T H E R I N G ' S B U S I N E S S Overdoing th e A rgum ent The danger of overdoing an argument is illustrated by Mark Twain’s experience at a meeting to raise funds for foreign missions. “When the speaker had talked 10 m inutes,” said Mark, “I was so im pressed I decided that I would give every cent I had w ith me. A fter another 10 minutes, I concluded th a t I would throw into the treasury all the silver I had about me! 10 m inutes later I decided I wouldn’t give anything; and a t the end of the talk, still 10 m inutes later, as th e contribution plate came around, I was so u tterly ex hausted by his arguments th a t I extract ed $2 for my own use.” Card of In troduction Rev. John McNeill some months ago en tered upon his work a t F ort Washington P resbyterian Church, New York. His characteristic unconventional methods were in evidence. A card given to those who attended the services read as fol lows Dear Friend: I am ju st beginning my pastorate in this church. If you are a stranger—-so am I. And I’ll be pleased if you’ll begin w ith me. You may count on seeing me in the pulpit every Sunday from now on, all being well. May I count on seeing you in the pew? Do come; and don’t leave without giving me, or somebody, a chance to shake your hand. They do say there isn’t a church in New York whose members will more quickly give you th e feeling of being among “kin folks”—as they say down south. So come on, and we’ll prove them. K indest re gards, John McNeill. Make a B ranch la n e . Some years ago, a young preacher in South Wales saw in his congregation an old m inister. A fter the meeting was over the two were introduced, and the young m inister said : “I should be very grate ful if you would kindly criticise my ser mon, because you are a man of experi ence and I am only a beginner.”
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“Well,” said the old man, “I liked your sermon; th ere was a great deal in it; it was well delivered; but, I did npt notice any Cross in it.” The young man answered, “You see, sir, it wasn’t in my text.” “Well,” said th e old man, “I am an old man and you are a beginner; take this word from me. Whatever may be your text, be sure to make a branch line from it to the Cross.” That is th e glory of our Gospel. We are to recognize the fact and the force of atonement by blood. Putting Coal on the Flame Asked- what his method was in gaining command of an audience, Mr. Alexander told th e following story: A man came home from a state railway Y. M. C. A. convention, and was asked what he considered the best speech he had heard. He answered th a t it was not th a t of a regular speaker,' bu t a fireman who got up and told his experience. “I was converted two years ago,” this man said, “and was converted from my shoes to my hat. I was a fireman on a locomotive, and old Bill . . . . was the engineer. He taught me how to fire in one lesson. He opened the fire box, told me to look down, and asked me what I saw. I told him I saw nothing but coal. He said: ‘Look again.’ I looked, and told him I saw a tiny flame. H e said: ‘That’s it! Put the coal on the flame!’ ” When I see somebody interested I for get everything but th at one person, and talk to him as though there were ju st he and I in the place, and pretty soon the whole service is on fire. . Filing System Wilson’s Index is the latest word in files and indexes for m inisters and stu dents. The average m inister allows enough splendid m aterial to slip through his fingers to make him a more efficient - preacher, because of the lack of a system for filing and indexing of his materials.
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