The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-10-12
ID REACH MASSES AND RESCUE THEM Rev. J. M. SheIbourne Delivers an Eloquent Sermon. THE INFLUENCE OF MAN Pastor of the East Lake Baptist Church Says Hundreds of Pews
 Are Vacant in the
 City Today"
THE INFLUENCE OF MAN

The Rev. J. NJ shelbourne, pastor of the East Lake Baptist church. preached an eloquent and foreible sermon to large congregation yesterday morning. at Il o'clock service. His subject was "Shep- herding the Multitude" He discussed this all important question which is agitating the minds of the Christian people of to- day. and gave many Illustrations from real life to substantiate his position. The text and a synopsis of his sermon folows
 And he came forth and saw great multitude, and had compassion on them, because they were as sheep, not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things Mark 6: B.
 A not altogether modern problem for Christian people Is that of reaching the multitude. It is the old question of shep- herding the masses; how to get the people to hear the gospel This question is pres ent with us at this hour in the south as it has never been before. We are begin ming to find out that we have some cities and towns, and that the people are not hearing the gospel. l hope we shall be spared the pain and humiliation of trying a long series of expedients to catch the crowd, which, like some patent medicines, leave a worse state of things than at the beginning.
 The Unshepherded Throng.
 There are hundreds of vacant pews in our city today, but should the people turn out to hear the gospel there would not be fa, t,, f bt. shepherded throng, there are several classes. First, a large class of nominal Christians who are content to remain in the ranks of the multitude. Second, d smaller class of men and women whose hours of toi conflict with the hours of worship. I do not discuss the cause. I merely call attention to the fact. Third an overworked class, who remain away to rest their worn out bodies At least, this. is the reason they give. Fourth, the indifferent class. This is the large class. Those who have never heard and do not desire to hear the gospel l call atten- ton to these matters because of their importance to us as those who are to make disciples of men. There are tens of thousands of the unshepherded in our midst.
 Condition Explained.
 "The explanation, so far as we are con- cerned, l believe, lies in the fact of a loss, on our part, of the shepherds in- stinct. To show you what I mean by the shepherds instinct let me mention It's clements.
 l. An understanding of the needs of the multitude. This is only an element, but it is that. It does not require a very high order of penetration to see a thousand needs, and he who only sees them never becomes a shepherd. He may become critic and satirize the follies of his fel- lows. But he only sees them; he does not understand them.
 Humanity's Deformity.
 How distinctly humanitys deformity lay before the eyes of Jesus and how well he could read all it's terrible meaning! To be a shepherd one must look through the eyes of Jesus.
 Il. A consciousness of power to help. The shepherds instinct includes a con sciousness of ability to come to the rescue. The shepherdsi is not the man to despair Jesus came fullhanded to the multitude and they heard him gladly be- cause ne consciously bore to them what their famishing souls cried for though they cried in the dark
 The shepherd must know that he has that to communicate which will help his brother man. Nor is it egotism for him thus to think. Peter and John went m to the temple with that which the beg gar needed. though they had no silver and no gold. Their reply was not the answer of those poverty stricken. They came to the beggar pregnant with help Tor his desperate necessity. The shep- herd must consciously bear the fullness of Jesus
 Sympathy With the Multitude.
 III. Sympathy that identifies one's self with the multitude. The shepherd passion comes to itself in this last element It is this that makes the shepherd. Under it's spell Paul could wish himself aceursed for his brethrens sake. and Caree could weep bitterly even in his dreams oyer the millions he had never seen
 Our help must come from a revival of the shepherds instinct If you ask how it may be recovered I will tell you frankly that ] do not know. but give me church with the shepherds passion and the null titude will hear the gospel.
 For the task that is before us we must get our point of view from Jesus be- fore the multitude.
 The office of the Birming- ham Water Works Company ie noW ot Mo o111 Ei,,ct orc