The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-07-25
THE SERMONS WHICH WE HEAR, OR POS.
sIBLY DO NOT HEAR.
Essay Read Before the AbbeviIle Lit
ernry Club nt the Home sf Dr.
+. T.. Harrison, by Hugh wilson,
InlY % lA41.

flee shall be careful TO avoid such express
sions and thoughts az may be misunderstood
or misconsLrued by the clergy, who may
think that when we fall to agree win
them that we are always wrong.
The office Of preacher ran ks higher, and ~
more revered by the people. than all other
ers are doing most valiant and most accepta-
Bile service In the Lords vineyard, and for
them l have nothing but the sincerest love
and admiration. But notwithstanding this
belief In the fitness of the majority. Also De-
leve that other preachers, equally sincere
and equally devout, occasionally make mis-
takes and sometimes fall short OF reaching
the full measure of their usefulness. This
the ground that a large per cent. OF
the preachers who now fill our pulpits have
an Impractical conception OF the beauties. tne
objects and the aims Of the religion when
but a very contracted idea of the gravity
and responsibility of their own profession,
selves too much from the "world." As
result they have very little practical idea
OF the idiOsyncrasies, desires and indiVldual
needs Of the people TO whom they preach.
PREACHERS IGNORANT OF THEIR SURROUND
INGS.
For instance: or all the educated people
in this country, az q class, none read lever
newspapers, aud none know less Of current
events than the ministers OF the gospel.
There are many preachers W no Ia nelther
daily newspaper nor first class literary mag
azIne. What Gre we to expect OF an orator or
a preacher who shuts his eyes In Inc biaZlng
light, and falls TO keep abreast OF the LINES?
If a missionary goes 10 foreign lanus 70
preach the gospel TO heather people he stud
les their la nguage, he learns their manners,
and acqualnts himself with their personal pc,
culiaritles, but a preacher In enlightened
America withdraws from the people, covers
Ii, with
read the daily newspapers, thereby shuLllhg
his eyes to all the passing events OF the day;
AS simple and striking evidence OF the
fact that they are not OF aae ealtn;
from that which surrounds ordinary morSals,
II will only be necessary TO note tnat
there are preachers Of the gospel VINO nave
never made any utterance on the recent
strike which has for the last month, attract,
ed the attention Of the Intelligent world and
which has interested this country from
@ Iect they have failed to embrace fine
Iopportunity TO Interest their hearers ana
to Impress moral lesson by the discussion OF
the facts, In which the church itself may or
may not be interested.
VACANT PEwS-THE CAUSE.
There is no question that In every Christian
lcommuulty there are too many non-church-
goers.
Then why the result In this particular?
AS rule, we believe the preachers attribute
pon-attendance on divine worship wholly
to perverseness OF heart on the part OF Tue
We doubt not that perverseness Or q disre'
| pa ri for our religious welfare Is the lmme'
| ldiate cause. But why the perverseness or dis'
regard? ,ooo -, .
| lack of interest in the service? II then there
| is lack Of interest in the service, who Is re-
sponsible for that? ,.o
| The point whictf would make is thls, II Lhe
sermons which are delivered from our pul,.
pits taught personal Christianity, Instead
Of q hazy and doubtful conception or nne
spun theological threads they would he more
Interesting fro anG lsWsr cSpIcb en SunGay
| The days Of martyrdom, either at the STAKE
or in the peW have passed, and the people de-
mand Instruction, entertainment reilglous
consolation.
Long dissertations on texts which have nc
relevancy TO the times, and which have nc
applied Christianity, are unpronlaole 10 tne
masses. and in time II may not De snrprlsins
10 find that many of their seats IN the sane
tuary are occasionally vacant.
THE WRONG KIND OF SERMONS.
Too many preachers undertake TO deliver
literary or theological essays, Whlch are par
rem of practical Ideas and lacking In applica
tion TO US and our surroundings. ant
which would have been Just as appro
| pirate u Thousand years ago In emma, Oh
India, NJ they are for us to-day In America
The people will be more interested II at lehs
some reference Is made TO subjects Whicn at
the lime engrnss public attention. Or per
haps kind, aftectlona!e protest against ,N tnt a
teripg of the encouraging and sustaining
word for the weak and faint hearted; or ever
the helping hand TO the fallen, would bt
more profitable than q discussion of mythol
ogy or those subjects which are yelled IN
mystery, and of which we know nothing, eX
cept what the preacher says When he taiks
so wildly OF the practical common sense u, ~
fairs which confront us every day, ana VIII
which we are familiar. he may teach us IL
take u little salt with his utterances on sub
Iects with which we are less acquainted, anu
OF which his own knowledge must oe limited
| They do not follow the example furnished
by our Saviour in his sermon on Tile Mount
nor do they adopt the advanced methods
the great and leading preachers In Inc cities
But they talk of theology ana The prophets
without coming In gunshot range OF touching
the motives, the Incentives, the deficiencies s
or the excuses with which we come in daily
contact
eru ny In our daily conduct and In our every
act, and when a sermon gives only few
Biblical facts and Il great many dreamy uc
ductions, without touching The people any
where the people become disinterested. anC
finally are careless about attending The ser
vice.
INTELLIGENCE AN AID TO PREACHING.
without reading the current literature an(
without being familiar with the events OF the
day, and vii hOuL being in touch win ih'
people PERSONALLY, IL Is Il most difficult thing
for Il minister To entertain his hearers for fl
ty-two Sundays In the year, but II preachers
are Intelligent, the current events OF the day
will furnish them n theme upon which they
can prOfitably entertain their congregation
and use the reel tai OF the facts. not onlv 10 In
terest their hearers, but To Impress the great
truths of our religion while giving the peo
pie something To think about.
In saving this, we deprecate The act OF the
Storytelling preacher, VINO Tells one sLrlng o.
anecdotes after another until we are tired and
diseusted. May the good Lord, In his mercy
save us from clerical exhibitions of ClowniSh
ness and vulgarity.
ACCEPTABLE SERMONS.
The Sermon Oh the Mount furnishes the
best known example of the preaching OF per.
sonal Christianity, but we hear very little u
that sort of preaching nowadays.
That kind Of preaching which touches tht
heart and teaches MS to cruelty the evil thai
is within us will attract II congregation.
That kind Of preaching which Is un inspiru
ton to higher and holier Incentives Will al
ways have listeners.
That kind of preaching which hwakens ant
stimulates To growth the germs OF the gooC
that Ia within our souls Will seldom be deliV
cred 10 empty benches or To inatteutlve ears
And from the pulpit which teaches nll these
lessons, will come no complaint OF the mum
ber of hearers.
II the sermons are good, and entertaining
the people will furnish no Occasion Tor comes
sion that the preachers congregation !:
small.
A SUITABLE SERMON.
speak of the mention Of current events