Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-09-10

The Old ~Blue-b back Speller'' con-
tained many wise observations, among
others being this: The preacher
breaches the gospel" In those days
he did, but nowadays some wish
TO make him a man of all work.
Preaching the gospel seems to be re-
garded by some as a doubtful and
disappointing way by which to save
men.
There is a manifest loss of faith
in the gospel as 1.-The power of God
unto saliva ton" when IL is proposed
TO substitute anything for ii as the
means OF the worlds redemption. An
the schemes which are now current
for reforming outward conditions
without cleansing the inward condi-
tions Of the heart, proceed from the
false notion that the worlds trouble
Is in its circumstances, rather than in
its want Of moral and religious life
Hence preachers are called upon to
give exclusive attention to such work
as uplifting the slums," establishing
social settlements" promoting civic
righteouspess. etc.
The latest and most laughable prop
osit.on of this kind is that preachers
shall take courses in agriculture in
order that they may know how to
Instruct the farmers Of the country
churches. This proposal comes from
a lot of urban theorizers. who could
not tell a hawk from a handsaw.
But they have had under considera-
ton the challenge OF the country
(having long since met the challenge
OF the city to their own satisfaction,
and being overload of "ehallengesO,
l..
upon them to prescribe a remedy for
the rural problem" AS usual with
them, they have prescribed nonsen-
sically.
What the farmer wants in his
preacher is what every man wants in
his preacher; he wants a good preach
err It would be just as sensible to
advise that preachers in the city
should be taught bookkeeping. bank
ing. manufacturing, and all urban
arts in order to qualify them for their
work, as 10 insist that preachers in
the country should study agriculture.
The fact Is that the farmers study
farming and the merchants study
trade a good deal more closely than
some preachers study preaching; and
hence real first class preaching is
rather too scarce in the land. We
have pseudo-science, sleazy attempts
at literature, secondhand sociology.
politico-moral reforms, ethical plati-
tudes. pretentious efforts at biblical
criticism. shallow discussions of cur
rent events. and such like In too
many pulpits, with a conspicuous abb
sence OF genuine gospel preaching.
Too many preachers have ceased to
be preachers in their cain efforts to
be something else. BY consequence
there is a dearth Of great preaching
just now in the world.
The English-spealdng nations have
been for some centuries past the peo-
pies among whom great preachers
and great preaching were found in
largest abundance; but just now there
are in these nations fewer great
preachers than they have known for
above q hundred years. In London
one finds no longer a Spurgeon, a
Liddon. q Punshon. or a Joseph Par
ker. In our country we have no sue
cessors to Phillips Brooks. DIR. Storrs.
Bishop Simpson. DR.. Braodus, Bishop
Pierce, DR.. Palmer or Bishop Marvin.
England and America need sorely
some preachers. II is no time to
send preachers off to the fields to
study soils. fertilizers, silos, and the
rotation Of crops. Our farmers will
take care of all that part of our
national welfare But we want some
real neutrality-suspicious. that sug-
gests study of the Scriptures, fervent
prayerfulness. deep conservation, and
profound concern for the salvation of
the souls of the people. We have
had quite enough OF the know-all,
''carbolic-acid renovator" of external
conditions; we really need now a good
deal of first class preaching.
It is said that church attendance Is
not as good as It used to be in our
country. Perhaps 1t is not. With
multitudes running hither and thither