Recollections of a Long Life: An AutobiographyCuyler, Theodore L. (Theodore Ledyard)
Religion
Recollections of a Long Life: An Autobiography
Cuyler, Theodore L. (Theodore Ledyard)
Clergy -- United States -- Biography; Cuyler, Theodore L. (Theodore Ledyard), 1822-1909
"still small voice from heaven," and went out ready for action. I felt
at once that a great work for Christ had commenced. I called our
officers together at once, and, to use the naval phrase, we "cleared the
decks for action." As the good work had begun in our own church, without
any external assistance, we determined to carry on the work ourselves;
and during the next five months, I never had any pulpit help except on
two evenings during the week, when two fervid, discreet neighboring
pastors preached for me. Commonly, every church should do its own
spiritual harvesting--just as much as every pair of young lovers should
do their own love-making, and wise parents their own family training.
Looking outside is a temptation to shirk responsibility. If a preacher
can preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ faithfully, and the Lord God is
with him, why rob him of the joy of the harvest by sending away for any
stranger?
My plan of action was this. Twice on each Sabbath, and on two evenings
in the week, I preached as clearly and pungently as I could; sometimes
to awakened souls, sometimes to backsliders, sometimes to the
impenitent, sometimes to souls who were seeking salvation. I spoke of
the great central truths:--personal guilt, Christ's atoning work, the
offices of the Spirit, redemption, the claims of the Saviour, the
necessity of immediate repentance, immediate acceptance of Christ and
the joy and power of an useful Christian life. During a revival, sermons
make themselves; they grow spontaneously. On the Monday evening of each
week our young people had the field with their regular gatherings, and
new converts were encouraged to narrate their experiences. On three
other evenings of the week the whole church had a service for prayer and
exhortation, conducted by our laymen. The praying women met on one
afternoon; the girls by themselves on another afternoon, and the boys on
another. During each week, from eleven to twelve, different meetings
were held, and in so large a congregation, these sub-divisions were
necessary. After every public service I held an inquiry meeting. I
invited people to converse with me in the study during the day, and I
made as much pastoral visitation from house to house as possible.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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