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Christ. Thus the minister should feel his responsibility to adorn the
doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
The highest efforts of the gospel minister should be to devote all
his talents to the work of saving souls; then he will be successful.
Wise and watchful discipline is necessary for everyone who names
the name of Christ; but in a much higher sense is it essential for a
gospel minister, who is a representative of Christ. Our Saviour awed
men by His purity and elevated morality, while His love and gentle
benignity inspired them with enthusiasm. The poorest and humblest
were not afraid to approach Him; even little children were attracted
to Him. They loved to climb upon His lap and to kiss that pensive
face, benignant with love. This loving tenderness you need. You
should cultivate love. Expressions of sympathy and acts of courtesy
and respect for others would not detract from your dignity one particle,
but would open to you many hearts that are now closed against you.
Christ was just what every minister should strive to be. We should
learn to imitate His character and combine strict justice, purity, in-
tegrity, love, and noble generosity. A pleasant face in which love is
reflected, with kind and courteous manners, will do more, aside from
pulpit efforts, than labor in the desk can do without these. It becomes
us to cultivate a deference to other people’s judgment, when, to a
greater or less extent, we are absolutely dependent upon them. We
should cultivate true Christian courtesy and tender sympathy, even for
the roughest, hardest cases of humanity. Jesus came from the pure
courts of heaven to save just such. You close your heart too readily to
many who have apparently no interest in the message you bear, but
who are still subjects of grace and precious in the sight of the Lord.
“He that winneth souls is wise.” Paul became all things to all men if
by any means he might save some. You must be in a similar position.
You must bend from your independence. You lack humbleness of
mind. You need the softening influence of the grace of God upon your
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heart, that you may not irritate, but melt your way to the hearts of men,
although these hearts may be affected by prejudice.
The cause of God is in great need of earnest men, men who abound
in zeal, hope, faith, and courage. It is not self-willed men who can meet
the demands for this time, but men who are in earnest. We have too
many sensitive ministers who are feeble in experience, deficient in the
Christian graces, lacking in consecration, and are easily discouraged;