the resurrection." When Paul went to Corinth he knew nothing among the people save Jesus Christ and Him crucified." In order to awaken desires for Christ it is necessary to set forth the blessedness of a Christian experience. In the habitual unrest of worldly attachments the voices of the soul are continually calling for real good, a higher object of affection, and a destiny in har mony with the reminiscences of a lost manhood. This demand is met by the Gospel only, and by this fact we are encouraged to preach a personal Christ, fairer than the children of men, who, in His sympathy with the lost, crosses all the space which separates them from satisfying good, and by His sacrifice lifts them up to God. The prophet asks the question, "Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good and let your soul delight itself in fatness." Jesus said in one of the sweetest and most attractive utterances that ever fell from His lips: "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Only a new affection can displace the old. The Esquimaux refused to desert their snow huts in the frigid Arctic, until they were persuaded that there was a summer-land lying away toward the South. Dannaker, a German sculptor, made a face of Christ so beautiful and tender in its expression, that strong men wept as they looked upon it. He was afterward solicited to make a similar statue of Venus, but he replied: After gazing so long at the face of Jesus Christ, I cannot now turn my attention to a heathen goddess." So a sight of Christ both wins and holds the soul. But an evangelical preacher cannot exalt a scriptural Christ without preaching the great and fundamental fact of sin. Christ's proper name, which is Jesus, finds its only interpretation in the fall of man and recovery from it. A desire for Christ is begotten of a sense of need. It was well said by James Alexander : "None will thirst for and flee to the Saviour till they see their case to be hopeless without Him." This is in harmony with the saying of Christ : "They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." Hence, the Holy Spirit convinces men, first of all, of sin. He teaches them that they are already condemned and in themselves forever lost. The unconverted rely on themselves. They trust in their native ability. They magnify their natural goodness. They set a high estimate on their own works, and feel no need of Christ. The last thing they will do, without which there is no salvation, is to renounce their selfrighteousness. Hence the law, faithfully and affectionately preached, serves an important purpose. It awakens the conscience to consciousness, destroys self-sufficiency, and shuts man up to Christ. Such preaching would soon leave but a remnant in a church which had ministered to natural pride, and magnified natural virtues, and opened a road to heaven which reveals no prints of the pierced feet; but a multitude is no criterion of success. It were better to preach the truth to an audience such as Christ had at Jacob's well and attain like results. It is said of Nettleton that he had no confidence in that ministry which dispensed with the law work." He did not suppose the work of conviction need be of long continuance, but under His preaching sinners were awakened out of their carnal sleep. They were not merely alarmed by some vague sense of danger, but were convinced of sin. They saw their hearts were enmity against God, that they had never, in a single instance, obeyed Him, and were entirely dependent for salvation on His sovereign grace. Then looking away from themselves they beheld "The Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." (" Taylor's Life of Nettleton," pp. 227, 228.) We promptly admit that the love of God in Christ is the magnet which attracts lost souls to Him. Love will draw whom bayonets cannot drive. It will turn a heart of stone to flesh. It will win from self to Christ, from sin to holiness, and from earth to heaven; but what needs to be emphasized is, that a sense of sin precedes a desire for the Saviour, and as a preparation for it is an absolute necessity. Maclaren, of Manchester, has truthfully said: "The secret of most of the mistakes and partial views of Christian truth lies here, that people have not got into their hearts and consciences a sense of their own sinfulness, and so you get a tepid, self-sufficient, and superficial Christianity; and you get ceremonials, and high and dry morality masquerading under the guise of religion; and you get Unitarian and semi-Unitarian tendencies in churches and preachers and thinkers. But if there have come a wholesome, living consciousness of what is meant when men say, 'We are sinners,' all such mutilated Christianity would crumble, because it would be felt to be all inadequate to the needs of the conscience." Men There is an unscriptural preaching of the love of God which awakens selflove, and self-reliance, and begets false hopes. It may lengthen church rolls, but does not result in conversion. may think they love God when they simply believe that He is infinitely good and indulgent; too merciful to punish, and by His Fatherhood bound to save them. There is no Christ in such an experience and therefore no salvation. Brainerd besought deceived sinners whose religious exercises had been born of such a belief to abandon their hopes without a moment's delay. Further, if we would be successful in saving souls we must declare the truth concerning all who remain in impenitency, though they are speculative believers, that their need of Christ is immediate and urgent; that salvation can be secured in this life only, and that to go out of this world with the blood of a rejected Christ on their feet is to perish. "It is appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judg ment." From the decision of the last day no appeal can be taken. If we ourselves disbelieve this we shall lose our power to awaken and rescue the lost, and if we intimate the possibility of a second probation we may destroy souls for whom Christ died. With due regard to the proportions of truth we must link God's justice with His love, human impotence with God's sufficiency, man's guilt with the cross. John the Baptist must prepare the way for the conquering Christ. The ministers of the ages who, in the saving influence and fruitage of their lives, survive the ages, are men who honestly, affectionately, and in constant dependence on the Holy Spirit, preach man's apostasy from God, and salvation only through the sacrifice made by His Son. They live when such men as Mariano, Sterne, and Swift are forgotten, or are remembered only to be condemned. If we would commend ourselves to the consciences of men, and being dead continue to speak, we must be true to our commission. There is a world of suggestion in what Lorenzo de Medici said when dying: "Send for Fra Girolamo, he is the only honest monk I know." PREACHERS EXCHANGING VIEWS. Conference, Not Criticism-Not a Review Section-Not Discussions, but Experiences and Suggestions. Another Note Concerning "The He brews." In my article on the Hebrews in the May HOMILETIC REVIEW, I made the statement that they (the Aperi-u) are never mentioned in the Egyptian texts earlier than the time of Thothmes III. (eighteenth dynasty). I wish to add that if it should be found true that this name occurs in the texts as early as the (IN answer to S. W. L. in the March number of THE HOMILETIC REVIEW.) Does it pay to keep up our acquaintance with the original languages of Scripture? As to Greek, yes, by all means. It is a most profitable investment. Only do not suffer it to remain "imperfect." It is not that we desire or need a critical knowledge of it-leave that to the doctors; but it makes the New Testament vivid to us. It breaks up the familiar English idiom, and startles us with new significance. It fertilizes the mind. It is the best of commentaries. I would not exchange it for the rest of my library; and the acquisition is not such a serious thing. Beginning with February 10th, 1891, and ending with February 9th, 1892, I memorized the whole vocabulary of the Greek New Testament, and so read it now at sight. Three months were omitted, being given to revival meetings and vacation, and the remainder of the year was well occupied with pulpit and parochial duties of a large parish. Previous acquisitions in the language were very slender beyond a good knowledge of the grammar. The Greek Testament contains nearly one hundred and fifty thousand words, which by a very close condensation of compounds, etc., may be read with a vocabulary of eleven hundred. If there is any demand for it, I will print the results in a little hand book that will go in the pocket, under the title, "Words that Must be Known to Read the Greek Testament at Sight." WILLIAM J. FRAZER. PARIS, ILL., March 17, 1892. "The Little Rift." IN THE HOMILETIC REVIEW (March, p. 286) a communication by S. Y. E. rightly calls attention to the little flaws that often mar the beauty and effectiveness of a sermon. It is a matter of surprise, however, to find this item: "Want of care as to grammatical expression, as by making a plural of the singular'none.' Even a hasty reference to such authorities as Webster, Worcester, etc., would show that no hearer, however acute his literary sensibility may be, has any right or occasion to take offence at this particular" flaw.” Smart observes concerning "none": "It is used as a plural quite as frequently as a singular." Accordingly Blair does not scruple to write: "None of their productions are extant." Milton says: "In at this gate none pass.' And Byron: "None are so desolate, but something dear," etc. And Young: "None think the great unhappy but the great." One cannot but regret the publication of the article, "Does It Pay ?" The air, alas! is full of the spirit which said article breathes; but how nobly it is rebuked by the statement in Dr. Pierson's helpful article (THE HOMILETIC REVIEW, March, p. 211): "For ourselves, we feel constrained to bear our witness that no amount of study of commentaries or of any other form of human product has been of such help as the spiritual, devotional study of the Scriptures in the original tongues, carefully noting every word and phrase, case of noun, mood and tense, number and person of a verb, and the relations of clauses and phrases and words to each other." J. A. DE SPELDER. ORANGE CITY, Ia. EDITORIAL SECTION. LIVING ISSUES FOR The Preacher and Public Evils, And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast fol lowed Baalim.-1 Kings xviii. 17, 18. IN the Sermonic Section of the May number of the HOMILETIC We published a sermon preached by the Rev. Dr. Parkhurst in the pulpit of the Madison Square Presbyterian Church, New York City. It was a direct arraignment of the public officials of that city for neglect of sworn duty. On the one side it called forth the deepest indignation, on the other it aroused the greatest enthusiasm. Never in the history of the metropolis had there been such an unveiling of the iniquities that had come to make their abode therein and to flourish there, not only without the interference, but with the consent and even connivance of the police authorities to whom was entrusted the protection of the law-abiding and the detection and punishment of the law-breaking element there resident. That the arraignment was based on the best of grounds was evidenced by the presentment made immediately thereafter by the grand jury, whose findings were in every respect in accordance with the testimony submitted by the well-known and honored preacher and pastor, and also by the fact that since that time the police forces of New York have manifested an unwonted activity, with the result that law-breakers have felt the necessity of showing a little respect, at least, for the demands of the law. With striking unanimity the religious press upholds the action of Dr. Parkhurst, though the secular press is divided on the wisdom of his action, especially with reference to his manner of securing evidence, which, as is well known by our readers, involved a personal inspection of resorts that are not supposed to be within the province of pastoral visitation. The voices of two or three of the occupants of our city pulpits have been raised against the attempt to secure the enforcement of existing law by what appears to be a sacrifice of the dignity of the ministerial office. We desire to be known as not among the number of these critics. The time, we believe, has come when ministers of the Gospel of PULPIT TREATMENT. Jesus Christ should consent to be made of no reputation, if that be necessary, to secure the purification of our political and social life. Too long has the reproach been cast against the Church of Christ that it is indifferent to the evils that infest the body politic-evils that will continue to hold sway so long as Christian men sit inactive or hold their peace. If the law of the land is allowed to be broken with impunity; if, while holding forth the Word of Life to sinful and dying men, preachers and hearers lift up neither voice nor hand to stay the progress of vice and crime that shelter themselves behind this indifference and batten on it, what wonder that, instead of having free course, the Divine Word has an impeded course, and accomplishes but a tithe of what it might accomplish? And who, if not Christian men, should see to it that the laws that deal with the great moral evils of our social life are enforced? Where, if not with them, does the responsibility lie? If we rightly apprehend the mission of the Christian religion, it is not simply to prepare men for a better world than this, but to make this world better also, and to make it better in all respects by all righteous means. The law of the Christian citizen is every where one and the same: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.' Wherever the laws of the land are not in conflict with the law of God, there the Christian is under absolute obligation of obedience, for the reason that the will of those powers represents the will of God, since the powers that be are ordained of God. The State, in other words, is as truly a Divine institution as is the Church. It is a providential arrangement for the conservation of all the interests of men save those which may be termed distinctively spiritual. So that obedience to its statutes is as truly a moral obligation as is obedience to the laws that bear upon the development of personal character. But Christian obligation does not end with obedience merely. In as clear language as that which enjoins proper subjection to the representatives of law is the declaration made, that "they that resist shall receive to themselves condemnation." Those words are the expression of an injunction. The Christian citizen is to see to it that righteous laws are enforced against law-breakers. Indifference in this re gard is essentially sinful. It becomes the duty of every man who recognizes the authority of God in the State to have a care that, so far as he is concerned, the laws shall be properly enforced. To be conscious of the violation of law and to make no effort for the punishment of the evil-doer is to connive at such violation. A call to the ministry does not lift a man out of the sphere of obligation as a citizen, whether it be the obligation of obedience or that of the execution of law, so far as that is in his power. Indeed, it seems to us that a call to the service of the ministry but intensifies his obligation. By his example in all the relations of life he should encourage others to the complete fulfilment of all their obligations. He should be preeminently a man of deeds as well as of faith. However he may shrink from encountering the opprobrium that is almost sure to result from his setting himself against evils that have entrenched themselves behind the almost universal indifference of his fellow-citizens, still he is under obligation to do his very utmost, by word and deed, to secure their extirpation. It is because Dr. Parkhurst has done this; because, seeing the universal apathy of those who should have saved him the neces sity of doing this, and the criminal connivance of the officers of the law with that which they are sworn to suppress, he has gone forward and secured the evidence that was necessary in order to accomplish the enforcement of existing law, we bid him Godspeed. If, for the protection of the purity and integrity of those who are entrusted to his pastoral care and for the honor of the municipality of which he is a member, he has sought evidence in the only way in which evidence could be secured, we believe him perfectly justified. If as one of the only sovereigns known in this land-the people-he has proved himself a terror to evil-doers he has done well. When Elijah sought for evidence against the priests of Baal, who were not only enemies of the religion but of the political interests of the Jewish nation, he saw nothing wrong in furnishing the instruments for their self-conviction and leading them on to their own destruction. Nor do we. The evidence was quickly forthcoming, and the doers of evil were routed. Most heartily do we trust that this will be the result of the work of this mod. ern follower of the prophet of old, and that all the people who love that which is pure and honest and of good report will say to him, Well done! THE writer of the article Imago Dei," in the April number of the HOMILETIC, was stated to be the Right Rev. Robert Balgarnie, D.D. Dr. Balgarnie, while not a bishop of the Established Church of England, is a bishop of the Presbyterian Church of that land, and is therefore rightly reverend, if not a Right Reverend. Our chief error was in locating him at Auckland. His bishopric is at Bishop Auckland, England. Bible Study for 1892-93. IT has been the custom of the American Institute of Sacred Literature, for the past two years, to offer a general examination upon a biblical subject of current interest. The examination, for which preparation will be made in 1892, will take place January 10th, 1893. This examination will be open to individuals or groups of persons in all parts of the world. The subject of this examination will be the Founding of the Christian Church," as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles, and the Revela tion. The examination of 1893 will cover but half this topic, closing with Acts xv. 35. Address William R. Harper, Principal, 391 Fifty-fifth Street, Chicago, Ill. The American Institute of Christian Philosophy. THE sixteenth Summer School of this well-known Institute will hold its sessions this year at Prohibition Park, West New Brighton, S. I. A most interesting programme has been prepared, including among other things the discussion of problems in Applied Christianity. The sessions will begin on July 12th, at 11 A.M., and will last ten days. Those of our readers who can spare the time to attend will find it greatly to their advantage to do so. To members of the Institute the exercises are free. To others the price of admission is 50 cents to each lecture, except on Sunday. |