Morning journal and courier., 1883-11-24
ap,rrsI srIa Gpurisr.
Saturday, November 24, 1888.
Advice to Young TheOlogians.

ANOHOA-A~-
 Advice to Young TheOIOgians.
 pr. McCosh,s Second Lecture to YaIe's
 Divinity Students-MGrquand ChaPeA
 Filled to OverflOwing.
 Dr. McCosh was listened to with close at- tention for over an hour yesterday afternoon by large body of people in Marquand chapel. All the available seats were taken and pIacard announcing standing room only might have been displayed before the lecture began. The reverend doctor spoke earnestly and rapidly, and many of his witty terms were greeted with laughter. His theme was the methods of church work, evangelical and missionary, and he favored the former. He spoke for 8 time of the va- rious endorsements and troubles like. ly to be encountered by young minister. He said he appreciated the feelings of those who for the first time found themselves en gazing themselves to any church. There is 8 natural feeling of timidity common to all conscientious young preachers at first. They ask themselves ss did Moses, "Who am that should go up into Egypt to deliver my peo- ple?" There is difficulty too in entering the pulpit, and it is natural to begin the work with conscious feeling of one's in suffciency. But this must be overcome.
 It is perhaps well to cautiontyoung minis ters against attempting to force men to accept the gospel. Every man has right to listen or not to what you have to say. A demeanor which says, ''Stand back, am holier than thou," should be carefully avoided. Much consideration should be exercised. Those who teach ia Christ's school should be first taught of Christ. They must learn to hum bIe themselves and profit by Ohrist's example. Our great teacher being God became man; he knows man and how to instruct him. What tenderness and love did he show in the time and manner of his address. He taught vast muItitudes and paid quite as much at tention to individuals.
 The value of personal work among the members of your congregation cannot be overestimated. When you have visited the people in their homes during the week, have learned their hopes, trials, circumstances, be- setting sins and ailments, then you can go into the pulpit and your preaching will have practical effect. When I began my minis tsrial work had about twenty sermons pre- pared, but found that but few of them would preach. I have found that visiting the people in their homes is the best way of drawing them out to prayer meeting and church service. You should endeavor to show fathers and mothers that the work of teaching their children belongs to them and not to the Sunday school teacher. They and they alone can properly do the work. The prayers of a mother and the words of advice and reproef of father finger longest and have greatest effect upon the mind of the child. I also attach special value to the teaching of classes by the minister or some educated layman whose heart is in his work. Glasses of young people just about starting out in life, say about fifteen years old, when brought under the influence of the pastor in 8 Bible class, can be influenced in many ways for good. They learn to know thelr pastor and his teaching will irresistibly sink deep into their hearts. Think of the good young her pastor in the Bible class, who teaches her brother, and then perhaps her father and mother will learn to know the Lord by her efforts. You will be looking out for opportunities of usefulness wherever you can Wherever they present themselves you must be ready for them. Be not afraid to speak to people on the subject of religion. Speak humbly and sympathizingly. A min ister should always cultivate a gentlemanly manner. This should be done in such way as to commend the religion you represent. It is also an urgent duty to institute mis- sicns. Encourage and strengthen every body. The poor who have no Sabbath clothes should be helped in their homes.
 There is great and important question involved in the subject of missions. A church should extend it's work 1 into territory such as is growing up in oul rapidly growing cities all the time. The missionary should have station to whict
 he can invite the people he labors with, and l he should establish a regular church service | there and build up 8 congregation. Thui
 and thus only should missionary labors be l prosecuted. The people should be enrolled 1 in some church, then they have the pOWer 0
 an organized host. Thus the church be comes the center of good, and it's agents art 1 joining people to it and watching lest any 1 fall away. This cannot be done thoroughly | by any one church It will require the con | tinuous efforts of all the churches in place
 I fear this will not be done because of thu l exclusiveness of some. We know that ther' | IS one church that will not join with others II
 any such work, but others might, and thel l might combine and permeate the whole com l munity. How are pastors sanctioned by th' 1 church to look upon the irregular visits ot l travelling preachers? The regularly authoriz l ed preacher should not depend upon other
 ministers But if they do not, how shall Vt 1 dare to oppose those who come to us?
 always inquire about their history and char | acter. Some persons do great wrong bJ
 preaching under some temporary zeal and
 then falling back. But where they art
 sound in the faith and if honest character
 they may do good. Sometimes 8 visit from
 Moody and Sankey is 8 good thing, but theil | permanent Reflects are not always good
 There is too much disposition to build large
 rich churches, put popular preacher and 8
 highly paid choir in them and make then fashionable Sunday resorts. It would be better for any man or body of men who have
 large amount of money to put into {
 church to build four CT five small churches and get ministers without showy qualities l The small church where an honest, zealoul worker is the minister does more good be-
 cause the people get better acquainted witE the preacher, he has more influence over then
 and they are more interested in the work oi | the church. We need fewer charitable or ganizations and more churches.