The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-02-03
REV. DR.. FRAZER'S
QUARTER CENTURY
4 AS CHURCH PASTOR

bowling at the foot of the cross, min
listers should both alike witness for
Him who gave them the commission
n also administer to the wants and
necessities of mankind.
"But preaching vanity often divorces
those whom God hath joined together.
What but the love of SCHOLARSHIP repu-
tation ever prompts the substitution of
himsy talks for vital truths? What
but the undue yearning for a name can
erect these Babel towers of thought. or
incite plunges into the depths of
heather philosophy and ha~ir-splitting
metaphysics?
Since the apostle did not employ
excellence of speech, preaching Christ
is not popular preaching The gospel
pill must be sugar-coated or tho dying
patient refuses the remedy. Nor is
It's demands unnlet, for as many
preachers vanity prompts the display
of SCHOLARSHIP lore, so the love of APP
plause produces the polished, popular
essay and he delivers 1t with all the
gifts and sraces of splendid declara-
tion. Now, the most faithful ermon
may be marked with the strongest
flgurative language, expressing the
whole energy of IN earnest soul, but
its great aim is the deeper impression
of the truth, II no matter how bril-
liant the effusion. if it lacks this sin
gleness Of aim. it is but sounding
brass anda tinkling cS1nbal.'
"Since the consecrated heart is not
always the attendant of tho gifted head
the inclination of the heart does not
always follow the eloquence of the
tongue. Their are men whose highest
aim is to please the ear and kindle the
imagination. They submit some uu-
heard-of text, announce ii through the
public press. n the curiosity-drawn
crowd is then RECALLED with Il success
sion of glowing scenes and a combina-l
ton of brilliant images. That which
Is mad the substitute of religion,
polish for piety. entertainment foY
salvation, has no religious effect and
all are unpricked in hearts. The edi-
fled throng leaves the house OF God.
paying the tribute of praise to the
genius OF the preacher.
How dare a ma cry Peace. peace.
when his God hath declared there is
no peace
"How dare he assure mercy to the
moneyed worshippers when his Master
hath said Yo cannot serve God and
Mammon.' How dare he speak soft
things to one who trusts his morality
to be his salvation or absolve OF every
remission another who is faultless in
ceremonial ritual but utterly devoid OF
heart religion? How lar he prosti-
tute his powers, abuse his privileges,
ignore his accountability. polish and
refine gospel truth until the offehse of
the cross is removed, and then profess
to preach Christ aud Him crucihed?
Popular preaching hides tho tnorny
crown and tho bloody tree beneath the
flowers of culture and the eXcellencies
of speech.
In tho whole history of the Church
there is no one topic which has given
rise to greater diversity of opinion,
or which has occasioned more oittor
antagonisIn than those of the relation
Of the pulpit to secular affairs. 1t is
not only a theme of great Gelicaoy, but
also one of deep Importance.
"Many preachers in dealing with this
problem have, through a mistaken idea
Of duty, become political preachers.
Many good men have become SO and in
the selection of political d~iscourses
have subordinated the gospel of Christ
10 secular lectures. The term politics.
in its reference TO preaching, is not
employed i'll its usual significance as
referred to, public affairs, but in the
narrow and degraded sense which
popular usage has put Upon it, the
synonym for ~electioneering and IN
trigue ard corruption.
eve unllcsitatingly affirm that those
ministers Of Christ, vino, for the sake
Of POWER, or popularity. or notorietN,
or for any sinister motive whatever,
make the pulpit subservient to the low
chincanery n the petty workings of
secular partisanship re-cnact the
treachery of Judas, save those thirty
silver pieces, the price of blood, though
it finds an acceptable substitute in
popular fame and political eminence.
when the pulpit is prostituted in
the interest of ambitious dcmagogues;
when the gospel gives way to the secu-
lar, political %harangue; VIXEN the house
Of God degenerates into the stump,
where party claims are advocated and
party men are advanced, the man who
Urges these claims crucifies afrcsl the
Son of God and puts him to shame.
"And yet there is a class of topics
bordering on the political, which we
may call moral on Bible politics and
| which delld0Q ATTENTION ana WHICH,, III
view of his responsibility to his God
and his own dignity Is a man, the min
lister may neither neglect nor ignore.
1.-THE pulpit should not interfere with
men, but it should deal with prin-
ciples: while it may not NEEDLE with
partisan interests, it must ever assert
the supremacy of Christ's kingdom,
and this right to rule Jver the affairs
of men, Individually, socially, POLITICAL
ly, universally.
1.-THE minister. above all, should
preach the Word, and since the Word
recognizes but two great classes, the
sinner and the saint, the depraved by
mature and the renewed by grace. so
the gospel preacher Il ignore age,
rank and attachments in giving forth
Gods message.
"The full proclamation of the Word
involves the plain and bold presenta-
ton of the law and gospel, judgment
and mercy. penalty and pardon. every
moral duty without regard to the fear
or praise of men, and though the guilty
may smart under the censure against
sin, though they may quake with alarm
at the dark prospect of the future,
though they may hate the truth and
the truth-herald, yet in the faithful
announcement of Crist and Him cruel
! Fad tho nraorhap win do bio M q tors