Morning journal and courier., 1881-03-26
Yale Theological School.


 Rev: Dr. Bevan, Of New York, at Mar
 yquand Chape1--Am Eloquent Address
 Requisites of Success i'm the Ministry.
 The Theological department of Yale Col lege; in addition to having been favored with such pulpit lights as the Rev. pr. Duryea of Boston. Rev. Dr. John Hall, D. D., of New York, and Rev. Dr. Taylor of New York, in the present season, in the Lyman Beecher lecture course on preaching, was favored yes terday with an address from another of the noted preachers of the country, Rev. Dr. Bevan, of New York. Marquand chapel was filed to overfowing. The clergy of the city was well represented in the general audience After singing by the students of the depart ment, Prof. Day introduced Dr. Bevan. He began his address with the premise that the object of the hour would not be discussion of philosophical nature, but to stimulate personal religion and spiritual life. It is, he said, the work of the Christian pastor.to en- courage to high spiritual aims those who are looking forward to the highest calling upon earth. My object will be to consider how we may encourage, and what are the peculiar perils which beset students, preachers and pastors. The work of the Christian ministry depends very much upon the men to whom 1t is intrusted. Personal reputation and character will always tell. Of course liars may till field as well as men of truth and veracity. merchant may be successful who imposes no restraint upon his passions. So of other callings With the minister of Jesus
 Christ it is absolutely essential that his life
 be exemplary His moral and spiritual quail ities are a part of his stock in trade. It is true man may be professional minister, parson as the old English has it. He may
 be popular and attractive with 8 moral and spiritual condition which is a fraud. But in the end in such case there will always be
 breakdown or else the spiritual harvest of such work will be meagre and stunted. The necessity of high moral and spiritual charac- ter in the ministry is engrafted in the hearts
 and minds of the people. Long mayit be so. His character is an important factor in the work of the ministry and forms the basis of his operations.
 There are too many aspects of the preach CTS own moral and spiritual condition which are important It has been said that no man can preach religion perfectly without religion PO-1AANNSAAAS3 oO-AA- OOot learn the gospel is in mans own life. How necessary that minister's own spiritual life
 be true and vivid, made ever glorious in the perpetual shining light of heaven opened.
 How can he preach to the lost if his own
 spiritual life is dark; how. guide where he himself knows not the way. How encourage in the battle unless he has had experience with warfare. Have you
 never heard of some preachers that they aim
 to speak to individuals, vixen the fact is that l they are only speaking from their own inner experience. There is a relation between the ! life of man and the effectiveness of his preaching. There are some natural human l causes of success in the ministry, but there are also divine relations which lie wholly in l thessdivine will Explain matters as you will, ! there will be space and room for the sover- reign operation of the grace of God. The
 only light which shines in this mystery is tho l light which illumines the life of Gods ser | want himself. With small natural gifts, small
 culture, with words apparently not more 1 earnest than his brother, such a servant saves | and quickens. Many ask what is the reason ! that such and such man succeeds. Search for the answer in the mans own heart. See
 him in his chamber upon his knees, in the purity of the life which he lives This is not always a gage by which to try brothers | failure, for many true-hearted men toll and see not the fruit of their labor. The sin of Achan was enough to turn the tide of battle against Gods people, even with Joshua at l their head and God with them. Personal 1 character is condition of the divine bless | ing. Does it not then become us to search l our own spiritual condition ? Return to me I the joys of thy salvation, then will teach ! transgressors the way, and sinners shall be converted.
 What are the special perils and hindrances to the student? There is a peril to spiritual life from the fact of the profession to which the ministry belongs. God and eternity, Christ and salvation, the human soul, mans ] destiny, become to him objects of his work The preacher is in danger of losing reference | in the dignity of the work of his profession. Our training is rationalistic. We are apt to | begin to think that the highest logic and the highest spiritual light are identical The sermon becomes self-bounded and we for get that the object is to save men, The 1 Bible, prayer book, the life of Christ, public worship, become objects of our labor, our professional work. We have to perform service and we are thus the artists rather than the worshipers. Our re- igion become, too much like business. Dr. Bevan warning further upon this point, said that another phase of this danger was re- garding the sermon wholly from the philo- sophical, or scientific stand point. On this point he added that the ministry requires the very best of men that the church can give, and the very best of training and schol- arship the clergy can supply. The church wants men. I rejoice at the benevolent gifts of modern times, the splendid churches and fine endowments, but he who gives son of genius to the church gives a greater gift
 The speaker enforced the thought that learn ing was means, not an end, that deep per- sonal piety must underlie scholarship and drew glowing and beautiful picture of the power of a noble, high spiritual life in it's effect upon men. It is like 8 towering mountain, it's summit drinking in the dews of heaven and sending them down to refresh the land. The effect of the opposite charac- ter was pictured. Weak were the words of the preacher of hollow spiritual life Dr. Bevan's next remarks were with regard to sensational preaching It is of no use to preach if you cannot gain the ear of your hearers. When man sacrifices spirituality for popularity he loses ground. have heard some successful men whose late preaching did not equal that of their earlier years for that reason. They were more pulpit artists than true preachers of the word. The speaker suggested Sturgeon as one who in a measure might well be copied The object and aim of SpurgeOn is always felt to be the good of the nearer He has undoubtedly tricks, but he is to-day far less an artist than when he became minister. Now you feel that his object is the direct and immediate good of men: He has gained in sobriety of demeanor and in respect and reverence, and l is heard by men who would have scorned to 1 hear him years ago. Now there are others l we could name whose methods in preaching | have in this way changed. They have re- tained popularity, but by the arts which are l of the world Don't start of with popular | ity in view Don't aim at preaching sermons, l but to gain men. Don't aim at admiration, l but to save souls. Keep that aim before you | and you will succeed.
 Gods Nemesis is swift and for those 1 who neglect the object and aim of preaching | Now what are the cures for these perils? 1 Keep the object and aim of your ministry l before your eyes There are plenty of men | who can write religious essays infinitely bet l ter than you can. The first great object of | your preaching is to save souls and of edify- | ing. No matter how learned you may grow, remember there is a greater wisdom in |
 &,