The Portland daily press., 1898-05-02

you or him, but pastors work touches
the deepest life Of hundreds in a COM
munity and means the damaging or
broadening and identifying of characters
destined for eternity
The PASTORS work then is the most i'm
portant in the world.
| Entering into this work are three ele-
ments which contribute to ministerial
success. First, there is the preaching;
it has pleased God to save men by what
seems the foolishness of preaching. No
man in the community has today such
power as the effective orator. From the
days of Demosthenes, pleading against
Phillip, Cicero against Catalina, Phil
lips against the slave trade. down to
| HoHr's great war speech, the orator has
been the mightiest maker of public opin-
| ion, and the gospel breaches that in the
greatest themes with which men have to
do he, the orator, has the largest oppor-
tunity and has historically proved him
self to be the greatest power in shaping
public opinion.
1t is not simple matter to come on
successive weeks, and three or four times
a week at that, before audiences of broad
| culture and bring message that shall
appeal to both conscience and intellect,
but this is the preachers duty; and yet
it is the most delightful work in the
world, because one is building his life
into the characters of immortal men and
| women.
1.-THE pulpit then," said the speaker,
sis the place of my first and supreme
duty, and the work of the parish must
be made to contribute to that. Remem-
| Der your minister is not music box to
play your favorite tunes, nor ought he
to confine himself to his own fads''
Rev. Mr.. Freeman then passed on to
say that whatever touches man in the
| broadcast and deepest way the preacher
should deal with, not dwelling all the
| time on doctrine, or politics, temperance
and catholic purposes of the ministry
might by missed.
| The second point referred to by the
speaker was practice, swithout which on
the part of the people preaching, however
| learned and eloquent, will be futile.
"The aim and corner needed today
said the preacher, sis holy, manly life, in
market, mart and street. Let me be abb
to hold up my head and look every man
| in the face as I walk the streets
of this CITY,"
| The test of preacher is not his popu-
larity, but the kind Of men and women
his influence produces. Dwelling upon
this point, the speaker next passed to
his concluding thought how to make
preaching and practice possible.
| Prayer was his answer and in this con-
nection he referred to the fact that in
these latter days we have been testing
the powers of organization, education,
electricity and literature, But" said the
speaker, 81 would like to see the power of
prayer. 1t awaited for Abraham, Gideon,
Solomon and Hezekiah. Washington's
prayer at Valley Forge brought success
| to the beginning of our nation; Lincoln's
prayer led him in the path of wisdom
through the civil struggle and believe
| that the secret of the marvellous wisdom
and wonderful poise in the conflicting
| advice of counsellors of these, the most
| trying days for o President in the last
quarter of century, shown by President
| Mckinley, is due to the fact that the
Christian people of America have daily
borne him before God in faith prayer. =
| Continuing, Mr.. Freeman said: 81
am then to preach with all the power
| and wisdom I can command; you are to
live like Jesus Christ and together; we
are to Iinger long and faithfully before
| God, that we may have the power that
comes from on high"