The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-24


In time the idea of especially prepared men to
do evangelistic work grew. and we have this class
now whose principal duty it Is to address those
that are not members OF the church.
We naturally expect such one to announce
that class of facts, truths and duties that have
entire relation with the circumstances sur
rounding their hearers The in6del will be ad-
dressed upon the existence of God; the right
of God to govern us, and the accountability OF
man to Him. The retellious man, who acknowl-
edges all that the infde denies. will be addressed
by the evangelist and the utter hopelessness OF
his rebellion shown; the terrible cost that must
be paid and the utter and awful doom that
awaits the rebel against God To the neglect
full and disregardful the evangelist should point
out their duty of accepting and openly confess
ing God at once, and TO point out to them the
sin of neglect and representation This work is
to be done with the orderly arranged material God
has put into his hand Thus our Savior COM
missioned his apostles and thus Paul commits
stoned Timothy. These men accepted this broad
and world wide commission beginning their
work at the city of Jerusalem as he had com
manded The first sermon was preached by
Peter to the largest and strongest company of
unbelievers that were ever gathered together at
one time on the earth. They acknowledged so
much that they saw no use of believing anything
more. They believed in God and His provi-
dence; they visited the temple daily; they
stood in confidence by the priest that offered the
blood of animals for their sins; they expected
the time OF refreshing to come from these
To-day we know that they were simply stumb-
ling over the stone that God made the head
stone of the corner.
What an opportunity Peter had for the use of
ridicule, and keen sarcasm, and rude denuncla-
ton! What if they were IN his place, would
some of our modern evangelists have doneg Out
of his clearer light and nearer relation to God,
Peter proceeded to state well-known facts
those that were written on the pages of prophecy
and that had so lately marked the life of Christ.
He unfolded the truth to their surprised minds
the great central truth of divine revelation
namely: that this Jesus exhalted by the
Father and made both Lord and Christ. Con-
WINGED by facts which they could not gainsay;
touched with the sweetness of the truth which
they heard so earnestly announced. they were
pricked to their hearts, and cried out saying:
Men and brethren. what shall we dor
This great and divinely INSPIRED preacher
of duty. He turns from the facts and truths he
had announced with deep fervor and wonderful
power, and led them to higher step-their
duty. Ii was great OCCASION and no man ever
or felt more keenly the might and worth of souls,
than did Peter on that memorable day of Pente-
cost
We have other notable examples of preaching
in the book Of Acts, but call attention to but
one more. Turn to the seventeenth chapter of
Acts, and read the account of Paul's visit to the
city of Athens. Here stood the famous apostle
and interpreter of the genius of Christianity,
surrounded by the mute emblems of some hun
dreds of false gods The spiritual minded man
was deeply touched with sorrow He
Immediately sought out the few in this city
of superstition whose faith had point in
common with his own, belief in one God. To
these Jews he revealed quietly the Messiah,
their Savior. The Greeks soon heard of the ar
rival of new teacher of religion, and, was
their habit, sought to understand this message
borne to their ears by this lowly messenger.
They requested him to address them publicly on
Mars Hill What an honor. city of more
than ordinary culture inviting this unkEown
man to address them on the subject of his re
ligious belief What an opportunity this would
have been for some of our peculiar evangelsts.
Among the throng of Athenians assembled on
Mars Hill, there were doubtless a large
number that had no faith in
any God What chance to SO
rdcule idolatry and mistaken religious prac-
tees. and the moral shortcomings of those who
were trying to mold their character after some
kind Of moral standard. that would provoke the
profane and faithless to peals of laughter at the
expense of those who. though blind, were still
trying groupe their way and were feeling in the
dark for some sort of redemption some kind of
saviorl That which they had was far better than
nothing, and it would have helped the moral
condition of Athens il all had been believers in
the purest form of worship that existed among
them. The Apostle conducts himself far differ
emily. however. He, in referring to their excess
i've religious zeal, does courteously, and
things of revelaton-the rich truths contained
therein-and earnestly persuades them to the per
Torrance of their duty, since revelation has
come to them. A large number believe and be-
come the first members of Christs body in
Athens some Knocked, some turned from the
subject and discharged it hurriedly from their
minds. Those that Knocked did not mock those
that believed, neither the system that was deliv
cred, but that strange doctrine to their ears-the
resurrection from the dead.
The one great thing for the preacher who at
tempts to preach is to remember, as the Savior
and his first laborers always recollected, that
he is dealing with the eternal souls
of men. This filed the early ministers
with deep concern, and the effect on
their lives was to mark them with extreme
thoughtfulness and gravity should say,
then, in addition. that there enters into our
question the very air and bearing of the minis
ter. While the preacher is simply an embassa
dor or messenger, still the very nature of his
message ought to leave deep and abiding effect
upon his life. The very manner of it's delivery
will affect his auditors either in its favor or
against it In this work believe that there is
room for the harmonious play of all our facul-
ties and capabilities, and our entire mental
nature ought contribute all its powers. The
mind can draw all its resources and use all Its
abilities to perform effective work. but let all be
done In strict harmony. In the orchestra we seek
for pleasing harmony. We would soon tire of
the sonorous tones of the bass viol or the shrill
combined with modifying instruments, thus pro-
ducing true harmony, we both properly
affected and pleased. So it is in preaching. We
are RIGHTLY affected. educated and assisted by
the harmonious operations of all the powers of
the speakers mind. l am not opposed, there
fore, to the use of humor. ridicule, sarcasm de-
nunciation, FIGHTS of fancy and brilliant word
painting, but do object to making one or two
of these these the most prominent; let 1t rather
be n natural commingling of them all. But
/ do not see anything harmonious
In bold, unnatural exaggeration. 1 do
not see anything valuable in denunciation.
ridicue or sarcasm, when they are used
rather to attack the differences that naturally
exist among men, than real defects; and even
when aimed at defects they are, after all, of that
character that common to man" I would
much prefer the method the Lord used IN His
wonderful sermon the mount. where he
stopped and gathered the bruised buds pressed
to the earth and nearly forgotten by the heed
less neglect of a thoughtless world. and held
n&., 4Iax