The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-08-14
CHRISTIAN ENpEAvOR.
Topic For the Week beginning AuR.
16-COmment by Rev. S. H. Doyle.

10-COmment by Rev. S. H. Doyle.
Topic--Lessons from Paul: How to use
tact In dealing with men.--T Cor TX. 1923.
In calling the fishermen Simon Pc
ter and Andrew to become his dis
ciples Jesus said unto them, Follow
Me and / will make you fishers of
men" One of the first and most i'm
portant qualifications of a successful
fisherman is what we call tact, which,
though not so easily defined, is clearly
understood by all. No laundering,
thoughtless, needless person can ever
be a successful fisher. 1t requires
person of cautiousness. Of intelligence,
of tactful skill, who, instead of alarm
ing and driving away the object of
his desire. Will lead them to him in
such a way that they themselves shall
be unconscious of it. Men, like fish,
hesitate to be caught, even when their
souls salvation is concerned. They
are wary of the net Of salvation, and
unless those who try u win them are
"as wise as serpents and as harmless
as doves" they are more apt to brighten
them away from the kingdom than to
lead them into it. The wise man says
"He that winneth souls Is wise" win"
is the correct word. Souls are to be
won, and in their winning a very neces
sary qualification on the part Of the
winner Is tact.
Paul exemplifies in large measure
the necessity and the successfulness of
80 Of II, WIFI From Al ppI
gious standpoint. He was a great soul
winner and most successful in devel-
oping Christian character. And one of
the secrets of his success with all ma
tionalitles and classes of people was
his tactfulness. Unto the Jews he
says, 81 became as Jew that
might gain the Jews; to them that
are under the law, as under the law,
that might gain them under the law;
to them that are without law, as with
out law to the weak became
as weak. that might gain the weak;
am made all things to all men, that I
might by all means save some,' The
apostle did not, of course, in any ig-
noble sense become all things to ali
men. He was not one thing to n jew
and something that was inconsistent
with that to a Roman. He studied the
dispositions of all classes and adapted
himself to their peculiarities and their
wants that he might win them to
Christ. He talked to men in a Ian
guage they could understand and pre-.
scented Christ from a viewpoint that
they could comprehend, and thus only
can any one be successful In dealing
with men In their relation to God in
Jesus Christ
To be able to adapt himself to the
peculiar dispositions of men required
thought and study on the part of the
apostle A Jew had to be dealt with
in one way and gentle in another,
and to deal with each in the proper
way required a certain kind of knowl-
edge which can only come from study
and experience. Parents to deal sue
cessfully with children, teachers with
scholars, pastors with people and
Christian people with the unsaved and
irreligious must study their particular
dispositions and thus learn how to
reach them. The aquirement of such
skill requires time and labor, but it
should be cheerfuily given. Men study
men that they may be successful in
dealing with them in business and in
politics. Why should we not, then, as
Christians be willing TO give the time
and study necessary to 80 understand
men that we may deal with them sue
cessfully In the salvation and sanctif-
cation of their souls?
BIBLE READINGS.
Prov. xi. 80; Dan. xii, 8; Matt. iv,
1920; X, 16; Luke V, Iii; Rom. XIV, l.
2; Cor. X, 31-83; II Cor xii, $3.50;
Tim. iv, 16; JAS V, 20.