SHORTAGE IN MINISTRY ONLY ONE OF QUALITY

Is there a shortage of ministers? In one sense there is not. When a church of any strength is in need of a minister there are always plenty of candidates. The difficulty is not in the insufficient number of ministers, but in the insufficient number of ministers who are properly qualified for their work.

It is not in these days an easy job. The minister must love his work and rejoice in it. He must also have the faculty of inspiring other people with the same enthusiasm. He must be able to work with other people as well as for them. He must have a gift of speech, not necessarily of eloquence, but at least of persuasiveness, for it is his business to persuade others to do what otherwise they might not do. Every week he has the opportunity to present a subject to his congregation for their consideration. He is responsible not only for the choice of the subject but for the method of its presentation. He must make the subject interesting, and convince his hearers that it is important.

The lawyer speaks in behalf of his client, in regard to a matter in which the client is already deeply interested. The minister's clients are "all sorts and conditions of men", and it is necessary for him to convince them of the reality of the things of the spirit.

Just at this moment the function of the true preacher is appreciated more widely than ever before. He is to interpret the new age. Harvard is fortunate in having Dr. Fosdick to speak in behalf of the ministry. the nature of the demand is best exemplified in his person. We want more of this kind. If we had them the church could soon rise again to its place of moral and intellectual leadership in the community. There ought to be a good many young men in college who are fitted by nature for this kind of work.