The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-01-24

could create an atmosphere for the
preacher 10 speak ia and be understood.
In the first place there should be n clear
physical atmosphere. Many OF our SER
mons are fat and dull when you hear
them because they are delivered IN VI
brated dead air, which affects both speak
er and hearer.
A SOCIAL ATMOSPHERIC.
Those who go to services In summer
chapels come home with an exaggerated
idea OF the sermon. We who have the
privilege OF speaking In the summer chap
els find we can say something worth while
with ease. This Is true because the peo-
pie who are there have played together
all the week and there is certain So
cial atmosphere, which sermons need TO
bring results.
I'VE cannot reproduce IL fully in our
city churches, but you can make the
stranger really and unos CcntatlouslV at
home. If men who are representatives
OF the parish should stand at the door
and bid the strangers welcome there
would be given the atmosphere OF hospi-
tahty that is needed.
You have a caterer when you have a
party and servants TO help, but you your
self welcome your guests.
When one stands before n congrega-
tlon and feels that there is a lack OF sym
pathy and fellow feeling between the
parts of the audience IL ts n dampener
on the sermon or address to be delivered
The first five or six minutes the minis
ter seems to be getting at his subject
The difficulty is that he is trying to get
your mind attuned to spiritual things. TO
net you ready 10 receive his message.
He is aware your mind has been occu-
pied with other things and needs to be
aroused so as to consider great spiritual
things"
or the exhortation placed in the
prayerbook at comparatively recent date
he said that 1t betrayed a far greater
lack OF knowledge Of human nature than
does the earlier and shorter Introductory
20 the sermon.
a GENERAL UTILITY MAN.
"The sermon as / think OF Il Is the
view OF one man speaking the truth as
God has shown II TO him in his own ex-
perience. This man must know God.
he must know himself and he must know
men He must be a specialist. He is n
novel and religious leader.
You can make him that or you can
make him general utility man. He
should give his time, not to abstract
themes. but TO the study OF his fellow
men. Some time he IL called TO become
"a beggar. not for his salary so much. but
for the needs OF his parish a constant
beggar looking upon his people as
source OF supply.
The two functions are utterly I'm COM
patible, for ne cannot take the proper
attitude TO his people while looking upon
them as "A source OF supply.
"of the 100 laymen. l should put part
in charge OF the windows, many OF the
best at the door and the rest 10 worship.
all TO see that the minister was always a
preacher TO his congregation"
Rev. w. r ". Jackson was next called
upon and he said the first ages OF the
church were those OF tho great preachers.
Then IL fell into dsuse and then I'm the
Middle Ages came the religion OF pagean-
try, and tho religion which was often
times hard theology.
Then the Reformation came with a re-
vival OF great preachers and great preach
ing of the gospel 10 all creatures Now
adays they say that sermons are not
needed magazine writer's and newspapers
cry for shorter sermons. IL the SER
mons arc 90 be shortened we might as
we'll omit the sermons altogether.
There are four words which describe
the preacher. These are a herald. an
evangelist, a teacher and a witness for