1.D 11. Questions and Answers
Questions and Answers.
Q. Can a minister be eminent both as a pastor and as a preacher?
MR. BEECHER, Yes. It will depend, however, upon how large his pastorate is, and how much he undertakes to do. A man may not be able to take a large care of individual souls, and yet study in such a way as to be able to meet the exigencies of a city pulpit, or any labour of that kind which requires exceeding freshness and newness; he must make an average. He must keep up his pulpit, but at the same time he must keep up his knowledge of human nature, and if he can have no substitute or assistant he must do pastoral work. I do very little of it myself, but have many assistants, and the work is done.
Q. Has not science demonstrated that phrenology is imperfect?
MR. BEECHER I do not know that science lias demonstrated it. Those who are best acquainted with it are conscious that with some crudenesses it contains a great many elements of truth, and that it is one of the tendencies in the right direction; and when the knowledge of the human mind shall be finally made clear, I think it will be found that much has been owing to phrenology.
Q. Would you recommend the study of Hebrew as a part of a theological course?
118 THE STUDY OF HUMAN NATURE.
MR. BEECHER. There are a great many who are naturally called to scholarship, and who should educate themselves with a view to contribute to the learning of the day. A man who has that turn of mind is wise to study Hebrew. Some study of it is beneficial in other respects. I do not think that the amount of study required in our theological seminaries will hurt anybody. You need not scoff at any part of the study as if it were a surplusage.
There is nothing that is taught here that you will not thank God for in the course of your life. You can save yourselves a vast amount of trouble here after by faithful study now.
Q. How much time ought a minister to spend in examining his text in the original?
Mil. BEECHER. Well, just as much as is necessary to get the real spirit of the text, and that will depend upon yourself. If I should conclude to study my text from the Old Testament, in Hebrew, I think it would take me most of the week to ascertain what it was! I get along better with the New Testament.
QUESTION BY DR. BACON. How far should a preacher imitate the example of Christ, and give utterance to truths which are disagree able to the hearer?
MR. BEECHER. No rule whatever can be given in regard to that. Whatever provocation arises from the preacher’s manner or untowardness, of course, is blameworthy in him. If he will speak truths meet for persons to hear, let him learn “ speaking the truth in love.” Instruct in meekness those who oppose you, for peradventure God shall give them repentance. And if you are speaking the truth, it is essential that those who hear you believe you are sincere before you can work with them. But manner is much. In the early abolition days two men went out preaching, one an old Quaker, and another a young man full of fire. When the Quaker lectured, everything ran along very smoothly, and he carried the audience with him. When the young man lectured, there was a row, and stones, and eggs. It became so noticeable that the young man spoke to the Quaker about it. He said, “ Friend, you and I arc on the same mission, and preach the same things; and how is it that while you are received cordially I get nothing but abuse?” The Quaker replied: “I will tell thee. Thee says, If you do so and so, you shall be punished, and I say, My friends, if you will not do so and so, you shall not be punished. “They both said the same things, but there was a great deal of difference in the way they said it.
Q. Is it not true that Spurgeon is a follower of Calvin? and is ho not an eminent example of success V
MR. BEECHER. In spite of it, yes; but I do not know that the camel travels any better, or is any more useful as an animal, for the hump on its back.
Q. May not a man be too self-conscious in his preaching?
MR. BEECHER. Yes, but every preacher must watch his own tendencies, and labour to counteract the excess of them. In astronomy, they have always to make an equation of corrections. Every man has his own equation. The different nervous activities of men make a difference in the observations of different astronomers. Every great astronomer has his own personal equation, which is generally known. That must be calculated for, in using his observations.
So, every minister ought to have his personal equation, and he ought to use it himself all the time.
One man says, “I am inclined by nature to take the cautious and the fearful view. “ Now. he must take pains to look on the hopeful side of everything?
Another man says, “ I am inclined to benevolent views,” and he must strive to bring out the conscience element. You see the application.
Q. What proportion of (ho study of human nature ought to ho found in books, novels.
MK. BEECHER. You can give no proportion, as you can in a physician’s prescription, for the simple reason that men learn with different facilities. Some men will learn more in six months from free intercourse with people than other men will learn in six years. There is nothing in this world that will take away from a man the responsibility of finding out things for himself. The principle being given, you must find out what you yourself need in the different methods of working and the proportions of them.