The work of the evangelist is now needed as much as ever, and the evangelist is by no means done away. So the shepherds to take care of the flock are now needed as much as ever, and the teachers are in demand as much as ever. These are not now raised up and qualified by miracle, but by ordinary means; nor is the work gone that they are severally to do. The evangelizing is now needed as much as ever; so is taking care of the churches and teaching the disciples all things that Jesus commanded. True, as our brother has said, there is no office in the church except overseer and deacon. The office of an evangelist is not a church office.
We have a glorious army of young men now called into the field, capable of one of the noblest works ever done by men. They have it in their hearts to do that work; but if they are perverted they will be ruined and will never accomplish the work to which they have given themselves. They must not, on the one hand, be discouraged and disheartened, but encouraged and their way opened; and, on the other hand, they must not be arrogant, conceited and vain, but humble, gentle, and kind; examples of piety, purity and moral excellence. They must not think to leap into authority by virtue of being preachers, but, by faithful labor and noble deeds, win their way and gain an influence among the people of God. If, now and then, one of them is puffed up, filled with conceit and arrogance, the same is true of other classes of men, and it is no argument against them as a class, but against the individual.
[THE SECRET OF SUCCESS IN PREACHING.]
NOTHING short of the highest morality and the most perfect subordination can ever secure complete success. Most indispensable is high reputation in all its public functionaries. A religious body whose public organs do not sustain purity of morals, chastity of address, and dignity of character, with most elevated natural and acquired attainments, can never do much towards the purification and elevation of the debased and degraded children of men. So important is this that some rule seems to be necessary to enable us to distinguish those who labor to show themselves off to a good advantage, from those who seek the honor of the blessed Master. It is one thing to preach in such a way as to make the people think of and confess their sins, but it is quite another thing for the mere actor to show himself off, in such a way as to induce the hearers to say, he is the greatest man we ever heard! A fine speaker may present such a beautiful theory on faith, as to delight a popular audience, without producing faith in a single soul, while the most immethodical speaker, whose heart is greatly impressed with the facts to be believed, will throw out the great realities of revelation with such earnestness and zeal as to make believers wherever he goes. Just so fine theories on repentance may be delivered in the shape of sermons, and listened to with applause, without inducing any one to think of repenting, while some old-fashioned preacher reasoning upon righteousness and a judgment to come, in the most immethodical manner, will cause sinners to tremble all around. The reason of this is not that one class has method while the other has not, but one class presents the mighty truth of God, while the other simply presents a fine theory concerning the truth. The result is that in one case the truth itself is believed and admired, while in the other case the fine theory is the only thing seen, and the preacher who delivered it the only object adored.
[TEDIOUSNESS IN PUBLIC DEVOTIONS.]
