The Blizzard And Faith

A woman with two small children was on a train in the west. A blizzard was in full force. The snow was fast accumulating. The engine made slow progress.

All speed must be made if they reached the terminal. It was evident that this would be the last train for some time. The woman was bound for a ranch. The conductor said he knew where it was and she could get to it in spite of the storm as it was near the railroad.

He knew the crossing, would let her off there and she could walk along the road directly to the ranch. By and by, they came to this crossing. The train stopped, the three stepped off into the snow and quickly the engine pulled the cars away. The train had proceeded several miles.

The conductor was talking with a man when suddenly he exclaimed, “My God!” The other said, ‘“What’s the matter.” The conductor said, “I let that woman off at the wrong crossing. The place is some distance beyond there.”

In agony of mind he began to pace up and down the aisle. He exclaimed, “I can’t go back, I can’t go back. We-would not go any distance at all until we ran off the track. Even if we stayed on we could not buck these drifts from the rear.

My God, those children and their mother will freeze to death. And I cannot do anything.” When that storm ceased they went in search of them and after a. long time found the three huddled together not far from the railroad, frozen to death.

The speaker applied his point and went on, but many of his con- gregation did not go on and those who did were but partially paying attention. Their minds were on that incident. They were in imagination seeing that mother struggling along with those chil- dren. They saw them falling, rising, falling until they could no longer rise.

They saw that mother gathering those children as closely to herself as she could. Many of them shuddered at the realization of what this meant. It is weakness to use such illustrations. They break up the impression you have made.

They break the continuity of thought. They become ends in themselves rather than means to an end. Frequently there is another reaction. Some of the hearers will say to themselves, “I wonder if that ever happened.”

Illustrations must be of such a nature that thinking people, of religious mind and experience will never ask that question. People who do not know God and Christ will often ask that question of illustrations you use in regard to Christian experience. That is to be expected and can- not be avoided. The former instance should be avoided.

X. Avoid illustrations that duplicate a point already sufficiently illustrated, illustrations that merely pad out a sermon, without adding any strength. Rarely should one need two illustrations on the same point. This is especially true when the congregation has a considerable number of fairly well educated in it.

They resent duplications of this sort. One is enough for them. It will do no harm to finish a little earlier. There is no law compelling one to make the sermons of a definite length, say forty minutes.

The writer’s father once said to him, “L , it is better to have the congregation say, ‘I wish he had preached ten minutes longer,’ than to have them say, ‘I wish he had quit ten minutes 299 sooner. It is good advice to follow. XI. Avoid extremely long illustrations, except rarely.

Long illustrations take the mind away from the sermon trend and particular point, too long. In some instances one really has to start all over again. In conversation and teaching one does not need to hold so closely to this rule. This is especially true in teaching the young.

XII. Eliminate local incidents that can be traced to the principals involved, when the incident reflects discredit on them.

Such illustrations do more harm than good. When a minister uses such illustrations, he stirs up a host of friends for these people involved in the incidents.

It is astonishing how many will suddenly gain friendship for them. ; It is hard enough to keep from stepping on people’s toes. Don’t stride out paying no attention to the fact that where you are walk- ing is all covered with feet, that only by a miracle could you avoid stepping on some of them. XIII. Eliminate illustrations that bring ridicule or discredit on other denominations.

Never hold up another’s sincere religious beliefs to ridicule. Under such circumstances you can by no means help them. Also, you may injure your influence over some who already look to you for guidance. Cooperate with all in so far as you can without surrender of belief in what Jesus plainly teaches in the New Testament.

Concluding remarks. In illustration using there is such a thing as—safety first. Bet- ter be safe than sorry. Great and lasting offence is created by using the material here classified as illustrations not to use.

The f ee <—— a ae = * business of the Christian worker is not to create offence but to avoid it when possible. The ideal is to use only what you believe Christ would have you use, the decision being based on prayer and study. This is a rigid - test, but the greatness of the Christian’s labor admits of no inferior test.

Would the Saviour want me to use this? QUESTION MATERIAL FOR CHAPTER VII Immediately following are seven illustrations. Examine each illus- tration. If it is strong, tell why you think it is.

If it is weak, an illus- tration not to use, point out every element of weakness you can find. You are determining two things in regard to each illustration: Is it all right to use, is it an illustration not to use, giving the reasons in each instance for your decision. {I-111] Illustration 1. In Indianapolis a man gave a stereoptican lecture and for some un- explainable reason it did not seem to come fully up to the expectations of the audience. The lecturer flashed on the screen the picture of the father of his country, Washington, but it was greeted with hisses and cat-calls.

It disappeared and then there came to the screen a view of the Catskill Mountains and of the Hudson River. Again they hissed. Following this outburst he flashed another picture and then came Alex- ander Hamilton, again they hissed.

He showed them Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. Then all disappeared.

In another instant he flashed on the screen a picture of Jesus Christ, wearing the crown of thorns. In an instant a hush fell like the grave upon that vast audience. You could hear their hearts beat. They sat still and suddenly a woman’s voice rang out in the gallery, clear as a bell, “Jesus, keep me near the cross.”

The sight of Jesus had stilled the tempest. A sight of Jesus will quiet politics; a sight of Jesus will settle all social problems; will settle all questions in the home; will settle all questions of personal conduct; will settle all questions of benevolence and will redeem the nation.