Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-03-27
Worldly Sermons Are a .
Proclamation, as Well as
Misuse, of the Pulpit
By Bishop
w GTren A.
G. O. 70 d Ter

considered matter and speaks with
carelessness and rscklessness. What he
says may be the undoing of individual
soults. and IL may extend to the damage
of the whole community.
In what has been said il has not been
intended TO indicate that preachers
should bring into the pulpit the discus
sion OF all sorts of current topics. The
use of the pulpit for the discussion of
secular themes is an utter misuse of it,
not TO say a PROCLAMATION of II. The pull
pir is not a lecture platform, and the
preacher descends from a very high Of
flee when he becomes mere lecturer
discussing secular themes and purveying
all sorts of sensationalism. The pres
ence of one such preacher in a commu-
nifty degrades the ministerial office and
works unreasonable harm to the re-
ligious life of the people.
The public does not need advice from
the pulpit on current topics of a secular
sort. What the people need is that the
pulpit should bring them face to face
with God, and cause them TO think on
all subjects in the light of Gods truth
and under the leadership of Gods spirit.
When thus influenced by the reference
even to secular matters than when the
pulpit undertakes the discussion OF
secular themes,
Moreover the Oh SOu 40
place for restful worship, and the people
are robed of their Sabbath when the
preacher distracts them with the con-
siderstion of the things of the world
with which they have been already too
much concerned during the week. What
fnancter cares to hear . preaoher dis
cuss in the pulpit, Honest Money!" II
the nnancier agrees with the preacher
on the subject OF the currency, he
doesn't care to hear the matter when he
has gone TO the house OF God TO worship.
Where is the teacher who wishes TO
hear a preacher discuss scientific SUBJ
jects on the sabbath? Has not the tired
educator had enough OF this during the
six preceding days? Does he not know
more about il than the preacher can
know? If the preacher has been study
ing Gods word as he ought, what time
has he had for acquiring accurate scien-
tific knowledge? The most spurious
science that 10 ever put forth IL that
which IN uttered by clerical srnatterers
In the pulpit. People go to Church, or
ought TO 60 to Church. to worship God
and find rest for their souls. Such be-
ing the case they do not, care to hear
discussed questions of capital and la
Dor and. all sorts of sociological prob
lens and conundrums. They wish to be
fed on the bread of life. When they ask
for bread, why should they be given a
stone? or, when they ask spiritual
food why should they be offered ser
pentine discussions OF worldly things?
IL should be remembered also that
sensational secularism. in the pulpit is
doomed to failure. 1t caters to degraded
taste. and produces an evil appetite
which demands an ever increasing SEN
sationalism to satisfy IL. Hence the
sensationalist must reach in the end a
point at which he can go no further
without utter disgrace, nor can he stop
without disappointing and losing his
congrega ton of sensation lovers whom
he has drawn together by such mere
tricious methods.
But the people never tire of the Cos
pei preached in simplicity and with
power The multitudes in London never
wearied of Surgeons preaching of the
gospel. but they turned quickly away
from the shallow sensationalism of r.
J. Campbell.
The greatest preachers of today are
the men who are preaching the gospel
most simply and fervently. The COM
mon people hear such men gladly, and
the uncommon people find the greatest
pleasure and profit in their discourses.1
And they influence the people with ref
erencs to all public questions far more
the gospel and lug secular themes into
the pulpit on Sunday Sturgeon af-
fected in a wholesome way social issues
Of London during his time by the fact
that he promoted spiritual life among
all classes of people. high and low. with
the plain preaching of the pure gospel:
So did Wesley influence England in his
time and in the same way.
Dwight L. Moody did nothing but
k.nE hA I'D M
Sanky meetings settled many perplexing
questions and soothed many irritating
issues in America.
The preaching of the gospel is the
supreme need of our times, and the man
who is called to this, work and gives
himself wholly to the gospel ministry
is working at the very center of things
and will advance every worthy interest
of the country. Such. men can not be
overlooked without making serious mis-
judgments concerning our national life.