Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1910-10-13
How to Bring
In Outsiders

many non cnurCn HoinE
ME- people that ought to be
r. reached: they need the
benefit that is to be de-
rived from regular church attendance
and the churches need them. Now
have no patent right method or
scheme hat | can guarantee TO work
in all cases. What | have to say will
be from my experience in small town
and country districts.
To accomplish the best results II re
quires the united and consecraed et-
fort Of both church and pastor. Many
a pastor has found himself handi-
capped by the attitude OF the church.
To speak plainly there are some fam
HES that have withdrawn from church
and there are others that the church
cases you have difficulties to =
come.
Now Ia overcome these difficulties
and many others the pastor must have
first OF all good common sense. no
substitute will DO. Second. a passion
for souls. not simply seeking TO swell
his congregation and Increase the
church membership in order TO make
a good showing. Jesus says; 4 will
make you fishers OF men. A third
and very important thing IN getting
people TO come to church is tact and
that you amt beg. borrow OF buy.
neither can YOU keep II in stock. IL
must he coined on the spot In the
case Of the disciples Il meant after
they had toiled all night and taken
nothing 10 cast their net on the other
side.
I believe a lack OF pastoral visiting
Is responsible for a great deal % the
Indifference 10 the claims % the
church. My brethren. We should be
Just a. realous TO succeed or ~ eN-
Gel In our pastor visiting as We should
in the pulpit work I make u = poinf
20 get over my parish Just as quick as
| ar after | get moved ant | Hnl
many things In favor of such a plan
By all means 20 20 the people thar 10
hot 20 10 church. 20. ! say before
some one has been Kind enough q tel
you al about them Go before yca
get 20 think Ike The rest that ,se-
case + hopeless xo before they tAl-k
the church has seu YOU a. oe;c-e yoa
have a lot % poor sIcuses Tor lot ca
Ing before Eo hefc-e you think there
= going TO be a welding CT funeral
o in the home And you are afraid
they might 20 or; q ;oEa .or 4 min
ister.
Perhaps they may say I guess YOU
have made a mistake ne DO o At
tend church. This Is your chance 20
treat everybody alike that as a min
ister Of the gospel you are their min
lister as well as those who belong q
the church. Many 4 time a little later
on have | had these same people intro
luce me to their friends as their min
lister. their pastor and perhaps in a
few minutes with tears in their eyes
would say. maybe | ought not 10
have introduced YOU as I did. YOU may
think | was trying to represent my
self to be what | am not. Ny mes
sage is. go quickly. go in the Masters
name and your labor shall not be In
vain.
There are n few ministers that 7
have known that will never succeed
in getting outsiders TO come 10 church
unless they meet with n wonderful
change. | will hint az a few things
whore fhaN afanI In fhaNr ann Tfrhs.
too busy with their own thoughts to
recognize people or speak when they
meet them: others sit and read the
Bible or religious papers all the time
when they ought 10 be In social CON
verse. Then there are others that are
altogether too free with their advice.
We have thought sometimes. why
can't some ministers learn that doc
tors. lawyers. merchants. carpenters.
masons and farmers are all supposed
10 know their own business better
than he does. Talking too much about
what We are not sure OF may make
people lose all confidence in us when
we give them good scriptural advice.
Let me illustrate by telling OF a III.
tie incident that | tried the other day
A young minister was invited to speak
to the boys on a training ship just be-
fore they sailed for a long cruise.
Wishing to get into the good graces
and win their attention. he spoke TO
them first Of sailor life and navigation
In general and finally came around to
give them some good sound advice
from a religious standpoint. and when
he was through one OF the lads spoke
up and said: Say. mister. II YOU
don't know any more about that re-
ligious business than YOU DO about
navigation don't care to AXE your
sdyice."-G. y. White. in Wesleyan
Methodist.