The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-05-21

The Boston Hydtchn1on (Bapt.) has this
to say on the subject OF preaching: PRO
lessor Drummond has been telling the
Free Church of Scotland that to-day peo-
pie are over-fed with sermons, and that
the ministers can do better than TO pre-
pare and preach two or three sermons for
a Sunday, and the people can do better
than to listen to them. In brief, his idea
is that the second service on the Lords
Day, instead of being devoted 10 feeding
themselves by hearing a sermon, should
be given TO helping on the kingdom Of
Christ in their neighDorhood, among the
poor, the sick, the young, and the I'M
evangelical; in a word, to the outgoing
missionary work of Christian cCngre-
cation. We believe that il the majority
OF church members We're freely to speak
their minds on this matter. they would
say Professor Dummond is right. Our
pastors can use their time more wisely
than in preparing two discOurseS week,
and, what IS more, now that the subject
is opened, we frankly say we could do
more for God than by devoting all Sun
day to hearing sermons. In the New
Testament, to preach does not necessarily
mean to address an audience; it signifies
oral communication of truth. According
to the New Testament idea, Christ was
preaching to the swomen of Samaria as
when He gave the Sermon on the Mount;
mother is as truly preaching when she
explains the truth to her child upon her
knee as when her minister is speaking to
a crowded house. The criticism is not
against preaching, but against the over
emphasis Of oratorical preaching, against
too many formal sermons. 1t is not
claimed that we can Go without sermons;
but it IS claimed that we can do without
so many sof them; that there is q more
excellent way OF using the Lords Day
than by devoting it wholly to listening to
sermons"
"Coleridge's remark that every man is
Calvinist when he prays,' evidently
does not apply to the 'preterition feat
ure Of Calvinism, observes the Cumber-
land Presbyterian of Nashville, Tenn,
but 10 faith in Gods sovereign power
over nature and all His creatures, a be-
lief which Arminians and Cumberland
Presbyterians hold TO as firmly as do
Calyinists. Indeed, the doctrine that
God, from all eternity, foreordained
whatsoever comes to pass, and thus
shuts Himself up to one way of
doing things, limiting his present SOW
ereignty by His eternal decree, seems
rather a encouragement than an in
centive 10 prayer. ii things were UNI
changeabiy fixed and settled a cycle of
millions Of years before we We're born.
they are past praying for now. There
fore, when a really blue Calvinist prays
he must for the moment suppress the
blueness of his Calyinism and pray like
a Cumberland Presbyterian or Method
ist. Prayer implies belief that some
result will be reached in consequence of
our praying or in connection with it,
which would not be reached without it,
The doctrine that the effectual. fervent
prayer of a righteous man availeth much
is not hyper Calvinistic doctrine"
Writing on the prevalence of the gam
bling spirit, the New York I5,deDeRde5,t
says: lit goes without saying that the
pulpit should thunder against the evil.
We have lately received pastoral letter,
issued by the New London Congrega-
tional Association, on the Prevalence of
Gambling We commend it most heart
lily and advise that other associations and
churches give warning and eXhortation
in the same way. But how shall the
church speak with authority while it is
in completely with the wrong it would
condemn? 1t is a shame that such things
as DR.. Buckley and Mr.. Griffin say Of
church fairs should have to be said: but
they are said that all may have warming
and avoid the sin. The church cannot
afford TO look upon the grab bag or the