The Power of Simplicity

The Saviour's invitation, "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart," brings us directly to the consideration of what constitutes true greatness and real efficiency. The learned men of His own day recognized Christ as the Teacher of teachers, not because He used profound and involved sentences or unusual and difficult words, but because in all His teachings there were revealed a depth of wisdom and an effectiveness of utterance in advance of that attained by other men. Yet His sentences were simple, and His language was easily understood.

Some are tempted to feel that we must avoid simplicity in our speech. This is especially true of students and young men just entering the ministry. I remember well how I felt, when a lad, about the initials that were at­tached to the names of certain men. I understood the meaning of the initial letters that preceded a person's name, but did not understand the meaning of D. D., LL. D., and Ph. D. When I was told that those using these ini­tials were men of unusual learning, I was deeply impressed. Later in life I was permitted to go with an older sister to hear a "D. D." lecture. To this day I recall my keen interest to see this man and to hear him speak. When he came on the platform, I was a bit disappointed, for he looked like a very ordinary man. However, I was impressed by his title, and scarcely expected to be able to understand much that he would say; but greatly to my surprise I found him just as common and simple in his speech as he ap­peared in person.

Really, it was a wonderfully en­lightening talk, so simple from begin­ning to end that even I, young lad that I was, had no difficulty whatever in following it. In fact, it would have been difficult not to understand what the speaker had to say, for it was pre­sented so clearly and effectively. I do not recall that there was one word ut­tered that would drive me to the dic­tionary, nor that there was a single sentence that was not clear. Many times since then it has been my privi­lege to listen to speeches made by men occupying the highest positions that this world offers, and usually I have been impressed by their simplicity of speech. It seems to be a mark of great­ness.

As ministers, I believe we need to get away from the thought that there is any special power in what we may think would be the excellency of our We are constantly tempted to resort to language. There is power in the truth the unreal and the unusual, and to en­that we present, and the simplicity of deavor to impress people by our man­the presentation will have much to do ners, our speech, and by the adoption with its effectiveness. It is not what of the spectacular. But if we will keep man can put into the truth by the close to the Great Teacher, learn of excellency of his presentation that Him, and profit by His example, we makes it effective; rather, it is the shall be in a better position to exercise Power of God that accompanies a mes­ simple, effective faith as we bring the sage that men can clearly understand. message of salvation to mankind.