The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-08-04

unWlSe II ne does not avail nlmSelI OF
an opportunity to avoid this, if such
should arise" 1t may not accord with
the ambition you have cherished, it
may hurt your pride to go into small
parish, but if you improve the oppor-
tunity to increase your culture and
capability as a preacher, in ten years
you will have only gratitude that your
lot was cast in such place.
1 come now to speak more in detail
of your work in your study. Do not
think it your chief work to possess the
contents of library. 1t is not so much
reading as thinking that will make you
a good preacher. You live in a
universe of thought. You are sur
rounded by intellectual kingdoms in
finite in extent. The familiar line
about tongues in trees, books in run
ming brooks and sermons in st0nes," is
truth as well as poetry. Books are but
translations of the divine compositions
on rock and leaf and the human soul.
Better than the reading of the books
upon your shelves is the perusal Of
these divine volumes around you and
within you. Your first need is mental
strength. Information is less valuable
in sermonizing than the power Of
thought. This is essential in obtaining
ideas from books or any other source.
Doubtless the mind is strengthened by
obtaining ideas from books, but not so
much as by thinking them out for
yourself. The ideas you think out for
yourself, are worth much more to you
than if obtained from books Whoever
may have thought them before, they
are original with you, and you give
them with greater JUNCTION and force.
But l would not have you neglect
the storehOuses in which are garnered
the thoughts of the ages. There are
fields of knowledge you can only explore
in books. Such are the historical and
scientific departments of knowledge.
Lack of time, if no other reas On, forbids
that you should explore these, except
through the writings of those who
have made them a special study. There
are ideas On all subjects that you will
scarcely obtain except by reading. Not
even the wisest person sees all around
and within any intricate problem.
Some see one side, others another. BY
reading we share in the larger knowl-
edge of the many. You will find it
profitable always to read what wise
puen haze to. say on any sphisct 70,
which they have given study. IT you
would not drift behind the times, or
fall into ruts, you must read the fresh
books. Keep yourself informed on the
great moral questions of the day. l
would not advise you to spend much
time with the daily newspapers. The
mass published in them will make you
neither wiser nor better.
Books are valuable as aids to thought.
Perhaps this is their greatest value.
The most of us need some help in read
ing these divine volumes about us.
Books are the magic wand that open
the doorways into the fields of truth.
Most books are less valuable as pro-
viders of thought than as an aid to
thinking. Though packed with thought
a book may suggest more thought than
it contains Though it may contain
no new idea, a book may leave you a
wiser man. That fine poem may ex
press no new fact, yet it may be more
valuable to you than if many new
truths sparkled on every page. Every
page may be a window looking out
upon a charming field Of truth. Do
not read theology and science alone,
but healthful and thoughtful books of
every kind. Read books that will lead
you over the mountains, through the
forests, and by the banks of the flower
fringed streams. 1t will help you to
lead your hearers into fresh fields and
pastures new, and lend you skill in
weaving attractive garments with
which to clothe your thought.
And this brings me to your hardest
task, sermon making There is much
about sermon making that only your
own experience can teach you. You
cannot learn from books or lectures
upon the art, how to make perfect
sermon at once, any more than the
pupil in music can learn from his
teacher how to execute a fine piece of
music at once. Rapidity and accuracy
of analysis, facility and clearness of
expression, only come by experience.
But the pupil in music may learn much
from his teacher. So by studying the
experience of others you may hasten
the day when sermonizing will come
easier to you than it does now. Your
experience is different from most pas
tors, if you have not already met with
one painful difficulty in sermon max
ing,-the finding of subj 9cts. You
are required to preach upon forty
eight different subjects year, if not
twice that number. Thoss who have
been much longer in the work than