THE POWER OF THE PULPIT.

Waiapu Church Times, Volume I, Issue 6, 1 December 1907, Page 4

THE POWER OF THE PULPIT.

It is greatly to bo deplored that the wonderful power of persuasive speech is not more universally sought m -that extraordinarily fortunate opportunity, the customary weekly half-hour m the pulpit of the parish church. What a concession to the parish minister ! What an obligation for the most solid, earnest, and prayerful preparation that he can make ! To no other class of the community is this immense privilege granted. What is the reason that it is not eagerly used to greater, effect ? There are several facts to remember. In the first place, there are m the Church of England between ..14,000 and 15,00G pulpits and more than 20,000 clergy ; it is impossible to expect all of them to become effective preachers. In the second place, little instruction is given to candidates for Orders m the rules of composition, the history of homiletics, the principles of rhetoric, the production of the voice, or its management with a view to modulation, expression, and variety. At most of the theological colleges £he students preach once or twice' before their comrades, and have their sermons criticised afterwards ; m some, lectures are o-iven on sermonwriting ; but nothing like complete preparation is provided. The reply to inquiry generally is that the time is short, the subjects to be learnt many, and that as this does not count m the Bishops' examinations, it is one of the least important. In the case of those very numerous candidates who do not go to theological colleges, no instruction m these most important matters is given at all. In the third place there was ' for many years, and m a large and growing section of the Church, a disposition to elevate the dignity of the prayers and the Office of Holy Communion by the disparagement of Die sermon. The sermon was set down as a Puritan institution, necessarily retained, but of far less value than had hitherto been supposed. And it is true that the Puritans did exaggerate its importance, and invited reprisals by contempt for the^ services of the Pray-er-book. But the neglect of the sermon has been . very disastrous, Mid is seen m the weakened influence of. the Church, the scanty Sunday attendance at many places of worship, and the lessening of that greatest of all witnesses to Christianity, the evidences of a truly Christian life widely extended among the people*

_ The power of the pulpit is .as strong, where it is ably and jconscientiously exercised, as It , ever was m its most vigorous days. Whence comes the strikingly popular influence of the Bishop of London ? From his gift of earnest, sincere, simple and direct speech. It is the same m different ways with Archbishop Alexander, the Bishop of Eipon, and the Bishop of St. Andrews, the Bishops of Birmingham, Liverpool, Durham, Carlisle, and others. he went the late Dean Farrar was surrounded by multitudes. The same effects are seen on all sides of the Church where the opportunities of the pulpit are faithfully grasped. One might mention a dozen and a half of names very different m many respects but all alike m this. Numbers of men not less effective for good by the combined influence of their lives and their preaching might be mentioned from all parip of the world. The encouragement and proof are there. Is not the rer suit worth every effort ?