Omaha daily bee., 1915-01-13
DIscussinE Preaching.

OMAHA, Jan. ITO the Editor OF The
Bee; 1t Is not the first time that The
Bee has distinguished itself In RELIGIOUS
editorials as the recent one on Two
Kinds OF Preaching" commented on en-
thusiastically and in Billy Sunday spirit
by "A L1ayman" in yesterdays issue
Why should not the journalistic world
review the big and central affairs of the
Christian church, IL 1t can do SO with
actual understanding OF the Christian
church and sympathy for it, When "A
Layman'' then adds his interest in the
issue. further attention is called to mat
tiers vital to all communities and to the
world
Only I think 1t were better II "A Law
man" always signed his name, as
anonymous letters on central religious
themes lack the frankness and the guar
anty of singleness of mind that a signed
article Il more liable to furnish. "a
Layman" Is right in urging style OF
preaching which hits the sinful human
heart hard. Gladstone once said: You
preachers are not hard enough on your
people, and therefore your results are
less" When, however "A Layfnan''
puts UP as model for a pastor a certain
noted revivalist and his methods, he for
gets that the scriptures teach that the
Sits are many" 1t would be a pity, II
all preached and punched Quoted
from "A Layman'O as some revivalists
DO. st. John had no such style, nor ST.
Paul Yet we would not say that these
apostolic preachers were inefficient
would we? Then It must be remembered.
that in all denominations where the
word OF God is always taught and
preached. not lectures given in lieu Of
sermons. the consciences will not need
slang, filthy language of the sport-ground.
roaring mcrriment as condiment hair
raising gestures, and vile sarcasms 1t
Is, in fact. a grim irony on the effete
manner of the pulpit of the past in some
parts of Chr.stendom that where for
merly the Sweetness and Light" "clvio
righteousness, modern culture" essay
lists held sway in the pulpit, they vie
with each other in gathering funds for
the most rabid, slangy punching and
nsrve-racking evangelists who are feed
enormously Where formerly earnest
preachers OF the sound word of God, law
and gospel were smiled at as woefully
antique, they endure all manner OF vitu-
peration and religious vitriol Still more,
those who are as formerly continuing
with the unmistakable biblical style Of
preaching, but averse to the present riot
Gus evangelism that burns out of men,
In the long run, the serious sense OF the
Eternal, are charged as spiritually dead
and uninterested in the saving of souls.
There are churches. UNCONVENTIONAL. 1
mean. who believe in and practice con-
tinual soul-awakening. not merely a few
weeks OF fearsome REVEALING and then
back on a holiday jaunt of pulpit lectur-
ing and saying OF smooth things. Better
than all the spasmodical revivaIizing
is constant pastoral teaching and preach
ing Of all the word of God the law unto
knowledge and grief OF sin. the gospel
for faith and redemption In Christ Al
ways seeking to save souls. always seek
ing to convert the unsaved, always awak-
ening the dead and the drowsy, always
telling men OF their lost estate apart
from Christ is infinitely better and pro-
ductive OF infinitely more lasting spir- |
itual results than this American method
of short campaigns Of fierce earnestness
and long campaigns OF delightful world |
illness. II must be remembered, too. that
a denomination which emphasizes teach |
ing applied to heart, conscience ana life, |
does not endure and does not |
need the intermittent fever OF hot re-
vivalism, as do they who neglect teach
ing and whose preaching naturally must |
be more effervescent I suppose II /
were pastor Of denomination that laid
less stress on teaching the word OF God
to the children. TO the youth. to the
grown, l should at times feel a furious
need OF terrible revivaliEing onslaughts.
when all Is said the ehurch's strength
win never for any length OF time lie in
these spasmodie efforts. but in a renewal
OF the biblical spirit in them who have
the office OF the ministry and in the
serious reception OF law ana gospel By
the laity. No preacher today needs 20
punch" and do all the acknowledgements
10 save souls in Christ The argument
that the degeneraey among the cultured
church folks ana the uncultured sub
merged mass IL 50 great that nothias