Public men must be prudent, judicious and noble in their bearing,
presenting the truth in the love of it. Men must not miscalculate their
influence, their power, and time for presenting things. Preachers
must know _when_ and _where_ things are to be said and done. Many men
drive their audiences away, by their repulsive course, and think it
the opposition of the people to the truth, that drives them away. We
speak plainly on all the great issues between ourselves and the parties
around us, in the pulpit, and yet seldom give offense, and never fail
to have a good hearing from the parties around us, and seldom fail to
gain some of them to the truth. And, what is better, when they are
gained, _they are gained indeed_—not by persuading them that there
is but little difference between us, but by making them both _see and
feel_ the difference, _and convincing them of the truth_. Any thing
short of this is of no account.
Some men are for using a little Jesuitism. They would preach on
common ground matters till they draw their hearers on and gain their
attention. But we have nothing to do with any such policy. There is
a vast amount of the most important and plain truth in the gospel,
that the parties around us know comparatively nothing about, and
consequently have no objection to it. They will hear it and be pleased
with it. The main matter is to develop fully and largely, in the
simplest style possible, with heart and solicitude for the happiness
and salvation of the people, the whole scheme of redemption from the
beginning, as if the people knew nothing at all about it. This must
be done with power, and not in a prosing, indifferent and unfeeling
manner. It will find way to honest hearts, in almost any community in
this country.