The Dolores star., 1911-07-21
Ministerial
Duties
Bye W. Psuaaansr. j.

- HE greatest profession that
= man can take up today 10
N the ministry. hut before be
takes II up be should feel
= called 10 Il. otherwise he
- viii preach for bis own 10
terssts rather than those for souls.
When Q man 10 called to the ministry
be should preach the gospel and not
philosophy nor physics; w have msn
today to teach these subjects, and the
world 10 full Of books that they may
b used for that purpose. But the
philosophy that the minister should
preach 10 the gospel Of Christ Bind
yourself to II with all the power that
you have 10 you. II 10 the only cure
for the al Of this sin-cursed world. Do
not preach literature. - such. nor
yourself, nor any other man. nor any
thing else. Preach the Word. Let Il
comfort and cheer your own heart. II
10 Q broad field, . rich pasture for the
sheep. and well supplied with living
waters" II 10 the gospel Of psace-
peace on earth and good will to men.
1t brings peace to the soul hitherto at
war with itself. Its neighbor. IL God.
Spread II abroad. Make II known -
the system OF divine truth Instituted
for the enlightenment Of governments.
rulers, teachers, and leaders Of man
kind. They all need this divine en-
lightenment.
Always Gospel Of Love.
II 10 q gospel Of love. God IL no
where called Justice" though he 10
Just; nowhere called "omniscience."
though he has all knowledge and Wis
dom; nowhere called ''immutability.
though he 10 without variableness and
shadow Of turning; but he 10 again
and again called love" This 10 the
greatest word In the Bible. God 10
love. Learn the import Of this word.
Let II melt and move your own heart
and then pour 1t out on the people.
1t is a gospel Of pardon. What can
philosophy and physics do for sin
ner! 1t might tell him to behave
himself and keep the Law and It will
be all right with him. But he has not
kept the law; he il q sinner and al
ready conc emned. What can philoso
ply, physics or literature do for him?
Nothing He needs pardon. and until
he finds Il, there Is no hope for him.
In order for him to be a good and
efficient minister he must be a man
with sine personality. 1t is the man
in and back of the sermon that Is the
source Of power. He may know
creeds. languages, and may be called
an expert philosopher. but II he doesn't
know how to make vital with person
atty the profound message which he
Is preparing. he will not be thought
very much Of rs minister. Person
ality IL the minister's asset. BY being
q Christian he can make others such
as he Is. He can recreate men. He
can CONFORM them to himself.
Power Of Manhood.
Men are made by men. David made
Jonathan. Elijah made Elisha. We
will take an illustration of the power
of manhood over men and show how
personality rules. Take the. story OF
Julius Caesar: when the great Roman
was still . youth he WAS captured By
pirates and chained a. . galley.slave.
But Caesar told stories and sang songs
and detained with endless good hu.
NOR. Chains bound Caesar to the
oars, but Caesar bound the pirates to
himself. That night he supped with
the captain. The second day his
knowledge Of sea currents and coasts
and the route Of the treasureships
made him the FIRST mate Of the ship.
Then he won the sailors over to him.
and put the captain In irons and ruled
the ship as q king. What was there
In this youth that enabled him In four
days to take OF his chains and make
himself captain and win . ship! II
was the spell Of his personality. II
was the charm Of his manhood. Let
the gospel minister be In his person
ality what he ought to be. and what
God is willing to make him. and he Will
capture men.
The minister must not wait until
he gets In the pulpit to bring the
blessed word to his people. but he
must approach them as he Ia WALKING
along the street and tell the story oil
Christ and how he shed his blood that
they might have life and have II more
abundantly. The minister must BE- Z
ui.winner. and It Is rather on this
one point that he falls far short OF hi'
privilege. He must possess that
"knack Of getting around people. and
| talk tn them about their souls.