The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-07-14

ers to better living; to strengthen
them, not merely against temptation in
general, but the particular temptations
that assail them; not merely to rebuke
sin in general, but the particular sins
of which your hearers are guilty; not
merely to offer consolation for sorrow
in general, but to comfort them in the
special sorrows that wiring their hearts.
In word, your sermons should reflect
the struggles and tolls, the sufferings
and joys of your peoples daily life.
And how can your sermons do this un-
less you see much of your people and
come near to them? And you will find
it will make your sermons vastly more
effective if the audience feel well ac-
quainted with you. have become at
tached to you and believe in you.
When you are called to the house of
mourning, if you can go as a friend,
with what greater healing will your
words fall upon the wounded heart.
Sermon-making so often a task, will
become easy and delightful through
frequent association with your people.
Human hearts are better than books
from which to get material for sermons.
Now l hope you will not plead
against this necessity of frequent asso-
citation with your people a lack of time.
Do not ask how, especially a young
minister who needs to increase his
knowledge, and whom experience has
not yet taught facility in sermon max
ing, is to find time for pastoral work?
l fear that the minister, old or young,
who has reasonably good health, may
be charged with incidence who cannot
make six hundred calls annually, if
need be, without Infringing upon his
necessary hours OF study or overtaxing
his strength. If you are Iairly meth
odical about it, you can study all that
is necessary, at least, all that is con-
sistent with good health, and spend
your afternoons out of your study.
Unless your parishioners are very much
scattered, you can make five visits in
an afternoon. In three afternoons of
each week you can make all the calls
the average parish requires. You will
find it economy to be methOdical in
your parish work as well as in your
study. | would suggest the following
as very good plan. 1t will be con-
stant reminder OF duty, as well as
saving of strength and time: Obtain
a small ledger and insert in it the names
of all your families as though you were
a merchant having an account with
each one. When you call on a
family note the date. On Monday ar
range list of families whom you wish
to visit that week, and so arrange your
calls that they will require the least
possible time and travel. In a parish
of hundred families, with this method,
you can easily call upon each one four
times a year, besides the more frequent
visits that sickness may require.
know that all are not equally well
calculated for pastoral work. Some
are naturally averse to it. If pastoral
visiting is a task, and you cannot
transform it into pleasure, then you
must make up your mind that you have
missed your calling. There will be
times when, however social by nature,
you will feel averse to visiting. Great
and fascinating thoughts have lured
YOU above common affairs and merely
the thought of seeing anyone is dis
tasteful to you. But you must not
yield to these fascinating allurements of
your study when duty calls you out
side, unless you would have it said very
much against your success, "He is
man of wide reading, of good ability,
but no pastor"
You will find that reasonable de-
gree of pastoral work, while it takes
strength in one way, will be refreshing
and restful. The physical exercise in
the fresh air is just what you need,
while it will draw the mind away from
the topics that have absorbed and
wearied it, and so rest it. You can
study with all the more energy for
these pastoral visits. 1t may be said
that this would be true if all parish
toner's were like some whom every pas
tor knows, sympathetic, genial spirits,
whom it always does us good to see. L
do not say that all your calls will
be attended with equal profit and
pleasure. But whether people be agree
able or disagreeable to yOu, depends
much upon yourself. If you have an
angular nature, so that you cannot go
into a home and talk five minutes with
out coming into conflict with some of
your hearers ideas, you will find a
great many persons who will not be
agreeable to you. But if you have the
spirit which every Christian minister
ought to have, if you know how to
adapt yourself to circumstances, how
to select topics of conversation that
will interest those upon whom you
call, and upon which you can agree,
you can have a pleasant visit with