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"GOOD MINISTERS OF JESUS <lHf{IST"
. TROY CONFERENCE NOW ENGAGED IN GREAT TASK -RAISING SID~ OF $400,000 FOR PENSIONS FOR MINISTERS WHO HAVE RETIRED. THIS CHURCH IS A PART OF TROY CONFERENCE AND WILL DO ITS SHARE IN MEETlNG THis· OHALLENGE. NOT GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS C.AMPAIGN: BUT ABOUT THESE MEN Vt'HO HAVE DESERVED AND WON TF..E aiTATlON WHICH FORMS THE TITLE OF MY SERMON - . "GOOD MINISTERS OF JESUS CHRIST".
NEWSPAPERS SOME TIME AGO TOLD OF WEALTHY DW ENGLAND . WOMAN WHO IN HER WILL PROVIDED A PENSION FOR H&R-FAVORITE HORSE. . INSTEAD OF MEETING-· USUAL FATE. OF AGED HORSES, THIS HORSE AFTER BEARING THE HEAT. AND 'BURDEN OF THE DAY, WAS TO BE GIVEN GREEN PASTURE AND WARM STABLE TO END OF HIS DAYS. l AM HERE THIS MORNING TO PAY THE OLD PREACHER A LOVING TRIBUTE. I AM NOT HERE TO ADVOCATE SHOOTING HIM 'AFTER HE HAS PASSED THE DAY OF USEFULNE'SS • .
I 'DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO SHOOT THE OLD MIN-ISTER' EITHER. AS WE SEARCH OUR HEARTS AND"' LIVES• WE CANNOT'. FAIL TO SEE THE FACE AND FIGURE, YES, CANNOT FAIL TO HEAR THE VOICE, OF SOME MINIS~R WHO WAS THE MOUTHPIECE OF GOD TO US IN CHILDHOOD OR IN YOUTH. WE RECALL HIS WORDS SPOKEN PERHAPS IN A SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS, OR YOUTH SOCIETY, OR IN A SERMON, OR IN MELLOWING ATMOSPHERE OF A PARSONAGE. DO YOU REMEMBER WHE·N YOU WERE IN DEEP SORROW; WHEN 'IOU WERE LEAVING HOME TO GO TO WORK OR TO SCHOOL; WHEN YOU WENT TO SEE HIM ABOUT GETTING MARRIED?- OF COURSE YOU REMEMBER AS I REMEMBER.
THE MINISTER . HAS BEEN KNOWN BY MANY NAMES. PRESIDENT. DANIEL MARSH OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY., KAS AN INTERESTING ADDRESS ON "THE ROMANCE OF PREACH-ERS' TITLES 11
• HE LISTS SOME OF THE NAMES; . HERE IS THE LIST: AMBASSADOR OF GOD, STEWARD OF THE MYSTERIES, MINISTER, .PREACHER, PASTOR, PRIEST, PARSON-, DOMINIE, RECTOR, CLERGYMAN, CURATE AND' SKY PILOT. THERE IS ROMANCE BEHIND THESE TITLES. THE MINISTER - IF A uGOOD MINISTER OF JESUS GHRIST" IS ALL OF THESE • "AN AMBASSADOR WITH A C.OMMI.5SIO FROM GOD, A STEWARD OF THE MANIFOLD GRACE OF GOD, A SERVANT ENTRUSTED WITH THE . AFFAIRS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, A HERALD PROCLAIMING GLAD TIDINGS- TO THE WORLD, A SHEPHERD OARING FUR THE FLOCK, MED-
HAVE -A WORD .. FOR US IN OUR NEED. YOU ARE THE ·J:N-TERPRETER; SAY TO US A WORD ABOUT CHRIST; HELP · US T'O · REDISCOVER JESUS; LEAD US TO GOD. I TELL -YOu, THAT PLUMB DOWN IN THE CRYPT AND ABYSS OF EVERY MAN'S SOUL, IS A HUNGER AND A CRAVING FOR OOD ... 11
THESE .. "GOOD MINISTERS OF JESUS CHRIST'' HAVE BEEN' INTERPRETERS OF LIFE HAVE THEY NOT? THEIR WORDS HAVE' BEEN BREAD FOR HUNGRY SOULS. WE CAN SAY. OF THEM AS IT. WAS SAID OF BOBBIE BURNS, "IN THEIR VOICE ONE HEARD ALL THE JOYS AND SORROWS WHIOH HAD. LAIN UNSPOKEN FOR GENERAT-IONS IN HEARTS OF MEN. AND WOMEN WHO WORK WITH THEIR HANDS·". THEY JJAVE .. SPOKEN TO OUR ·soRROWS AND JOYS, THE IMMENSITY AND INTENSITY, THE SIN AND SUFFERING, THE PAIN AND PANIC OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT.
SHEPHERD OF: SOULS MOST BEAUTIFUL AND MOST HAUNT . ING TITLE FOR THESE MINISTERS JESUS SPOKE ABOUT ·SHEPHERDlNG "HE · THAT ENTERETH NOT BY THE
DOOR ETC." CALLED HIMSELF THE GOOD SHEPHERD. HE WAS BORN OF LINE OF DAVID. - A SHEPHERD WHO WROTE "THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD". JUST. BEEN CLEBRATING 200TH ANNIVERSARY· OF HANDEL-1 S "MESSIAH". THE MOST APPEALING SOLO IS "HE SHALL FEED H.IS FLOOK" •
BORN IN NORTH OF ENGLAND. KNOW SOMETHING OF SHEEP AND SHEPHERDING. TAKES PATIENCE TO BE A SHEPHERD . - SHEEP SO SILLY AND EA'SJ;LY "LED __ ASTRAY. "ALL WE, LIKE SHEEP HAVE GONE ASTRAY"-. TAKES .mun.A:J
AND PHYSICAL STAMINA TO BE A GOOD SHEPHERD. IT'S A COSTLY BUSINESS. NEEDS DEEP UNDERSTANDING. WE CALL TO MIND THE WORDS OF JESUS "WHAT MAN CYF YOU HAVING A HUNDRED SHEEP ETC." I CAN SPEAK OF THAT
LET ME CLOSE BY SPEAKING OF ONE OR TWO EXAM-PLES OF SHEPH&RDING. DR. S. P. C~DMAN. TRIBUTE BY BISHOP "MCCONNELL; "HE WROTE INCESSANTLY WITH A PEN. PAS10RAL WORK THOROUGH. THOSE oF· US WHO DURING THE PAST GENE~ION HAVE HAD ANY KNOWLEDGE OF BBOO.KLYN ETC. "
IN RECENT RADIO SPEECH PRES. ROOSEVELT PAID TRIBUTE -ro L'!EUT. . ~':CODANDER WASSELL, FORMER MISSIONARY ' WHO "HAD WON DISTINC'TION IN BATTLE OF JAVrA INFORMED OF CITATION HE SAID "I SIMPLY DID A DOCTOR'S DUTY. THE ONLY THING THE PRESIDENT SAID THA I DESERVED WAS THAT I AM PASTOR OF A FLOCK. THE SHEPHERD ALWAYS STAYS WITH HIS SHEEP".
"THE CIRCUIT .MINISTER" BY RICHARD PYKE.
2 I A TOR BETWEEN MAN AND GOD, A TEACHER~- SO RESPE<1TED THAT HE IS · CALLED 'DOMINIE' , A RULER WHO LEADo AND LIVES STRAIGHT, A PHYSICIAN OF SICK SOULS,_ A SKY p IU>T'' . ALL THAT IS - IMPE'Icr-TT IN THE TERM USED BY PAUL "GOOD MINISTER OF JESUS CHRIST".
AMBASSADOR OF GOD LET US LOOK AT ONE OR TWO O.F THESE TITLES. FIRST OF ALL -AMBASSADOR OF GOD. PAUL USE£
THE TE"I~M. "NOW THEN WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST AS THOUGH GOD DID BESEEC:H YOU BY US ••• BE YE RECONCIL'ED TO GOD".
AMBASSADOR A TRUSTED SERVANT SENT BY -oNE ·sovEREIGN TO ANOTHER SOVEREIGN. PURP.OSE OF HIS VI.SIT u·suALLY HAD TO DO WITH . PEACE OR WAR. AS TIME VVENT ON OTHER COM:P.tiSSIONS WERE GIVEN HIM. AND HIS STAY IN THE- OTHER LAND~ LENGTHENED AND BECAME MORE OR LESS PERMANENT·. BEAUTIFUL RESIDENCE GIVEN HIM.
WHEN ·· TITLE' FIRST GIVEN BY PAUL TO MINISTER: OF GOSPEL, . HUMANITY WAS THOUGHT OF AS BEING AT WAR WITH GOD. THEREFORE, THE SERVANT OF CHRIST fiAS TO BRING REBELLIOUS: HUMANITY INTO PEACE WITH GOD. HIS MESSAGE WAS "BE YE RECONCILED TO GOD." IT WAS A .. TREMENDOUS MOTIVE. AND PEOPLE RESPONDED. MES.BAGE HAD. CONVIC::TION - A OUTTING EDGE. "BE SAVED OR BE LOST FOREVER". WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANY LONGER. CHRISTIAN. PEOPLE NO LONGER BELIEVE THAT GOD WAITS TO CONSIGN THE UNREPENTANT SINNER TO A LAKE .OF . FIRE -AND BRIMSTONE THAT BUBBLES AND BURNS' FOREVER.
BUT -THE MINISTER IS STILL THE AMBASSADOR OF GOD._ HE I.S THE REPRESENTATIVE IN THIS WORLD OF A MOST HIGH SOVEREIGN. HE IS HERE TO REPRESEN~ -HIS . KING IN ... THIS WORLD. THE REPRESENTATIVE OF KlNGOOM 0 F GOD; TO - BE THIS KIND OF AN AMBASSADOR A MAN MUST HAVE AN ALERT MIND, A HEALTHY BODY, PLEASING PERSONALITY', SOUND JUDGEMENT, UNQUESTIONED . INTEGR ITT, SYMPATHETIC: INSIGH~ TACTFUL LEADERSHIP AND ELOQUENT "SPEECH. ~ vA,. .... /i.,t r· H Mtli.E. Yo Do fl:r, Wt1YA_C) 4\.- ' .
HE MUST UNDERGO LONG YEARS OF PREPARATION. HE MU"ST GIVE HIMSELF COMPLETELY TO HIS WORK. HE CAN- . NOT BE. INVOLVED IN PROFIT-MAKING · ENTERPRISES ON THE · SIDE. IN THE COMMUNITY HE GIVES HIUSELF WITH-0 UT MONEY AND WITHOUT PRICE. HE MUST PUT SERVICE ABOVE SELF. HIS SOVEREIGN DEMANDS THE VERY BES1'.
SAYS THE VIRGINIAN IN OWEN WIS"TER' S NOV-E!.- BY THAT NAME, "I'LL TELL YER THIS: A MIDDLIN' DOCTOR
"Dr. Cadman·' s work · was tho-rough and careful. · He wrote incessantly - with a -pen. His ua-storal wor-k a-lso was····thorou-gh. · Those of us who during the pas·t - generation have had any knowledge of B-rooklyn, have on·· Fridays and Saturdays, seen . the Cadman car ·on · its multitudinous pastoral el:'r-:. rands~ Doctor Cadman rightly· felt that muah· of h.is effort -- should ·be· given to lecture work throughout the - country·, and in this feeling, Central Church shared. So that, after four days of strenuous effort -in lectures; this unwearying man would return to Broo-klyn for pastoral work. And what· pastoral service it was·. The calls were not · long of course, but they were like· a breath of fresh air to the- sick, like the· opening· of a wtnd·ow to ~he eas~· to those who sa-t in darkness. Men· cmme -f"-:mnn ·1·ong distances to seek hie coun-sel. He kept maey- a man from- yielding
_to · temptat-ion ·· - men-, too, high- in public life -pre-served· many· a home form · shipwreck, helped to g tve many~ a man who had grievo-usly transgre·ssed-a ·ne·w s·tart~ - He wa.-s- ·a genuine priest, with a priest's devotion to· righteousness and sympathy with· fra1:1 human· beings."
... Lt.: th "" ;flet us ay our prayers toga er •
"he loved his people. Every little cottage home was· to · him · a holy plac-e. He never ceased to· won dar at the way in- whiah -every door was open to a Methodist minister; and how he· was admitted to the innermost· secrets of the· life of his people. "Talk about the ConteS"Sional' he would -sa'Y;; 'Why, I am · father · confessor to hundreds, and when 1 kneel db'wn to pray in these home-s, I 1"eel God nas given· me the -greatest privilege that can· be besto-wed on ·mortal man·.' I have never -met a. man to whom visiting the sick- seemed such a sacred calling. People always felt better afte-r he had been to sea them~ Do_ctors in those .days did not value the influence of a minister as they do today; but even then, every doctor was ~lad to know t hie man had called. He was a spir.i tual genius. He did not talk about psychology - he. ~d what was better than psychology - commonsense. There would be an easy and natural word about the mercy and w~sdom 'of god, and then he would say ~Now ~
3 IS A PORE THING, AND A MIDDLIN·• LAWYER IS A PORE THING: BUT KEEP ME FROM A MIDDLINt MAN -OF GOD..''. THERE IS THE . PRAYER OF EVERY MINISTER - KEEP ·o 0 GOD FROM BEING JUST A "MIDDLIN'" MAN OF GOD. YES, THE CHURCH HAS DEMANDED THAT HER MINISTERS -BE· AMBASSADORS OF GOD - WORTHY AND TRUE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE KING. AND MY TESTIMONY ·THIS· MORNING - AND YOURS TOO, IS THAT THESE "GOOD MINISTERS OF JESUS C"HRIST" WHOM WE HONOR TODAY, HAVE BEEN WORTHY Oil THE TITLE "AMBASSADOR OF GOD".
INTERPRETER OF LIFE THE MINISTER HAS BEEN BEAUT I FULLY PICTURED BY MANY. IT WAS GOLDSMITH WHO DESCRIBED
THE VILLAGE- PARSON AS ONE WHO "ALLURED TO BRIGHTER WORLDS AND LED THE WAY": AND WHO HAD THE HAPPY ART OF CAU~ING _FDES WHO CAME TO ~CSf'F - TO R IN AND PRAY. (No!1f /Jr~ tt.. SI&Jwf;~f. /'1A-s 1 t!J1,._;- 4 9o)
BUT IT IS JOHN BUNYAN IN HIS "PILGRIM •·s. PRO-GRESS WHO SETS FORTH .THE IDEAL. PILGRIM WAS IN THE HOUSE OF THE INTERPRETER AND SAW A PIC~URE - OF THE MINISTER OF GOD. HE SETS FORTH HIS I _N· THE WORDS, "I BEHELD IN THIS PICTURE. THE PORTRAIT OF A GRAVE AND SAINTLY MAN, EYES LIFTED. 'ro HEAVEN, LAW OF TRUTH UPON HIS LIPS, THE · WORLD WAS BEHIND HIS -BACK; HE STOOD AS IF HE PLEADED WITH MEN, AND .A CROWN OF GOLD DID HANG OVER HIS HEAD".
THE GUOD MINISTER OF JESUS CHRIST DWELLS IN T-HE HOUSE OF THE INTERPRETER. HE IS -:BET .J.pJi.gT BY THE CHURCH FOR THIS TASK. PEOPLE SAY TO PREACHER "YOU NEED NOT ENGAGE IN DIFFICULT TASK OF MAKING A LIVING.'· IN A SHARPLY COMPETITIVE WORLD. WE 1iAVE To· LIVE IN THAT WORLD AND ENDURE THE STRESS AND STRAIN; BUT WE WANT TO SET YOU FREE FOR BETTER 'lHUfG'i.. WE WANT YOU TO HAVE OPPORTUNITY FOR'-PER-SPECTIVE. WE WANT YOU TO SEE LIFE OBJEOTIVELY. TO -.SEE LIFE STEADILY- AND SEE IT WHOLE: . VIE WANT ' YOU TO HAVE ENOUGH DETACHMENT SO THAT YOU C'AN TIVATE SENSITIVITY OF SOUL - SO THAT YOU CAN SEE VISIONS".
' THEN WE WANT YOU TO INTERPRET THESE THINGS TO US. OUR HOMES WILL BE OPEN TO YOU AND HEARTS WILL BE OPEN TOO • WE ' WILL CONF'IDE IN YOU AND WE WILL DISCLOSE TO YOU OUR HOPES AND FlEARS. WE BE LONG TO YOU", YOU BELONG TO US. WE WILL REVEAL YOU WHAT LIFE HAS DONE TO US. AND WE WANT YOU
FREMONT :METHODIST CHURCH GlovArsville, New York Fred Clarke, Minister
May 17, 1942 ORDER OF MORNING VVORSIUP
PRELUDE "Allegro" (Sonata No .2) PROCESSIONAL Iffiffi 15 CALL TO WORSHIP:
Fau1ltes
l:Unist er: People:
Seek ye the Lord while He may be found. Call ye upon Him while He is near.
Minister: God is a Spirit. Pe0ple: Let us worship Him in spirit and in
truth. PRAYER IN mTISON:
Almighty God, from whom every good prayer cometh, and who pourest out on all who desire it , the spirit of grace and supplication; deliverus,when we draw nigh to Thee, from coldness ofheart and wanderings of mind; that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections, we may worship Thee in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord •. A.men
LORD'S PRAYER ANTHEM "As God Gives The Rain" McClelland
JUNIOR CHOIR RESPONSIVE READING page 567 GLORIA PATRI and APOSTLE 1 S CHEED SOLO "0 Ye That Love The Lord"
Mrs . Hazel E. Scoville SCRIPTURE LESSOI~ John 10·: l-18 PASTORAL PRAYER Choral OFFERTORY "Adae;io" (Sonata Ho.2) CHORAL RESPONSE Hymn 606 ANTI-IEM "God Who Made The Mounta i ns"
SENIOR CHOIR Hl111N Numbered l 75 SERMON "Good Ministers of Jesus Christ" IIUU>T Numbered 259
Barn by
Hesponse Faulkes
Klemm
BENEDICTION and DOXOLOGY POSTLUDE "Religiose" (Sonata No .2) Faulkes
Flowers for today are given by 1trs . E. F . Gifford and family in memory of husband and father, Mr . E.F. Gifford.
11 :55 CHURCH SCHOOL 5:30 YOUNG PEOPLE. "Problem"Plo.y, "Heir to a. Million".
There were 19 young people present last Sunday. Let's mo.ke it 25 today~
7:30 UNION SERVICE .. at the North Main Street Church. Rev. Kenneth Slorpe will be the preacher.
4:00 "I nm an .hmerican" program in tho High School. THRU THE WEEK AT FREMONT
MONDAY- 4:00 Girl Scouts. 7:30 Boy Scouts. 6:30P.M. Worker's Conference covered dish.
Roservo.tionn must be in church office today.
TUESDAY- 6:30 P.M. ANNUAL MOTHER AND DA.UGHTER BANQUET a.t the church. Substitute mother or daughter can be secured from the office, Tickets--~~ .so. Reservations must be mo.de today,
VffiDNESDAY-7:30 P.M. Prayer Service at the church.
THURSDAY- 7:30 P.M. Choir rehearsal. 8:30P.M. Play rehearsal for "I Will. I Won't". The ~urel Band meets with Mrs. Harold Leavctt,
184 First Ave. h.ssisting hostesses: Mrs. Frank Hemenway, Mrs. Fay Clancy o.nd Mrs. James Handy. Letter is "K~' ..
FRIDAY- 4:00 Junior Choir rehearsal.
h rummage sale will be held o.t 22 s. Main St. on Friday and So.turduy of this woek. If you have any contributions which you nrc not o.blc to deliver call 2970-j or .370-w. This is sponsored by the w.s.c.s. Sh.TURDAY- 7:00P.M. Plo.y rehoc.rsa.l for "I Will, I Won't".
THE TROY CONFERENCE PENSION FUND CAMPAIGN
A meeting for co.mpo.ign workers will be held in the Fremont St. Church to-morrow evening o.t 7:30. Campaign workers from the other Methodist Churches of Gloversville and vi- , cinity will also be prcsen~. Dr. Co.ssius J, Miller and others will speak. Mr. Ernest VanDenburgh of N. Main St. church will preside. This meeting will officially open the campaign in the Gloversville area and mark the beginning of the local church solicito.tion period, when every Methodist will be eiven opportunity to subscribe to the Methodist Ministers' Pension Fund.
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' ( j<, ) lo/ HOW TO INSPIRE YOUR MINISTER!
(;
From "Quiet Talks to Earnest People,"
By Dr. Charles E . Jefferson, when Pastor of Broadway Tabernacle, New York City.
Be regular in your church attendance. Possibly a minister ought to rise superior to his environment and speak with as much unction to quartered oak as to living hearts; but a minister after all is only human, and in the course of time empty pews wear on him.
Laymen, as a rule, do not realize the importance of church attendance. If they did they would not so often allow a cloud, or a shower, or a wind, or a snow, or a caller, or a newspaper, or a headache, or a fit of laziness, to keep them at home.
A minister deserted by his representative men dies. He dies by inches. No man can preach with sustained fire and hope who.se leading people show by their desultory attendance that public worship is to them one of the incidentals or electives of life. Nothing will so surely take the spring and snap out of a man as speaking on great themes to eri1pty pews. lt makes a man prematurely old.
The church is expected by the world to render worship on the Lord's day to God. The rendering of this worship is one ·of the sacrifices to be offered perpetually by the followers of Jesus. The world's redemption is delayed by Christians who mar the sacrifice by selfish neglect to take part in it. J;le in your place every time. Your presence gives life to the preacher. Your face helps him more than you can ever know. Your faithfulness strengthens the grip of Christ upon your community, and hastens the coming of the golden age.
"We must keep the church open," cry the stay-at-homes, not knowing what they say. When is a church open? When the doors are unbolted and the gas is lighted? No! When a church keeps open house, itself must be present to welcome the guests. An open church means a church with Christians in it ready to welcome all comers. The world cares nothing for empty buildings. ,Without people in them they are as cold as refr igerators and as depressing as sepulchres.
A dwindling and deserted church service is one of the deadliest of all enemies of the faith. Better hold no service whatever than a service in every tenth pew. The Sunday service is not attractive unless made so by the Lord's people. Where people in large numbers congregate, other people want to go. It is a cold world, and a fire always draws a crowd. There is no fire so congenial and attractive as that kindled by a large worshipping congregation.
When laymen work to fill the churches, preachers will preach better than they do. Peter was mighty on the day of Pentecost, not because he had a fluent tongue, but because there stood behind him one hundred and twenty men and women in whose faces there lingered traces of the glory of the "tongues of fire."
Appreciating the Minister Ministers are human. They have hands. or
gans, dimensions, senses, affections, passions. If you prick them they bleed; if you appreciate them they are strengthened. They are more sensitive to appreciation than most men because of the nature of their work. It is arduous and exhausting. To have a thankless congregation is an agony something like having a thanklesschild.
Moreover, a minister has many things to worry him. He is subject to constant and merciless criticism. He. is never eager to hear all the things that people are saying, but in the course of the year he is certain to catch enough of the tittle-tattle which goes on around him fo trouble and depress him.
In this way anxieties and suspicions often arise which faith is not able to shake off. The flippant remark of some petulant critic may lie · like lead on his heart for weeks. He loses confidence in himself. He imagines his critics more numerous than they are.
A minister, to do his best work must live in an atmosphere of good will. Laymen ought to create such an atmosphere. While the busybodies are carrying to the pastor stories of dissatisfaction, the saints ought to bear to him messages of affectionate good cheer and enthusiastic approval.
A minister often fails to realize the magn itude of the work he is doing. Because the people say nothing he concludes his ministry is in vain. Many a minister has carried a burdened heart through years of disappointing labor, hungry for a word of appreciation which never came, finally throwing down his work in despair, only to find on the eve of his departure to another parish or the other world how wide was the satisfaction, and how genuine was the affection for him in the hearts of the people.
Just a word of commendation now and then through the silent years would have brightened many a day that was dark, and made lighter many a burden which almost crushed. Tell your minister that you appreciate what he is doing. It is a shameful thing to sit for a year under preaching which makes you nobler and happier without letting your pastor know that in one heart at least the seed has fallen, and is bringing forth many fo ld.
Are you afraid of spoiling him? Do not fear. For every man hurt by praise, a thousand are starved to death by lack of it. There is nothing humbles a true man like generous appreciation. A sensible minister does not want to be assured that his sermon was "grand," or "splendid." A quiet, "I thank you for your prayer," or "Your sermon helped me," is worth more than all the stilted English which a voluble enthusiast is able to pour into a preacher's ears.
Human Commendation Needed There are ministers who seldom receive a
word of praise.. Their big, eloquent brothers go through life with hosannas ringing perpetually in their ears, while they drudge on unnoticed, with no one to stir their pulse by shouting "W e,ll done." It is a mistake to suppose that God's commendation alone is sufficient.
Moses was strong, but he was not strong enough to hold up his hands to the end of the day. "Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side and the other on the other side, and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun." Happy the minister who is steadied and sustained by Christians who appreciate the work that is being done, and who hearten their leader by a frequent word of gratitude and appreciation.
A minister was one day surprised at the close of his sermon to have a stranger greet him thus : "I thank you for that sermon; it did me good." He had preached faithfully for a year, and no member of his congregation had in all that time expre~sed to him a word of appreciation. The words of the stranger overcame him. To be assured that a sermon of his had reached the heart was like rain on thirsty soil. He hurried home and told his wife the good news. They bowed their heads and wept together.
Laynien Called to Service . Until laymen become helpers, yoke-fellows,
servants, fellow-laborers, heralds, pastors, fishers of men, co-workers with their leader and with
God, the church is, of all institutions, most miserable, and we are yet in our sins.
Every follower of Christ is ordered into the vineyard. Unless he takes up his cross daily, he does not belong to Christ. But this is a page of the New Testament little heeded. "The fields are white unto the harvest, but the laborers are few." Th minister goes into the field, and the majority of his people go somewhere else. This, in a sentence, is the running sore of Chrh;tendom.
Why are churches half empty? Laymen do not work to fill them. Why are d~ficits so universal? Laymen do not plan to abolish them. Why does the church make so few converts? Laymen do not talk on the subject of religion. Why does church life flow in such feeble streams? Laymen do not pour their life into it.
ONLY A HANDSHAKE! Thousands of miles from home, confined to
a hospital bed, and suffering from severe pain, lay this lonesome serviceman, when suddenly none other than the Vice-President of the United States steps into his room and greets him. Only a handshake, but how much it meant to George Holzbaur, Jr.! "'Tis the human touch in this world that counts,
The touch of your hand and mine, Which means far more to the fainting heart
Than shelter and bread and wine. For shelter is gone when the night is o'er,
And bread lasts only a day, But the touch of a hand and the sound of a
voice Sing on in the soul alway!"
A BOOK EVERY PASTOR AND TEMPERANCE WORKER SHOULD OWN One of the greatest small books ever published on the temperance question is
"Tempe~ance Facts," compiled by Mr. W. G. Calderwood. He is one of the best qualified men in our Country to assemble and compile the great outstal).ding facts on the temperance question- facts which every pa~tor, temperance worker, speaker, writer or debater on this question should have ready at hand to answer the wets.
Among many other things, this booklet answers every objection to Prohibition and the 18th Amendment, giving facts and statistics to prove that Prohibition was a great economic, financ.ial and moral blessing to our Country.
This is a book of FACTS; not of arguments. 1t gives official statistics of the .amount of liquor made and sold before, during and after the Prohibition period. It gives the testimony of many distinguished men and women on the temperance question. It gives facts and official figures showing the results of liquor selling and liquor drinking on childhood, youth, laboring men, crime, public health, life insurance, taxes, drunkenness, child delinquency, public schools, colfeges) business, agriculture, the family, poor people, and National prosperity in general, and shows that Prohibition greatly reduced crime, drunkenness and poverty.
Order enough of these booklets to give one' to each local pastor in your town who is interested in the temperance question, and also put one in each public library in your city or town for reference by anyone looking for facts on the liquor question.
The size of this booklet is 5 x 7 inches, 100 pages, good clear type. Price: 1 copy 25c; 5 copies $1; 12 copies $2; 30 copies $5; cash with order. Postage prepaid. Postage stamps acq~pted fot amounts less than one dollar. Order fr·om Rev. 0. R. Miller, Box 627, Albany 1, N.Y. This B•,lletin, 12 for 15c; 100 for $1;
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0~====================================================================!0 FREMONT STREET METHO DIST CHURCH
GLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK
November 7, 1945 Dear Fremonter :
In tabulating the pledges for our · 1945 - 1946 church budget, we notice that your card has not
been received at the church office. Perhaps you have mislaid it, o: have not had the time to give
to this important matter.
Won' t you please give your immediate attention to the making of your pledge?
We are sending you another pledge card, also a return envelope with this letter. Please
make your pledge and mail the card as soon as you conveniently can. Your committee is anx ious
to cut down to a minimum the number of personal calls it will have to make to complete its work.
T hanks for your fine help and co-operation in the past. Let' s all pull together now to ensure
the continuance of our church program. Faithfully yours, THE FINANCE CoMMITTE:&.
0)====================================================================<0
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0~=======================================================================!0 FREMONT STREET METHODIST CHURCH
G LOV ERSVILLE , NEW Y O R K
November 7, 1945 Dear Fremonter :
In tabulating the pledges for our 1945 - 1946 church budget, we uotice that your card has not been received at the church office. Perhaps you have mislaid it, or have not had the time to give
to this important matter. Won't you please give your immediate attention to the making of your pledge? We are sending you another pledge card, also a return envelope with this letter. Please
make your pledge and mail the card as soon as you conveniently can. Your committee is anxious to cut down to a minimum the number of personal calls it will have to make to complete its work.
Thanks for your fine help and co-operation in the past. Let's all pull together now to ensure the continuance of our church program. Faithfully yours,
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
0)================================================================0
•
Rev. Frederick J. Ball.
Firs·t M . tbodist Episcopal Church,
Pl t-t. ''Ill' , New or •
My dear Fred
July I 2th , I936
I oulu like you to apologise for my non·appearance at
Graduate school, on wh ich I had set my heart . The fact is that I have
just come from the death bed of Dr . S . P . Cadman. He died at 22 min.
past one; th~ family were there,except Urs Cdman, two uoctors , three
nurses , ant, myself .
As you knov.' he was carriec out from our pulpit to what has proved
his c...eath bed, am .. it has just about got. me sick . All through the
eek e prayed am. V:I11Jrked, hoping against hope that a miracle mi.c:ht
be wrought . He put up a magnificent fi ght but he just couldnt make
it. Of course, e can look back on it all ana see what we ought to
have a one. Anu personally I was very much opposed to Dr . Cadman's
magnificent effort to preach that night, ana Mr . Tripp came t o the
service prepa red to ~ive the aauress . But Dr Cadman maintained that
he coul<... not u isappoint the people, an<... went ahead though he was hard-
ly able to st.and up .
I begin to onc... er- wnether t11at fine olu unwritten code of the min-
istry that the ~ervice must go on isnt just a little too costly . That
was Dr . Cadman ' s spirit . He c...rove past the church, saw the cars, and
said" I am not going to disappoint them ," ana. coula not be ci issuaded .
The whole ter 1· ible week has not only worried me more than I can say,
but made it impossible for me to get ready in visitation etc . to take
this week off . Next onday 20th I go to New Haven and in betwe en I have
a program that m kes Rounn Lake impo s sible . Will you kinctly explain aoout
this to Hov,ard . I go soon to take leave of the body at the station , and
all t 1. rou.'!h I have stlboc by him v t: ry closely , for when I asked to see
n
II
the hoepital e_try tis was what I read, SParkes Cadman, Brooklyn, II
• Methodist . So I thought there's going to be a ethodist minister hang-
inP, aroun0 here anyway; I think he appreciated it an~ wnen he was in too
great pain to speak he woulu smile anu stroke my cheek so gently that it
about broke me up . I ' m not sure but the worlc. has•nt lost i t s greatest
churchman.
· well , Fred, I wish some of us coulc take his place, but as I have
seen him this week I have come to the conclusion no on~ can.
Uy kina re, arc s to the brethren.fc~
It was his wish that Bishop UcConnell say t he
•
last words over his body
and I have conveyed that wish to him. He will lay everything aside to do
~o . Service in Brooklyn , Wed? a.m . II ••
