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Show l ijas Swmnn of A Symposium in Reply to Declaration of Rev. Thomas Spurtfeon, . of London, that "the day of the sermon, ns a factor in the influenclntf of mankind, has passed." I By Rev. Henry A. Stimson. Congregational. ; 'X'lIIi Christian theory of the scr- mon is that it is n niessnge ) from Cod on the life of n mnn who' is set apart to live near to Clod, and so to know tlie will and mind of God. If it censes to be that, whatever else it mny he, it censes to bo n sermon, llelef in (iod involves belief in religion, re-ligion, and thnt involves worship, nnd that in turn the belief in the presence of Ood in His sanctuary, and His voice in the word of the preacher. Of course, there are always al-ways preachers nnd hearers who forget for-get this, but if it were generally forgotten for-gotten or disbelieved, the religion of Jesus Christ woujd quickly cense to bo a living force. 1 sec no reason to ' believe that that is true, therefore I cannot think thnt the sermon has I lost its place or its power, f "Eliminating the sermon" would f, bo eliminating the life from public j worship. It would quickly dio nlto- ' gather nnd become a mere form. I By Rev. Junius B. Remensnyder, Lutheran. 'TMIK strain of modern life, the multiplication of worldly attractions, at-tractions, the complexity and imperious impe-rious demands of business, encroach upon the Sunday hours and deplete church attendance. 1 do not believe, however, in the secularization of the pulpit as a remedy. When religion surrenders the word of God for any modern substitute, it will find that it hns fallen into contempt with the very ones who opposed it. And contempt con-tempt is far more destructive than enmity, which is ever an implied recognition rec-ognition of power. It is the faithful preachers of the gospel who, in the end, hold their congregations. The church will have its times of spir-itual spir-itual coldness nnd reaction in the I present, as it, has had them at vari- ; ous periods of history, but it will always have a unique mission and power. . By Rev. John J. Kean, Roman Catholic. AS AN evidence that the sermon still is a powerful factor, one has only to regard the church attendance at-tendance on special occasions when famous speakers are announced. Also at mission services the sermon is looked forward to as a moii important im-portant and interesting part of the exercises. The preachers at these mission services are selected for then fitness, and their sermons, of an hour's length, nre carefully prepared They touch the eternal truths of revelation rev-elation ; sin, its enormity, its punish' ment, its atonement; the love and fear of God ; the beauty of tho virtues; vir-tues; the repulsiveness of the vices Sermons of this sort bring the crowds to the church and stir up Unpeople Un-people to a new life. The church i-in i-in no danger of eliminating the sermon, ser-mon, but the clergy are coining to an appreciation of the fact thnt the short sermon is more potent than the long discourse. By Rev. R. S. McArthur, Baptist. IX every community during all the centuries there has been a das? of persons to whom the remnrks of ltov. Thomns Spurgcon would literally liter-ally apply. He is very competent to speak on thisubjeet. Hut in every age there have been thoso who were readily reached and profoundly moved by sermons. The old gospel has not lost its pristine power: it is still the power of God unto salva tiou. This is proved to-day by sum nier evangelistic campaigns in tent in Xew York city. There nevei were, in tho history of the city, move1' mcnts so aggressive and successful during tho heated term ns those ol the last two summers. The "cloth' as cloth fortunately has lost its power, pow-er, but the "cloth" and the pulpit as representing educated, patriotic manful and consecrated men, were never so great a power as to-dny. |