Preaching and Preachers

Preaching andPreachersin his whole manner of speech. I did my utmost to prevent his goingforward for training. However he would not listen to me because hewas so certain of his call. He became a theological student, did verywell at Oxford, and eventually was ordained. I think I am right insaying that altogether he had three different churches in about sevenyears. Then, and as the result of that experience, he came to see quiteclearlyhimself that he had never been called to preach. He returned toscientific work and is doing well there. That is where he alwaysshould have been, because he lacked this essential particular gift ofspeech.These particular points are of the greatest importance. I speak asone who has had to deal with this problem so often during the lastforty years. Let me tell another story which illustrates what I amsaying. Sometimes this mistake about a call has been made not somuch by the man himself, as by some minister or elder who has takenit upon himself to suggest to the man that he should become apreacher, and indeed to urge him, and to put pressure on him to do so.I remember very well an incident on a Sunday night. I had got backinto my vestry after preaching, and a young man came in to see me.Helooked very agitated, and I said, 'Well, what is the matter, how canI help you?' He said that he did not want to take much of my time,that he only wanted to know one thing from me. Did I know of aChristian psychiatrist ? 'Well,' I said, 'why do you need to see aChristian psychiatrist?' He replied saying, 'I am in great trouble, Iam in great confusion.' I questioned him as to the cause of the confusion.Incidentally, you should not send a man to a psychiatristunless you are quite sure that he needs such help; and my experienceis that most of the people who come to ask for the name of a Christianpsychiatrist need spiritual help rather than psychiatric treatment.However, I asked the young man, 'Why do you need to see a psychiatrist?'Again he replied, 'I am in great confusion.' 'What is thecause of your confusion?' I asked. He then told me his story. He hadbeen for the previousfortnight at a certain collegewhich had recentlybeen set up to train evangelists. Until then he had been following hisII2