More and more comes the demand for "tact" and policy in preachers; smaller and smaller grow the opportunities to speak the whole truth unvarnished, even in love. "A man must know how to get at people," we are told in these days. It will not do to talk plainly on baptism, for this one or that one may be offended who might by proper maneuvering be "won." It is bad policy to say anything outright against denominationalism, still less about the organ and societies. We must manage to instruct people by principles which they can apply for [195] themselves (but they never do) or by innuendo and suggestion. Now as far as the sentiment is against the braggart, big-mouthed, self-conceited, contemptible dogmatism of which many preachers have been guilty, it is very good. But it goes much further. I am afraid that neither Paul nor Jesus would be politic enough to receive a good financial support from some established, easy-going congregations. The favor of the denominations and the spirit of unscriptural progressiveness is constantly growing on all hands, and less and less is being said against it. A blind man can see what the end of that will be. For the time will come when they will not endure so doctrine, but after their own lusts will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. Many good preachers have so felt the force of the popular current that they were tempted to ignore such congregations and begin somewhere on their own hook, that they might speak their whole heart and preach the whole counsel of God, no man forbidding; yea, they would do it if they dared to trust God for their financial sustenance rather than to look to such churches for it. Thus the it of hirelingism comes slowly creeping in. True preachers should exercise themselves in these two things: to preach the whole word in love, and trust God in the consequences that will follow.

[TAG 195-196]