T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
November, 1940
410
Moods That Affect Preachers
By HERBERT LOCKYER Chicago, Illinois
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divine afflatus is suicidal. Anthony Trollope was once told that.“the surest aid to the writing of a book is a piece of cobbler’s wax on the chair.” The same is true of sermonic preparation — Stick close to it! Of Sir George Grey it is written that “he disciplined the hours and bent them to his purpose.” Bishop Wilberforce, in one of his ordination addresses, de clares: “We must hot blink the fact that for many reasons idleness is quite sure to prove one of our besetting sins.” We, too, must discipline our hours, for, as Jeremy Taylor has said, “The first instrument of a holy life is the control of time.” The Mood of Discouragement Another mood afflicting the preacher is that of discouragement. And the best of preachers have followed Elijah, some time, or other, to the juniper tree. We preach our best, but nothing happens. Our efforts appear to be fruitless and unappreciated, and we are discouraged. In spite of our earnest efforts, carnal- minded people thwart us, and we are depressed. In addressing ministerial students, Dr. Clifford urged good tem per as a great requisite of the ministry. If, like Jeremiah in his petulant grief, we, too, propose not to “speak any more in his name,” let us remember that such a mood is unbecoming in a disciple of the Prince of Peace. To throw up the sponge, as we say,
when things go against us, is a sign Of cowardice. Any fool can resign. And further, the resignation of a weary, dis couraged preacher is never valid. Dis couragements are dangers when they empty us of courage. They should be made the stepping-stones to nobler things. David knew what it was to get down in the dumps. His soul was cast down within him. He knew, however, how to settle such a mood: “Hope thou in God” ! If, then, your soul is discouraged because of the greatness of the way, let a new vision of the magnitude of your sacred task conquer this feeling. If you are saddened by a conscious lack of progress, by scarcity of results, by offense at your preaching, by lack of words of cheer, by small o r' uninspir ing audiences, take fresh heart, my friend. Bid temporary depression de part. “MEN heed thee, love thee, praise thee not; THE MASTER PRAISES! What are men?” Three miry pits in which the preacher is prone to lose himself, says David Christie, are “the temptation to re cline, the temptation to shine, the temptation to whine.”
Three pitfalls of the preacher: “The temptation to recline, the temptation to shine, and the temptation to whine.”
R HATEVER else the preacher strives after, complete con trol of moods must be his. J. H. Jowett tells of a memorable walk he had with Hugh Price Hughes through the city of London. In the course of their conversation Hugh Price Hughes gripped his friend’s arm in his impul sive way and said, “Jowett, the evan gelical preacher is always on the brink of the abyss.” And it is true that, be cause preaching sways a man’s emo tions and makes great demands upon his nerves, he faces a grave peril of yielding to moods robbing him of the smile of God’s countenance. The Mood of Laziness Some, there are, who wait for the mood to work. Precious hours are frit tered away and preparation is driven into a comer simply because a man is not in the mood to study. But is it not fojly to have such a mood? Method in study will help to cure this frame of mind. And even when one’s hours of preparation come round, the mind, if it would slack, must be driven to work. Do not dream the hours away in your study Waiting for some inspirational mood to capture you. Lingering for
The Danger of Self-Glorificajion Truly the preacher, like the Apostle, is “in perils oft.” And of all perils, none is so subtle as that of self-glorification. Having to exercise his ministry in [Continued on Page 434] Eighth in a Series on wTfte Art ami Craft of Preachina"
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