The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-08
Doctor J. FL. Young Says Grace,
Grit and Gumption Are
Essentials.
MINISTERS DISCUSS TOPIC.
Clergyman Places the "Crank
Preacher" in the Same Class
With Brass Bands and
Street Fakirs.

According to the Reverend Doctor ].
IL. Young. the essential qualifications of
a successful minister of tho gospel are
grace. grit and gumption.
In paper on Some of the Essential
Elements of Effective PREACHING read yes
terday morning before the Minister'S AS
ISOLATION of the NJ. Il. Church. South,
Doctor Young expressed his views at
length, and finished his address with the
following paragraph:
and now abIdeth grace. grit and
gumption-theso three. But tho greatest
of these is the harmonious exercise of
them all In the production of live, wide
awake, effective preaching"
Ministers who heard Doctor Young's
discourse said that many new points
We're brought out. and the discussion of
several questions raised caused the meet
ing to be prolonged somewhat beyond the
usual period.
Doctor Young said, in part:
Effective preaching is always sat
uratel with the gospel Of the grace of
God. believe that tho teaching from the
pulpit should be dOgmatic Effective
preaching is always dogmatic.
There are some ministers who believe
that their people are imbibing scientific
skepticism and other modern theories.
and that they must be disproved by the
minister Of God. Topical preaching seems
to be the order Of the day. topics which
exploit the learning or ignorance Of the
preacher rather than the saving power
OF the gospel Of God.
GOSPEL. IS EFFECTIVE.
,Ihe gospel. warm and glowing; from
effective. There IS ali the ' adherence ne IN in
the world on a cold day between q rous-
ing anthracite fire and a Colonel Sellers
candle.
ITO preach the gospel has in all ages
required grit. The heroic days are never
past. There has not been a time when
coward could be an effective preacher.
The gospel is a sword sent among men,
ut is easy to float with tho tide, to
say let us DO sweet and love men into
er, the church stands by her commission
When She throws down the sword of the
spirit and lifts the palm branch as her
ensign.
mawkish sentiment. not love, which is
surgery is needed.
Men need to-day to hear Thou shalt
warned against tho deceitfulness Of
riches. the sin of covetousness Such
preaching may cost US our heads, but 1t
Will be effective.
AS compliment to the elements al
ready considered. / mention gumption.
common sense Is a valuable commodity
even II 1t should chance to stray into the
pulpit; But I have yet to discover the
church that regards It as an essential for
ADMISSION to holy orders.
some OF our most Intellectual preachers
are crammed full Of Latin, Greek, He
brew and philosophy. They are walking
encyclopedias, authorities on all uues-
ilonS. but their sermons are pedantfc, fiat,
ineffective. stale and improbable.
MANY ARE CRANKs.
"on the other hand, many arc cranks,
They have caught good case Of religion
and are full Of zeal and energy. The idea
is current that 1t takes u crank to move
Things. The crank does seem TO he the
most effective preacher If We Judge by
! ne numbers be draws to hear him and
the excitement he creates.
BUT as long as street fakfrs brass
Dands and unusual sights and noises are
aDIe 10 Draw crowds. We shall insist upon
some other criterion of effectiveness than
the gratif1caticn of curiosity of the senses
Grace In the hands of many ia license
ana many go. wild and lose their senses
over That which was intended to restore
TOO. from grit to rashness, especially
when the man In the pulpit knows thai
bis hearers have no opportunity to reniv
indeed. 1t Is the rankest coWardice for
the preacher to indulge in personal nj.
JACKS upon members of his congregation.
right exercise Of the three essentials
Will make the effective minister