01.00. The Christian Ministry
The Christian Ministry by Lyman Abbott (1835-1922) Boston and New York Houghton, Mifflin and Company
1905 Copyright 1905 by Lyman Abbott All Rights Reserved Published May 1905 To the Christian Ministers who are attempting to impart that acquaintance with God which is the secret of life this volume is dedicated.
CONTENTS I. The Fundamental Faiths of the Ministry
Necessity of Fundamental Faiths
Religion defined
What these Definitions imply
Different Types of Religion
The Christian Religion defined
The Distinctive Feature of Christianity
The Hebrews’ Golden Age
Christ’s Definition of His Mission
The Message of the Apostles
Meaning of the Incarnation
The Post-Resurrection Life of Christ
Christianity a New Theology
Christianity a New Life
The Christian Ministry a Ministry of Christian Redemption
Doubts in Faith
Christianity answers the Question of Paganism.
The Secret of the Church’s Power
II. The Function of the Ministry
Is there any Need of the Church?
The Answer of the Irreligious
Of the Agnostic
Of the Skeptic
Of the Humanitarian
Of the Self-Satisfied
Of the Social Reformer
The Early Church as an Administrator of Charity
Other Organizations have taken its Place...
The Inspirational rather than the Institutional Church the Need of our Time
The Early Church as a Political Power
Three Stages in the Political Development of the Church
The Political Function of the Modern Church..
Difference between Minister and Political Reformer
The Early Church as an Educator
Roman Catholic Testimony respecting Educational Function of the Church
Public Schools Preferable to Church Schools..
Defect in our Public Schools
Educational Function of Modern Church...
The Fundamental Work of the Church...
The Message of the Church
Man’s Desire for Peace
Man’s Desire for Power
The Church’s Ministry of Peace
The Church’s Ministry of Power
This Twofold Ministry illustrated by the ’High Church Movement
By the Work of Dwight L. Moody
The Church must speak with Authority...
III. The Authority of the Ministry
The Authority of the Hebrew Prophets...
Not derived from the Bible
Nor from the Church
Nor from the Reason
Nor from Miracles
Nor from Fulfillment of Prophecy...
Spiritual Authority defined by Canon Liddon..
Analyzed by St. Paul
Analyzed by T. H. Huxley
The Response of the Soul to Ethical Principles.
To Spiritual Truths
Illustrated by W. K. Clifford
Illustrated by Herbert Spencer...
Illustrated by Phillips Brooks
Illustrated by Charles Dickens...
The Foundation of Religious Authority ...
The Ecclesiastical Conception of the Authority of the Church
The Spiritual Conception of the Authority of the Church
The Ecclesiastical Conception of the Authority of the Bible
The Spiritual Conception of the Authority of the Bible
The Radical Difference between the Two Conceptions
The Limits of Biblical Authority
The Authority of the Reason
Necessity for Clear Definition of the Nature and Limits of Ministerial Authority
IV. The Individual Message of the Ministry
The Prophet defined
The Minister differs from the Journalist...
Preaching on Current Events
The Minister differs from the Author...
Power of the Sermon is in Preacher’s Personality
Attempt to preach Great Sermons a Weakness
The Minister differs from the Teacher...
In their Respective Objects
In the Secret of their Power
The Minister differs from the Moral Reformer
The Difference defined
Henry Ward Beecher on the Preacher as Moral Reformer
The Minister differs from the Teacher of Theology
The Importance of Creeds
Theology is not Religion
Sermon not a Lecture on Theology
The Use and Abuse of Biblical Criticism in the Pulpit
Dealing with Doubts
The Function of the Christian Ministry summarized
V. The Social Message of the Ministry
The Kingdom of God
Three Ideas respecting the Kingdom of God..
The Return to Christ’s Teaching concerning the Kingdom
Social Meaning of Theological Terms...
Social Revelation
Social Redemption
Social Regeneration
Social Atonement
Social Sacrifice
Importance of Social Message in our Time..
That Importance emphasized by our National History
The Duty of the Christian Church concerning Social Problems
Bible Instruction concerning the Laws of Social Life
VI. The Minister as Priest
Priests and Prophets: Their Different Functions
Importance of Devotional Meetings
Their Distinctive Character
The Lord’s Supper: Its Threefold Character.
The Devotional Element in Church Services..
The Devotional Reading of Scripture...
The Musical Service
Preparation for Public Prayer
Relative Advantages of Liturgical and Non-Liturgical Services
Testimony of Dr. Bainsford...
Of Canon Liddon
Of Henry Ward Beecher
Intercessory Prayer
VII. Qualifications for the Ministry
The Minister must possess Spiritual Life...
And Power to express it
Therefore a Definite Purpose
The Absorbing Passion of His Life
The Power of His Personality
Object more Important than Subject in Sermon
Mr. Gladstone’s Testimony
Difference between Sermon and Essay...
Length of Sermon
Necessity for Careful Preparation
Mr. Gladstone’s Method
Phillips Brooks’s Method
Candor and Courage
Respect for the Opinions of Others
Difficulties to be overcome
Hopefulness and Patience
Ministerial Studies: Human Nature...
The Bible..
Acquaintance with God
Value of Meditation
VIII. Some Ministers of the Olden Time
The Hebrew Prophets
They claimed to speak for God
But do not claim Superiority to Others...
How their Visions came to them
Not Mere Messengers
Individuality of their Messages
The Source of their Power
Both Idealists and Practical Men
Dramatic Character of their teachings...
Forthtellers and Foretellers
Hopefulness and Courage
Every True Minister a Successor of the Prophets
IX. The Ministry of Jesus Christ: His Methods
The Testimony of Ernest Renan and Goldwin Smith
The Interpretation of Jesus Christ necessarily Inadequate
Christ’s Power not Dependent on Dramatic Effects
Nor on Oratorical Splendor
Nor on Dialectical Skill
Christ’s Teaching generally Conversational..
Dealt with Great Problems
Was Systematic
Abounds in Seed Thoughts
Aphoristic Style
Christ’s Industry
His Unconventional Methods
His Message Expression of His Life...
Therefore exemplified by His Life
His Heroism
His Hours of Devotion
X. The Ministry of Jesus Christ: The Substance of His Teaching
Early Formulation of Christ’s Teaching...
His Teaching Vital and Practical
Sensuality of Roman Empire
First Century Reformers
Modern Parallels
Christ’s Use of the World
Christ’s Indifference to the World
Things for Men, not Men for Things...
Three Conceptions respecting our Relation to the World
Fundamental Teaching of Hebrew Prophets Respecting Righteousness
Christ’s Teaching respecting Righteousness..
Christ’s Example respecting Righteousness..
Christ’s Doctrine of Brotherhood
Standard of Honesty
Doctrine of Property
Doctrine of Service
Principle of Reform
His New Commandment
Different Conceptions concerning our Relations to God
The Hebrew Conception
Jesus Christ’s Acquaintance with the Father..
His Teaching concerning our Acquaintance with the Father
Hopefulness of Christ’s Teaching
The Kingdom of Heaven has come
Obstacles to the Kingdom of God
Seeming Absence of God
Personal Immortality
The Necessary Endowment of a Christian Minister
Preface
Ministers in their conventions often discuss the question why people do not go to church. It would be well if sometimes they would consider the question, Why do any people ever go to church? for the phenomenon of church-going is a remarkable one. In the fall of 1903 a careful census was taken of the attendance upon church services in the Borough of Manhattan, in the city of New York. The Borough was divided into four districts, and the numbers in actual attendance upon the churches, liberal and conservative, Protestant and Catholic, were carefully counted. Fortunately the four Sundays devoted to this census were pleasant Sundays, so that the conditions were favorable to a good attendance. The census was taken with care and the results tabulated. They showed that about one half the adult population of the island of Manhattan were in the churches on those Sundays. No estimate was made of the children in attendance upon the Sunday-schools. In considering the significance of this census, it must be remembered, on the one hand, that every person in attendance upon every service was counted, so that any person who attended church twice on that day was counted as two persons; on the other hand, that those accustomed to attend church who were absent on the day the count was made, those who do business in New York and live in the suburbs, and the Jews, of whom there are six hundred thousand resident in the island of Manhattan, were not included in the census. Making due allowance for these facts, it is probably fair to say that, approximately, half the population of the island, above school age, are accustomed to take part in some form of religious service every week. A little subsequently, a more careful census of church attendance was made in the city of London. A careful estimate of those who attended two services was included in this census. The result showed that, making allowance for those too old, too young, too sick, and too busy, - that is, in unavoidable occupations, - and not counting twice those who attended twice, one third of the population who can attend public worship in London on Sunday do attend. These facts are typical. In all ages of the world, among all races of mankind, attendance upon some form of religious service is customary. It would be difficult to mention any other custom so general.
What is the motive that brings so large a proportion of the human race for a certain allotted time every week into their various temples, synagogues, and churches? The city of New York maybe not inaptly termed the Corinth of America.
Both its virtues and its vices are those of a commercial metropolis. Its inhabitants through six days in the week are eager in their pursuit of wealth. They jostle one another in the cars and upon the sidewalk; they travel wearisomely an hour or two every day from their homes to their places of business and back again; they work often in dingy rooms and under disagreeable conditions; they sacrifice for this pursuit pleasure, education, domestic affection, health, and life itself; and yet once a week stores and offices are closed, the process of money-getting halts, the throngs lay aside for a day their commercial pursuits, and something like one half of them assemble in their churches. For what purpose? It is idle to say that this is a fashion. How came the fashion to be set? Or that it is a habit. What has caused the habit? They are not attracted by the music: they can get better music in the concert-rooms; nor by the oratory: for few of the preachers are orators; nor by the social advantages: for the city church is rarely a social club, and never a successful one. The object of this book is to furnish some answer to this question; to indicate to priests and preachers what it is which induces half the population of New York city to lay aside their commercial pursuits and gather in their churches every seventh day; to interpret to themselves the men and women who form these congregations, and explain to them what it is that they are often unconsciously seeking; and to indicate to those who rarely or never do go to church the advantage which they might secure if they were in this respect to conform to the custom, not only of their fellow countrymen in America, but of their fellow men throughout the world. The Christian minister fulfills a fourfold function: he is pastor, administrator, priest, and prophet or preacher. As pastor, he is the personal friend and counselor of his people; as administrator, the executive head of his church, which should be his force as well as his field. These two aspects of his work are not considered in this volume; it is devoted exclusively to a consideration of the minister as priest and prophet. In the fall of 1903 I gave the Lyman Beecher course of lectures before the Yale Theological Seminary, at New Haven, and in March, 1904, the Earl course of lectures before the Pacific Theological Seminary, at Berkeley, California. While this book is not a reproduction of either course of lectures, both of which were given extemporaneously, the material of which those lectures was composed has been freely used in, the composition of this volume, as has also some other material contributed by me at different times to periodical publications or used in public and published addresses.
Lyman Abbott.
CORNWAIX-ON-THE-HUDSON, N. Y.,
December, 1904.