p. 20 | The Gospel Ministry by S. N. Haskell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 26, 1914

The Gospel Ministry

By S. N. Haskell

THE greatest honor conferred upon mankind is to be associated in the work of saving souls. The gift most coveted by the minister of the gospel should be, not to hold audiences spellbound with his eloquence, but to be a soul winner for God. Education and eloquence, when consecrated to God, aid greatly in soul winning, but they cannot do the work. The ability to put into words the power that will make men and women cry out, "What shall I do to be saved?" is not brain power; it is heart power. It comes to those who will agonize before the Lord for souls until they obtain the victory.

"If all had the interest that Knox felt when he cried, 'Give me Scotland, or I die!'—a wrestling with God that will not be denied,—the Lord would work with their efforts, and would give them souls for their hire."—"Gospel Workers," page 297. It is an experience each one must gain for himself. Many years ago when Elder D. A. Robinson, who now sleeps in India, was a young man just beginning to preach, he was successful in holding his audiences, but gathered no fruit. He became discouraged, and talked with me about choosing some other kind of work. I said to him: "The Lord has shown you that you have ability to preach by your having good audiences. Instead of leaving the ministry, gain the victory. I cannot give it to you; you must get it on your knees before God." Before he opened another series of meetings, he spent several days in fasting and prayer, until he felt in his soul that he had the victory. From that time I never knew of his holding a series of meetings in any place without fruit. I well remember in my early experience, when praying alone in the woods, I obtained the victory in God that enabled me to hold the attention of the people.

The minister who preaches to please the people will accomplish no more. The minister who preaches to please the Lord, and as he stands in the desk realizes that Christ died to save every soul in the audience before him and that He longs to save them, will keep such a clear connection between himself and heaven that God can place in his mouth the words that will reach hearts.

When we engage a man to do a piece of work, we expect him to do the work as we wish it done. The minister is called of the Lord to do his work, and the one who recognizes this fact will keep in touch with the Master and do the work according to his mind.

Christ is the perfect example. The individual who will prayerfully follow his example will have success. Prayer and personal contact with the people were the striking elements in his work. He was also familiar with the Scriptures, and leaves directions for all to "search the Scriptures."

There are some ministers who think that preaching is their only work; they sit in their homes day after day and feel that if they preach several times a week, or each evening, they have done their full duty. In the Saviour's ministry, we have only a few sermons re-

corded; but he went about doing good continually. It was a quiet talk with the woman at the well that opened the door for the Saviour's work in Samaria. We find him taking a long and tiresome journey to the coast of Tyre and Sidon to reach one soul.

There are those who think that the work is to be done in the cities only by eloquent sermons, by ministers who can draw large audiences. Ephesus was one of the leading cities of Asia Minor in Paul's day. The eloquent Apollos first held a series of meetings in the city with small results. Paul held public meetings for three months, but the prejudice was so great that he had to close his public effort.

Then Paul began a more quiet work in the school of Tyrannus; this he continued for two years, and through this means, "all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus." In his last visit to Ephesus he makes known his method of work by which he could bring out a strong church in the center of the popular idolatry of that day. He said to them, "I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house." Acts 20: 20.

If one would be a successful soul winner, he must learn, like Paul and the early disciples, "in every house . . . to teach and preach Jesus Christ." Many ministers say, "I am a poor visitor." Learn to be a good visitor. The best way to become a good visitor is to learn to be a good canvasser. As a rule, ministers who were good canvassers before they began to preach are good soul winners. They know how to enter the homes and teach the people by their own firesides.

Christ "dined and lodged with the rich and the poor, and made himself familiar with the interests and occupations of men, that he might gain access to their hearts."—"Gospel Workers," page 183. S. N. HASKELL.