The Washington herald., 1922-03-13
FEELS ST. PAUL
HELD SECRET OF
GREAT MINISTRY
DR.. Mitchell Says Modern
Preacher Fears Being
Called Unscholarly.

REv. DR. HARRY ID. MITCHELL.
netropelItan Memorial NJ. E. Church.
Subject: The Secret of a Great
Ministry"
Text: Acts 1914. 'T have not
summed to declare unto you the
whole counsel Of God"
The greatest ministry in the his
tory OF the Christian Church was
that of st. Paul. There have been
other great ministries. notably
those OF Savonorola, Luther. wes-
ley, Livingstone and Francis As
bury. but they all male in the light
OF the achievements and heroic self
sacrifices OF the Apostle to the Gen.
tiles. In character. mentality and
II ipiration he grows larger as the
days pass. Notwithstanding the
attempt to dismiss him from the
held of theology he has spoken the
last word on Christian doctrine. In
courage and fearlessness he was su-
perior to any who ever adorned the
Christian ministry. What was the
secret of this great ministry?
In the last analysis II is to be
found in his immovable conviction
that what he preached was truth,
and that II was truth given to him
BY revelation. There Is very much
said and written in this day about
the prophetic ministry and message
Tor the present hour. The most i'm
portant inquiry is what Is the
message for the modern minister
AFTER reading many statements
given from many angles. I am con-
vinced that the truth as preached
by Paul Is the only message for the
ministers of this day. His message
was Christo-Centric All the truth
he proclaimed revolved about the
Christ. He emphasized the Pre-
eminence OF Christ" His cosmog-
ony was built upon the person of
Christ. for by Him were all things
created that are In Heaven. that
are in the earth. visible and invisi-
Bile" His theory of redemption
centered in the Cross of Christ
while his hope for the future was
built upon the fact of the resrrrec-
lion OF Jesus Christ. These truths
seized him and dominated him. 1t
was this unalterable conviction that
he spoke the truth that made this
mans ministry fearless and sue
cessfuI.
II what Paul preached in his day
was truth. II must be for us. Truth
10 Interchangeable. Theology may
change but doctrine never changes.
N Is the preaching of this truth
which will make fearless and sue
cessful ministry in this day
There is one ghost which fright
ems the modern minister. 1t Is the
dread of being called unscholarIy.
Scholarship. we are told, has ar
rayed itself on the side Of natural
istic evolution and has repudiated
the supernatural. II takes cour-
age TO differ with them. To stand
with Paul We must do so. All other
theories regarding creation. sin.
salvation and the future life are
mere Euesses. Paul claimed he
spoke by revelation, and the gigan-
tic mentality Of the man, his evil
dent sincerity his WILLINGNESS TO
diesfor the truth he preached pre-
iclude any thought of dishonesty or
fraud. The results of the preach
ing Of that truth in the marvellous
history of the Christian church and
the development of the by-producI,
Christian civilization. have stamped
his message as Divine. The supreme
need of this day Is the announce
ment OF truth. To be seized by the
truth Paul preached will make a
fearless and successful ministry.