Dr. F.—I can not agree with you. I have had my face burn more than once, in listening to some ignorant brother, blundering and trying to preach, who evidently did not understand his mother tongue, and that, too, in the presence of some distinguished persons. I can never countenance such a state of things.
Dr. P.—Doctor, I had rather hear some good man, who can not speak his mother tongue correctly, tell the plain story of the cross of Christ, in the love of Jesus, and in the spirit and power of a holy man of God, a thousand times, than to listen to one of your showy men, who can preach a beautiful sermon without any Jesus, Holy Spirit, love of God, or anything else, but the man himself in it. I desire preaching that will convert men to Jesus—to christianity and not to men. The converts will then love Jesus, meet and worship him and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. We do not want a man here to worship him, but to preach Jesus to us and teach us to worship Him.
Dr. F.—With your views of the subject, we shall never do any good. We shall never draw out an audience, nor accomplish anything. I am in favor of procuring a man at a salary of $2,000 or $2,500, that will command the respect of our city. Then we shall do some good. I am willing to give liberally when such an arrangement can be made, but I do not think our preacher is doing any good, and shall not give anything for his support.
Dr. P.—I am sorry to hear you speak so. Nothing, in my estimation could be more disastrous to us. This would consume about all we could possibly raise, so that we could not raise a dollar for missions, for colleges, the poor or anything only to pay a man to preach to us. At this rate our large congregation would only just be able to support itself and bear its own weight! Who is to convert the world at this rate! If we can not do anything more than sustain ourselves who are to support missions, build colleges and take care of the poor? If you had such a preacher as you want, he would have to do everything himself, or you would not be satisfied. Not a brother in the church would ever pray, exhort, or do anything that would call forth a gift, or develop any talents that might be among our numbers. Hence in all these city churches where some great man is the center of attraction, they rarely ever bring forward any young preachers, or develop any new talent. They simply monopolize talent brought out and developed some place else. I am in favor of preachers of ability, not only in our city churches, but as far as possible, in all the churches. But the way must be opened among us for the development of talent in the church. Our pride must not despise incipient efforts—plain and humble men, nor human weakness. It is in all men more or less, though not always developed in the same form.
Dr. F.—I think if we had such a preacher as I wish, we would draw out an audience, convert many people and greatly extend the cause in one year.
Dr. P.—No, Doctor, that would not be the case. The preacher we have is just as good as any man we can get. He is a man of unquestionable talents and piety and if we stand by him, aid him and encourage him, thus showing to the world that we respect him, those without will also respect him and he will succeed. If we had the most gifted man on the continent and the members of the church would treat him as they have done our present preacher he would do nothing. By our absenting ourselves, we virtually say, what you have in so many words said, that our preacher can do no good here. When the members of the church thus speak and act, neither a man nor an angel can do any thing; and, if I were the preacher, I would not stay a moment with brethren who would thus treat me. I would go where I could be appreciated. Doctor, come to meeting and let us make one good effort and see if we can not bring our church out. Let us produce a change in the church, and then probably our preacher will do well enough. I think we need a change in the church more than in the preacher, or preaching.
[“THE LOVE OF CHRIST CONSTRAINS.”]
THE preachers who love Christ better than partyism, will preach Christ, will call the people to Christ, and induce them to love him, and love all that do love him. They will inquire his will, and do it. They will exchange the love of party for the love of Christ, and find it so much higher, holier, purer and happier, that they will ignore all party feuds, wrangling and strifes, and maintain simply “the faith once delivered to the saints.” No doctrinal corrections, or corrections in ordinances, or in organization and government, will ever amount to anything, or save a people, who have not the love of Christ. We may be told that we may be mistaken, that they do love Christ. We cannot be mistaken in this, for the Lord says, “From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. A man full of the love of Christ, will speak of Christ. The theme of his heart will dwell upon his tongue. Where Christ has promised to be, they will be with him.” “Where two or three are met together in my name, there,” says the Lord, “I will be.” How many go to these places where Jesus has promised to be? How many go to the Lord’s table, to remember his dying love? How many of the preachers will sit down together, as loving disciples, and meditate upon his dying love, his great suffering, as he bore our sins on the accursed tree?