Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-11-19
Taimase ON Modern Preachers.

We say unless we understand tHe sPH"
Of the day in which we live. All the
woe-begonish statistics are given by
those who are trying in our time to
work the worn out machinery Of the
past times.
"Young ministers are told they must
preach Chuist and Him cruciied. Yes,
but not as an abstraction. Manya min-
ister has preached Christ and Him cru
cited in such way that he preached an
audience Of FIVE hundred down 10 two
hundred, and from two hundred to one
hundred, and from one hundred to NIFTY,
and from fifty to twenty. and on down
until there was but little left save the
sexton who was paid 10 stay until The
service was over and lock up! Ii is not
ChrisI and Him crucifed as an abstrac-
ton, but as an omnipotent sympathy
applied to all the wants and woes OF our
immortal nature-a Christ who will help
US in every domestic avocation.
ut is often the case that the difficulty
begins clear back in the home circle,
with misappreLension as to which
child ought to be consecrated to the
ministry. John is keen, bright boy.
He is good at bargain. When he
trades at school be always gets the best
Of it. Make him merchant. Lie will
soon gather fortune. George has great
cerebral development, Phrenologically,
language is large. Make him lawyer;
Henry has large girth at the chest, and
is military in his step and bearing.
Send him to West Point. William is
fond of sketching, especially OF sketch
ing ships. Make him shipbuilder.
Aleck is not very well. He has never
had very good digestion. He has
morbid way of looking at things. lie
will sit for hours looking at one figure
in the carpet. His manners are so mild,
so soft, so gentle, so affsctionate, SO
heavenly, and he cries easily. Make
him a minister! Now, my friends that
is great mistake. If you want to con-
secrate ope of your sons to the Gospel
ministry, take the one widest awake,
the bra.niest, the most brilliant, the
most irresistible, the most potent.
81 think, too, that ministerial laziness
often empiies the churches of auditors.
Hearers who are intelligent through
reading newspapers and by active asso-
citation in business circles will not on
the Sabbath SIT and listen TO platitudes.
Hearers will not come TO sermons which
have in them no facts, no information,
no stirring power, no adaptation, no
fire. The pew will not listen TO the
pulpit unless, at least on the subject
that day under discussion, the pulpit
knows more than the pew. Ministerial
laziness has cleared out many churches.
Such ministers saunter around irC IN par
lor to parlor under the name OF pastoral
visitation, and go gaddipg about thro
the village or the city on errands OF
complete nothingness, ard then on Sat
urday afternoon put few crude thoughts
together, and on Sunday morning won.
der that the theme of Christ and Him
cruciied does not bring a large audi
euce, and on Monday sit down and
write jeremiads for the religious news
papers about the decadence OF church
attendance
THE simple fact is, the people are
tired Of the humdrum of religionists.
Religious humdrum is the worst OF all
humdrum. You say over and over
again, Come TO Jesus, until the phrase
means absolutely nothing. Why do
you not tell them story which will
make them come to Jesus in five min
utes! You say that all Sunday school
teachers and all evangelists and all min
listers must bring their illustration from
the Bible. Christ did not when he
preached. He drew them from the
lilies, from the ravens, from salt, from
a candle, from busbel, from long faced
hypocrtes, from guats, from moths,
from large gates and small gates, from
a camel, from the needles eye, from
yeast in the dough Of bread, from a
mustard seed, from fshing-net, from
debtors and creditors. That is the rea
son multitudes followed Christ. His
illustrations were SO easy and SO under
staDdable."
"Looking across to hill, Christ saw
the city of Jerusalem. Talking to the
people about the conspicuity of the
Christian example He said, "The world
is looking at you, be careful. A city
that is set on a hill cannot be hid"
While he was speaking of the divine
care OF Gods children bird flew past
He said, Behold the ravens" Then
looking down in the valley, at that
season all covered with flowers, He
said, "Consider the lilies" Now what
is the use of going away of in some
obscure part Of history, or on the other
side the earth, TO get an illustration,
when the heavens aud the earth are
full.
"Why should we 60 away off 10 &c.
an illustration of the yicarious suffering
Of Jesus Christ, when only last week at
New Jersey, only ten or
ifteen miles from here, two little chill.
1ren were walking on the railroad |
rack, aud train was coming; but they |
we're on bridge Of trestle work, aud
he little girl took her brother and let
Iim down through the trestle work as
gently as she could toward the water,
,ery lovingly and cautiously, SO that he
night not be hurt by the fall, and
night be picked up by those who were
tanding near by. While doing that
he train struck ber, and hardly enough
# ber body was lett TO gather into
unersl casket.
"Wbat is the use of our going away
dr - I...s~.,;1o "a r.,t 49, I