T H E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S ficulty must be with the preacher. The Bible has the supreme answer to the great needs of the soul, and the souls of every congregation have their needs. The task is, to reveal these and then to apply the remedy- Instances are con stantly occurring that show what the Scriptures can do without any earthly interpreter; how much more can they accomplish when a consecrated, able, and sympathetic man gives himself chiefly to the work of opening them to the needy.” Unpopular Preachers Enoch. His text, The Lord coming to judge, (Jude 14). Noah, His text, Judg ment by water, (Heb. 11:7). Joseph. His text, Evil doings of brethren, (Gen. 37:2). Moses. His text, Let my people go, (Ex. 8 :1). Nathan. His text, Thou art the man, (2 Sam. 12:7). Elijah. His text, Neither dew nor rain, .(1 Kings 17:1). Micaiah. His text, Your prophets are liars, (2 Chron. 18:22). Jeremiah. His text, Destruction of the land, (Jer. 28:6). John Baptist. His text, It is not lawful, (Matt. 14:4). Peter and John. Their text, No other name, (Acts 4:12). Paul. His text, Rejection of Israel, (Acts 22:21). John. His text, Testimony of Jesus,. (Rev. 1 :9 ).—W. G. C. Appealing Texts “ A rule of much importance is this,” says Prof. Townsend. “ Other things being equal, it is wise for the preacher to select texts that grow out of or har monize with his own mental or spiritual condition and needs. Texts of this sort can hardly fail in awakening a lively interest and sometimes may inspire en thusiasm in the preacher, and enthu siasm in the preacher is sure to beget it in the hearer. - And further, whenever the preacher, in reading the Scriptures, or in attempt ing to interpret passing events, or when- •ever thinking upon the condition and wants of himself or his people, is im pressed with some passage evidently
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I Pulpit Pointers | 5 lillllllllllllllllllIIIIIIIIIIII| l| | IIIIIIIIIJ IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIilN lllllllilR Warm, Up, Brother Dr. Chalmers once compared the ser mons of the Moderates to a fine winter’s day: “ They were, short, clear and cold. Brevity is good, and clearness is better, but the coldness is fatal. Moonlight preaching ripens no harvest.” Sunday Scolder A clergyman tells the story of a little boy who bad got lost. He was taken by a kind policeman to the station, and they set themselves to work to find, by questioning, some clue as to his parent age. He did not know his address, and his name was too commonplace to he a clue of value. “ At last they got what they wanted. ‘What does your father do?’ they asked, and the little fellow replied, ‘He stands up in a box on Sun days and scolds people for being naughty.’ ‘Ah, now we understand. He is a minister.’ And so it proved.” Money-Made Ministers There is much truth in what Dr. Joseph Parker once said—-“ There are those who tell us that if we give our ministers better incomes we shall have better men. God forbid! Such teach ing is the ruin of true ministry. When a man begins .to calculate that he can have so much in the ministry and so much out of it he is not called to the ministry. This is a vocation, not a profession. This is an inspiration, not a calculation.” Hard Up for Subjects “ It is -astonishing,” says Thd Biblical Review, “ that many preachers seem to feel that they must go outside the Bible for sermon subjects that will hold their people. In cases where the congregation is not held by preaching based on and saturated; with the Scriptures the dif
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