p. 116 | The Ministerial Reading Course by J. L. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 29, 1914

The Ministerial Reading Course

By J. L. S.

The Reading for January

BEFORE taking up the assigned reading for February, it would be well for the members of the Reading Course to review the sections covered in January. This can be done in a systematic manner by going over the outlines which precede each section. This will doubtless lead to the rereading of various paragraphs in different sections in order to refresh the mind as to important points which may have been forgotten.

The reading for January brought before us in a forcible manner the work of the gospel minister. God has seen fit to save men by the "foolishness of preaching," and he chooses as his agents human instrumentalities. Christ began his work by preaching. He said, in his first recorded public utterance after his baptism, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor." His commission to his disciples was, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." The apostles regarded the ministry as their heaven-appointed work. Pentecost had its beginnings in preaching, and three thousand were converted in a day. The advancement of Christianity during the first centuries was largely due to preaching.

It was when men stopped preaching that the church lost power. During the Dark Ages the preacher became priest, giving his attention to the ceremonies of the church rather than to the ministry of the word, and darkness came upon the church. Not until Luther and his associates broke forth into the preaching of the word did the Reformation come. Preaching is God's way of saving men; and it has been, and will continue to be, the chief method of advancing the kingdom of God. The advent movement began and has developed under the personal ministry of the word, and it will end when with a loud cry the three angels' messages are preached to every nation, and tongue, and people.

To be called to a work of so great importance and responsibility should lead his servants to grasp after every spiritual and intellectual qualification which will make them better fitted for the work to which they are called. The Ministerial Reading Course is designed as a small means to that end. Like soldiers making ready for battle, we are in constant need of training. Higher standards of efficiency are to be kept constantly in view.

The following instruction is given in "Gospel Workers," pages 282-284:—

"The work of the Christian laborer is not light nor unimportant. He has a high vocation, from which his whole future life must take its mold and coloring. He who gives himself to so sacred a work should bend all his energies to its accomplishment. He should aim high; he will never reach a higher standard than that which he aims to attain. He cannot diffuse light until he has first received it. He must be a learner before he can have sufficient experience and wisdom to become a teacher, able to open the Scriptures to those who are in darkness. If God has called men to be laborers together with him, it is equally certain that he has called them to make the best possible preparation to rightly represent the sacred, elevating truths of his Word.

"Those who desire to give themselves to the work of God, should receive an education and training for the work, that they may be prepared to engage in it intelligently. No one should feel that he can step at once upon the upper rounds of the ladder; those who would succeed must begin at the first round, and climb upward step by step. Opportunities and privileges are granted them for improvement, and they should make every effort in their power to learn how they may do the work of God acceptably.

"Wherever our ministers shall labor, in Europe or in America, they should seek to arouse the youth to prepare for active service in God's great field of battle. All who claim to be the servants of Christ have a work to do for him. The very name of servant conveys the idea of hire, work, responsibility. God has intrusted to every one powers to be employed in his service. He has given to each his work, and he requires that every faculty shall be improved to his glory. . . .

"There ought to be connected with our schools the best possible facilities for the preparation of laborers for both home and foreign fields. There should also be in our larger churches special training schools for young men and women, to fit them to become workers for God. And far more attention should be given by our ministers to the matter of assisting and educating younger laborers."

Reading Schedule for February

The reading schedule for February comprises the following sections in Part I of "Preparing to Preach:"—

VI. The Introduction. VII. Sermon Body. VIII. The Conclusion. IX. Materials. X. Ministerial Senility. XI. Originality. XII. Instruction.

Several of the important essentials in sermon building are considered in February's reading. In addition to the reading during the month, we shall add such collateral notes and quotations from week to week in this department of the paper as may seem helpful. The Bible and Testimonies provide much instruction for the gospel worker. Books written by earnest Christian ministers, many of them masters in the art of preaching, have also contributed much to the field of homiletics. We shall draw such material from these as may seem advisable. Ministering brethren who may have suggestions which they think will be helpful to others, are invited to send the same to the Educational Department of the General Conference.

INTRODUCTION

The first section in the reading for February is on the introduction to a sermon. A short, interesting introduction is usually advisable. On this, Dr. Johnson, in "The Ideal Ministry," says:—

"The demand for it [the introduction] is based in the nature of the human mind, which is so constituted that it does not like to be bolted upon suddenly and abruptly, either in manner or in speech. Ordinarily, it prefers to be led up to the subject, as spring introduces the summer, or dawn the day.

"The preacher comes to the pulpit aglow with his theme. It has been on his heart, and has come to be 'a fire in the bones.' He would kindle that fire in his hearers. But the hearer may be conditioned in indifference and need quickening, or in ignorance and need enlightening, or in prejudice and need conciliating. In any event the introduction should be kept exclusively to the one design of preparing the mind of the hearer to receive the truth. And this design will be accomplished in one or more of these three ways: by awakening interest, by helping to understand, by disarming of prejudice. These three exhaust the methods by which the design of the introduction may be secured."

Introductions may be drawn from the text, the theme under consideration, or the circumstances of the occasion. The introduction should be short, only such material appearing in it as will in a natural way lead to the sermon proper. Speaking of what should not appear in an introduction, Dr. Johnson says:—

"Should the preacher ever make himself the occasion of the introduction? (1) Never should an unwelcome truth be preceded by assurance of the purity of the preacher's motives. His life should testify to that. (2) Never should it be preceded by apologies for its presentation, as if he and the Lord were put to the necessity of asking the hearer's pardon for the disagreeable message. (3) Almost never, perhaps never, should an introduction refer to personal embarrassment, or unfitness of physical condition, or want of proper preparation. And this for two reasons: first, such an introduction is apt to grow into a habit, and so to grow insincere. If the preacher consents to appear at all, let him do his best to forget, and to make his hearers forget, any real or supposed personal unfitness. But the second reason leaves no hinge nor loop to hang a doubt on. Who can question that advertising one's deficiency is the surest way of impairing one's efficiency?"

Of the important qualities of an introduction we quote further from the same author:—

"(a) Pertinency. This is first and fundamental; the quality of strict relevancy and fitness. Everything in the introduction should be pertinent alike to the theme and the occasion. Its thought should have near relation to the theme, so as to introduce it; but it should be distinct from the theme, so as not to anticipate it. Strictly, an introduction

should fit one sermon, and no other. If made up of vague commonplaces, it may answer for almost any sermon, and be equally worthless wherever put. . . .

"(b) Simplicity. This is opposed to everything ambitious in manner or matter—in style or thought. The porch should have neither the strength nor the beauty of the main building; and therefore should not be elaborate in structure or ornamentation.

"Simplicity in the introduction requires, first, that it contain only one prominent thought. If this thought introduces the theme, there is no need of another. Why a vestibule to a vestibule?

"Simplicity in the introduction requires, secondly, that the introduction be unimpassioned. If the preacher is aroused, the audience is not. If both audience and preacher are aflame, as they may be on emergent occasion, no introduction is necessary. But an unimpassioned introduction need not be trite and tame, enunciating only dull, insipid commonplaces; for this is not the opposite of passion. Let freshness and vivacity and vividness keep the preacher from mere platitudes and threadbare generalities in his opening words. Simplicity is not in these. But a highly wrought introduction will promise too much for the subsequent performance. If the preacher strike twelve when he begins, there is no more that he can do."