The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-10-02
THE PREACHER


Perhaps the most vital person in
the survey is the preacher. And it is
more than guess, that he needs over
hauling as much as anyone on the
field. From personal experience, I
feel the preacher should carefully be
considered. recommend that the
pastor spend a few days in secret,
studying himself. Sitting himself
down, looking himself squarely in the
face and asking himself few person
al questions, and honestly answering
them. If the answers are not as the
word of God says they should be, then
place himself in such soul attitude
before God, that he can say as Isaiah
did: "Here am I, Send Me-" Before
a preacher can go as a burning evan
gelist to his people he must have clean
hands, lips and heart; must have a
holy motive and a courage that will
drive him to charge any opposition.
He must drink the cup of fire prepar-
ed by God for those preachers who
are soul winners. He must be able to
say ''Lord, here am l." so clearly that
the Lord would not mistake the pro-
nouncement.
This wonderful cup must be drunk
by preacher-evangeli drank
it, ard became the master of his age.
A young man who had made failure
of school teaching drank the cup and
became the Sir Galahad of his gener-
ation-Philip Brooks. A young law
yer of Boston drank of it, and rode
at the head of the spiritual forces of
America in the great reform of the
middle of the nineteenth century
Wendall Phillips. A poor boot and
shoe clerk drunk it and became the
mightiest evangelist of the last cen
tury-Dwight L. Moody.
If the local church is to be re-bap-
-tized, the preacher will have to do
some mighty confessing, some honest
praying, and true forgiving. The
preacher cannot i've recluse, half
blind, feeding upon distractions, NUT
tering his hayward fancies in buzz
ing voice. The preacher today must
consider this years chance his Great
Adventure. If he is to win, he must
drink Drink, and thy heart shall
utter understanding" Brethren
Christ is risenI Christ shall come. II
is the preachers business to prepare
his people for His coming. Drink anG
wisdom shall grow in thy breast. But
he must drink to unselfsh ambitions
"Drink, brother, and thy spirit shall
retain its memory"
These are awful days. The condi
tions Kipling mentions in his Recess
sional are here:
''The tumult and the shouting dies;
The captains and the kings depart;
Still stands thy ancient sacrifice,
An humble and contrite heart;
Lord God of Hosts, be with US yet,
Lest we forget lest we forget.
If drunk with the sight of power, W,
lose
Wild tongues that have not Thee il
awe,
Such boastings as the Gentiles use
Or Lesser breds without the law;
Lord God of Hosts, be with US yet,
Lest we forget, lest we forget"
Ny preacher-brother, we are nov
in world condition that needs tn
Christ message more than in any fiv
centuries past. We have the chanc
to reconstruct society as never fell t
mortal hands before. AS our boy
fought and wrote to give US this OF
portunity, let US meet their Challenge
Hear the poet soldiers sing:
TN Flanders fields, the peoples blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
The larks. still bravely singing, fly,
That mark our place. and in the sky,
Scarce heard amid the guns below
We are the dead: short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and We're loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foeI
To you from falling hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it hight
If ye break faith with US who die.
We shall not sleep. though peoples gro
In Flanders fields"
This is the challenge that comes t
US from the spirits of our heroic deat
What reply has the church to give
Thank God, the Centenary is Metht
disn's answer.
REST We in peace, We Flanders dead
The fight that ye bravely led
We've taken up. And we will keep
True faith with you who lie asleep,
With each cross to mark his bed
In Flanders fields.
Fear not that ye have died for naught
The torch We threw to US we caught.
Ten million hands will hold it high,
And Freedoms light shall never die
We've learned the lesson that We taught
In Flanders fields
The above is part of Rev. A.
Hale's address to the M. E. Distri
Conference, which held a two da,
session in this city the first of Il
week. Evidently Rev. Hale is n
one of those who believe that
preacher "can do no wrong" by Il
way he talks to his brethren of Il
'scloth." He is logical forcef
speaker, and a writer of ability.
the several years that he had chars
of the M. E. church at Hays, he ad