Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-28
DIR. BYE, 9O1C Broadway, Kansas City, Mo.

and which have been dragged into our
ministry in our efforts to copy great
men Let me put them in the positive,
rather than the negative form. The
man who wins Is thinker. am not
now concerned whether he is orthodox
or unorthodox. But he thinks twice
and even thrice before he speaks He
forms the habit of thought People feel
that ne has the right to speak because
he always says something when he
speaks. The world wants ideas and he
who expects hearing must give the
impression that all possible phases of
a subject are in his mind even though
he may not mention them at all. Men
tai grasp is essential. He must also
be a student. Books are cheap and pub
| lie libraries are open to all. Women's
clubs encourage reading and laymen
know the books that flood the market. |
If the minister wants the confidence Of
a reading public, he must find some
way to keep abreast of current litera-
ture or, If he has not read on a given
subject, he should at least be modest !
in his criticisms Have you read Quo
Vadis?' said one minister to his friend. |
No. was the answer, but have
preached sermon against it. The
man who wins must be original. Phono-
graphs are interesting, but most people
soon tire of them Not many people
will buy wilted vegetables when the
earth is producing its crisp spring
growth. sometimes think our ministry
would be far better off, if all common
taries were burned and aids to sermon
izing destroyed, SO that each would
work out his own individuality in his
sermons. He fails as religious
teacher who does not lead his hearers
out into the UNEMPLOYED realms Of
truth. Audiences grow smaller many
times, because, like the COW tethered
to one spot every day they are COM
PEELED to browse within radius Of
some theological rope.
Character Factor.
Furthermore he who wins must
have clean life and spiritual mind.
The pure in heart see God,' and it re-
quires freedom from filthy habits IL
one Is to make others see him. A diff
ficult surgical operation was to be per-
formed upon DIR. Gristurit's little boy.
The anxious father stood beside the
t snow white body lying on the operating
table, He roticed that each time be-
fore the physician applied the knife to
' the bleeding flesh he dipped the instru-
t ment in a bowl of anti-septics. He
z dared use only pure instrum ents lest
: blood poisoning result Even SO must
) his life be pure who would attract
!. others to the gospel he presents A
> light takes on the color of the glass
! through which it passes, SO is truth af-
!. fected by the personal habits of the
i man who speaks.
. But l have overrun my time and
\ still have many things to say about the
o personality that secures an audience.
d His sympathy must be with the masses
J. in their struggles for daily bread
2 as we'll as for spiritual life, and the
g sympathy must be genuine for people
V are quick to detect posing. His mes
e sage must ring true against graft in
t high places as well as against crime
n lin low places, for the people want a
s square deal and an impartial judgment
v His spirit must b, saturated with the
v teachings of Jesus that his life shall
!, be as intuitive and spontaneous in spir
Il ituality as birds are in singing or flow
II ers in blooming A personality as has
;. been here suggested may be ideal, but
, certainly is such as draws large audi
r ences."
d Report on Danish Work.
d Rev. M. Hanson of Eagle Grove il
Il his report on Danish work in the state
showed that there were 10000 Danes
and about 100000 Norwegians in the
:. state. That the fifteen Danish Baptis
), churches in the state had total o
! ,O6O members. There is also ont
!. Danish missionary and one Danisl
" culporter in the state. Rev. Hanson
+ grew enthusiastic over the condition
g in the state and closes with a pie,
# that the Baptist state convention
= would give him their prayers and 9th
e er aid in the furtherance of the Dan
q ish work in Iowa.
8 Missions In Illinois.
r. z. P. Brand Of Chicago, secretar.
n OF the Illinois Baptist state convention
Y. spoke on the plans followed by tn,
d church in that state in missionar.
work. He said that they were trying
q to have the $4,000 Baptists in northern
It Illinois and the $4,000 Baptists in tn,
" southern part of the state join hand
,e with the 10000 Baptists in Chicago
1t The Baptist state convention support
n. four missionaries, and instead of max
d. ing appropriations to the various
IS weak churches, missionaries are sen
<,,,t r., 1,oIl ,a,,;ya1c ord ,4i,n. $3.50