Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-01
lndependence In preaching.

Ill lHeII proper place tIlSIe Is leSitl.
mate use for both the collar and the
breeding and yet all the time be
making an advance. There never was
anything connected with mans adj
vancement that was finished and from
analogy we may reason that there
never will be perfection in disregard.
The highest and best thought, the
best creed, the absolutely correct the
DRY in all things, never has been
reached, and hence there is room for
any amount of independent research.
We do not advise mercurial, indis-
Greet and hasty innovation upon long
established theories, nor on the other
hand would we countenance a stub
born rest in, and refusal to think of
anything which tended to disturb the
conclusions of the past. What with
due study and honest, conscientious
conviction comes up, asking from day
to day of the heart and head of the
preacher, bold, fearless utterance, we
think he should give voice to. The
following from Prof. Swings paper,
the Alliance, on this subject, we give
place to:
"When the Jewish rulers sought to
bring the gag law into operation, the
Apostles said, we cannot but speak
the things which we have seen and
heard, noble example of manly and
Christian independence. In modern
Interpretation it too oft means we
cannot but speak the system we have
been taught A celebrated Hebrew
professor said, Studying theology
generally means cutting a square hole
into a mans head and putting in bod
lily a square system The theology
oft lies upon the brain undigested or
assimilated, until great sameness is
apparent in the pulpit presentations
of any given school. 1t is no difficult
matter to say one is from Princeton,
another from Andover, a third from
Drew, the marks of the theological
mother are SO deeply impressed.
'Perhaps it is almost unavoidable,
still is it necessary for minister to be
SO welded to his system as to be afraid
of the new thought that burns in his
brain? The thought that has not dis
titled from the preachers own alem-
bic will hardly make the truth clearer
or more impressive to his audience.
Is not the historical dizziness of the
sermon too oft due, not to lack of abil-
ity, but to the fear lest some orthodox
sensibility may be Jared? Safe the
ology is too oft dead metaphysics,
while true orthodoxy is full of vitali-
ty and able to discern something new
in the infinite realm Of thought. In
country churches preacher is apt to
be mewed up so closely that new
thought is almost debarred from find
ing expression; but city pulpits have
more freedom. In this day no man
can long interest his people who is not
up to the latest thought, and able to
express it with loving boldness. Plat
itudes are unpalatable. Truth must
burn in the preachers own heart, WV
ify his own powers, and then be spo-
ken, to do the Lords mission among
the people. If the discovery of new
truth is not within the scope of the
spirits power, we fail to discover the
spirits true line of influence. The
man who thinks will have new
thought to express, and his latest
thought should be the best and strong
est. If his powers be consecrated,
fearlessly giving utterance to that
thought will make him a wise and
strong master-builder. The times
call for true men, for wise men, for
consecrated men, but no less for Dade-
pendent men. The truth that lifts up
the speaker will doubtless elevate the
nearer, and lovingly uttered will
achieve its true mission for mankind"