Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1885-02-14
BR. SrORRs, LECTURE.

The Yale Theological Students Lis
ten To Another Discourse On The
American People Tendencies OF
Our Life Which Modify Preaching.
Another excellent lecture was delivered by
the Rev. DR.. Henry NJ. Storrs at Marquand
chapel yesterday afternoon before large
audience. The speaker continued his discus
sion of the characteristics and tendencies of
the American people considered as the mate
rial on which graduates of theological semi
naries are to work. He said that in our age
two great and growing tendencies have come
in to modify our American life and the work
of preaching also. One is the great enlarge
ment of the study of science. In some re-
spects our fathers did not know much of
the works of God as we do now by the aid of
the revelations of modern science. Most of
this great stride in scientific research has
been taken in our own time. We have wider
resources than our fathers. Our exegesis and
it.
Another factor which modifes our preach
ing is one which concerns itself with man on
earth and is generally known sociology.
This is assuming great place and control in
the world. Men are asking whether society
is being administered right why paupe1ism,
crime, disease and vice go on increasing with
the increase of knowledge, how life here and
now may be made OVER The thinking and
reading public will ask such questions.
How, then, can the ministers upon these so
Geological questions afford to be thoughtless
where the drift of universal thought is SO de-
cideds Your calling is to take up man and
pass him over into the kingdom of God here
on earth. Earthly and material good is to be
rsckoned in as well as the moral, the relig-
ious element. These sociological questions
entered humanity through Christ. He died
for the race in its entirety. Whatever raises
the standard of human comfort touches the
heart of the King of men. Christianity is
the absolutely socializing power, says
writer.
How far should the Christian ministry con-
sent to be modified by these social questions?
We are met on the threshold by the general
impression that theology is purely spiritual,
that the preacher has nothing to do with
changing social relations. We are told that
social wrongs will disappear with the diffu-
sion of Christianity. It is urged that the
higher class of questions may be displaced.
We are told to give ourselves wholly to
preaching the word. But Christ is King of
the earth we'll as heaven.
The bodies of men were redeemed not less
than their souls What human suffering
does not touch Christ? What readjustment
of human relations does not come into the
work of Christ? His works were such as
healing, feeding. He dealt with physical dis
aster before spiritual death. The blind
received their sight, the lame walk, the deaf
hear. Is it not true that many of the most
successful preachers took hold of some side
of social sviR Panl, Luther, Wycliffe, Whit
field, Cotton Mather and Moody are exam
pies of men who have adjusted social con-
ditions and made their work powerful
toward alternating human wrong.
The mass of men now are absorbed by the
discussion of scientific questions and they
are to apply science to the work of alnelio-
rating human conditions. Science must
bring its last gains to-day to the serving of
the poor. The books that take living
hold of men are those of Dick
ems, who opens up wrongs and moves
the people The world of men near you are
probing all things to find the remedy for the
wrongs which writers like Dickens expose.
Men are living among physical and sociology
cal questions, not questions of theology, nor
of history. They are occupied with the
affairs Of the moment. They demand that
Our age is hopeful OIL the earthly side. 1t
looks to putting all things under our feet.
Men are now hoping, expecting, demanding
such readjustments of the plane of human
life as shall make our condition better and
they ere looking to our ministers for their help.
Go where you will and you will find men
whose hearts are foreclosed by the condisions
which first embitter and then embrute them.
The masses are not listening to the preaching
of to-day as they would if it were more in
sympathy with what is in mems minds. 1t
VII mot do to trust to our great population
nor wealth Numbers are not stability; wealth is
not purity Help will not come from them.
Christianity will give US the help we need.
Our preachers should be close to the national
life. The living preacher is the man who
touches the masses of the people. We
grow away from the people if we
ere not very careful as the Cal
ifornian pines rear their lofty trunks, but
cast but little shade. 1t will not do for US to
cut so ciety horizontally and pull eff the up
per clust. A clergyman once said: "Oh, !
don't care to speak in the vernacular of the
com mon people. prefer to use the Ian
guage of classic literature. You must tone
the people up" Not SO did Luther, Mr..
Savanarola nor Paul. Christ associated with
the lowest types. Keep close to the great
heart of the people and you will find God
there. Your preaching must find them
where they live.