The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-09-01
Special Contributors.
PLAIN TALKS TO A YOUNG PASTOR.
BY Rev. J. NJ. PAYsoN.
LA Crosse. Wis.I


About his Work in the Pulpit.
have talked with you about your
pastoral work and your work in your
study. Will you have patience with
me little while longer while l say a
few words about your work in the pull
pit? We will suppose that you have
acquainted yourself with the intellec-
tual and spiritual needs of your people,
and prepared your sermon with much
care. There still remains very inn
poItant part of your work. During the
week you have been gathering the di-
vine bread with which to feed your
people. You are now to present it to
them. However industrious you may
have been among your people and in
in your study, if you have not the art
of presenting what you have in an at
tractive manner from the pulpit, you
will be like the housewife who has
plenty of material, and knows how to
cook, but who fails in that rare d0mes-
tic art of laying the table in an inviting
way. There have been ministers, most
excellent men, Industrious students,
good thinkers and writers, who have
yet largely failed, because they had not
the art of spreading the Lords table in
an attractive manner. There have been
much less capable men, intellectually,
who have aeae . much better work, be-
saass they kzsew how to & the 4aoss
of what they had In the puspit.
Let us consider some Of the requisites
of attractiveness and effectiveness in
the pulpit. There are some essentials
to effective pulpit work that may seem
to you very trihing matters. 1 have
known ministers to sneer at much at
tention being paid to dress and man
ners in the pulpit. If you cherish such
a feeling, rid yourself of it as soon as
you can. 1t is not for your personal
satisfaction that you are in the pulpit.
1t is to do the people good. Be just as
attractive to your congregation as pos
sible. 1t not only helps to bring the
people to hear you, but it is great aid
in impressing and moving them. Peo-
pie admire, comeliness, fitness, any
where. A minister must have very
fine and forcible thoughts, to lead his
people to forget slovenly dress and
4. nf n
strictly clerical dress is a matter Of
taste. Iwould certainly have you dress
in keeping with the dignity associated
with the place. Above all cultivate
neatness of dress. Avoid an Indifferent
cir on entering the pulpit. Have you
never seen a preacher gaze about in
the pulpit, when you could not help
thinking that his thoughts were
anywhere but on the sacred duty he
was about to fulfil? Scholarly men,
good men, have had their influence
greatly lessened by neglect of these
little things.
Need l ask you to make preparation
for your preliminary services? 1t is
much to be feared that many ministers
give no attention to these until they
enter the pulpit. Is it surprising that
where this is the case, the congrega-
tion should regard these services as
simply to be endured, while many pre-
fer not to come to church until these
services are, at least, partly overp The
preliminary exercises are certainly an
important part Of the service. The
people should not go to church
merely to hear sermon, but to worship.
The effectiveness of the sermon de-
pends much upon the congregation
being brought into a devotional frame
of mind and heart. There is no reason
why the preliminary exercises should
not produce this result. But without
previous preparation, they are hardly
more likely to, than an impromtu
sermon is likely to be success. The
brother who made the effective ad-
dress before the recent Wisconsin Con-
vention, on "What the Pew has a right
to expect from the Pulpit advised
ministers to study their Scripture les
son and their hymns. 1t seems as if
such advice should not be needed.
You certainly cannot read that effec-
lively which is not clear to yourself.
There is some prejudice against pre-
paration for prayer, but why should
there bep You are to lead the devotions
of your people, express their aspira-
tions and needs. How can you do this
without giving previous thought to the