El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-07-27
I he Man in the Pew
Is Preacher S fudge
Preaching Is a Failure Which Does
Not Appeal to Him, Make Him
Thinks Forming Opinion
OF the Pastor.
BY MADISON c. PETERS.
BT MADISON c. PETERS.

GEORGE WHARTON PEPPER a
" distinguished Philadelphia church
man, q Few years ago enjoyed the
unique distinction Of a laymen deliv-
ering the Yale lectures on preaching
to the students Of the divinity school
As "a Voice From the Crowd" he
deserves a wider hearing for benefit
Of both the man IN the pulpit as well
as the man in the pew
It is unfortunate for the preacher
who is disposed TO resent the criti-
cism OF the man,fn the pew, which is
only an indirect witness TO the I'm
portance OF the preachers function.
Sermon Should Make People Think.
The man in the pew wants the ser
mon to be good TO p filled with
thoughts that breathe and words that
burn" and he has a keen sense Of dis
appointment when he finds in It moth
Ing that he can appropriate
It was an old table rule in my boy
hood that the children should not
criticize the sermon Parents may
silence tongues for the moment, but
they cannot control active young
minds.
Young People Strict Judges.
The verdict OF the boy or the girl
in judgment on me sermon IS apt TO
be irreVocabIy final and terribly Just
for the things in a preacher which
most often elicit the condemnation
Of the young are such things as de-
serve TO be condemned-sanctimo
business Eissiness and self satisfac-
ton.
The man who forfeits the respect Of
his young people by manifestinE any
Of these characteristics is likely
thereafter TO find it impossible TO in
fluence them for good.
DR.. Pepper also very truly remarks
that the preacher has surely created a
strong prejudice Tor or against him
before he actually begins his sermon
Reading the Bible.
From the reading OF the Bible the
man in the pew may gather the
preachers inner self. Dramtic reudi-
ton Of the word Of God, OF the
scripture voice and affected solem-
nifty, as much as reeLing Il or with
the Indifference that might charac-
terize his reading Of any other book,
and the impression that he himself is
ignorant OF the real meaning Of the
inspired word. all tend TO prejudice
the man In the pew against the
preacher before he breaches
Not all men are blessed with good
voices, but the man in the pulpit must
show the man ln the pew an earnest
intention that the people shall be the
better for hearing the Bible read
However imperfect the readers elo-
cuuon mag be, he must win the re-
spect Of his hearer by showing him
that he has evidently prepared him
self with care 10 read the selected
passage and that he is making an
honest effort to edify the man In the
pew.
Preacher Reveals self in Prayer.
But more especially does the
preacher reveal himself 70 his congre-
cation in prayer The trouble with
eXtemporaneous prayer. as with the
same sort Of preaching. Is the thought
IS apt 10 be eLtemp oraneous. Prayer
should be made an approach 10 the
throne, and though read from the
prayer boo kit may be made the orig
inal production Of the man who utters
it, while many a prayer full Of most
beautiful thoughts and eloquent eE-
pressious fails Tat because Of the ir-
reverence Of the man who leaves the
impression that though he wrote the
prayer he has failed 10 make it his
own
The opening prayer OF a great Bos- j