In all worldly professions, growth is not only essential but imperative. Only by strenuous, painstaking effort in mental acquisition can one hope for continuous success in the professional, political, or business world. And to an even greater extent is it true that the minister of the gospel must " grow in grace " and expand in knowledge and power.
Often there is a tendency on the part of the individual finishing his course in a theological seminary or the ministerial department of our colleges, to feel quite well equipped with all essential knowledge, and prepared to grapple with the problem of sin and to wage the battle of righteousness with success. But time and experience reveal how vain and presumptuous is such a. conclusion. The best of schooling but places in one's hand the key to the storehouse of knowledge; it merely lifts the mind to the place from which it is possible to point to the heights beyond, which only the experience of years can scale.
" All that a school can do for a man is to teach him how to think," said Henry Ford, the automobile magnate; and added, " The bigger education is gained through the discipline of life." Another prominent character of the present-day literary world, Dorothy Canfield, says: " All that can be done with youth is to get it started on the road toward self-education, with the right tools in its hands and the right habits in its head. Education must be mixed and seasoned with life experience, which is the one element no school can give and no young person can have."
How sad, and, yet how frequent, is the sight of ministers who cease to grow in knowledge and in grace, become unfruitful, and in due time turn from the sacred calling, and possibly become separated from the truth of God. Such tragic history would not occur if every young minister made the following instruction his rule of life: " A minister should never think that he has learned enough, and may now relax his efforts. His education should continue throughout his lifetime; every day he should be learning, and putting to use the knowledge gained."—" Gospel Workers," p. 94. With good books all about us, and correspondence school facilities open to us, we should aim to progress in knowledge as long as life lasts. The advice of Phillips Brooks to ministers is this: " He who moves not forward goes backward. Knowledge is power. Let us beware of losing our enthusiasm. Let us ever glory in something and strive to retain our admiration for all that would ennoble, and our interests in all that would enrich and beautify the life."
Some have the fear that the more knowledge possessed the greater the handicap to the work of the Holy Spirit. Did you ever know a workman to reject a good tool because he feared it might detract from his skill or ability? By no means. The more skillful the workman, the more particular he is that the tools shall be the very best. Just so with the workman who becomes a tool for the use of the Holy Spirit. One need never fear that knowledge will prevent the work of the Spirit or hinder one in the ministry, unless he allows the acquired knowledge to usurp the throne of the Spirit and operate independently of the divine will. " Knowledge is power " to just the extent to which it is controlled by the Source of wisdom and power.
While our theme in preaching is ever to be the " old, old story of Jesus and His love," our message can and should be clothed in fairer vestments, decked with brighter jewels, and presented with all the ravishing beauty that it is possible for man to picture or for the mind to grasp. The disciple of Christ who is chosen to be the mouthpiece of Heaven, bears a responsibility which can be truly discharged only through continued advance in knowledge and in the experience of fellowship with God.
The preacher must never forget that he stands between the mountain and the multitude. His task claims all the energies of body, mind, and spirit. " Everyone should feel that there rests upon him an obligation to reach the height of intellectual greatness. While none should be puffed up because of the knowledge they have acquired, it is the privilege of all to enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that with every advance step they are rendered more capable of honoring and glorifying God. They may draw from an inexhaustible fountain, the source of all wisdom and knowledge."—" Gospel Workers," p. 279.
Seoul, Korea.
