Morning journal and courier., 1881-04-23
SoruaI allS Gourier.
Saturday Morning, April 28. 1881.
Local News.
For other Local News see Second pAss.l
The Lyman Beecher Lectures.

Lecture by Rev. Dr. Burton. of Hartford
 The Way to Conduct Public Worship
 An Interesting Discourse.
 Rev. Dr. Burton, of Hartford, delivered the last but one in the course of Lyman Beecher lectures to the Yale theologians, in Marquand chapel yesterday afternoon at o'clock. The exercises were opened by sing ing hymn, after which Rev. Dr. Leonard Bacon introduced Rev. Dr. Burton, of Hart ford, who gave very instructive and enter taining address to the students. He spoke in substance as follows: ttI am here, my brethren, to speak to you on conducting pub lie worship. You will understand as I progress that I am addressing a class of young men who are soon to conduct public worship in our churches. In the structure and philosophy of our form of worship they do take Q wide field. The invocation calls down Gods blessing on what is to follow and so in the rest of the prayers they have their particular use. All long prayers at funerals and other places were referred to as out of place and the character. of these pray CTS was then referred to in way that caused much merriment among the students Look, Sdlu Iuo spodAS1, dG 1uo SrSdG ul6tOr1Ca1 Ill., urgies and see how they are constructed They move on in general easy way and we find that those preceding the sacramental services are in no way applicable to that ser vice. Yet it is not necessary that in all the preliminary services that such service should be particularized. In regard to public prayer the speaker said he had known of clergymen praying for fifteen minutes, and he himself fell into the habit in his early ministry and found it hard to break off from it. He fin ally, after timing himself by the watch, de- cided to omit several subjects in his prayer, but he found that the sub jects which he had fixed upon had expanded at considerable length. After several and continued efforts he brought himself within certain circumscribed limits. It made me feel bad to have people talk about my long prayers, but finally became satisfied that I might with safety shorten them In regard to sermons, think we had better call halt when we get to the limit of thirty minutes or little beyond. do not consider it neces- sary to exhaust subject in one sermon. I recollect that am simple pastor, but can give the people further discussion of the same subject in the future. The people may not see any omission, yet I may feel that I have sadly omitted many of the more impor- tant parts of the subject. We make full study of them and then perhaps deliver only one half of it. Whenever feel that I have not done justice to my people feel that I may have another chance to talk to them We should omit all skirmishes in sermonizing and give the people the meat of the thing if possible in the first sentence. There is that in man that responds to the affirmative of the Christian religion. Again, in our prayers, whether long or short, we should see God very distinctly before us. Ignoring the congregation in prayer is better than ig- noring God. Prayer, if true prayer, brings us near to God. No man who senses God can use the profuse expression so often ap- parent. The prayer must be simple and to the point. I think it well to study the prayers of the Catholic and Universal church and read them again and again and impress our minds with them. They will change the taste, mould the style and lead us to 8 better form of prayer. would suggest that prayers be memorized. Prearrange our prayers and it will save us from accidental side winds that will swing us off into digressions. Let your preparation be less formal in prayer, passing it on the scriptural lesson which you are to read. truly christianized mind turns ev- erything it touches into honey.
 Pastoral visitation was referred to at some length as an important part of pastoral work in connection with the prayer and the ser mon. A profoundly spiritualized mind makes good prayer. Study the Bible, live in it's poetry, analyze its texts and see how they magnetize and empower the mind, and language shall seem heaven born at times. Many well intentioned ministers do not follow these plans sufficiently. Seek an experience from Gods work and its teach ings that shall go to the bottom of your work. l have no doubt but that you would like to have me give you recipe for manag- ing choirs. Well I have never had any trouble in that direction, and hence perhaps I cannot speak to you intelligently on that subject. I think, however, that pas tors who have proper executive abili- ty can get along with their choirs as successfully as with their congrega- tions. In closing, the lecturer said that the introduction or expansion of the ritual in communion service was practicable. If inno- vations did not interfere with Congregational doctrine, he allowed them to come in. The Congregational system is elastic enough to admit of innovations provided that they do not as have said, interfere with the true spirit of Congregational doctrine. have no idea that we shall finally adopt a iturgical service entire, although there are many things that may be added with interest and profit to our services. We ought to be stu dents of the subject of iturgical worship and see that what may be proftably incorporated into our church is added, provided it leads to @ more genuine form of worship.
 The lecturer was attentively listened to throughout and there were many manifesto tions of approval by the students during the delivery of the lecture.