had
said: 81 know what those false teachers
at Corinth are saying about me; they are
accusing me of craftiness, and all that
sort Of thing; they say that didn't ask
Tor money myself, sent some one else to
do it tor me, which was no! vecy differ
en:. But you know tetlsr than this; you
know that | never resorted 10 any dis
honesty or guile" Paul repudiated in
dignantly the Jesuitical doctrine that the
end sanctities the means, that it is well to
DO evil that good may come. 1t was he.
you remember, who in another letter,
writing to these very Corinthians, said:
"We have reuounced the hidden things
OF dishonesty, not walking in craftiness
nor handling the Word OF God deceit
fully"
No, it is not for US TO resort to the
tricks of fisherman in catching souls. 1
think this has sometimes been done. l
have known ministers TO take fanciful
texts, and announce the nselves to speak
st certain times upon certain unhesrd-of
topics, in order thus to ''draw" people.
Only the ether day read of an English
clergyman who advertised himself to
speak upon such subjects as these: Tho
Talking Donkey" "The Devil among the
Pigs" "A Little Man up Tree" Some
one has suggested that the first OF these
three sermons, if not the last, must have
had the flavor of al autobiography. Bet
ter not draw people than draw them by
such dishonesty. by such q deceitlul
handling Of the Word OF God. The man
who resorts to such methods 10 save souls
will be very apt to defeat the end he has
in view. He will lose the confidence and
respect of those who come TO hear him,
and he will lose, beside, any respect that
he may have had for himself.
This Greek word translated catch, in
Luke 5: 10, is found 10 only one other
place in The Nav Testament G. lin. 2:
26), where mention is made Of those who
are taken captive (caughO bY the devil
at his will. The devil is trickster. He
doesn't scruple much as to the method he
employs. He knows how to put very
tempting bait on very sharp hook. de
catches by dishonesty, catches to kill, as
many man with the devils hook last in
his mouth has found to his sorrow. But
the devils methods belong to himself
While these words do not justify any
fraud or trickery, they do teach us,
think, that we should use all proper
means and methods to interest men. to
attract their attention, and bring them TO
thought, and SO to Christ.
There are in every community great
many who never, or seldom, see the in
side OF church. who DO not hear SER
mon or prayer, unless the death OF
some relative makes it necessary. Such
people are beyond the influence of the
ordinary Sabbath service. What are
known as the regular, stated means of
grace do not avail for them. Well,
now, how are such men and women to be
reached? 1t is just here that We may ex-
ercise holy ingenuity. We may attract
10 the house OF God those who cannot be
induced to come TO any ordinary service.
OF this | will speak in another article
Christian Mirror.
The New York-Brooklyn bridge, the