The Christian preacher

Preface

Aggrieved artists have said that art critics are artists who have themselves failed. Preachers may cherish a similar suspicion when there comes to them a book on preaching from a theological college, as it is commonly assumed that, whatever may be known and taught within its walls, the science and art of preaching is not. Thirty-five years ago the call came to the writer to abandon the work on which he was then engaged to give himself to the preaching of the Gospel. The sense of that call has never failed ; and although God's Providence has led him to his present work as a teacher of preachers, it is the same holy task in which he knows himself engaged. Preaching, as much as when he was in the pastorate, is still the work which is his life's aim and joy. The writer has found enough acceptance and appreciation in his manifold labours throughout the length and breadth of Great Britain to encourage him in the hope that he may be able to expound the doctrine as one who has not altogether failed in the practice. The favourable reception accorded to his previous book, A Guide to Preachers, which was intended for lay preachers, but which has been found helpful by ministers also, further emboldens him to essay the perilous task. This he can at least claim, that none could be more interested in, and devoted to, the work of preaching than he knows himself to be. It is not improbable that some who have a genius for preaching might be less successful in dealing with the science and art than others who, lacking that supreme gift,

VlU PREFACE

have given more attention to the theory and method. The writer trusts that his volume will at least show that he has not spared his labours to discharge faithfully the task undertaken.

In deciding on the plan of the book, the writer first asked himself the question, For whom should he write, for the scholar delighting in the minutiae of the history and the literature of the subject, or for the minister desiring to be helped to make the best of his calling as a preacher ? While some of his interests drew him to the first, the dominating purpose of his life has driven him to the second. He believes that in this way he can be most useful to the largest number. If scholars do not find as formidable an array of footnotes, references, and lists of books as has been offered in other volumes of the series, it is hoped that the omission will not be put down to ignorance or incompetence on the part of the writer, but to his deliberate intention to write a book that would be read from cover to cover by preachers, who might be alarmed by any display of learning.

It is this purpose which explains the treatment in the first division of the history of preaching, and the adoption of the third division. Instead of attempting an exhaustive account of the life and work of the great preachers, such as histories of preaching offer, he has thought it more in accord with his purpose to throw into prominence the different types of preaching in the past, in order to show the large place filled, and the great part played, by preaching in the Progress of the Kingdom of God, for he believes with Paul that it has ever been " God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe," ^ and to accomplish His purpose in the world. The fact that the Masters in other religions were all

PKEFACE IX

preachers, shows how indispensable to moral and religious life preaching is. This historical survey will, it is hoped, give every Christian preacher a higher sense of the dignity, blessedness, and responsibility of his vocation.

To some readers the third division may seem unnecessary, but the writer found, when the minister of a church, that he had to face and answer for himself just such questions as he endeavours to deal with. He desires to hand over to others some of the results of his own experience. In training men for preaching, he has further discovered how needful just such simple, practical counsels are, especially for men at the beginning of their ministry. The present situation for the Christian pulpit presents so many perplexities and difficulties, that an attempt to face it frankly and fully may prove helpful to many. As the preacher may invoke God's blessing in his preaching of the Gospel, with a like confidence would the writer ask for God's blessing on his endeavour to help and encourage preachers to preach better.

The illustrations of the history in quotations from sermons are purposely taken from popular collections, as likely to be more accessible to those for whom the book is written than if taken from volumes difficult to obtain ; and for permission to make these extracts the writer is much indebted to the editors and publishers :

The International University Society : Crowned Masterpieces of Eloquence.

Funk & Wagnalls Company: The World's Great Sermons.

Messrs. Cassell & Co. : The Library of English Literature (" Illustrations of English Eeligion ").

Messrs Sands & Co. : Great French Sermons.

In dealing with the history of preaching, the writer gratefully acknowledges his great indebtedness to the works

X PKEFACE

of Hering, Dargan, Van Oosterzee, and Ker. Without their assistance the book could not have been written, and to their works he would refer all who desire to become familiar with the records of preachers in greater detail than the scope and purpose of the present volume allowed. His own independent contribution to Homiletics he has ventured to offer in the second and third divisions. If in any degree he can communicate to preachers his own enthusiasm for his calling, he will thankfully acknowledge that he has not laboured in vain.

The volume was nearly completed when the great world-war came to shake so many things that can be shaken only that the things which cannot be shaken may remain, and its publication has been delayed on that account. It has not been found necessary to alter much that had been written, as the Gospel to be preached remains ; and little had been written about the purpose and the method of preaching that Gospel which appeared to need revision in the light of the new day dawning upon the world with the conclusion of peace. The necessity and the urgency of the preacher's task has been only emphasised by the tragedy of human sin and suffering which is now drawing to a close ; and no discovery has been made in human thought and life which need alter the conviction that the Gospel is the power and the wisdom of God unto the salvation of all that believe, and that accordingly there is no worthier calling for any man than to be a Christian preacher.

ALFRED E. GARVIE.

Introduction

PAOE

I. The Importance op Preaching .... 1

1. The place of preapliing in the Church of Christ . 1

2. The modem challenge of this place . . ,2

3. Preachipg 9-3 essential and necessary as worship , 4

5. The dependence of worship and work on preaching . 7

II. The Definition op Preaching .... 8

1. " Divine truth through human personality for eternal

life" 8

2. The truth to be preached . . , .9

3. Preaching of narrower scope . , , .10

4. The personality preaching . . , ,11

6. The object of preaching, faith, duty, hope . ,12

III. The Characteristics or Christian Preaching. . 14

1. The Christian preacher as a messenger . . .14

2. The interpretation of the message for each age . .16

3. The message evangelical . . . . .16

Part I. The History Of Preaching

INTEODUCTORY.

1. The study of the subject through its history . . 22

2. The two methods of treating the subject . . 23

3. Subjects omitted . . , , .23

X)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I. Jesus Christ the Lord

L Jesus as Teacher ......

1. The place of Jesus in Christianity . •

2. The importance of the teaching of Jesus , ,

3. The literary sources : Synoptic and Johannine

4. The manner of Jesus' teaching . . . .

II. The Characteristics of His Teaching .

1. Its authoritativeness . . . . .

2. Its novelty — (1) Originality, (2) continuity ,

3. Its graciousness — (1) Grace as the content ; (2) but con-

joined with severity .....

4. Its attractiveness — (1) In manner and method; (2)

charm allied with power ....

5. Reasons for its attractiveness — (1) Occasional but not

ephemeral ; (2) " popular intelligibility and impressive pregnancy " . . . .

III. The Intellectual Ability op the Teaching .

1. Pithy, pointed, clear, and forceful sayings

2. Truth presented in a tale or picture

3. The two kinds of parables

4. The analogy of the visible and its expression .

6. The use of concrete instances — (1) The maximum

demand; (2) the varying applications of the principle ; (3) avoidance of casuistry. Conclusion — His continued teaching .....

PAGB

25 25

25 27

29 30

35 36 37

CHAPTER IL Apostles, Prophets, Teachers.

I. The Ministry of the Apostolic Church

1. The call and work of the Twelve and the Seventy

2. The equipment of the Twelve and the Seventy

3. The significance of the passages about the Church

4. The promises of the farewell discourse

5. The larger company of the disciples

6. The meaning of the term apostle

7. The gift of prophecy

8. The manifold charismata

II. The Preaching of the Apostolic Age

1. The times and places of preaching

2. The contents of Peter's preaching

3. „ „ „ Stephen's preaching

44 44 45 45 46 47 48 49 50

51 51 53 54

TABLE OF CONTENTS Xiii

PAQB

4, The contents of Paul's preaching . , ,64

5. The indications given in the Epistles — (1) Paul's ; (2)

the Homilies . • • • • .67

CHAPTER III. Apologists and Fathers

L The Gentile Environment op the Christian Church 59

1. A world familiar with preaching . . .59

2. The current methods of preaching . . .61

3. The influence of these methods on the Church — (1)

Gradual limitation of preaching to an official class ;

(2) the resemblances between preachers and sophists 63

II. Preaching in the Second and Third Century . 65

1. Preaching as a part of public worship , . .65

2. The oldest Christian homily outside of New Testa-

3. Hippolytus' sermon, In Sanctam Theophaniam

4. Justin Martyr as a preacher 6. The preaching of TertuUian and Cyprian . . 70 6. The Homilies of Origen . . . . .71

[II. Preaching in the Fourth Century in the East , 72

1. The general character of the preaching — (1) The peril

of seeking popularity ; (2) the safeguard against the peril in the close connection with Scripture ; (3) the more definite form of sermons ; (4) the influences of theological controversy . . . .72

2. Basil the Great of Csesarea — (1) His merits as a preacher;

(2) example of his preaching . . . .75

3. Gregory Nazianzen — (1) The secret of his success ; (2)

his eulogy of Basil . . . . .76

4. Gregory of Nyssa — (1) His inferiority as preacher; (2)

example of his preaching . . . ,78

5. John Chrysostom — (1) His supreme merits; (2) his

homilies and sermons ; (3) example of his preaching . 79

IV. Preaching in the Fourth and the Fifth Century in

1. Ambrose — (1) His personality ; (2) Augustine's testi-

2. Augustine— (1) His historical importance ; (2) his

qualities as a preacher ; (3) his sermons ; (4) his rhetorical art ; (5) his Doctrina Christiana ; (6) example of his preaching . , , .83

XIV

TABLE OF CONTENTS

V". Preaohinq of following Centuries

1. General cliaracteristics .

2. Preachers in tlie West , •

3. The forms of the sermons ,

PAGE

87 87 88 89

CHAPTER IV. Priest, Monk, and Friar : Soholastio and Mystic

I. Missionary and Vernacular Preaching

1. Missionaries in Scotland — (1) St. Rule, St. Ninian,

St. Palladius, St. Patrick, St. Columba ; (2) Instruc tiones Sancti Columhani

2. Missionaries to Germany, France, England — (1)

Sermons of St. Boniface, Eligius ; (2) Augustine's mission to Anglo-Saxons ; (3) address by Lebuin

3. Preaching within the monasteries — (1) Collations ; (2)

sermons of the Venerable Bede

4. Appointment of parochial clergy — (1) Need of

reform ; (2) Charlemagne as reformer ; (3) Romi liarium ; (4) the hold of tradition and the growth of superstition ..... 6. The unoriginal and parasitic character of preaching

II. The Improvement in Preaching prom 1200 onwards

1. The conditions of the improvement

2. Bernard of Clairvaux — (1) His general characteristics

(2) the contents of his sermons ; (3) the form of his sermons ; (4) example of his preaching

3. The Anglo-Saxon homilies

4. The preaching of the monksk of St. Victor

III. The Preaching op the Friars .

1. The rise of the friars

2. St. Francis of Assisi

3. The Waldenses .

4. St. Dominic

5. Antony of Padua

6. Berthold of Regensburg

7. Works on preaching

8. Thomas Aquinas

9. Blending of mysticism and scholasticism : Bonaven

10. Speculative mystics— (1) Meister Eckhart; (2) John Tauler ; (3) Henry Suso

TABLE OF CONTENTS xv

PAGE

IV. The Beginnings op Revolt .... 116

1. Jolin Wyclif — (1) Sctoolman, politician, preacher,

reformer ; (2) translation of the Bible, and employment of preachers ; (3) his sermons ; (4) example of his preaching . . , . .116

3. Savonarola — (1) Home's description of the man ; (2)

George Eliot's description of his preaching . .121

5. General characteristics — (1) Attention to homiletics;

(2) four kinds of preaching .... 124

CHAPTER V. Reformers and Dogmatists

I. The Revival of Preaching at the Reformation . 127

1. Martin Luther — (1) His preaching ; (2) his exposition

of the Holy Scriptures and declaration of the gospel ; (3) his views on preaching; (4) example of his preaching ...... 127

2. Protestant preaching under Luther's influence . . 131

3. Some notable preachers in Lutheranism . , 132

4. Ulrich Zwingli . . . . . .133

5. John Calvin — (1) Theologian ; (2) expositor ; (3)

preacher; (4) Home's estimate . . . 133

6. John Knox — (1) The effect of his preaching ; (2) ex-

ample of his preaching ; (3) the more attractive aspect 136

7. Hugh Latimer — (1) His career ; (2) example of his

preaching . . . . . .139

8. Homiletics — (1) Erasmus' Ecclesiastes ; (2) Melanch-

thon and Hyperius ..... 141

II. The Decline op Preaching in Protestantism . .143

1. The rapidity of the decline . . , .143

2. The characteristics of the period , , , 143

3. The preaching of Lutheran mysticism • , , 145

CHAPTER VL

The Anglican and the Puritan, the Churchman AND the Nonconformist, the Evangelical and THE Moderate.

L The Anglican Pulpit . . . , ,147

1. The Reformation in the Church of England . .147

2. Grindal's plea for freedom in preaching , , 148

XVI TABLE OF CONTENTS

PA6B

3. Eichard Hooker as typical Anglican . , , 148

4. Other preachers— (1) Bishop Andrewes, John Donne,

Joseph Hall, Jeremy Taylor j (2) an example . 150

II. The Puritan and Nonconformist Pulpit . . 152

1. The manner of preaching .... 152

2. Some Puritan preachers at Cambridge , , , 153

4. Thomas Adams . . . . , ,156

5. Dr. Thomas Goodwin ..... 157

7. Eichard Baxter . . . , , . 159

III. Later Preachers op Church and Nonconformity . 161

1. John Tillotson . . . . . .161

2. Eobert South . . , . . ,162

3. The Deistic Controversy , , , .163

4. Bishop Butler ..... , 164 6. Isaac Watts and Philip Doddridge , . . 166

IV. Evangelicals and Moderates in Scotland . , 167

1. The Marrow of Modern Divinity and the " Marrow men "

— (1) The book itself ; (2) Thomas Boston, Ebenezer and Ealph Erskine ; (3) Boston's The Fourfold State of Man; (4) Soliloquy on the Art of Man-fishing . .167

2. The Moderates— (1) Alexander Carlyle ; (2) Hugh

CHAPTER VIL

Orators and Courtiers.

I. The Reformed Pulpit in France . . .171

1. Characteristics of the Reformed pulpit , , , 171

2. Some Reformed preachers . . . .172

3. Jacques Saurin . , . . . .173

II. The Roman Catholic Pulpit in France , , 174

1. Characteristics of the Roman Catholic pulpit . .174

2. Individual differences of the preachers . . .175

3. Jacques Benigne Bossuet — (1) Factors in his develop-

ment ; (2) example of his preaching . . .176

4. Louis de Bourdaloue — (1) His excellences ; (2) example

of his preaching . . . . .177

5. Jean Baptiste Massillon — (1) His career; (2) his

counsels to the young king ; (3) his, counsels to his clergy ; (4) example of his preaching , .179

TABLE OF CONTENTS xvii

6. Francois de Salignac de la Mothe Fenelon — (1) His

preaching ; (2) his Dialogues and Letter , . 183

7. Reaction on the Reformed pulpit • • • 185

CHAPTER VIII.

Pietists, Rationalists and Mediators.

I. The Pietists. . . . . . .187

1. Philipp Jacob Spener — (1) His historical importance ;

(2) his development and career ; (3) his Pia Desideria ; (4) his relation to Luther ; (5) his dependence on and zeal for the Bible ; (6) his form of preaching ; (7) an outline of a sermon . . 187

2. August Hermann Francke — (1) His characteristics ;

(2) the influence of his preaching; (3) sketch of sermon. ...... 192

3. Reasons for the failure of pietism . . .194

4. Johann Albrecht Bengel — (1) Character of his preach-

ing ; (2) his influence : Oetinger, Hahn, Steinhofer . 195

5. Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorff . . 196

6. Pietism in Elberfeld and Barmen — (1) Gerhard Ter-

steegen ; (2) Jung Stilling, Lavater, Hamann, Claudius . . . . . .197

II. The Rationalists ...... 198

1. The transition from pietism to rationalism : Johann

Lorenz Mosheim . , . . .198

2. The German enlightenment— (1) Thomasius ; (2)

3. The degradation of the pulpit . . . .201

4. Some notable preachers— (1) Johann Joachim Spald-

ing ; (2) George Joachim Zollikofer ; (3) Franz Volkmar Reinhard ; (4) Joh. Caspar Hafeli . 202

III. The Mediators ....,, 204

1. Johann Gotfried Herder— (1) His ideal of preaching ;

(2) his sermons ; (3) a characteristic passage . . 204

2. Friedrich Daniel Schleiermacher — (1) His position,

religious and theological ; (2) his combination of pietism and rationalism ; (3) his conception of preaching ; (4) his own preaching . . . 207

3. Schools of preachers — (1) The Mediating School : Karl

Immanuel Nitzsch and Friederich August Tholuck ;

(2) Pietists: Ludwig Hofacker and Claus Harms;

(3) Biblical preachers : Rudolf Stier and Friederich Wilhelm Krummacher . • , , 209 xvm TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER IX.

Evangelists and Missionaries.

FAOB

I, The Evangelical Revival in England . , ,211

1. Its historical importance .... 211

2. John Wesley — (1) His religious development ; (2)

his distinctive theology ; (3) the peril and the power

of this type of theology .... 212

3. George Whitefield — (1) His religious development ; (2)

the effect of his first sermon .... 214

4. The joint labours of Wesley and Whitefield — (1)

Wesley's defence of open-air preaching; (2) the

extent and effects of their movement . .215

6. John Wesley's preaching . . , .216

6. George Whitefield's preaching . . , .217

7. An example of Wesley's preaching . . .217

8. „ „ „ Whitefield's preaching . , . 219

9. The organisation of lay preaching — (1) The need of

this ministry ; (2) Wesley's defence ; (3) notable lay preachers ...... 220

II. The Extension op the Movement , . . 221

1. Its influence among Churchmen and Dissenters in

2. The New England revival : Jonathan Edwards . 222

3. The influence in Scotland — (1) John Maclaurin ; (2)

John Erskine ; (3) the Evangelical party in the Church of Scotland : Dr. Andrew Thomson . . 223

4. Dr. Thomas Chalmers— (1) His religious awakening;

(2) his preaching ; (3) an example . . . 224

6. Robert Murray M'Cheyne and Edward Irving. . 227

6. Scottish Independency ..... 227

7. The Evangelical Union ..... 228

8. Dwight L. Moody ..... 229

III. Modern Foreign Missions. .... 230

1. The first-fruits of the Evangelical Revival — (1) Previous

missionary effort; (2) William Carey and the Baptist Missionary Society ; (3) the Serampore Mission ...... 230

2. The London Missionary Society — (1) Its formation; (2)

the mission to the South Seas : John Williams . 232

3. The Church Missionary Society : Henry Martyn . 233

4. The Church of Scotland Missions : Alexander Duff . 234 6. The American Board of Foreign Missions : Adoniram

TABLE OF CONTENTS Xix

PAQB

6. The opening of China — (1) Robert Morrison ; (2) James

Legge ; (3) Griffith John and Timothy Richard ;

(4) James Gilmour ..... 235

7. The spread of the gospel in the South Seas — (1) Bishop

Patteson ; (2) J. G. Paton ; (3) James Chalmers, "Tamate" 237

8. Light in "Darkest Africa"— (1) Alexander Mackay of 238

Uganda ; (2) Robert Moffatt ; (3) David Livingstone

9. The value of the record of missions to the Christian

CHAPTER X.

The Repairers op the Breach.

1. The difficulty of a comprehensive title . , , 241

2. The breach between church and world . . . 241

3. The conservative, progressive, mediating tendencies . 241

I. The Conservative Tendency .... 242

1. John Henry Newman — (1) The Tractarian movement ;

(2) Newman's personality ; (3) his preaching ; (4) example of his preaching .... 242

2. Henry Parry Liddon — (1) His career and character;

(2) example of his preaching .... 245

3. Charles Had don Spurgeon — (1) His characteristics ; (2)

reason of his success ; (3) example of his preaching ...... . 247

4. Thomas Guthrie, John Ker, John Cairns . . 250

II. The Progressive Tendency .... 251

1. Frederick William Robertson — (1) His career and

character ; (2) his sermons ; (3) example of his preaching ...... 261

2. Henry Ward Beecher — (1) His view of preaching; (2)

his characteristics ; (3) example of his preaching . 253

3. Joseph Parker — (1) His characteristics; (2) example

of his preaching ..... 255

4. James Martineau ..... 257

5. William and John Pulsford .... 257

6. John Caird— (1) His oratory; (2) example of his

preaching ...... 258

7. Edward Caird and Thomas Hill Green . . , 260 IIL The Mediating Tendency ..... 260

1. Phillips Brooks— (1) His characteristics; (2) conclu-

sion of his book on preaching . . . 260

2. William Connor Magee and Frederic William Farrar . 262

XX TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAeB

3. Alexander Maclaren — (1) Testimonies to his greatness ;

(2) causes of his success ; (3) his methods of preparation ; (4) sayings on the preacher's calling . . 263

4. Robert William Dale— (1) His doctrinal preaching ; (2)

5. Andrew Martin Fairbairn • • • , 267

6. Hugh Price Hughes ..... 268

7. Charles Silvester Home — (1) His career; (2) "The

Romance of Modern Preaching " . . . 269

8. The appeal of the dead to the living preachers. . 270

Part II. The Credentials, Qualifications And Functions Of The Preacher

Introductory — The History of Preaching and THE Preacher To-day.

CHAPTER I. The Preacher as Apostle, Prophet, and Scribe

I. The Preacher as Apostle .... 273

1. The personal experience of Christ . . . 273

2. The personal vocation by Christ — (1) The inward call ;

(2) the outward confirmation . . , 275

3. The authority of the preacher as apostle, and its

obligation ...... 276

4. The maintenance of the historical continuity of the

II. The Preacher as Prophet .... 278

1. The spiritual equipment of the preacher as Christian . 278

2. The spiritual equipment of the preacher as prophet . 279

3. The duty of true and the danger of false prophecy , 280

4. The difference between the ancient and the modern

[II. The Preacher as Scribe ..... 282

1. The dependence of the preacher on the Holy Scriptures . 282

2. The problem of the results of modern scholarship for

the preacher — (1) The duty of candour and courage in dealing with the Bible ; (2) the duty of considerateness in dealing with the Bible ; (3) the principles to be followed in dealing with the Bible . . 283

3. The results of modern scholarship in relation to the

Christian Gospel — (1) The results of secondary and

TABLE OF CONTENTS xxi of primary importance distinguished ; (2) the results not really adverse to the trustworthiness of the Gospel ; (3) the results in the light of the self- witness of the Gospel ; (4) the results as advantageous to the preacher ...... 286

4. The obligation on the preacher to study according to the best methods — (1) The right method of study — the historical ; (2) the profitableness of the right method . . . . . .289

6. The value of expository preaching • • ,291

CHAPTER II. The Preacher as Scholar, Sage, Seer, Saint

I. The Preacher as Scholar .... 293

1. The relation of the scribe to the scholar . . 293

2. The scholarship necessary for the preacher — (1) Physical

science ; (2) general history ; (3) philosophy ; (4) study of religions ..... 294 II. The Preacher as Sage ..... 296

1. The exercise of prudence and wisdom in intellectual

questions ...... 296

2. The exercise of prudence and wisdom in moral questions

— (1) The dependence of morality on religion in Christianity ; (2) the double challenge to be met by the Christian moralist ; (3) the application of Christian ethics in modern society ; (4) the necessary qualifications of the Christian preacher . . 298

3. The exercise of prudence and wisdom in religious

questions — (1) The challenge of Christian theology by science, criticism and philosophy ; (2) the need of spiritual discernment as well as knowledge . . 302

III. The Preacher as Seer ..... 304

1. The need of the certainty of the reality of God . 304

2. The mistake of mysticism regarding the knowledge of

3. The methods of the culture of the devout life . . 308

IV. The Preacher as Saint ..... 309

1. The common call to sainthood .... 309

2. The obligation of sainthood in the preacher . .310

3. The sins which specially beset the preacher — (1) The

desire for popularity ; (2) the assertion of self ; (3) the greed for gain ; (4) inconsistency of life ; and an artificial manner in and out of pulpit . . 311

4 The preacher's place among his fellow-men . ' . 314 xxii TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER III. The Preacher as Priest, Teacher, Pastor and Evangelist

FA6B

I. The Preacher as Priest ..... 317

1. Preaching as well as conduct of worship a priestly act . 317

2. The sermon as an act of worship in praise or prayer . 317

3. The correction of the preacher's excessive subjectivity 318

4. The conduct of worship by the preacher . . 319

5. The argument for and against a liturgy . . 320

6. The effect on the hearers of the view of the sermon as

an act of worship ..... 322

7. The practical consequences of this conception as

regards the intention of the preacher, and the impression on the hearers . . . . 323

II. The Preacher as Teacher .... 324

1. Reasons for the revolt against doctrinal preaching, and

its dangers ...... 324

2. The need of a knowledge of the principles and methods

of teaching ...... 326

3. The preacher's function as a teacher of teachers . 327

4. The importance of teaching in the pulpit . , 328

5. The need of method in choice of themes and texts . 329

III. The Preacher as Pastor ..... 329

1. The demand on the preacher of the varied needs of the

congregation ...... 329

2. The value of pastoral experience and service to the

3. The appeal of the pulpit to men as regards business

interests and social problems, and its danger . 332

4. The value of the science of psychology for the cure ol rV. The Preacher as Evangelist .... 336

1. The duty of the preacher as an evangelist , . 336

2. The danger of extreme views and false assumptions . 337

3. The lessons taught by psychology — (1) The variety of

religious experience ; (2) the influence of the natural on the spiritual development ; (3) the unsoundness

of common evangelistic methods . . . 338

4. The value of a series of meetings conducted by a

6. The danger of any stereotyped evangelistic method . 340

6. The duty of " home" evangelisation by the preacher . 341

7. The preaching of the missionary abroad , , . 342

TABLE OF CONTENTS xxiii

Part III. The Preparation And The Production Of The Sermon

INTRODUCTORY.

FAOB

1. The narrower and the wider sense of preparation . 344

2. The dominant interest of the sermon — (1) Not self-