The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1900-03-03
heartl

ular sermon as though there must De |
something wrong about II. AS these
critics are dull themselves, the world |
gets the impression that a sermon Is
good In proportion as II is stupid. Christ |
was the most popular preacher the
world ever saw and, considering the
small number Of the worlds popula- |
tion, had the largest audiences ever
gathered. He never preached anywhere
without making great sensation. Peo-
pie rushed out In the wilderness to hear
him reckless of their physical necessi-
ties. So great was their anxiety to
hear Christ that, taking no food with
them. they would have tainted and
starved had not Christ performed a
miracle and fed them. Why did 40
many people take the truth at Christs
hands? Because they all understood
IL. He illustrated his subject by hen
aud her chickens, by bushel measure,
by a handful Of salt, by birds flight
and by a lily's aroma. All the people
knew what he meant, aud they hocked
TO Him. And when the religious dis
course Of the future appears it will not
be Prineetonian, not Rochesterian, not
Andoverian, not Mddletonian. but OIL.
vetic-plain, practical, unique. earnest,
comprehensive Of all the woes, wants,
sins and sorrows OF an auditory.
But when the exhortation or dis.
course does come there win be thou
sand cleaning seimeters TO charge on
II. There are In so many theological
seminaries professors telling young
men how to preach, themselves not
knowing how, and am told that II a
young man in some Of our theological
seminaries says anything quaint or
thrilling or unique faculty and students
fly at him and set him right and
straighten him out and smooth him
down and chop him off until he says ev-
erything just as everybody else says It.
Oh, when the future religious discourse
OF the Christian church arrives all the
churches of Christ In our great cities
will be thronged The world wants
spiritual help. All who have buried
their dead want comfort. All know
themselves to be mortal and to be i'm
mortal. and they want to hear about
the great future. tell you, my friends,
IL the people of our great cities who
have had trouble only thought they
could get practical and sympathetic
help in the Christian church, there
would not be street in Washington or
New York or any other city which
would be passable ON the Sabbath day
n there were n church on II. for all the
,aonla ,vouid nress 20 ,bat asvIum ~
Pr y ys-., -
mercy' ihat great house Vi eoniioi' anu
consolation.
"A mother with dead babe in her
arms came to the god silva and asked
to have her child restored to life. The
god silva said to her; "You go and get
handful OF mustard seed from house
in which there has been no sorrow
and in which there has been no death,
and l will restore your child to llfe."
So the mother went out, anfshe went
from house TO house and from home to
J home looking for place where there
had been no sorrow and where there
: had been no death, but she found none,
: She went back to the god silva and
said; My mission IS failure You
see, l haven't brought the mustard
seed. cant fnd place where there
: mas peeh no sorrow ana no ueutn.
"Ohl said the god silva. Understand
D your sorrows are no worse than 'he
E sorrows OF others we al nave our
7 grlefs, and all nave our hearlpreaks'
l Laugh. ana the world laushs win VOW
7 ror Mesp. ,h anu d yyS OS @ ~vs ms, horrov ~,
E mirth.
I But has trouble enough of its own.
: We hear a great deal Of discussion
0 now all over the land about why people
= do not go TO church. Some say 1t is be
1 cause Christianity Is dying out and be
: cause people do not believe In the truth
a Of Gods Word, and all that The rea
n son is because our sermons and ex
!. hortations are not interesting ant
= practical and helpful. Some one nigh
= as well tell the whole truth on this sub
l. iect, and so will tell 1t. The religious
Il discourse OF the future, the Gospel ser
J. mon to come forth and shake the ma
a tions and lift people out Of darkness
. will be popular sermon, just for tn
II simple reason that 1t will meet tn
h woes and the wants and the anxieties o
Ie the people,
s. There are in all our denomination
Is ecclesiastical mummies sitting aroun
TO frown upon the fresh young pulpit
u OF America to try to awe them dowI
le TO cry out' Tut, tut, tut' Sensation
Is all They stand to-day preaching I
re churches that hold thousand peopl'
g and there are hundred persons pre-
Or ent. and u they cannot have the worl
Is saved in their way II seems as II they d
in not want 1t saved at all
l. do not Know put the old way
In making ministers OF the Gospel is be
is ter--a collegiate education and an a.
e. premiership under the care and nom
ae attention OF some earnest aged Chr'
a tan minister, the young man get,in
as the patriarch's spirit and assisung MI
st in his religious service. Young lawyer
ay study with old lawyers young phys
y clans with old physicians and oelie'
he 1t would be great help II every your
ng man studying lot the Gospei minist'
I'D could get himself In the home and hea
an and sympathy and under the oenedi
nd ton and perpetual presence OF enr'
ty tian minister
he But, remark again, the religion
Iss discourse OF the future will be
)h, awakening sermon. From altar rail
ok the front door step, under that sermo
= an audience will get up and start Il
nd Heaven. There will be In II many
We staccato passage. 1t will not be lull
ap- by. It will be a battle charge. Nj
ou will drop their sins, for they VIII re
en- the hot breath OF pursuing retriputi'
lnk ~ the AaRE Of fhRiP naQlH II Will