The San Francisco call., 1898-04-10

preacher, a brilliant speak er," "splendid orator" What Is minister? An ambassador of Christ, be- seeching men to be reconciled to God through him. The success is to be measured by the extent to which this reconciliation is promoted.
 Suppose that the Spanish Government sent an ambassador to Cuba to beseech the rebels to be at peace with Spain. and the ambassador was described as eloquent" brilliant" ''very interest ing" in his address to the rebels, and by them. yet they held on in their rebel lion-could he be described as success full?
 This article, as I understand 1t. Is not to deal with the choice of the ministry as a profession. The young men to whom 1t is addressed are supposed to have settled that momentous question in the affirmative. They desire now only the few suggestions that experi- ence can give to inexperience as guide in their life work.
 A minister's duties divide themselves under two heads-his work as a preach CT and as a pastor. Neither one should be emphasized to the neglect of the other Some men succeed in the for mer field and fail in the latter, or vice versa, but to make his efforts effective for the promotion of Gods truth the minister should labor assiduously in both.
 As a preacher the minister Is called upon to prepare and deliver sermons to his congregation. In this the first thing to determine is his range of subjects. On this point Christ has explicitly di- rected us, whatsoever I have com manded you" To the appreciative stu dent of the Bible this is sufficiently definite, and rules out many themes that have found their way into the Christian pulpit.
 The central figure of all Bible teach ing, the most effective that the preach CT can present. the one he is especially enjoined to herald is the Christ. This should be his constant theme. He is to lift up Christ, to set forth his saving work as finished on the cross. and to show that while he is Prophet, to be our teacher, and King to rule over us, it is by his atoning death that we have life through bene~ing in him. This is glorying in the cross.
 This presentation of Christ implies the setting forth of Gods attributes as holy, just, merciful and faithful, mans sinful condition, and it implies obliga- ton on men, when they believe in and love the Savior, to keep his command, ments. And so true evangelical preaching is the divinely given means for producing good ethical results-for promoting morality.
 This exhibition of Christ's saving work is to be presented in reliance on the Holy Spirit, not in ones genius, persuasivenesS or earnestness; and then, when souls are saved and brought to confess Christ, the glory is given to him who opens the eyes, creates anew in Christ, and Is, in the life of a believer, the spitit of holiness.
 It may be objected that this preach ing of Christ puts away variety from the pulpit and produces a dull same ness In the sermons. If hearers are simply looking for entertainment, for sensational" talk of "the times" they will sympathize with this criticism; but if they attend church to worship God, and be taught of Christ, they will find variety in the teaching, for in the history of the race from the opening chapter of Genesis through the Mosaic economy, the history of the Hebrews, the works of the prophets and all the New Testament, Christ, the Savior. and the godliness that comes through faith in him, are more or less clearly set forth, and that in beautifully varied aspects.
 There are many useful points about the preparation and presentation of pulpit discourSes, but most of these the young man will hear fully discussed in the course of his special preparation. No scientific knowledge, no classic no learning, no human truth comes arniss to the preacher, yet there have been many men with little Latin and less Creek who have nightly influenced the lives and aspirations of their fel- lows toward the kingdom of God.
 The best cardinal rule can think of is to know your Bible (the English version) thoroughly. Know it so well that you can draw readily on it for apt quotation to enforce and emphasize your points. When it comes to utter ing a grand truth or voicing an eternal warning, the language of the book Is more fOrcible, more convincing, sticks more firmly in the mind of the nearer. than any you can command.
 The tone of the preacher in his pulpit, In my opinion, should be positive not argumentative. We are not phfloso- phers finding out things; we are exposi- tors of a revelation that settles things. When Jesus said, T am the way. the truth, the life; no man cometh to the Father but by me-" he spoke positive truth, which it is our business to echo, Let authors, poets and philosophers have the field of speculation and imagi- nation We, my brethren, give our selves to another task. We are to d. rect human pilgrims, according to set tied and fixed commandments from the Lord, into the way that leads through the gate into the city,
 That part of his duties comprised in his work as pastor the young man