Only hope!—It is easy to fix upon some pat phrase, such as "Nothing remains between us and the end but an unfinished task," and then urge all to put on their work clothes and set themselves heroically to the finishing of that task. Let us not be deceived, however, by plausible words. That pleasing prospect pictures only a half-truth. The chief thing that stands between us and the end is the unpreparedness of the church and its ministry. No plans, no spurt of activity, no intensity of effort, will finish the work of God on earth. Only by a Spirit-filled, transformed church, irrepressibly on fire for God, 'will the work be finished. We must first be endued with the promised power from on high before our tremendous task can be accomplished. To try to finish our mission on earth by whipping up enthusiasm, urging more action, laying greater plans, and becoming more intensive in our activity for God will still see us virtually as far as ever from our goal. The work of God will never be accomplished merely by human power and might but by the Spirit of God surcharging human instruments. The Holy Spirit must work directly on hearts. We only cooperate with Him. The outpouring of the Spirit of God is therefore the greatest need of both the church and the world. Let us address ourselves to the one hope and provision of success. That is our primary task. The blessed results desired will then follow as naturally and inevitably as day follows night.
Amateurish!—We should be masterful in presenting the message of the Master. The public, accustomed to professionally produced pictures and performances, has a right to expect skill and finesse in our public appearances in the presentation of God's supreme truth for the time. We cannot compete with the splendor of display of the entertainment world and the lyceum platform, but our meetings should grip. They should make just as marked an appeal as a successful civic gathering would. That calls for toil, sweat, tears, prayer, and planning. When we invite the public, our pictures should be artistic and impressive, not crude and repulsive. Our equipment must not jam, jiggle, or offend the senses. Our public address system should not grate on the ear. Our transitions should be smooth; our signals, silent. The mind should not be diverted by a thumping or cricket signal, or the like. When we advertise music for a music-conscious public we should provide that which, because of its beauty, simplicity, and message, reaches the heart and moves the soul Godward. When we advertise our platform attainments as lecturers or preachers, we should be able to live up to our claims. The public has a right to messages that are well thought out, and well delivered, as well as bearing the credentials of God that convince the mind and win the assent of the soul. Our meetings should "click." Perfect co-ordination of part with part, without awkward pauses and fill-ins and the telltale- marks of the amateur, should characterize our appearances before the public, The heavenly origin of our message and the cooperation of the Holy Spirit should never lead us to presume or to tolerate crudity. Rather, the skill and finesse of a professional performance are rightly expected of us in these days. Our presentations should be commensurate with the exalted character of our message.
Superficiality!—Superficiality is one of the lures and curses of the day —superficial thinking, superficial study, superficial attitudes, superficial devotional life, superficial messages, and alas ! superficial results. We regret to admit it, but we have relatively few giants in the Word—really great teaching preachers in our pulpits today, who feed the people full, balanced, spiritual meals, and who produce strong, healthy Christian stalwarts in the pew. Someone has tritely said, "We expect sermonets today from preacherets, and it is making Christianets of us." Shallowness is characteristic of the times. It is all about us. Shall we drift along with the tide, or battle the current of ease ? The superficiality of the people is not altogether their own fault. We all tend to prefer books and articles in digest form. We are prone to get our news condensed over the radio instead of by reading for ourselves. In place of preaching on great themes, we tend to take the lighter, more popular subjects that do not take so long to prepare or to present, and that require little effort to absorb. Is it not time for us to call a halt to this surrender to the superficial, and to set ourselves deliberately to developing spiritual and intellectual stalwartness by first taking ourselves resolutely in hand, and applying ourselves so diligently to our great task that we will banish the curse of the cursory and stay the shallowness of the superficial in our own lives? Then we shall be in a position to strengthen our people.
L. E. F.
