e work of the
preacher and the work of the pastor. The two ought to be inseparable;
what the Providence of God and good common sense have joined together
let no man venture to put asunder. The great business of every true
minister is the winning of souls to Jesus Christ, and to bring them up
in godly living. In other words, to make bad men good, and good men
better. All this cannot be accomplished by two sermons a week, even if
they were the best that Paul himself could deliver; in fact, the best
part of Paul's recorded work was quite other than public preaching. As
for our blessed Master, He has left one extended discourse and a few
shorter ones, but oh, how many narratives we have of His personal
visits, personal conversation and labors of love with the sick, the
sinning, and the suffering! He was the shepherd who knew every sheep in
the flock. The importance of all that portion of a minister's work that
lies outside of his pulpit can hardly be overestimated. The great
element of power with every faithful ambassador of Christ should be
heart-power and the secret of popularity is to take an interest in
everybody. A majority of all congregations, rich or poor, is reached,
not so much through the intellect as through the affections. This is an
encouraging fact, that while only one man in ten may have been born to
become a very great preacher, the other nine, if they love their Master
and love human souls, can become great pastors. Nothing gives a minister
such heart-power as personal acquaintance and personal attention to
those whom he aims to influence; especially his personal attention will
be welcome in seasons of trial. Let the pastor make himself at home in
everybody's home. Let him go often to visit their sick rooms and kneel
beside their empty cribs, and comfort their broken hearts, and pray with
them. Let him go to the business men of his congregation when they have
suffered reverses, and give them a word of cheer; let him be quick to
recognize the poor and the children, and he will weave a cord around the
hearts of his people that will stand a prodigious pressure. His inferior
sermons (for every minister is guilty of such occasionally) will be
kindly condoned, and he can launch the most pungent truths at his
auditors, and they will not take offense. He will have won their hearts
to himself, and that is a great step toward drawing them to the house of
God and winning their souls to the Saviour. "A house-going minis