The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-28
PREACHING AND TEACHING
REV HIRAM W. KELLOGG DISCUSSES
SUNDAY SCHOOL METHOD.
Ii Is Important the PuIpit's
Way of Spreading the Gospel
News of Other Churches.

W
and attention mainly to the Sunday school.
His topic was The Sunday School as an
Essential in the Propagation of the Cos
pei" DR.. Kellogg said, in part:
II have chosen 10 present 10 you the
command Of Jesus, which must ever
stand as the highest authority in the de-
scribed methods of extending His kingdom
But this command is complete only in two
parts, given in separate records. One by
Mark, which is Peters gospel, and the
other by Matthew In the former we have
Go We into all the world and preach my
gospel to every creature The word used
To describe the method is 'kerisso. to cry
or proclaim as herald. In the report OF
Matthew we have a very different word.
II is didasko.' to teach, instruct, counsel,
etc.
THE two united prescribe very definitely
the wish of the Master. The two methods
are well defined by the old and settled GUS
toms of men and preclude all possible mis-
understanding They are the work Of the
orator and the teacher. From the earliest
time both have been effective in the incul-
eating of truth. While they may unite in
a single effort or in the same person, yet
the offices and operations are quite dis
tinct. Each performs its special function
and both are the effective way of publishing
truth. The orator has never been con-
spfcuous figure among people and nations.
His triumphs mark events in nations and
the victories of truth. The civilization IA
miliar TO Jesus was one in which this art
had played an important part. Greece and
Rome had hOnOred it TO high degree, so
that in laying hold Of this Jesus COM
mended what was well understood as the
most potent agent for the spread of His
good news.
The pulpit as an institution IS the neces-
sary result, and it's successes have well
justified the divine appointment Chris
tianity, with its lofty subjects, was well
fitted TO create the orator by stirring his
reason. inhaming imagination and arousing
the deepest passions of his soul. The his
tory of Christianity could be told in the
sermons of great preachers. Where the
church has neglected for a time this agency
Christianity has declined. Her revivals
and reformations have always been
preached.
THE CHRISTIAN PULPIT.
What a thrilling record of brilliant vic
tories Is the history of the Christian pulpit!
From Paul to Phillips Brooks the great
volume of courageous and gifted eloquence
which tells the reason of the spread of the
kingdom of heaven. There is no danger
that the pulpit will ever be supplanted by
other inventions.
This agency, however, fulflls but part
of the command. 1t cannot do the work de-
signed. Teaching must accompany it. This
custom so we'll defined by the philosophers
| and scholars in the groves of Athens. in
the forum at Rome or in the temple at
Jerusalem was appointed by the Master
to do important work in the kingdom
In all educational work 1T has proved an
tian church has been faithful to the decree
and has always in some manner another
performed this work. 1t has, however,
assumed I'm the history of the church a
greater diversity of organized effort than
has preaching. The disciples were teach
ers, as we'll as preachers. and so is every
! faithful minister of, the word. The family
| has been the means OF carrying out the
command in many instances, especially was
this the case at the beginning OF Chris
/ tianity and following the reformations
| among the PrOteStantS.
But to-day. perhaps because of the I'M
| faithfulness of the family, the work is al
most exclusively accomplished by the mod
| ern Sunday school. Whether this is best
am not affirming or denying. but it is true
| As things now are the Sunday school is
| that department OF the church which is at
| tempting TO carry out the work of Jesus in
teaching His word. Or. more correctly the
/ church is expressing it's teaching function
| in this manner.
ALLOW this to be the case. the Sunday
school becomes important and even
| necessary part of the divine order. If this
| proposition be granted certain conclusions
and Sunday school rest on the same author
| ity: second. this raises the Sunday school
| to the dignity and respect of the former
| they stand or fall together: third this
| clothes the teacher with the same power
| and requires the same qualifications. Here
| L meet deep-seated prejudice which has
| no support from reason, although of long
| tradition. Mr.. Sturgeon used 10 say that
! Rev: belonged no more to his name than
/
/ teacher. Fourth, * corrects the mistaken
| notion that the Sunday school is a place
/ for children only. 1t is place for chill
| dren, and for this reason il does not lose
| its responsibility. but gains the more but
it is for every one who needs instruction i'm
/ the Scriptures. And who Outgrows this
/ need? Destroy all the superstitions that
/ have gathered about the Bible and still il
remains the authority of God and the guide
to faith 1t is given for instruction in
| righteousness that the man of God may be
| furnished to every good work
APPEALS FOR SUPPORT.
IF all this is true the Sunday school an
peals to the church for support. Parents
should sustain it, in spite of all its present
weaknesses, and seek to make it better.
| The church should strengthen it and ex-
tend its benefits TO every member. l have
had for years an ideal. 1t may be far from
realization. 1t was created out of a felt
need of better supervision in our great
churches. Experience has revealed to me
the lack of this. These churches outsrow
| the pastor and must be cared for by some
| other means. The Mormon Church has an
almost perfect supervision which reaches
| every individual, however remote MIR
| Wesley, attempting to realize a complete
supervision through the class meeting.
! gained the reputation for being the great
| est genius for organization the world has
| known. But his order has passed AWAY
| What can we do? is the pressing question
| Ii seems to me that the only way is thrOug N
| the Sunday school. We do not need more
| organization TO reach the result but a ner-
| fecting ard extending of this The teacher
becomes. not hearer of lessons only but
| a supervisor of every child's religious edu-
| cation and training. All cannot attend the
| Sunday school, L am told. This is true
| but the Sunday school can go To every ner-
SON This is provided for in the homo dc
| partment 1t is a 'Sunday-school extern
/ sion.
Suitable visitors are assigned the work of
| looking after each one. These need NOT IA L.
| so many as to burden them. They can re-
/ port the sick and needy, as the class leader
| used to do This work will depend on the
| teachers and leaders. These must be mali
| fled in order TO bring the desired results
! This can be done in this day of helms Does
ii take time? Yes. But an investment of
| time here will pay better than anvwhere
/ i'm all the world. The rewards of heaven
! will be richer and more abiding than the
! treasures are laboring anXiOuslv to gain
/ to-day. We can afford 10 give up MANY
/ pleasures we can afford To give up MANI
| of the calls to good work, If need be and
/ center our interest here and labor 10 nre-
pare for SO splendid a service. and at the
/ end we will be much the richer for the at
tempt
THE COMMON MAN IN POLITICS.