The spirit and bearing of a pastor in the pulpit have a marked
influence on the tone of public worship. If he is devout and
reverential, as conscious of being in the house of God and of bearing a
message from God, his manner will inspire in the congregation a like
reverence for the sacredness of worship. The whole service will receive
tone from the spirit of its leader. Here I suggest: 1. A careless
manner in the pulpit is to be avoided, either in the posture or
movements of the body, or in handling the hymn-book and Bible when
preparing for service; as also is the opposite fault of a manner
studied and artificial, whose stiffness and formality repel sympathy
and give an icy chill to worship. Against both of these faults a
devout, reverential heart thoroughly pervaded by the spirit of worship
will be the best safeguard. 2. In the pulpit the pastor should be, and
should appear to be, absorbed in his work and his message; any act on
his part which creates a doubt of this destroys the value of the
service to the people, and is to be carefully avoided. Thus, if, before
the opening of the service or during its progress, he is listlessly
gazing around the congregation as if occupied in mentally commenting on
them, or is engaged in conversation with some brother-minister seated
with him, the impression is inevitable that the service does not absorb
him, and his power with the people is weakened alike in his devotional
exercises and in his preaching. 3. As far as possible, all arrangements
should be previously made, so as to avoid, during the service, any
necessity for consultations with officers of the church; and all
notices to be given should be required to be handed in to the pastor
before the services begin and should be reduced to the minimum in
number and length. For any diversion of the attention from the service
itself is ordinarily an evil.
In all this, however, it is evident that a devout, reverent spirit,
thoroughly entering into the true idea of worship, is of far higher
moment than any formal rules; for such a spirit will instinctively feel
the proprieties of the sacred time and place and will perpetually seek
to realize its own ideal of public service. Cowper has well said:[1]
"Would I describe a preacher, such as Paul,
Were he on earth, would hear, approve, and own,
Paul should himself direct me. I would trace
His master-strokes and draw from his design.
I would express him simple, grave, sincere;
In doctrine uncorrupt; in language plain,
And plain in manner; decent, solemn, chaste,
And natural in gesture; much impressed
Himself, as conscious of his awful charge,
And anxious mainly that the flock he feeds
May feel it too; affectionate in look
And tender in address, as well becomes
A messenger of grace to guilty men."