CHAPTER III.

SUGGESTIONS FOR A STREET PREACHER.

To my young brother who has made up his mind to "go out into the highways," and preach the Gos pel, I would respectfully submit a few suggestions.

I. Read over your commission: "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Then reassure your faith by a little Gospel logic, thus: 1. Am I an embassador of Christ? 2. Do I obey the orders of the Master, "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever he has commanded?" 3. The conclusion: "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

For what purpose is he with me? Is it not to speak through his unworthy embassador, to apply the word immediately to the hearts of the hearers, and to save NOW such as will come unto him? In

your own mind and conduct lay these premises in the streets, and the conclusion will apply as logically and as certainly to preaching in the streets, as within consecrated walls. Let the argument be accompanied with an "unction of the Holy One," prompting you to say, "The love of Christ constraineth us" to "go out" to seek the lost, and preach to those who most need it. Then,

II. ACT UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF YOUR COMMISSION, UPON YOUR OWN CONVICTIONS OF DUTY. Consult no man as to whether or not you should do your duty. You may inquire, if need be, where, in the streets, the greatest number of the "creatures" to whom you are sent, may be congregated, and what is the best hour in the day to get the best hearing; but to consult whether or not you should "go out," is, first, wrong in principle, because Jesus says Go, and thus fastens the obligation upon you, unless the condition of your health, or other providential bar, should operate to limit your obligation to preaching in the church; and, secondly, you will find in every place some excellent and pious men who will argue the inexpedience of street preaching in that place, and will thereby weaken your faith and purposes, and commit themselves to the negative of the question, against you. Whereas, if you simply announce your appointment for preaching in the street, and assign as the reason your

convictions of duty in the premises, and bespeak the sympathy, and prayers, and coöperation of God's people, and invite all, saints and sinners, to attend, those who do not sympathize with the movement will not attend, but, not having committed themselves against it in advance, they will say but little, and give you no trouble.

STREET.

III. THE 66 PREPARATION FOR A SERMON IN THF You should have clear perceptions of the leading principles and facts you wish to announce. Let your propositions be briefly stated, in simple, appropriate language, and your principles be clearly defined. If you wish to employ arguments, let them be short, practical, and to the point. Illustrate the truth amply, and apply it promptly and pointedly as you proceed. Draw your illustrations from the everyday transactions and occurrences of life, as did the Saviour and his apostles. Make it a point, at all times, to gather up and store away suitable illustrations of Bible truth, from the streets, from the newspapers, hospitals, prisons, and from your pastoral visitations in domestic circles. Fresh facts, from personal observation, are much better in their effect than borrowed ones, or second-hand stories.

Do not confine yourself so closely to any system or arrangement of your sermon, as to prevent your seizing and laying under contribution all the incidents

of the occasion which may serve to illustrate your subject. These spontaneous illustrations, seized impromptu, and skillfully applied, can hardly fail of a good effect upon the audience.

If you will bear with me, I will give you just here a few illustrations of this point. One Sunday afternoon in 1853, preaching on the "Long Wharf," and wishing to illustrate the distinction between a decent, well-behaved sinner, outwardly, and a violent, outbreaking sinner, I remarked, after stating the point, "Gentlemen, I stand on what I suppose to be a cask of brandy. Keep it tightly bunged and spiled, and it is entirely harmless, and answers some very good purposes; it even makes a very good pulpit. But draw that spile, and fifty men will lie down here, and drink up its spirit, and then wallow in the gutter, and before ten o'clock to-night will carry sorrow and desolation to the hearts of fifty families. So that man there, trying to urge his horse through the audience," all eyes turned from the cask to the man, "if he had kept his mouth shut, we might have supposed him a very decent fellow; but finding the street blocked up with this living mass of humanity, he drew the spile, and out gurgled the most profano oaths and curses. But, while there is now all the difference between outwardly moral and out-breaking sinners, as between a tightly-bunged and an open cask of brandy, I would invite your attention to a

time when there will be no material difference between them.

"Should you attempt to get this harmless cask of brandy through the custom-house in Portland, Maine, the inspector would pay no regard to the outside appearance, or separate value of the cask: he would extract the bung, let down his phial, draw out and smell its contents; then shake his head, and mark it contraband. My friends, God has a great customhouse, through which every man has to pass for in spection, before he can be admitted into his kingdom. When you are entered for examination, do you imagine that the great omniscient Inspector will pay any regard to your outside appearance or conduct? Nay, my dear sirs, he will sound the inner depths of your souls. All who are 'filled with the spirit' of Christ will be passed, and treasured up as meet for the Master's use; but all who have not the love of God shed abroad in their hearts, will be pronounced 'contraband,' and branded eternally with, 'Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."

On another occasion, near the same place, I was preaching on the bondage of sin, and said to the large audience assembled: "My dear sirs, you are slaves to sin and Satan; your conduct proves it, and frequently you unwittingly confess it. I said to a man a few days ago: 'My friend, you ought not to