St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-07-15

toward Him? 1t is the same old story,
discouragiug and disheartening, tithing
mint, anise and cummin and forgetting
the weightier matters.
Thus far have l spoken of the modern
man and the part we Christians take in
moving him to an acceptance of the
gospel, by our lives, by what we may
call our passive influence. 1t remains to
speak Of what we shall do, our active
influence, our words.
For though a lovely and faithful life is
the most potent element in this, and
though, without it, words are worse
than nothing, yet words are necessary
many times. Usually loving desire,
enforced by good life, makes safe and
sure guide to our words, but perhaps
few suggestions will not be amiss. The
first one make is that we must get the
grade OF the man we desire to win. /
might say, we must see things from his
standpoint or get his point Of view, but
prefer term from my own profession
for it means both that / must get to his
level and walk with his gait. Not many
months ago set my class in arithmetic
test, and when the papers came in they
were not passable. made another paper
on the same lines but simpler, and still
the result was not satisfactory. A third
paper, still on the same lines, but yet
simpler, disclosed at last, the grade Of
the class and gave me both to know how
much to expect OF them and the point at
which might fit nv instruction both to
their needs and their stage OF advance
ment.
Twas ready now for my second and
more difficult task, the second part, Of
getting their grade by walking with
them. As often as use this phrase my
thought runs out to one OF those beauti-
full things of which our Bible is so full.
"And Enoch walked with Cod" We
think and speak mostly of the beauty OF
Enoch's part, and it was beautiful. But
if Enoch walked with God, God also
walked with Enoch, and the first is not
possible without the second. Walked
with him, not ahead of him, not behind
him, not below him, not above him,
pace and pace, step and step with him.
Difficult? Yes, for anything except Di-
vine Love. But it is the only, way.
The second suggestion ! have to make
is this: We are not to urge men too
much. The gospel is worthy of accept
ance in itself and may not seem to. be
cheapened by our urgency as il we were
dealing in something we were eager to
rid ourselves Of There is something
worthy the dignity OF this Christianity
in placing it plainly and lovingly before
men and in saying to them that the
choice is theirs. Christ did this and left
the responsibility with men. This may
also be considered: that by leaving the
responsibility of the choice entirely with
men we respect their individuality and
recognize their ability to choose for them
selves.
Other helpful suggestions might be
offered and doubtless many will come to
us. Besides, am not making any at
tempt to exhaust the subject. Enough,
however, has been said and burden
sufficiently great has already been laid
on Gods people for their part of the
responsibility in leading men to accept
into their lives the blessed gospel Of the
Son of God. Indeed, more than once
had the feeling that l was insisting upon
too much on our part and that it might
appear to some that | had left no re.
sponsibility for their own choosing upon
men themselves. fto any l have seem
ed thus to err wish now to correct that
impression. would not take back q
single word have said about the failure
and dullness of heart and neglect of us
Christian men in the work of bringing
our fellowmen to Christ. I would moi
lessen, by the least, the burden of respon
sibility for the conscious and deliberate
acceptance of the gospel by men who
have not yet accepted it, which I have
said rests upon us. Iwould not diminish
bya particle the demand have made fol
renewed action on our part in this work
We need to do more work, we need tC
feel our responsibility more fully, we neet
to be doubly diligent for our fellowmen
But in this increase of work, in our in
creased sensitiveness to responsibility
and our increased diligence, we mus
teach, we must insist that at the last
the responsibility of choice, finally ane
fully, rests upon each Tor himself and W,
must not allow any man to shirk it
Christ's words were, "How often woult
III but ye would not" who
soever neareth the sound OF the trumpet
and taketh not warning; if the swort
come and take him away, his blood shall
be upon his own head" Let none of ii!
add to the burdens properly ours thu
burden of unavailing regret that met
will sometimes not hear, but will choos'
to 90 down to death.
To my brethren, the clergy, / have {
few words to say. In all this discussion
have been mindful of the burdens 20,
already have to bear and SO have ad
dressed myself only to my fellow churcl
members and pewholders, including 20,
only as men but not as church function
aries, for have no sympathy whateve
with the fashion Of laying all the church
lack of success at the preachers door
And yet know you will suffer me if 70
a minute or two speak to you from tn
pew. especially when you remember tina
for 35 years I have patiently sat an,
suffered and kept silence. We are mel
just as you are, whether better or wors
need not trouble us, and you touch us il
two relations, as men sharing our life
and as preachers in the pulpit. AS an
speaking from the pew mostly, shall
touch very briefly on the first relation
: remember with what genuine surprise
when youth of Is or 16 years, me
the first human preacher had ever seen
We boys hardly knew what to make O
him at first but we soon found him a
genuinely human as we. He never playe'
bolI NTH &c or m rhteS mr. rrpnuet n