The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-10-20

only makes the minister parasit,
upon the body polite. Vital ministry
convicts of sin. 1t separates the peni
tent from the impenitent. The on,
it banishes. the other 1t nourishes.
Vital ministry convicts disciples Of
Jesus OF the sin of selfishness Broth
rem. the severest indictment of oul
ministry is a stingy, unmissionarS
church
THE sin of being untrue to on,
ideal, why let men think they are
Christian when they are not? 1t Is
easier often to let people think they
wrong; more popular to compliment:
than correct more pleasing to ac-
quiesce than condemn; but this min
istry-shall it be real or unreal, vita
or superficial?
Essentials of Vital Ministry.
"In a vital ministry things and doc
trines and pleasantries are not the
end They are used as a means to
an end-accepted for their face value
Ours, then. is a spiritual ministry. We
say with Kipllng:
And only the Master shall praise
And only the Master shall blame:
And no one shall work for money
And no one shall work for fame;
But each for his working,
Each in his separate star.
Shall paint the things as he sees
them
For the good of things as they
DR.. Poage's Address.
In speaking OF The Preacher and
the Sources OF His Power DR.. Poage
said:
To-day. the world at large dis
counts the preaching Office too large
ly; much as, in a former generation,
they, perhaps. too greatly magnif1ed It.
I'm his Romance of Preaching
Charles Sylvester Horne says: No
change of the future can cancel the
commission OF the preacher. He does
not hold that commission from any
human society. He is the servant OF
the Spirit
May we more fully realize that
the preacher Is the servant of the
Spirit whose commission is from
above; whose Office is A divine Office,
of the utmost importance in the econ
omy Of grace; whose power is from
the infinite, compassionate, omntpo-
tent and all-merciful Father of light
and love and healing.
Paul. the greatest preacher Of any
day. maEnified his Office. He was
spirit filled. and spirit-led. Truly was
he the servant of the Spirit.
May we, therefore, magnify our
office and realize the greatness OF our
calling. May we comprehend the
marvellous opportunity, the tremen-
dous responsibility and the joyous
possibility contained in our office. for
we are ministers OF the message OF
mercy, evangels OF the glad story,
heralds of the new day
There is power in the gospel and
the preacher is its mouthptece.
Therefore, the preacher must have
power.
Some OF the sources Of power In
preaching are preparation. personality
and prayer. The minister OF this day
who must preach to trained mon and
women must have a trained mind.
He must have educational prepare
ton.
Must Know Own Text Book.
He must read books, magazines and
periodicals; but more than all this
and above all this. he must know hts
own text book II he would teach.
must know his own guide book. If he
would guide. He must have profess
sional training. also. Psychology. to
understand the laws OF the minds
with which he is to deal. Homiletics.
that the form and fashion of his dis
course may he most effective For
ensics that he may take the most
direct route TO the hearts of his
hearers.
Then, in the second place, person
power, The elements OF a winning
personality are earnestness. sympathy.
faith. Clustered about these and con-
tanned in them are many more. With
earnestness goes zeal. hopefulness, op-
timism. persistence.
with sympathy is found tenderness,
love of humanity. and the power TO
com fort the Borrowing.
The man Of faith is constructive.
Visions and dreams there may be and
must be, but these are only the fore
runners of action.
And a third source of power Is
prayer Prayer Is real communion
with God. Who Is the source OF all
power Tho message OF the preacher
comes from a vital connection With
the throne.
The old idea that God gave the mes
sage Is. therefore. a true one, but the
new thought is that the messenger
must be thoroughly Mt.
Therefore. prepare thoroughly. Let
your personality be an unobstructed
of the light and power or
Gods message,
But do not forget that from COM
munion with the Father of light and
love, goodness. mercy and truth. in
the PRAYER that really binds us heav
onward, is the power ultimately to
come to our own hearts and thence
reach and hold our congregations.
Today's Program.
The program for the sessions OF
Friday is as follows:
Friday Morning.
9:30-Song service.
9:45-Introduction OF workers.
Announcement of committees.
l1-Meditation and prayer. j. ID.
Hamaker, Strasburg.
11:15-Address. Earle Wilfrey,
Washington
Friday Afternoon.
Sunday School Period.)
2-Song service.
2:15--Devotions, r. A. Atkins, West
Point.
2.30-Conferences on Sunday School
work (simultaneous)
3:15-Annual report of the State
Sunday School secretary, Guy l.. Car
ter.
3:45-Address-''Th Place of Edu-
cation in the Spiritual Life" H. d. c.
Maclachlan. Richmond.
Friday Night.
S-Song service.