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THE KING’S BUSINESS
the minister, recognizing this need, should prepare himself by methods more peda gogical than scholastic, for leadership in this direction; should give himself with hearty devotion to the real ministry of the Word, searching eagerly for whatsoever method will help him to inspire interest therein with the people? What if stress should be laid upon the effort to cordi- nate all the forces of the church, especially the Home, the Sabbath School, the Prayer- Meeting atjd the Pulpit, to the end of secur ing a constructive and propulsive knowledge of the Word of God? What, in short, if the church, led by an enthusiastic ministry, should devote itself as never before to the task of becoming acquainted with its Sacred Literature ? It is impossible to frame a temperate answer to such ques tions. Suffice it to say that the results of such a programme would no doubt exceed .the most spectacular dream of the enthus iast. Contemplating such things as a pos sibility of the ensuing years, one is tempted to predict that the task of preaching in the next decade will be richer and worthier than ever before in the history of the church. Certain it is that the church is calling now for preachers who, like the householder, shall bring forth out of their treasure things new and old. The fascina tion of the Old Book must be laid upon the people. They who are in the pulpit must first know that fascination for themselves; and must also set themselves to learn how to bring it to pass in the minds of others. GOOD OLD FORMS We are not so bold as to affirm that a new definition of preaching is required for the realization of this programme. On the contrary, the old forms of preaching ought still to prevail, doctrinal, historical, bio graphical, hortatory, evangelistic. The old methods likewise require no displacement. Sermons should continue to be as before, textual, topical, or expository, according to the judgment of the preacher. But the programme of preaching should contem plate a broader ideal, an ideal that will pervade both form and should be educational. This is the broad aim that must control in the outworking of larger plans for the pulpit. It should be remembered^ however, that we use the term, not to describe a bare process of imparting knowledge, but to include all die rich possibilities contained in Interest, Instruction and Inspiration. The preacher is in reality a “religious educationist.” The Bible is his material; it remains for him to determine his method in, accordance with this broad aim. However great the glampur of the mere art of preaching, however strong from every side the tempta tion to reduce preaching to a process of impressionism, it must be evident to thoughtful minds that preaching is most worthy and most efficient when it has a background of continuity, an architectural ideal that is to be wrought out in forms of human construction. As the great archi tect saw the Dome of St. Peter’s swinging beneath the sky in his mind long before it was actually erected, so the preacher must see his congregation growing under his hands and becoming “thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Like the teacher in the school, he is called to do, not the work of one day, but the growing work of years. His task is not merely to preach great sermons; but to build "men up in life and godliness, to initiate and carry on a process of religious tutelage and nurture that shall bear fruit now and in the far away years. A BROAD CONCEPTION The effect of this conception of the ministry upon preaching is almost revolu tionary. - The Bible ceases to be a Book that is to be merely exploited for sermons, and the sermon itself is no longer an iso lated product. The Bible becomes instead the Book that is intended for God’s educa tion of man; and the preacher is an appointed educator carrying out a broad system of education. With this broadened aim for his ministry, his study of the Bible and his use of it afe apt to take on a new aspect. He is training a people in divine things and must therefore use all the
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