Читать книгу A Book of Gems, or, Choice selections from the writings of Benjamin Franklin - Бенджамин Франклин - Страница 46

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A PREACHER pays a poor compliment to his brain when he tries to attract public attention, as a preacher, with fine clothes. A dancing master can vie with him in that line, whether the fine clothes are paid for or not. In the same way the preacher that must have a gorgeous temple, like Romanists and pagans, to attract the people and draw them out, and his choir of singers and organ, to discourse music for the saints, pays a poor compliment to his brain and his ability as a preacher, and a poorer compliment to the worshippers who have to be thus drawn out. It is virtually a surrender to the world, and an acknowledgement on the part of the preacher, that he has no confidence in the gospel, or his ability to preach to attract the attention of the people, draw them out, or turn them to God when they are drawn out. The church that resorts to such artifices to draw the people out, virtually acknowledges that she has no influence to draw the people out; that the preacher has no influence to draw them out; that their gospel and worship have no power to draw them out; but they have found out what will draw them out. A fine temple of show, extravagance and folly; a popular choir, an organ, ice cream, strawberry festivals, musical concerts, church fairs, etc., etc. These will draw. Certainly they will. But what becomes of the preacher, the gospel, the worship and the church? What becomes of Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and all that is divine?

Christ had not “where to lay his head.” What does that prove? Not that his followers should not have where to lay their heads, or that preachers should not; but, if following him and serving him should reduce them to such destitution that they would not have where to lay their heads, they should bear it patiently and not murmur, remembering that their Lord and Master had not where to lay his head.

“Christ traveled on foot and preached.” What does that prove—that preachers must always travel on foot? Not at all. The Lord did not always travel on foot. What then? That a preacher should travel on foot if need be. We have traveled on foot to preach and would do it again before we would give up preaching. We, therefore, take the cars, steamboat, stage, private conveyance, any means most convenient.