[DEVELOPING THE TALENTS
OF THE YOUNG.]
WE must make an effort to bring out our young people. If they are brought into the church, and not employed any way, not induced to do anything, nor in any way made useful, one half of them will be led off into the world again. A bishop who understands this matter, will engage not simply the attention of the young, but their ability, whatever it may be, and bring it out. We fell in company with a bishop of this kind a few evenings since, on the cars, who informed us, if our memory is not at fault, that out of about forty male members in his congregation, in Illinois, all but some three took some part in the public worship, by way of reading, prayer, or exhortation. We have recently heard of several churches of this sort. These can worship without a preacher, can “draw out an audience,” and will, in a short time, send out preachers. Bishops who thus bring forward their young men, are bishops indeed. They do not imagine that their work is to sing, pray, preach, break the loaf, rule, and do every thing, and that the duty of the audience is simply to obey them. It is the work of a Christian bishop to develop and bring out the talent in the congregation, and apply it to the work of the Lord. Here is where our preachers are to come from. The church must furnish the preachers of Christ. No other institution will ever do it. We need not look to our colleges to make preachers. They will never do it. We need the colleges as much as any of our brethren have ever thought; but not to make preachers, but to educate our young men who want to preach or do anything else.
[WHAT A PREACHER MUST BE.]
HE must be earnest. Men who preach the gospel of Christ must be earnest. They must not trifle with the gospel and the souls of men. The theme is too vast, the responsibility too great and the issues too momentous to be treated in a careless, indifferent and prosing manner. The idea of a man speaking of questions of life and death, eternal happiness and eternal misery, the glories to be revealed at the appearing and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the terrible destruction that shall be the destiny to all who obey not the gospel, in a cold, dull and unfeeling manner, is preposterous. These are the most awful, momentous and sublime themes that ever dwelt upon the lips of men; and let him who speaks of them, remember that he is pleading in a case of life and death. Let him speak with earnestness, spirit and power.
He must be a man of perseverance. A man who can not preach a week without any success, and not become discouraged, had better go home. He is not the man. It is nothing strange to preach a dozen or fifteen discourses without success. Let him preach again. If he still has no success, let him humble himself before the Lord, in most fervent prayer, and make another effort. If he shall still fail in one place, go to another, and try again. Remember Noah, who preached one hundred and twenty years, without an addition, and preach on and pray on. Trust in the Lord, and work on.
He must be a man that can not be discouraged. He must be determined that he will listen to no discouraging tales. When met by some faint-hearted, sickly, and half-believing brother, who doles out his story about the troubles among the brethren, the opposition to be encountered, and how “hard a place it is,” where he is operating, he must pay no attention to it, but rise above it, and bear it in mind that there are good and honest-hearted souls in every community, who will receive and obey the gospel, if it is faithfully presented. Keep these in your mind, preaching brother, and try to save them, and you will succeed in a vast majority of cases. Inspire your audience with courage and confidence, especially the brethren. Allow no whining, complaining, and saying, “We can’t do anything,” and believe nothing of the kind. You can do something, and you must tell the people so, and keep on till you do it. You must not work in doubt, but in strong confidence that you have the truth—that you are advocating the cause of righteousness—that God is in it, will be with you, never leave you nor forsake you—that you can, by the help of the Lord, make the cause prosper, and will do it.