The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-29

The TrOcauerO was cOnpletely HHeu
last evening at the annual ladies' night
and summer festival OF the Congrega-
t.onal club. A reception was held In
the parlors from till O'Clock, at
which time over 400 sat down to sup
per. Y
The address OF the evening was by
Rev. Newell Dwight Hills. ID. d.. of the
Plymouth church of Brooklyn, N. Y,
upon the subject The Difficulties of the
Modern American Preacher" His ad-
dress was thoroughly practical and.was
heartily enjoyed by all present.
In part he said: 1T has been said
that lifes great teachers are books,
libraries. schools. business and
churches.
IF 1 understand preaching, 1t deals
with man-making. man-mending and
character building 1t is a science,
dealing with reason affection, aspora-
tion and conscience. Man Is born a
long way from his home OF perfect ma
turity. We nave some birds that re-
quire forty years 10 reach perfect ma
turity. Because so many faculties are
found in man, II requires many years
to develop him. In nature. the seed is
developed into acorn. Man must De
sent to school. He must use reason.
THE university of morals is what
the preacher deals with. BY long study.
patient drill. man grows. In the intel
lect. man needs the college. In morals.
the church is a university OF morals
and right living.
why did Jesus Christ choose preach
Ing as an instrument to lift up mora
truth and character? At time when
men thought 1t was important TO use
material things he passed them by. In
stead OF using phi losophy and consti-
tutions and intellectual analysis he
lifted up moral truth and used preach
ing" e
ROLL OF GREAT TEACHERS.
For the beginning of law we go back
to Moses. for the beginning of liberty
OF thought. We go back to Paul: for the
beginning of English literature. we go
back to Johr Bunyani IL we call the
roll OF our great teachers. we shall
mention Carlyle. Ruskin. Lowell, Emer-
son and Browning. But contend tina:
no man and no body of men have ex-
ertcd greater influence than the Amer
lean preacher.
ut has been said that the increase
OF the printing press, magazines and
newspapers has robbed the pulpit of its
er. No book can take the place OF the
living man. Jesus Christ was the in
carnation OF his teaching. We have
books and foods for children. But
books can never take the place OF
mothers; ten thousand books cannot
take the place Of mothers.
"A book embaims the soul OF the
writer. Some booka contain the man
pickled. SO long as troubles come
sweeping over the world. so long AS
sin is cyclone. SO long as p.en begin In
that mystery, the cradle. and go toward
the other mystery. the grave; the NOR
al friendships win be necessary. and
mothers. as moral teachers. will be
necessary.
Christianity has copuuered the great
minds Of the world. The great writer's
have become preachers. John Ruskin
spent his life preparing for his mission
the application Of the principles of
Jesus Christ to the market place. En-
erson has been called Greek head
gins by saying Knnw, 0 men. that
God exists. All these literary men
have turned preachers. How can
you expect your preachers in three
days to prepare sermon to compete
with those which the literary men have
prepared In three weeks?
Men no longer need TO 20 to church
~, 'N'' ~ tht 10 NS vi NrQu. Ht tTluIIlDHS
OF surgery have 40 improved the health
conditions that In hundred years the
doctors will starve TO death. The
preachers have now. become useless
They have so taught men that auto
matically they keep the laws of the
sermon on the mount.
LIFE MORE DIFFICULT.
The new intellectual life has also
made the life of the preacher more diff
ncult. Formerly, only few people in
the community owned a bible. The
minister cannot be your superior in the
general facts of life. He must be your
superior In the higher life He must
teach others how to live this life.
Another difficulty for the preacher
Is the complexity Of modern American
life. We are passing through period
OF transition. We have O new scie 1ce
new philosophy, new comme.,e
But in creeds we still jolt forward m
the same ox-cart. The conservative
likes the old house and the old creed
of his father. The radical comes in and
says Il love the church ! want to
put In new, good tlmbers, new shin.
giles TO keep the rain out
But with change the old truth re-
mains the same. Gravity Is an old
truth. All the laws of conscience, the
truths OF Immortality OF man. the re.
demption through Christ Jesus remain
the same but must be sta,sd i'm new
form.
The Increase OF m. arlaism ard
wealth brings new problems.
Business is keeping many OF the
great business men away from the
church. Likewise The trade union Is
taking from the laborlng man his sun
day afternoon. Both sides need the me
day. For many minds Sunday is the
beginning OF progress and civilization.
II Is Gods greatest boon to civillza-
tion. The preacher must find that
truth which is best for the people of
today. When the truth OF Jesus Chris:
comes home TO men u soon comes out
In the life. All that Is greatest in mod
ern life comes from Jesus Christ"
REV. MIR. wIRT's REMARKS.
Before DIR. Hilis spoke. Rev. Loyal l..