THE PEW TO THE PULPIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 70, 23 March 1935, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE PEW TO THE PULPIT.

(By FRANK CRANE.) What we want from you, sir, is but one thing—yourself. If you preach Christ it does us no good, unless you preach Him in terms of your own personal life. The historic Chriet and the doctrinal and tabulated Christ we can get from books as well as you. We want no words from you except those that are red with your blood. We do not -want the Word, but the Word made Flesh. We do not want you to arouse our emotions; we ■want to see you gripped by, your own. We do not want argument; we do not want anything proved to us; for where you lay one doubt you raise twenty. We do not want science, history, or philosophy; we want of you what we want of the one great neighbour—heart. We ask you to compete with novels and stories in one thing—human interest. We ask you to compete with poets in just one thing—vision. We ask you to compete with men of science in just one, thing—absolute honesty. We do not need your guidance; we need your confession —that shall most truly guide

vs. Do not entertain us. You cannot compete with the actor. Strip your soul naked to us and show us what no man can simulate —life in its pure motion. Remember that we are interested in the ultimate things—love, life, God and death. Whenever you mention one of these things we are anxious to liear if you have any light. Remember that the spirit of this age is not as the spirit of former ages. It is not doctrines any more we want. It is not theorems and saving formulas. We want doctrines incarnated, theorems shining through souls, formulas that are the aureoles of experience. We do not want to believe; -we want to see. We do not want gold any more, but the gold mine; not money, but the bank and mint; not the law, but •the law-giver; not the botany of Christ, but the rose of Christ; not the sermon, tut the human being behind it. We, too, "seek not yours, but you!"— From the ""Chicago Tribune."