Field Of Glory

By RUSSELL H. CONWELL, D. D. Author of Unused Powers Six Nights in the Garden of Gefhsemane, Acres of Diamonds, etc. NEW YORK CHICAGO Fleming H. Revell Company LONDON A N j E i N B tr R Q EC - by - H. IEyEISS, COMPANY Printed in the United States of America New York 158 Fifth Avenue Chicago 17 North Wabash Av j London 21 Paternoster Square Edinburgh 75 Princes Street . o MAY i Foreword DR. CONWELL preaches, as a rule, to an audience of more than three thousand. The auditorium of the Baptist Temple contains 3,134 numbered opera chairs and, on Sunday evenings espe cially, is usually filled. In this large congre gation are people from many parts of the world. Upon a recent Sunday evening, Japan, Korea, and several European coun tries were represented, as well as Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, North Dakota, and many near-by states. At the communion services, almost all denominations are present At one such service were members of the Re formed, Presbyterian, Moravian, Christian, Episcopalian, Congregational, Methodist, Evangelical, and Lutheran churches to gether with Friends and Hebrews. The question is often asked, How does Dr. Conwell prepare these sermons which make so wide and strong an appeal and which are so effective in bringing many to Christ for during his pastorate he has baptised 7,500 people. 5 FOREWORD One might say that Dr. Conwell does not prepare his sermons in the usual sense of the word. His work prepares them. He rarely makes an exhaustive book study of his sub ject He may consult a few references as to dates or names or other statistical data. But the subject of the sermon and the incidents for illustrating it are largely drawn from his everyday work. Dr. Conwellbelieves that the truths of the Gospel are applicable to present, everyday living. He tries to apply them to his own affairs. He tries to help others to apply them to theirs. So as he goes about his church, university and hospital work, for he is Presi dent of Temple University and of three hos pitals, his themes for his sermons come to him and rarely, by Saturday night or Sunday morning, has he failed to get a thought for his Sundays talks. He says that if he is doing Gods work, the subjects will come, and that therefore the best way to secure texts for the Sunday sermons is to be busy about Christs work. This may seem a bit theoret ical, but it is a theory which in his case, at least, has proved practicable. He sometimes takes with him into his pul pit, a card or scrap of paper upon which are FOREWORD jotted down names or other data to be used as reminders. But he never writes a sermon out. His sermons are taken by a stenog rapher as they are delivered, and both prayer and benediction carry out and emphasise the main thought. In a few instances, when it was necessary to have the sermon in print simultaneously with its delivery, Dr. Conwell endeavoured to dictate in advance what he thought he would say. But it must be con fessed, he seldom followed the outline given. In one of the sermons in this book is per haps the keynote of his appeal. It is not the great preaching he says, it is not the theo logical discussions, it is not essays upon science, that save men. It is simply some suggestive thing, some thought, some word, some pressure of a hand, some look of an eye, or something that brings a man to himself For when brought to himself he ever wor ships God These simple things, Dr. Conwell gleans day by day as he hurries about his work, and then prayerfully uses to help mankind see and serve God. AGNES RUSH Bimu Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Contents I. LILIES OP THE FIELD . Matthew 6 8 II. PURE WATER .... Luke 8 1-3 III. TRANSPLANTED JOYS ... 46 Luke IS 9 TV. THE GREAT UNTOLD John 14 V. DIVERGING PATHS . Acts 13 1, 2 VI. THE WORST AND THE BEST . Song of Solomon 2 15 VII. A SURE PROMISE . II Corinthians 1 0 VIII. THE CONTRARY WIND . Matthew 14 4 IX. LOYE THAT SMITES Exodus 20 0 X...