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Evangelism
has been much from home during the week,” said one of his flock.
“When carefully studied, his discourses are of a moderate length, but
it is almost impossible for his hearers to forget the teachings conveyed
in them. When he has had no time for preparation, his sermons are
unreasonably long, and it is equally impossible to get anything out of
them which will stick to the memory.”
Another able minister was asked how long he was accustomed to
preach. “When I prepare thoroughly, half an hour; when only partially,
an hour; but when I enter the pulpit without previous preparation, I go
on for any length of time you like; in fact, I never know when to stop.”
Here is another forcible statement: “A good shepherd,” says a
writer, “should always have abundance of bread in his scrip, and
his dog under command. The dog is his zeal, which he must lead,
order, and moderate. His scrip full of bread is his mind full of useful
knowledge, and he should ever be in readiness to give nourishment to
his flock.”—
Letter 47, 1886
.
Guard Spiritual Digestion—“I do not like to go much beyond
the half hour,” said a faithful and earnest preacher, who certainly never
gave to his hearers that which cost him nothing in the preparation. “I
know that the spiritual digestion of some is but weak, and I should be
sorry for my hearers to spend the second half hour in forgetting what I
had said in the first, or in wishing that I would cease when I had given
them as much as they could carry away.”—
Letter 47, 1886
.
Cut Down Your Lengthy Discourses—Some of your lengthy
discourses would have far better effect upon the people if cut up into
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three. The people cannot digest so much; their minds cannot even
grasp it, and they become wearied and confused by having so much
matter brought before them in one discourse. Two thirds of such long
discourses are lost, and the preacher is exhausted. There are many of
our ministers who err in this respect. The result upon them is not good;
for they become brain weary and feel that they are carrying heavy
loads for the Lord and having a hard time....
The truth is so different in character and work from the errors
preached from popular pulpits that when it is brought before the people
for the first time, it almost overwhelms them. It is strong meat and
should be dealt out judiciously. While some minds are quick to catch
an idea, others are slow to comprehend new and startling truths which