The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-03-29

men, but of the ordinary men, Who Of
as will be willing to pick up their mantles
even as Elisha picked up the fallen man.
tie of Elijah? Every man has his work.
The important thing for us and for the
world is not so much whether it be hum
bic or conspicuous, but whether it is well
DONE If We take up the mantle of an
Elijah, let us see to it that like him, we
are bold and dauntless in service; If we
take up the mantle of a humber prophet,
let us see to that at least we are true and
faithful.
Nantes of the Old Pastors.
Who, in the first place, is going to
wrap about his shoulders the mantle of
one of the old fashioned Christian pas
tors, scores and hundreds of whom
might name If l would? These men were
noble preachers in their day, but they
held their pulpits and deepened their
Christian influence year after year not
only by the two great sermons they
preached before audiences which filled the
church auditoriums on the Sabbath day,
but by the hundreds of little sermons
preached during the week days before
audiences made up of one or two or at
the most three or four auditors by the
family freside. These ministers found
their way into the affections of their peo-
pie not so much because they were pulpit
kings as by being devoted, loving and
1ndefatlga DIE pastoral frlenuS.
These men of God preached Christ on
Sundays to the accompaniment of sing
ing choirs. They preached Christ during
the week to the accompaniment of the
cheerful talk and laughter of the home,
and without any doubt the most powerful
sermons they ever preached were their
talks on Mondays and Tuesdays and
Wednesday and Thursdays, Fridays and
Saturdays, which they delivered upon the
streets to the members of their congre-
cations as they met them by the way
side.
Who shall fill the places of these men?
Is the call for old fashioned Christian
pastors to fall upon unheeding ears? You
tell me that the greatest need OF the
church of God is for great preachers and
not for great pastors. l think not, my
brother There may be need for great
preachers There cannot be too many
George Whitefelds in the world, but L
believe there is just as great II not greater
need for the Christian pastors hand
shake as there is for the pulpit kings
ELOQUENT periods. More need is there for
the loving minister who will affectionate-
" throw his arm about a hayward
brothers. neck than for the graceful ges-
ture of the Demosthenean pulpiteer. More
need is there for noble pastors sympa-
thetic prayer by the sickbed than for
pulpit orator who can deliver classic
eulogy by the bier of dead President
More need is there for a loving minis
terial friend than for one who Is trying
to build up his church through the in
fiuence of his Sunday services alone, and
vet as our cities are growing larger and
larger each year, as the need Of pastoral
work is becoming greater and greater,
because there is NOR danger of men and
women becoming lost in the crowds. the
fact remains that the pastoral work of
the minister is becoming less and less.
Who will make pastoral vistations a life
passion? Who will say, Lord, make me
a hunter for single souls during the week
and not simply great preacher on the
Lords day." Young men about to leave
our theological seminaries will you pick
up this mantle which some old fashioned