OFPReAGHING o >•«-+-•-<» 3. //. /2* Srom f^ £i6rarp of gprofeBBor nTiffiam (gtiffer (paxton, ©.©., £E.®. ^reeenfe^ 61? (Ttlre. ^arfon to f^e &i6rarp of Qprittcefon J^eofogtcaf ^eminarj BV4211 .P54 1892 Pierson, Arthur T. (Arthur Tappan), 1837-1911. Divine art of preaching. Lectures delivered at the "Pastor's THE DIVINE ART OF PREACHING. M\2 artbur (T. picrson. The Crisis of Missions; or. The Voice Oit OK THE (^'LuL'f). IGmo, paper, 35 CfiU« ; cloth, $l.-,'5. The Divine Enterprise of Missions, ii-nio, cloth, §1.25. "^ Evangelistic Work in Principle and Practice. Uium. paper, :i'> ci'iitt* ; cloth, §1. •,'"). The One Gospel ; or. The Combination of THE NaKUATIVES of the JmiVR EVANfJEI.lSTS IN One Complete Record. I'^uio, llexible cloth, red edgei*, 75 cents; limp morocco, full gilt. $2.(W. Stumbling Stones Removed from the Word of God. I'^mo. clolh, .^Ocent!<. The Heart of the Gospel. Twelve Sermons prtiiclicil In ^iiiiiL;i(iii's rn.pit. It'iiiio, cloth, $l.'i5. The Divine Art of Preaching, d'nifonn with In-. CivLEKs lluw To Be a 1'astok.) Kimo, cloth. T."i cent-. Love in Wrath ; or. The Perfection or Ood's .luDOMENTs. 12mo, white- binding, fall gilt, 35 cents. THE BAKER & TAYLOR CO., Publishers, 740 and 743 Broadway, New York. She [ViAR 1 1 1912 of Hi^eaci|)ini9[* LECTURES Delivered at the "Pastor's College," connected with the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London, England, KKOM January to JirNE, 1892. BY V ARTHUR T. PIERSON. H NEW YORK : THE BAKER AND TAYLOR CO. 740 and 742 Broadway Copyright, 1892, BV THE BAKER AND TAVLOR COMPANY. THK MERSHON COMPANY PRESS, KAIIWAV, N. J. BeMcation. To my gifted and generous friend and true yokefellow. Pastor James Archer Spiirgeon, President of the Pastor's College, at whose suggestion these plain talks on preach- ing were given, and by whose constant and cordial co-operation and courteous consideration every bur- den tvas lightened during eight eventful months of mingled sorrow and joy at the Metropoli- tan Tabernacle, these lectures are with brotherly love inscribed by the Author. CONTENTS. CHAPTER A Prefatory Word of Explanation, Introduction, ..... I. The Sermon as an Intellectual Product II. The Preacher among His Books, III. The Preacher with His Themes, IV. The Preacher Training His Memory, V. The Twin-Laws of the Sermon, VI. Types of Sermon-Structure, VII. The Preacher among the Mysteries, VIII. The Preacher among the Critics, . IX. The Preacher with His Bible, X. The Preacher in His Pulpit, . XI. The Preacher among Snares, XII. The Preacher among His People, . XIII. The Preacher Communing with the Spirit, Vll I 7 13 18 24 35 59 71 83 lOI 112 123 140 A PREFATORY WORD OF EXPLANATION. EING unexpectedly called to service at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London, during the illness and after the departure of the beloved pastor, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, from October, 1891, to June, 1892, it became a part of my privilege to speak from week to week before that intelligent and most responsive body of students then in the Pastor's College founded by Mr. Spurgeon. I had left in America all memoranda of every sort which might have aided in this part of my work, as this sort of service was wholly unforeseen by me; and I could only speak with such hasty preparations as the severe strain of other duties allowed. These lectures lay no claim to completeness either of matter or style. But the interest which they awakened led to their reproduction, after delivery, by the aid of a stenographer. X ^ PREFATORY WORD. If any to whom the Word of the Lord is. precious in these days, when there are so few true seers of God to whom the open vision is ^Mven, find herein any help to the preaching which is born of deep conviction, and baptized of the Holy Spirit, the one desire of my heart is fulfilled. Arthur T. Pierson. . Metropolitan Tahkrnacle, London, /?/;/<•, 1892. INTRODUCTION. REACHING is a divine art, and therefore the finest of the fine arts. There is, about the logical structure of a true sermon, that which suggests all that is most beautiful in architecture; about the elaboration of its rhetorical features, all that is most symmet- rical in sculpture; and about the use of im- agination in illustration and metaphor, all that is most fascinating in painting; while oratory, itself a fine art, suggests that other kindred art of music to which it is so closely allied in the utilization of all that is most attractive and persuasive, melodious and martial, in the human voice. As Paul Veronese said of painting, preaching is "a gift from God." The essence of a sermon is sermo — a speech, spoken in behalf of, and in the name of God ; in other words, it is in the best sense a divine oration. The ethics of ety- mology, always so instructive, suggest in Xll INTRODUCTION. that word, oratory, which is appHed both to prayer and to effective speech, that in such a sermonic oration there is imph'ed always the prayer element and factor. An oration is a speech, or discourse, ad- dressed to hearers with reference to a defi- nite end or result, namely, conviction and persuasion. What we call eloquence, is simply the means to that end, and covers all the conditions of such effective utter- ance. The true, divine orator will seek to make himself master, therefore, of all real helps to his high art, whether they pertain to his physical, mental, moral, or spiritual being. The first effective sermon of proper Chris- tian history — that of Peter on the Day of Pentecost — was in some sense a model for all subsequent preaching. In Acts ii. 40 we are told, "with many other words did he testify and exhort." Previously there is recorded the outline of Peter's argument, which consisted mainly of a presentation of predictive prophecy as fulfilled in Christ's character and career. May we not there- fore find here, in this one verse, a kind of inspired outline of the elements which enter into a normal sermon? How marvelously INTRODUCTION. XIU complete, at least, is the suggestive analysis, which thus makes a sermon to consist of an argument, a testimony, and an exhortation ! The argument, or logical presentation of fact and truth, lays the foundation; then upon this basis is built the confirmatory witness of experience; and both find their crowning completeness and ultimate object in the exhortation which moves the hearer to repentance and faith. It is not neces- sary, it may not always be wise, that each of these parts of the sermon shall be obvious or announced; but they should be present, whether latent or patent ; and when they are there, the sermon appeals to the whole man. The argument addresses his reason and intellect ; the testimony witnesses to his feeling and heart ; and the exhortation appeals to the will and choice. It is a first requisite of the preacher, therefore, that he shall magnify his office. The appreciation of the dignity of his art, the high character of a true sermon, the eternal issues that hang upon its prepara- tion and delivery, cannot but impel him to studious and prayerful fitting of himself for the conscientious and successful discharge of his exalted office. No schools should XIV INTRODUCTIOy. command so high an order of instruction, or inspire so careful and devout a diligence on the part of the student, as the schools of theology. The preacher, as God's ambassa- dor, is a mediator between God and men, and slovenliness or even sluggishness in get- ting one's self ready for such service is a fundamental if not unpardonable fault ; it reveals a lack not only of conscience, but of competency for such a holy trust. A hal- lowed atmosphere should surely pervade the halls where men study the saving truth of God with reference to its use in saving souls. The consciousness that the speaker is moving an audience to think and feel and choose in sympathy with himself is an in- teresting and fascinating experience — but it is something awfully responsible, for such a speaker is touching the mysterious springs of all character, conduct, and destiny. It would be dififlcult to improve upon the simple analysis of the sermon already bor- rowed from the inspired word ; for it hints the conditions of power in the preacher, as well as the hearer. How can the preacher use argument as a mighty weapon, unless he is himself a logical thinker and has mastered his theme? Only intelligent acquaintance INTRODUCTION. XV with his subject, and the plain path whereby he has first been himself convinced, can fit him to address the intelligence of his audi- ence and to compel his hearer to think too, and admit the truth to the sacred shrine of his own convictions. To give his testimony implies that the truth he preaches has laid hold on his own heart's affections, and so enabled him to utter the language of exper- imental certainty, to speak what he knows and testify what he has seen. And a true exhortation implies that he feels such a deep passion for souls, that are outside of the safe position of believers, as that he yearns to rescue them, by persuading them to lay hold of the hope set before them in the gospel. Surely such a preacher will be a man in earnest, and will win an earnest hearing, compelling attention by his contagious zeal and enthusiasm. In the chapters which follow, the main purpose is to make emphatic three great requisites of convincing and persuasive preaching; first, a proper use of the intel- lectual faculties; secondly, a diligent culture of spiritual power; and, thirdly, a reverent faith in the message as divine and authori- tative. Accordingly the sermon is treated as X V 1 I,V TROD UC TION. an intellectual product, and as the fruit of the Holy Spirit's illumination and sanctifica- tion ; and somewhat is added as to the true estimate in which the preacher must hold the Word of God, whence he derives both his commission and his credentials. If any matter introduced in the discussion may appear irrelevant, it has in the author's mind a relation more or less intimate to the full equipment of the preacher for his work. And, if no other chapter be attentively read, the reader is besought to bestow no little thought on that which treats of spiritual homiletics, and which is the outcome of the most sacred and secret history of the writer. To do however little to secure a new era of pulpit power — of real spiritual efTective- ness in preaching — of such divine pungency, fervor, force, as caused three thousand hear- ers on the day of Pentecost to be pricked in their hearts and earnestly to ask, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" — this is the humble errand on which these unpretending suggestions are sent forth. THE DIVINE ART OF PREACHING. CHAPTER I. THE SERMON AS AN INTELLECTUAL PRODUCT. T has been said that sermons are either "born, or made, or given." If so, we shall now treat the sermon as made, as the product of the preacher's mind and heart, the creation of his fine art, and from the human side. To all sermon-makers one great maxim may be given : cultivate the homiletic habit ; accustom yourself to the construction of ser- mon outlines; study analysis and synthesis; learn by patient study and practice to find out what is in a text, to mark every sugges- tion which it contains, and to arrange these suggestions in symmetrical and effective ^ THE DIVINE ART OF PREACHING. order. We add a second maxim scarcely less important, namely : cultivate the prac- tical habit. Have a practical end in view always, and let everything bend to that result. Dr. Candlish said of a sermon which was sub- mitted to his criticism : "This discourse con- sists of an introduction which might have been spared, a second part which docs not deal with the text ; and a conclusion which concludes nothing" — except, we suppose, the discourse. Contrast with this the solemn testimony of Robertson of Irvine, who wrote: "On looking back on my minis- try I cannot charge myself with ever having uttered in the pulpit one word I did not believe; and I never spoke frivolously. If I were to express in one word what has been the great aim of my ministry it would be this: to lead all the human race to cry, "O Lamb of God, have mercy upon us!" Still a third maxim belongs with the other two, and on this we now expand somewhat : cultivate the methodical habit. There are manifest advantages of method in all work that is to be thoroughly done, and sermon preparation is certainly no exception. Paul says, in I Cor. xiv. 40: "Let all things be done decentl)' and in order." SERMONS AS INTELLECTUAL PRODUCTS. 3 The word "decently" has reference to a good appearance, what is pleasing to look upon, comely, decorous ; and the word trans- lated "order" means arrangement, regular disposition, as in a series or succession. As will be seen, one of these words naturally suggests the aesthetical element, and the other the methodical element. The great principle of sermon prepara- tions, as of all other works for Christ, is, do your best. Nothing should be done in slov- enly fashion that is done for the Master. We should take care even of our personal appearance, that it should be cleanly and seemly, while avoiding the finical extreme of undue punctiliousness and ceremonious- ness. An unkempt person, finger nails that are in mourning, uncombed hair, unbrushed garments, soiled linen — none of these things are to be overlooked as hindrances to useful- ness and service. We should train not only our morals but our manners, for, as the Latin mores suggests, there is an intimate connection between the two. We may ven- ture perhaps to disregard some of the arbi- trary regulations of a formal etiquette, but we should never disregard principles of equity and courtesy. 4 THE DIVINE ART OF PREACHING. So, in our handiwork, even our penman- ship should be legible, clean, free from interlineations and corrections, blots and blotches. An illegible hand is oftentimes the occasion of much provocation and an- noyance to those who are compelled to read our letters. With regard to composition, we should frame a sentence in our mind sub- stantially before we put it upon paper, and habituate ourselves to writing in the first instance as we desire a sentence to stand. If a carpenter is making a joint he cannot venture to cut carelessly into the wood, thinking that, if at the first the joint does not fit closely, he can more perfectly adjust it afterward. If the tenon is too small for the mortise, how can the joint be subse- quently made perfect? The sculptor can- not afford to chip the marble carelessly. He may cut too deep for the symmetry of his statue, and the marble is more easily chipped off than replaced. Think as well as you can, and then express as perfectly what you think. Write as you want the writing to stand, leaving no room for subsequent corrections; if you leave room for them on 3'our paper you will leave room for them in your mind. It is always therefore best to SERMONS A S INTELLECTUAL PROD UCTS. 5 work up to power, in everything that you do. Let the fullness of your mental, moral, and spiritual manhood enter into all your work. Never overlook quality in quantity. It is not how much work you do, but how good work you do, which is the all-important mat- ter. A little well done rather than a great deal ill done should be the law of life. Any first-class piece of work lasts. One such piece of work has oftentimes made one's reputation. It was an eminent artist. Sir Joshua Reynolds, that said to a student : "Finish one picture, and you are a painter." A good quality of work has a permanent effect upon the workman. There is some- thing elevating to the man himself in an exalted product of his own hand and brain. His success stimulates him to still more suc- cessful effort, and something well done encourages him to attempt something that shall be even better done ; whereas the effect of careless work is to habituate one to care- lessness and to make one satisfied with an inferior product. Again, a first-class piece of work is of course of larger value to others. It helps them to a better ideal and to a more exalted 6 THE DIVINE ART OE PREACHING. real, in their own character, life, and career. The world is in need of the best that we can do, but poor work is a damage alike to the workman and to the world. It may be well to apply these principles in two directions mainU-. First, to the reading of books, and secondly, to the com- posing of sermons. CHAPTER II. THE PREACHER AMONG HIS BOOKS. S to the reading of books, its object is fivefold. I. First to gather information as to facts and truths ; to store the memory with valuable material. That word "infor- mation" is etymologically suggestive. In- form-ation implies something taking form in the mind, symmetrically arranged, crys- tallized, not hastily, superficially, and cha- otically accumulated, but built up into form and proportion. It implies classification, orderly arrangement. 2. The second object of reading is intel- lectual quickening, the projection of lines of thought upon which the mind may move, like a locomotive on its tracks of steel. This suggests thought awakening thought, mind coming into contact with mind, the flash of intelligence, sparks created by friend- ly collision as between the flint and steel. 7 o THE DIVIXE ART OE PREACHING. 3. The third effect of reading good books is the refining of the sensibilities. One is brought into contact with the heart of the author in his works, and whatever is refined and cultivated and ennobHng in him com- municates itself to us. There is a heart quickening as well as a head quickening in all true reading. 4. Again, books of a high character chasten style. They show us how the best mgn think and express their thoughts ; they enlarge our vocabulary, teach us the dis- crimination between different words, and how different words may be effectively put together in sentences, and so they enlarge the whole scope and compass of our use of knowledge. 5. Yet once more, good books impart moral tone. As a stream leaves its residuum upon its bed, the green of sulphur, the red of iron, the glitter of gold on the very peb- bles that lie in its channel ; so good books leave their residuum in the mind ; and this is perhaps the main benefit of wholesome read- ing, that it leaves in the whole character a deposit as it passes through. The book may not be remembered, but the effect of it is permanent. THE PREACHER AMONG HIS BOOKS. 9 Some rules for reading may here be added. I First never lose a valuable fact or a good thought. Make a note of it, preserve it, and put it into shape for future use. You will not only thus retain it, but you will make it serviceable. -. Never read a vile, coarse, or worthless book. Time is too short, character is too priceless; and you are, moreover, in so doing, encouraging a low type of literature, and so helping to make a market for poor wares; and you are so far responsible, for you help to create the demand of which worthless lit- erature is the supply. 3 Never pass by a reference to an histor- ical or scientific fact, or anything else worth kno wing-never pass even a word that you do not understand-until it is understood. No one can tell how much added intelligence wi 1 come in the process of reading a single book of worth by mastering its contents as you go If you do not care to stop in the proc- ess of reading, make a note of what you do not understand and search out the meaning of words and the reference to facts after- ward. 4. Mark and indicate in the books you lo THE DIl'IXF ART OF PREACHING. read the matter contained in them. It has been my habit to indicate on the margin of a book by single, double, or triple lines, drawn with a pencil, and again by a line un- derscoring words and sentences, whatever in these books I desire to have at my fingers' ends for ready reference and future use; and then, on the fly leaves of such books, to make a brief index, under subjects, of such por- tions of the contents as are specially valu- able. These may seldom be referred to afterward, but the very fact that one has made these discriminating marks will tend to impress valuable contents upon the memory, 5. Read a good book with such mastery of its general contents as that you are not likely ordinarily to need a second reading. Read with reference to a practical command of the contents, and not in a slovenly fashion as though you expected to give future ex- amination. 6. Read some books at least that tax all your powers. It may be well to read now and then books that do not by their con- tents particularly attract, and are what we call "dry reading," for the sake of learn- ing concentration of mental powers, of THE PREACHER AMONG HIS BOOKS, n acquiring the voluntary exercise of atten- tion aside from attractive features that draw out our mental powers by fascination. There is some reading, which, like medicine, may not be agreeable, but may be as neces- sary and useful. 7. Let reading be varied. Variety of mental occupation is restful to the mind itself. After reading a philosophical work the mind will without fatigue turn to romance, poetry, history, or biography. We rest in such a variety of mental occupation, and not in absolute repose of mind ; and the very variety will help us to come back with the more avidity to a book that we have laid down. 8. Ordinarily do not buy a book that you may as well borrow, and which you do not need as a permanent possession. There is vanity in accumulating a large library, but it is often a snare. There are comparatively few books that you will ever examine after you have once carefully read them. Those few you want to keep, and keep at hand. Encyclopedias, for instance, are permanent accessions to a library, always in use, but even a worthy book of faction may be once read and laid aside. 12 THE DIVINE ART OF PKEACIIING. 9. Seek first-class books not only in point of authorship but in point of accuracy, full- ness of information, and complete classifica- tion, so that you may save all the time pos- sible, and avoid all the error possible, when you consult their contents. To these suggestions about reading, we may add some hints as to the composing of sermons. CHAPTER III. THE PREACHER WITH HIS THEMES. IRST, accumulate material before composition is undertaken. No builder would think of quarrying the stones during the process of building, putting one stone into shape in the edifice and then going away to cut another in the quarry. He gets the stone ready at hand on the building site before he begins to build, or he is at least certain to make provision that it shall be on hand in ample time for its erection into the struc- ture. The larger your accumulation and more perfect your classification of material before you begin to write, the more rapid will be your composition when you start. Secondly, have your material in an available form. There is much unused ma- terial that you accumulate in the course of a life of thought. It may have its use after- ward. Do not discard it because it has no 14 THE DIVINE ART OF PREACHING. present utility; store it by, as bees store honey for future needs. Boxes, labeled with the letters of the alphabet, an ordinary index rcrion, or some other form of receptacle, in which the matter that is at present waiting for service may be so classified and arranged as to be at hand, when wanted, is a deside- ratum of every preacher. Thirdly, avoid too complicated a sys- tem. The best method becomes imprac- ticable when it is too large and cumbersome for us to Avork. It may be so complete and so minute as absolutely to be useless. Espe- cially should your sermon memoranda, upon which you are to draw frequently, be in a form readily resorted to and convenient to control. Fourthly, there is a principle of "uncon- scious" cerebration, as Carpenter has shown ; a process which corresponds to the incubation of an egg, the gradual and unconscious forma- tion of an idea in the mind. You have a thought to-day ; you make a record of it ; you draw it out somewhat in a memorandum and lay it aside. A month hence you take up your memoranda, and you find that the thought has unconsciously matured. You have been incubating your own conception, THE PREACHER WITH HIS THEMES. 15 and it is growing toward completeness though you have been unconscious of any mental process concerning it. Fifthly, it is well to write out fully for the sake of style, even though you may not use what you write in the pulpit. It will help even extemporaneous address, to habituate yourselves to the careful use of the pen in the formation of sentences, in the accurate choice of words, in the study of the position and relation of particles, in the training of your mind and pen in accurate and graceful forms of speech. All these things tell on the speaker, even though he may make no direct pen preparation for the particular address that he delivers. Sixthly, it is well to write for the press and to publish at times; but it is never well to hurry into print. Write for all the future time, and write what you are willing to have abide for all the future time. Give the best products of your mind and of your pen to the printing press, and give nothing else. Seventhly, as has been hinted already, every form of neatness and accuracy in the work done, even in penmanship, will help to a similarly neat and accurate method of thinking. These two go together; slovenli- 1 6 THE DIVINE ART OF PREACHING. ness of the hand is the companion of slovenli- ness of the brain. Eightly, continuous writing when you write, and continuous thinking when you think, are favorable to that particular ardor and fervor, that mental excitement and in- spiration that we call by the name of glow. You cannot bring the brain to the white heat except, as you bring the iron to the white heat, by the continuous action of the fire and the blast through the furnace. Avoid, therefore, unnecessary interruptions in the midst of your work, and seek continu- ousness of thought and utterance. Ninthly, Ave are not to despise any intel- lectual faculty or power which God has given us. It constitutes one of the tools in our chest of tools which we should sharpen dili- gently, and prepare ourselves to use effect- ively. Solomon says in Eccl. x. lO: "If the iron be blunt and one do not whet the edge then must he put to the more strength." And the old proverb reads, that "a whet is no let." The time is not lost that the mower spends in sharpening his scythe or the reaper his sickle. A man with less natural faculty — that is, with less strength of arm — may accomplish more, with his faculties THE PREACHER WITH HIS THEMES, i? sharpened and acumenated, than a man of larger natural gifts or strength, with duller weapons. Therefore let us make the most of the powers that God has given us. Just here we may make a few suggestions with regard to the aid whicli may be secured from the memory. CHAPTER IV. THE PREACHER TRAINING HIS MEMORY. E must learn to use that marvelous power, which enables us to recall and reproduce past experiences. First, the highest simplicity and greatest naturalness of arrangement will help us to retain what it is desired to retain. In pro- portion as things arc artificial and unnatural in arrangement will memory find it difificult, if not impossible, to remember. Nothing, for example, is more difficult to retain and reproduce than an artificial arrangement of numbers or of names; but the moment that a principle of classification is adopted by which one thing suggests, or leads on to, another, we find that the weakest memory can be trained to retention and readiness. Avoid, therefore, all artificiality. Secondly, call to your aid the pictorial faculty if you would help the memory. Make your arrangement of thought as i8 PREACHER TRAINING HIS MEMORY. 19 nearly visible as possible. For instance, Amos says: "Can two walk together except they be agreed," Picture to yourself two persons walking together over one path. They must of course have a common start- ing-point ; they must have a common course and a common goal. By fixing this image in your mind, a path, with a terminus a quo, and a terminus ad qtiem, you can readily remember the essential points of your dis- course. If we would agree with God in our walk with Him, we must have a common point at which to start, a common path to walk in, a common goal at which to aim. The simple object lesson of the "three crosses," is another illustration of the help of pictures in aiding the memory. Three crosses are drawn, or, if you please, imag- ined. Over one is the inscription: "In, not on." Over the middle cross: "On, not in." Over the other cross: "In and on." This means that sin was not in Christ, but laid upon Him as a sin offering; that it was in the penitent thief, but not laid on him as a penalty. With regard to the impenitent thief, it was both in him, as guilt, and on him, as penalty. Pictorial methods are not 20 THE DIVIXE ART OF PREACHING. to be despised, if they help a weak memory in retaining and reproducing. Thirdly, train yourselves to accurate analysis. Labor on the great departments of a sermon, and even the subordinate parts, until as far as may be you have perfected your analysis. The very effort to reach such perfection will make it difficult to forget what you have thus elaborated, and the nat- uralness and completeness of the analysis will itself help the memory in its retention. Fourthly, you may sometimes avail your- selves of alliteration and parallelism and other rhetorical devices. For instance a modern author says the gospel "proscribes asceticism and prescribes ajstheticism." The very form of the sentence not only gives the idea a very complete expression, but it makes it difficult to forget either the thought or its form. "Indolence and igno- rance are the handmaids of vice, as industry and intelligence arc the handmaids of vir- tue." Here a law of parallelism runs through the entire proverb. Fix the prov- erb once in memory and you have not only a valuable thought, but you have the heads of a valuable discourse. It has been said that the four rules of Christian living are, PREACHER TRAINING HIS MEMORY. 2t "admit, submit, commit, transmit." Admit — open the doors to the Truth. Submit — bow to the will of God. Commit— trust yourself to Christ. Transmit — convey truth and life to other souls. How easily such an analysis is borne in mind. Fifthly, sometimes an acrostic arrange- ment will help the memory. It is not nec- essary to tell your audience that you resort to an acrostic structure, but, if your memory is weak, this may assist you. ^or instance a man desired to make an address to young people on seven secrets of success. He associated them with the initial letters of the word "Forward" — Faith, Obedience, Resolution, Work, Associations, Relaxa- tions, Devoutness. This made it impossible for him to forget his train of thought, and greatly assisted his memory in reproducing. Sixthly, it is well sometimes to make a general framework for discourses of a more general character, leaving room for variety in filling in. A discourse which, like a popular lecture, is likely to be used many times, may retain on many different occa- sions its general uniformity of structure, while the speaker employs variety in the details. There is in Philadelphia, in one of 2 2 THE DIVIXE ART OF rREACHIXG. the largest of our shops, a model cottage, built into the structure and fully furnished and garnished as a specimen or model for those who desire to prepare attractive and agreeable homes. The framework of the cottage has been the same for many years, but the furniture and the garniture are con- tinually undergoing change. Now, let the structure of the cottage represent the gen- eral framework of such a discourse as I have supposed, and the furnishing and the garnish- ing represent the filling in of the minutiae. At the beginning of my own ministerial life, foreseeing that demands would be fre- quently made upon me for public lectures and addresses, on general occasions, I framed several discourses on popular and useful themes, and have been accustomed to use them from time to time, making such changes in the elaboration of the various de- partments and illustrations of thought as x\\y own mental growth and increasing intel- ligence or the surrounding circumstances might allow; and I found these to be ex- ceedingly useful to me, being oftentimes called upon with very little or no notice. These have lain in the mind and memory as the general foundation for addresses for PREACHER TRAINING HIS MEMORY. 23 which no special preparation could be made. Seventhly, it is useful immediately before preaching to draw out what may be called a last analysis, casting aside previous prepara- tions and notes already put down on paper; and, just as one is about to enter the pulpit, gathering the last impressions of the subject as it lies in the mind, with the latest light that has come to us by the Spirit and through the Word. This will oftentimes be found to be a most valuable preparation for the duty immediately before you. It will freshen and quicken the memory, and at the same time enable you to cast into form the last suggestions which the Truth has made upon your own mind and heart. CHAPTER V. THE TWIN-LAWS OF THE SERMON. ERTAIN principles, which pertain to preaching, present themselves in fti 'ri-g^^'ia i (Joubles, like the parallel parts of a proverb, or like the apposite members on the right and left sides of the human body which correspond to each other. I. For example, there is what we may call the germinal and terminal law. By the germinal law of the sermon we mean that it must get its theme, and the essentials of its treatment, from the teach- ings of the Word and of the Spirit. Then there is preparation for preaching with the power of God. The correspondent to this germinal law is a terminal law, /. e., there is a certain end, or terminus, to be kept in view. A sermon is, as we have seen, a speech having a defi- nite aim, or result, in the convictions, affec- tions, resolutions of the hearer. The ger- 24 THE TWIN- LA WS OF THE SERMON. 25 minal law gives the starting-point ; the ter- minal gives the goal of sacred discourse. There must be a terminus ad qiiein as well as a terminus a quo. In pulpit oratory are three elements, either of which may control : the text, the subject or theme, and the object or end aimed at. If the text rule, the result is an exposition or exegesis; if the subject, an essay or discourse; if the object to be at- tained be steadily kept in view, and control the disposition of the parts and the expres- sion and delivery, we get properly a sermon. If then the first thing fixed, in framing the normal sermon, is the end or result to be reached, then we are ready to choose the best subject to reach the object, and the best text to develop the subject. Other methods may reach some success, but not the highest. If one starts with a subject which he proposes to treat, he risks accom- modating the text to the theme rather than the theme to the text. In such cases the germ of the sermon is found often in the preacher's brain rather than in the mind of God, and the use of Scripture is sometimes so foreign to its original purport and pur- pose that it becomes a caricature. Others 20 THE DIVINE ART OF PREACHING. start with a text which seems attractive or effective, and elaborate it into an exposi- tion; but if, in the course of its treatment, }io other oid is kept in \iew, there is risk of merely displaying such ingenuity and orig- inality in interpretation, as, though it may interest and perhaps instruct the hearer, fails to grapple with his conscience and will, as in the most energetic and effective oratory. The preachers who wield most spiritual power, although their methods may be de- fective and even crude, are always seeking after souls; they may set all homiletical and even grammatical laws at defiance, but, whether consciously or unconsciously, there is a definite purpose, evolved, perhaps, in the process of making or preaching the ser- mon, which purpose reacts upon the product. Many a discourse which began in the viola- tion of this fundamental law of the sermon, has been remodeled while it was wrought. He who started with a topic or a text ends with an all-engrossing object — the saving or sanctifying of souls, the only object that can produce the ideal sermon. If we are to have a new era of power in preaching, we must have a more definite result, toward which all else moves. An THE r IV IN-LAWS OF THE SERMON. 27 essay may be ingenious, and an exposition original, and yet lack oratorical power; as Whately said, the man "aims at nothing, and hits it." Above all others the preacher needs the power of an engrossing purpose. Then Betterton's remark to the Lord Bishop of London will no longer have point ; that while "actors speak of things imaginary as though real, preachers speak of things real as though imaginary." * This germinal and terminal law we believe to be fundamental to preaching-power; could it become a governing law, it would revolutionize modern preaching. 2. Another of these twin laws is that of impression and expression. An influence must first be exerted by the truth on the mind of the preacher himself, and then through his mind on that of the hearer. This double process reminds us of the affluent and effluent action of the ner- vous system. "Expression is the result of impression," and the power of the former will correspond to the depth and breadth of the latter, as in the tree the expanse of * Betterton's original epigram was: You in the pulpit tell a story ; We, on the stage, show facts. 28 THE DIVINE ART OF PREACHING. branches above ground corresponds to the expanse of roots below. Impression there- fore represents the truth at work on the speaker, and expression will represent that impression as conveyed to others through the channels of utterance. We have little need to fear as to the ex- pression if we have been careful about the impression. Let the conception of truth in ourselves then be clear and well defined, and its effect on us deep and ineradicable, force- ful and powerful. The longer the exposure to the influence of the truth, the deeper and more permanent the image formed on the mind. By what Mr. Lockyer calls a mag- nificent arrangement, images made on the back of the eye are never deepened and extended beyond a certain limit. However long we gaze, the first fade to give place for those that follow. It is exactly opposite with the sensitive plate; the longer the exposure, the intenser the image, and the minuter the details. Distant stars are there- fore depicted on the long exposed plate which never could be seen by naked eye. The mind is such a sensitive plate, and the power of impression depends on the length of the exposure. Every student needs to THE TWIN-LAWS OF THE SEKMOiY. 29 cultivate the power of concentrating his mind on themes, of going after and recover- ing lost and incomplete trains of thought, and of holding and burying truth in mind until it takes deep root. 3. There is a corresponding law of inten- sity and extensity. These terms are used with reference to the effects to be sought for on the hearer. Extensity may express the touching of the whole man, spreading the truth over a wide surface, bringing it into contact with conviction, emotion, con- science, will ; and intensity may remind us that we should not sacrifice depth of impres- sion, but strike to the very vitals, not satis- fied to make a superficial impression, but aiming to grapple with the deepest man. We must make others feel that we are pro- foundly in earnest. "Father Vassar," in Boston, approached on one occasion a worldly woman whom he had never met before, and engaged her in conversation about -her soul. When her husband re- joined her and she told him the circum- stances, he said, "If I had been there I would have told him to go about his own busi- ness." But she replied: "Husband, if you had been there, you would have thought he 3° THE DIVIiVE ART OF PREACHING. was about his own business." F. W". Rob- ertson has said that there are four great forms of power: prescriptive authority, phys- ical force, reason, and truth. May we not add, that of them all, reason and truth are far the mightiest. 4. There is also the law of inclusion and exclusion. Sermon delivery should include the whole man ; conviction must insure positive faith in his message, for hesita- tion in him will beget it in others; there must be emotion to help in persuasion ; con- science, to give intrepidity and force, as it gave to Chrj'sostom before Eudoxia, Knox before Queen Mary, and Luther before the Diet of Worms, and Ambrose before Theo- dosius. By exclusion, we mean that all unworthy motives should be shut out, all unfair dealing with the Truth or the hearer, all conscious sophistry or fallacy in argu- ment; and that all personal hindrances to the work of the Holy Spirit should be sedu- lously avoided. One word may be added about the place of humor in public discourse. Especially do I fear that this element of humor is much abused. It is contended that man is a harp of a thousand strings and all may be Icgiti- THE TWIh'-LAWS OF THE SERMON. 3 1 mately played on; but while all the notes are necessary to a complete instrument, all combinations of notes are not helpful to harmony. Melody and harmony must obey the law of the chord. There is a manifest difference between irony and satire — the more dignified forms of humor — and ridicule and jest, which often verge upon trifling and frivolity. A laugh when a man at Niagara Falls was going over into the chasm, would be manifestly akin to a crime. Humor which is genuine and spontaneous is like a flow of the waters from a spring, but an arti- ficial and mechanical humor is very like the spasmodic action of an old, dry pump. There are proprieties which ought to govern all occasions. Varley preached to five thou- sand souls in May, 1890, in the vast crater of Mount Eden, which has a capacity for holding two hundred and fifty thousand. We are actually preaching to souls in the very crater of perdition, and such preaching is a very solemn business which largely limits the play of the humorous faculties. Waldenstrom, the famous Swede, of whom Mr. Moody says that he is probably the greatest winner of souls of this century, sent for Mr. Moody while he was in the city of 3 2 THE DIVIXE ART OF PRE A CHI KG. Chicago, and begged him not to allow speakers to create uproarious merriment in his religious mcetin";s, for, the wise man added, that he always noticed that those times when a congregation is stirred to laughter, are the moments that the devil takes to catch away the seed of Truth sown in their hearts. I would especially warn the students of the Pastor's College against in- ferring that, because Mr. Spurgeon made such use of humor, they also can employ it with equal effectiveness. In this, as in other respects, Mr. Spurgeon showed marked gen- ius; he knew how to use humor skillfully. I question very much whether even he did not regard his use of humor in his earlier minis- try as somewhat illegitimate, for he certainly sobered very much in his manner of preach- ing toward the latter part of his life. 5. There is the law of flow and glow, or fluency and fervency. Fullness of matter and amplitude of preparation must be secured, in order to freedom of utterance; and besides this, we need ardor and fervor and passion in delivery. The flow de- pends on the ample accumulation of ma- terial. Always let a man get more than he can use. then he can elect and select. There THE TIVIN-LA WS OF THE SERMON. H is great power in reserve. It is well for a speaker to have more material behind than he brings to the front. Meditation on Scripture and comparison of Scripture with Scripture will serve to make preparation so ample that there will be no failure of thought or speech when the utterance be- comes necessary. As to the glow, it will depend on experimental application of the truth. Truth must first lay hold of you and be matured in your own soul. There is needed a practical rumination, till that \vhich you have cropped in the external pasturage becomes milk in the udder, full and warm. Then it is not grass but milk that you are giving to your hearer. 6. There is a sixth law, that of the funda- mental and the- ornamental. To this we may apply the architectural maxim: "Never construct ornament, but ornament construc- tion." The basis of discourse claims, first of all, our attention. The general foundations must be broad and firm, scriptural and spir- itual. The structure must be according- to the pattern shewed us in the mount. The ornamental features are subordinate and com- paratively of little consequence, and they are mostly of value when they are unconsciously 34 THE DIVINE ART OE PREACHING. developed in the process of building the ser- mon. To make a sermon for the sake of working in an anecdote or figure of speech, or a line simile, or a verse of a poem, or a quaint conception, is beginning at the wrong end. It is like finding some stray Corin- thian column, and erecting a structure for the sake of building in that column. We should begin the other way. Get the doc- trinal basis ; get a practical purpose, and then let everything else pertaining to the rhetor- ical be subordinate. There are yet other double laws which may be simply mentioned, such as the law of argument and experiment, or logic and love; the doctrinal and the practical ; exposition and apposition, or finding the truth in the Word and fitting it to the needs of the hearer; the perpetual and the occasional, or the great staple of discourse and the inci- dental occurrences which may justify special sermons; the analytic and the synthetic, etc. But the object in view is served, if these brief hints have called attention to those principles of sermonic structure which affect the sermon as an artistic product — perhaps it may be added — when the ideal is reached, the highest product of which the mind is capable. CHAPTER VI. TYPES OF SERMON-STRUCTURE. ERMONS may be comprehensively divided into textual, topical, and typical. Textual preaching. — First, the textual, so called because directly derived from, and closely associated with the text of the sacred Word. Whatever may be said of other forms of sermons, this presents the undoubted ideal. As Kepler said, in astro- nomic studies, "I am thinking God's thoughts after God," so may the true preacher say ; for his object is to get at the Divine mind in the Divine Word, compre- hend and appreciate it, and then embody and express it. This conception of a ser- mon will first give inspiration to the work as essentially a Divine work ; secondly, author- ity to the utterance as essentially a Divine utterance; thirdly, originality, and that of the highest sort, being the originality, not of 3^ THE DIVIXE ART OE PREACH I XG. invention, but of discovery, that is, an un- folding of the mind of God as discovered by the study of the sacred Scriptures; and fourthly, power, as the channel of the Spirit, and therefore communicating an influence which is essentially Divine. It was the be- loved Arnot who said that he had discovered that what actually brings souls to Christ is not our words in the sermon, but some word of God that is in the midst of our words. A noted pastor has testified that in a long pas- torate he had never known a soul to be brought to Christ except through some tes- timony of the Holy Scriptures. What then is the use of human words? To quote Arnot again, they are "the feathers which carry the divine arrow straight to its mark." Laivs of Textual Preaching. — The first law is, acquaint yourself with the text, its letter, its meaning, its spirit. We must remember that the italicised words are supplied by translators, and there are many cases in which their utility is doubtful. It is only the uneducated that take them to represent the emphatic words, as in the case of the ignorant exhorter who road, "And he said unto his sons, ' saddle me the ass,' and they saddled hivt." John iii. 34 maybe cited as TYPES OF SERMON-STRUCTURE. 37 a possible example of the italicised words giving a new and, it may be, untrue mean- ing. The intention may have been to say that God does not dole out the Spirit by measure, that is, in limited supplies, and the words "unto him" may wrongly limit the application to Christ Jesus. All divisions of chapters and verses, and even punctuation marks, are human devices. In Luke xiii. 24, 25 the substitution of a comma for a period gives an entirely differ- ent sense. "Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many I say unto you shall seek to enter in and shall not be able, when once the master of the house had risen up and hath shut to the door." We must note changes of meaning in English words; for example, the word "con- versation," which means course of life, or conduct, and in one case, citizenship. Com- pare Hebrews xiii. 5, Philippians iii. 20. Our English Bible is only a translation, more or less complete as the case may be. The true preacher of the Word should get at the original if possible, and study such commentators as bring him into closest con- tact with the original, like Bengel and Al- ford, etc. 38 THE DIVINE ART OE PREACHING. We should find out the central and emphatic words wliich are the pivots or hinges of the meaning. This can be ascer- tained only by a very careful and even criti- cal examination. We must study the grammatical and rhetorical structure, which are an immense help to exegesis. For instance, where im- peratives and participles are found together, the imperative usually represents the stress of the paragraph, and the participles^ sub- ordinate clauses. Compare I Peter i. i^, 15. The emphatic word is "hope." In the original there are three participles, "girding up," "being sober" "not fashioning your- selves," which represent the ways of culti- vating hope. Compare Jude, twentieth and twenty-first verses. The emphatic word is "keep." The subordinate participles are "building, praying, looking," which are means of keeping. Wherever we detect parallel structure it will assist us in exposition. The parallelism demands corresponding members, and hence the correspondence must be sought for. In Matthew vii. 6: "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs," etc., the first and last clauses correspond as do the two middle TYPES OF SERMOJSr-STRUCTtJRE. 39 clauses. It is the dogs that turn again and rend you, and the swine that trample pearls under their feet. Compare I Tim. iii. i6, where there are three pairs of clauses : " God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit ; Seen of angels, preached unto the Gen- tiles; Believed on in the world, received up into glory." In the last commission as given in the twenty-eighth chapter of Matthew, the gram- matical structure shows us that the stress of the command lies on "Go, disciple." The subordinate duties are, "baptizing" and "teaching." The parallel structure also shows us that the declaration : "All power is given unto Me," which begins the commis- sion, and the promise, "Lo, I am with you alway," which ends the commission, are the encouragements to the command which con- stitutes the body of the commission. Be- cause all power is Christ's, and He will always be with us, tJicrefore we are to go forward and carry the gospel to all parts of the earth. Acquaintance with the text demands that we study the context. For example: In which Testament is a text found? Again, in 40 THE Dl I -JXE A A' T OF PRE A CUING. what particular book? Who is the author? Where was the book written? When? For what purpose, and to whom? Again, wliat is the exact point in the argument, and what is the rekition of the context to tlie argu- ment as a whole. A faithful expositor never overlooks any of these minor details, for all this will guide in exposition. 2. A second law of textual preaching, is, seek a textual division for a textual dis- course; one that is natural and not artificial; one that is exhaustive and complete; one that is climacteric, advancing from weaker to stronger, from lower to higher points and considerations. We add a few examples of textual out- lines. Gen. xlii. 21 : "We are verilj' guilty concerning our biother," etc. Here we have the three elements which enter into man's natural retribution •. first, meuiory, "We saw the anguish of his soul," twenty years before. Secondly, conscience, "We are verily guilty concerning our brother." Thirdly, reason, "Therefore is this distress come upon us." Acts i. 25: "Judas by transgression fell that he might go to his own place." I. Here is sin, represented as a fall. First, faster and T YPES OF SERMONS TR UC TURK. 4 1 farther; secondly, no self-recovery possible, as in a falling body; thirdly, ultnnately fatal; and yet fourthly, responsible because caused by transgression. II. Every sou goes to his own place. First, every soul has his own place; secondly, makes his own place ; thirdly, f^nds his own place ; fourthly, feels that it is his own place when he gets there. (Dr. Alex. Dickson.) 2 Tim. i. 12. The four principal words of this text suggest the four degrees of faith : belief, persuasion, commitment, and knowl- edge or certainty. John xii. 24. "Except a corn of wheat tali into the ground and die." First, what is it to abide alone? A life kept for selfish ends. Secondly, what is it to die? A life volun- tarily lost or sacrificed for God and men. Thirdly, what is it to yield fruit? A life regained and reproduced, in fruit, in service. In our Load's Intercessory prayer in John xvii. the four thoughts are, "separated," "sanctified," "unified," and "glorified," and these four are in their natural and normal order. Acts xiii. 36, "David served his own gen- eration by the will of God." Here we have first, the true object of life, service. Sec- 42 THE D/r/,VE ART OF PREACUhXG. ondly, the sphere of hfe, our own generation. Thirdly, the secret of Hfe, the will of God. A true Bible reading is a textual discourse, only it is founded upon comparison with Scripture and the accumulation of Scripture testimony. Take, for instance, "Christ also suffered for us." There are eight passages of Scripture that throw light upon this statement: I Pet. iii. i8, "To bring us unto God." I Pet. ii. 24, Our "death unto sin and unto life." 2 Cor. 5. 21, "That we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Gal. iii. 13, 14, "That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." I Pet. ii. 21, That he might " leave us an example." Titus ii. 14, "That he might redeem us from all iniquity." Gal. i. 4. "That he might deliver us from this evil world." I Thess. v. 10, "That we might live together with him." Here it will be seen that we have eight intents and re- sults of Christ's vicarious death; a new access, a new death and life, a new spirit, a new example, a new redemption, a new deliverance, a new fellowship. Topical preaching. — This is, of course, preaching from a topic, a scriptural theme, in which the testimony of the Word is col. TYPES OF SEKMON-STKUCTURE. 43 lated, compared, and arranged with reference to completeness and climax. There are certain advantages in topical preaching: First, the aggregation of scriptural testi- mony on any one subject. Single texts gen- erally present only a phase, others are need- ful for a complete and well rounded view, and one text may mislead if it be not off-set and interpreted by others. Secondly, there is increased range and scope of view. The horizon commanded by a single text is comparatively narrow, but the consideration of a topic may often lead us to a point from which we command a vaster horizon. Thirdly, in the application of the truth, the object to be accomplished by the preacher may not always be covered by a single text ; and it may be needful beside, to defend, discriminate, limit, and guard from misconception by arraying and arranging the testimony of several texts. Fourthly, as to conclusiveness of argu- ment, single texts, like single threads in a cable, may not always bear the strain or tension of argument, but combined they are like those threads brought together in one 44 THE DIVINE ART OF PREACHING. strand. That is to say, that where a single text may not be conclusive, the drift or common tendency of different texts com- bined may lead to an unquestioned and unmistakable result. There arc many manifest disadvantages and risks in topical preaching: P'irst, the risk of approaching the Word with a bias, a preconception of what we wish to find, a prepossession that, if it does not blind, at least blurs the judgment. There is danger of warping of Scripture to fit the crook of our dogma. Aristotle was deductive; Bacon inductive. Deductive method starts with an hypothesis. The Baconian starts with facts and makes an induction from facts. Hence, we can under- stand how the Papacy should be perversely Aristotelian, starting jvith an hypothesis and adapting and adjusting the testimony of Scripture to the hypothesis. Protestantism is inductive; it aims to compare Scripture with Scripture, and so infer what is Scrip- ture teaching. Secondly, there is risk of artificial and superficial arrangement and treatment of texts, and the disregard of the usus loqiicndi of Scripture. Some exegesis has TYPES OF SERMON-STRUCTURE. 45 been called "grasshopper exegesis," and even "kangaroo exegesis," because of the monstrous leaps that it takes, disregarding all intermediate and independent testimony, to lay hold of similar words or apparently similar lines of thought. Thirdly, the risk of merging the discourse into an essay, a treatise, or a theological dis- cussion, and so losing sight of that oratorical feature which we have seen to be the high- est mark of a true sermon. Fourthly, the risk of dogmatic controver- sialism, more anxiety to define and defend a theological position or creed than to learn the witness of the Word of God, and so sinking the preacher into the theologian. There are certain rules that ought to be regarded in topical preaching: First, find your topic in the Word of God. Let the topic itself be a Scriptural one. Secondly, give your topic a biblical rather than a moral, theological, or philosophical form and expression, and if you adopt a biblical terminology be sure that your terms have a scriptural meaning. We question, for instance, whether the words, "effectual calling" as used in theology have any such meaning in Holy Scripture. 4^ THE DIVINE ART OF PREACHING. Thirdly, aim at a scriptural division of your topic. That is, let your different divi- sions be suggested by different but related texts. Thus, your topical sermon will in a sense be a textual sermon. Fourthly, aim at a complete presentation, if not exhaustive, at least exhaustive for the purpose which you have in view. Fifthly, hence carefully define and limit your topic and treatment before you begin. For example, if you are treating faith as a topic, take some of the aspects or relations of faith ; for instance, faith in connection with prayer, faith as related to justification, sanctification, and good works, or service. Sixthly, never dodge a difficulty. It is where a difficulty is to be confronted that your discussion is needed. A traveler needs no guide in the Alps so long as his path is perfectly plain and safe, but it is where he comes to crevasses, and glaciers, and chasms, and dangerous places, that the guide is nec- essary. Remember that for every difificulty there is a Biblical solution ; and, instead of evading a difficulty, search out the proper remedy for, and resolution of, the difficulty. Seventhly, have firm faith in the Word and in the Si)irit of God. Conceive your- TYPES OF SERMON-STRUCTUKE. 47 selves not as the defenders of weakness, but rather as the discoverers of the refuges and defenses which are to be found for your- selves and others in the Word of God. Eighthly, aim at climax. Never put your strongest argument or position first and fore- most, but carefully arrange to conduct your hearer up to the highest and most convinc- ing summits of truth. Ninthly, reserve your strength for the less obvious and the more important things. Assume all that needs no argument, prove only what needs proof ; and what is obvious and axiomatic do not seek to prove, but only to illustrate, enforce, and apply. Tenthly, Bible readings are probably the best form for topical treatment, as already suggested. Eleventhly, the whole of a Gospel or Epistle may be very successfully treated under the head of the topic of that Epistle or Gospel, finding the key word and key thought which furnish the solution to the enigma, the clew to the maze, the key to the lock. Twelfthly, a series of topics will aid and compel the treatment of practical things. If there be a subject that you conceive to be 48 7 HE DI J ^INE A R T OF PRE A CUING. desirable to treat and yet which you cannot treat in its solitariness without invidiousness, and misrepresentation of your motives, it may be sometimes successfully treated and inevitably treated in the course of a series; as for instance the seventh commandment, which cannot be well evaded if you are preaching a series on the Decalogue. Topical discourses really comprehend various sorts of sermons, such as the histor- ical and biographical; the doctrinal; the ethical, moral, and practical; the occasional — such as are suggested by current events, Providential judgments and interpositions; and the spiritual, having to do with the secrets of the highest spiritual life. We give a few examples of topics : What is it to become a disciple of Christ? There are six great steps or stages in dis- cipleship, any one of which may be more or less distinct or definite, but all of which exist in the case of every true or normal disciple. First, conviction of truth. Second, contri- tion for sin. Third, confession of sin to God and to man so far as man has been wronged thereby. Fourth, conversion from sin and unto God. Fifth, confession of Christ, and sixth, consecration to service, TYPES OF SERMON-STRVCTURE. 49 involving separation from the world and sin, unto holiness and service. An interesting topical study might be found in the doctrine of angels and the doc- trine of demons, as presented in the Scrip- ture, comparing such passages as Eph. iii. 10, vi. 12, and Col. i. i6. It will be found that there are apparently seven grades of angels in the hierarchy, both of unfallcn and fallen angels. Again, justification by faith. There are four instances in which the same sentence occurs in the Bible — "The just shall live by faith" : Hab. ii. 4, where the question is answered, "Whom does God justify?"; Rom. i. 17, where the emphasis is on "just"; Gal. iii. 11,12, where the emphasis is on "faith"; Heb. x. 38, where the em- phasis is on "live," that is, be kept alive. Again, the law of God. First, it is inex- orable, it allows no violation even in the minutest particular. Second, it is inevi- table; its demands and sanctions must be supported. Third, it is irretrievable; no transgressions can ever be atoned for by the transgressor. Fourth, it is impeccable, demanding absolute purity of motives and perfect obedience. so THE DIVINE ART OF PREACIIIXG. Again, i. By the law comes the knowledge of sin. 2. It condemns; it cannot justif}^, but rather increases condemnation. 3. It avenges, it works wrath, and justifies God. 4. It conducts (Gal. iii 24), "leads us to Christ." Another example of topical treatment may be found in the subject of rewards : I. How they consist with a system of grace. 2. What are the Divine principles of administration. 3. What is the time of their bestowment. Other most interesting topics ma)' be found in Doing the will of God ; Service as related to the Christian life; The seven sentences of Christ on the cross; The Holy Spirit's work in the believer: i. Sal- vation, convincing of truth, regenerating the heart, leading to confession. 2. Sanctifica- tion, including illumination, mortification, vivification. 3. Service, involving the intel- lect, the heart, the tongue, and the handiwork. Typical Preaching. — By this we mean to include sermons in which a form of precept or promise, an historic event, or character, etc., is treated as a type of moral or spiritual truth, whether with or without an explicit '■•arrant from the Scripture itself. TYPES OF SERMON-STRUCTURE. 51 We are not disposed to deny advantages of this method of preaching, such as: i. Va- riety in presentation of truth ; 2. The ele- ment of surprise or novelty, awakening the attention of the hearer; 3. The play afforded for imagination and illustration ; 4. The effect in training to elaborate, care- ful, and discriminating thinking; 5. Making permanent impression upon the memory by associating truth with a picture ; 6. Stimulat- ing to a searching study of the Bible, by find- ing hidden meanings. 7. A good illustration sometimes has the force of an argument. Compare John iii. 19--2T. "The evil doer hates the light," etc. As Dr. O. W. Holmes said, "The mind of a bigot is like the pupil of the eye : the more light you pour upon it, the more it contracts." Compare Lev. xiii. 1-13, the law con- cerning leprosy, with Francis Bacon's remarks, that, when the leper was entirely unclean, he was allowed to go free, but when there was but a spot of leprosy he was shut up or shut out as unclean ; which Bacon says illustrates the principle of morals, that the most flagrant and open sinners do not so much harm as those that under an appear- ance of morality hide an immoral heart. 52 THE DIVINE ART OF PREACHING. There arc also disadvantages and dangers in typical preaching: 1. There is danger of a fanciful style of pulpit discourse. 2. There is risk of giving undue promi- nence to the poetic, or imaginative element, degenerating into superficial and unpractical forms of discourse. 3. Risk of ingenuity displacing ingenuous- ness, elaborating of fancy rather than exalt- ing of truth. 4. Liability of treating a figure or simile as though it were an analogy, insisting that it shall fit the truth at all points, thus pressing what is designed as a resemblance into a minute correspondence in detail. 5. Risk of appealing to mere curiosity and love of novelty rather than to the conviction, the conscience, and the will of the hearer. 6. The loss of oratorical power in exces- sive poetical and imaginative elaboration. 7. Uncertainty as to discerning the mind of the Spirit, substituting one's own thoughts for God's thoughts. 8. The consequent risk of sacrificing the unique authority of God's ambassador; for in proportion as we fail to impress others as speaking authoritatively, we are unable to TYPES OF SERMON-STRUCTURE. 53 disarm criticism, which, on the contrary, we rather challenge. 9. The risk of exhausting an effective illus- tration at the outset; for instance, suppose Jonah and the gourd be taken as the theme of a typical sermon, on murmuring in afflic- tion, and idolizing good gifts of God. How much better to take some such text as " Love not the world," or "The fashion of this world passeth away," using Jonah with the gourd as an illustration of the subject. 10. What may be accepted without ques- tion when used as an illustration, may be very questionable as a source from which to derive a doctrine, or statement of truth. There is a difference between interpretation and application of a text. 1 1. There is consequent risk of inversion of the laws of discourse. The foundation of all true sermons must be doctrinal and exeget- ical. The pinnacle may represent the imag- inative, the illustrative and the typical; we want rough blocks at the foundations, huge square stones at the basis, and the chiseled lance-like spires at the summit. These two cannot exchange places without an inversion and a subversion of the true laws of preach- ing. 54 THE DIVIXE ART OF PREACHING. 12. Finally, typical prcachintr is apt to lead to the use of motto texts, which disregard textual connection and the real meaning of Holy Scripture, and separate the words of God from their obvious, literal, and even spiritual meaning. We have known Phile- mon 15 to be used as the basis of a funeral discourse: "A beloved member of a family removed for a season that he should be received back again forever," etc. Such applications of texts, as mere mottoes, are always of questionable propriety, and some- times decidedly irreverent. We add a few rules for typical discourses: 1. We should never drawdoctrinal teaching from a doubtful source. Base )'our statement Df truth on an unmistakable foundation, and then, if you please, use types to represent or illustrate that truth in new and striking forms. If you are treating of the atone- ment, it is far better to take your text from Isa. liii. and your illustration from Lev. xvi., than to reverse the process. 2. Typical texts are always safely used as such, when explicitly declared to be typical. e. g., Gal. iv. 24. "which things are an alle- gory"; Heb. ix. 8, 9, 24. where the tab- ernacle is declared to be a type of higher TYPES OF SERMON-STRUCTURE. 5$ things; John i. 51, where the obvious refer- ence is to Jacob's ladder. The story of Jonah and the great fish Christ declares to be a type of His burial and resurrection. In Revelations viii. the incense and the censer are interpreted as referring to the "prayers of saints." 3. Types are safely used when evidently, though not expressly, treated in the Word of God, as typical. Compare Rom. xi., the "olive tree," which is one of the finest types in the New Testament ; also the priest's gar- ment in the Levitical dispensation, all of whose parts were obviously typical, the clasps with the onyx stones on the shoulder, the stones in the breastplate, and eveji the blue ribbon in the hem of the garment. 4. Figurative language is sometimes obvi- ously used in a typical sense, as in Eph. ii. 13, "Ye who were sometimes afar off," where the reference appears to be to the treatment of the leper, in the ceremonial dispensation. In Heb. xii. 18 and following verses, "The mount that might be touched," the com- parison of Sinai and Zion is implied ; i Pet. ii. 5, "The spiritual house with spiritual sacrifices and priesthood and ceremonies," is prefigured in the tabernacle. 5 6 THE DIVINE ART OF PREACIIIXG. 5. Always avoid mixing figures. When you are using a type keep to that type, and trace the correspondence between it and the truth which it represents. 6. Study carefully and closely the whole Bible as to the unannounced types; for in- stance, forms, such as the circle, the square, and the cube ; and numbers, such as 3, 4, 7, 10, 12, 40, 70, 144, etc. ; and colors, white, black, red, green, blue ; and the compound colors, purple and green, etc. We add a few examples both of good and bad typical treatment, leaving the reader to make his own discriminations. Isaiah viii. 6, "This people refuseth the waters of Shiloah." Here is a fine figure or illustration, of hidden sources of spiritual life, their concealed channels and occasional reve- lations. Compare Matt. vi. 6, and Col. iii. 4. In Rom. xi. 16-25 the olive tree is made the type of Israel. There are ten cor- respondences here which are quite remark- able : first, the root ; second, the soil ; third, the branches; fourth, the flower; fifth, the fatness; sixth, the excision; seventh, the grafting; eighth, the reingrafting; ninth, the husbandman; and tenth, the final glory and fruita3 only because of the limits of human thought and comprehension. Thirdly, there is in us incapacity to un- derstand the deep things of God. Coleridge has long since drawn the distinction between "comprehension " and " apprehension." In I Cor. ii. II Paul declares, that "no man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him ; even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God." TRe argument is that only the spirit of the man is absolutely master of the man's mind and thoughts ; and as only the spirit of the man understands the man, compre- hends him, so only the Spirit of God can un- derstand the things of God. An external observer cannot read perfectly the Divine mind. For man to understand God would imply equality with God, as for one man to understand perfectly and absolutely the product of another's genius implies a genius equal to the other. The very fact, of the handiwork or product of another's brain or skill being beyond me, shows his superiority to me in that direction. Therefore, even the apparent contradictions of truth in the Word of God may be the indications of a higher mind. These contradictions result 64 THE DIVINE ART OF FKEACIIIXG. from the lower point of observation and the lower measure of capacity. There is, for in- stance, in mathematics, a well-known prop- osition called " the asymptote of the h\-pcr- bola," and in connection with this it is shown that a line may indefinitely be extended and continually approach another line and yet never touch it ; because a line does not represent breadth but only distance between two points, and, as the distance between these lines is constantly divided by one half, no extension of the lines will cause them to touch. This, to a boy studying the rudi- ments of arithmetic, is absolutely incompre- hensible and contradictory, but to the mature mathematician it is the demonstration of a fact. The same truth may be put into a more comprehensible form, however, but on a lower level. Here is a son, whose age represents one-half of the age of his father, he being twenty }'ears of age and his father forty. Now when that son is fort)- and his father sixty the difference in age will be represented not by one-half but by one- third. When he is sixty and his father eighty it will be represented by one-fourth. When he is eighty and his father one hun- dred it will be represented by one-fifth. PREACHER AMOMG THE MYSTERIES. 65 And so this fraction of difference will con- tinually diminish, but will never become nothing. This illustrates how higher truth, that may now appear paradoxical and con- tradictory, if it could be put before us in such a form as to be apprehensible and even comprehensible, would be seen to be never- theless accurate and consistent. Fourthly, our present experience unfits us to interpret the great things of God. There are things that can be understood only by the interpretation of an enlarged experience. When Robert Moffat, in mission tours in southern Africa moved upward among the tribes that had no contact with civilization, he rode in an ox-wagon and took with him a steam kettle, both of which w?¥^e absolute novelties to them. He told them that in his own country they laid down lines of steel and on them drew many ox-wagons with a great steam kettle at the head of them. That was his way of describing a train of cars and locomotive, by objects which they had seen. When he set up his tent and from his lantern threw on the canvas an image of a train of cars in motion, they said " Oh, see there! the ox-wagons and the steam kettle!" When he came to England and brought with (>(> THE DIl'IXE AKT OF rREACHhXG. him the son of a chief, and they stepped into a train at Southampton, the young lad said, " This is the train of wagons with the steam kettle." There are natural limits of reve- lation. God has to use in the description of heaven a nomenclature that is drawn from the experience of earth ; to use terms only applicable to heavenly things would be to make Himself unintelligible to man. There are limits to revelation, found, not in the power of God to declare, but in the power of man to understand. As therefore experi- ence grows in spiritual things, so will spirit- ual apprehension grow. This is what Paul means when in i Cor., second chapter, he says, " Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hc-^ entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit ; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." There are things that never could have been understood until the Spirit of God taught inwardly and by experience ; but under such guidance all Divine things become apprehensible, and in a measure comprehensible, in the course of a growing spiritual knowledge of God. PREACHER AMONG THE MYSTERIES. 67 Fifthly, we should therefore find out the practical limits of knowledge and be content to abide within them. The Rev. James A. Spurgeon has told me a good story of a blind horse, put into a new pasture. The master watched him until he became familiar with the limits of the new territory. The horse walked along the pasture in one direction until he came into contact with a brick wall against which he struck his head. He then turned about and went in the other direc- tion until he came to a ditch, into which he stepped ; but from that time forth he never again struck the brick wall or got into the ditch. He had found out the actual prac- tical limits of his pasture, and he kept within them. It might be well if some men would learn as much as that blind horse learned. I add a few further suggestions: {a) We must distinguish between specula- tive and practical truth. A Glasgow profes- sor has finely said that all our modern science does not adequately account for the bowlder in geology ; but the bowlder is a fact ; and our science must be made to accommodate itself to the fact. We cannot deny the bowlder. So the Sermon on the Mount, the fifteenth chapter of Luke, and the eighth 68 THE DIVIh'E ART OF PREACHING. chapter of Romans, and the fifty-third chap- ter of Isaiah are bowlders. Their existence cannot be denied, and our speculative think- ing must somehow adjust itself to the exist- ence of these great undeniable spiritual facts. {U) Our knowledge is mainly of importance as it concerns our witness. And hence, we do not need to know anything which docs not somehow concern our experimental life and our practical testimony. Beyond this, knowl edge might gratify curiosity, but it could not help service. If we eat of the Tree of Life, it matters comparatively little that we should not eat fully of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. {c) Our preaching should tlicrefore be absolutely confined to topics with regard to which we have some experimental and practical acquaintance. As Christ said, so should every preacher say, "We speak that we do know." How grand it would be for the Church and the world if modern preachers would absolutely confine themselves to what they know! It is not negations but positions that the world/ wants ; it is not doubts and intellectual difficulties that assist us, of which we have fully enough of our own ; it is PREACHER AMONG THE MYSTERIES. 69 certainties and verities. Let men tell us wiiat in their spiritual life and outer practical life they have tried, tested, tasted. These things can be of value to us, but all their doubts and misgivings can only be snares. My resolve, at the outset of my minstry, was that I would never preach on any subject in which God did not give me in my own inner life some special illumination. Such a resolve may narrow down " a man's testimony, but it will make it all testimony ; and, as one's experience grows, just so will his witness in- crease both in extensity and intensity. We need this personal element in preaching, which perhaps makes on men more impres- sion, and carries with it more conviction, than anything else. {d) Hence it follows that w^e should never make our doubts public, for it is plain that the only effect is to make doubters and skeptics. We advertise and give currency to objections and obstacles to faith instead of helping feeble faith to grow stronger. {e) Again, it is always easier to suggest a difficulty than to furnish its solution. Says Archbishop Whately, " Any fool can ask more questions than any wise man can an- swer ; but no wise man can ask a question 70 THE niVnVE ART OF PRE A CHIANG. that he will not find some fool ready to at- tempt to answer." Many a sermon which has ambitiously attempted the demonstration of great truths, such as the existence of God, has resulted only in planting objections and doubts in the minds of hearers. A comical story is told of a man who preached a sermon on modern atheism and thought he had demolished the positions of the atheists entirely. A simple old believer who was going out of the church was asked how she liked the sermon. Well, she said, she sup- posed it was a splendid sermon, but, not- withstanding all the speaker said, she did still believe in the existence of God! She had heard and caught the objections, but had not felt the force of the demonstration. (/) ^'Ve repeat that only our certainties help others. Faith has been compared to a bee on a flower sucking honey from the necta- ries; Reason, to the spider spinning a web out of its own bowels, on which it may itself walk with some safety, but in which the flies get hopelessly entangled. Tell people what you know, if you want to help them to larger knowledge ; keep your uncertainties to yourself until by God's grace they are exchanged for certainties. CHAPTER VIII. THE PREACHER AMONG THE CRITICS. ^^HE " higher criticism," so called, is a general term for the method of sub- jecting the Bible to critical tests, lin- guistic, scientific, historical, etc. We cannot reasonably object to the most critical search into theWord of God, but only to the method, spirit, and temper in which such search may be conducted. We are told to " search the Scriptures " (John v. 39 and vii. 52). It was said of the Bereans that they searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so (Acts xvii). The Greek words, which are used, are different in both these places. Taken together, they give us^ grand hints as to the method and spirit of a right search and research. Peter says in his first Epistle, iii. 15, "Be ready always to give an answer to everyone that asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you." I. But while this is our duty, we must care- 71 72 THE D I FIXE ART OF TREACIIIXG. fullydistlngulsh the provinces of Reason and of Faith. The province of Reason is to weigh evidence in the scales of judgment ; and the three great questions which Reason has to ask and answer are these : First, is this tlie Word of God? Second, if so, what does it teach? And third, what relation has its teaching to me personally? Beyond this, Reason has absolutely no necessary province. When these three questions are satisfactorily answered. Faith comes in the room of Reason, for Reason may not be able to explore the methods and reasons which guide the mind of God. We are to be obedient to the heavenly vision, even though the heavenly vision is itself a nij'stery. 2. And secondly, the Bible, being a super- natural book, demands faith for any true insight into its mysteries. We are told in I Cor., second chapter, that " the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God," and in the eighth of Romans, that " the carnal mind is enmity against God." The natural and carnal mind are incapaci- tated for real insight into the Word of God ; hence there is need of a supernatural Spirit to assist us in the right understanding of supernatural truths. In the first verse of THE PREACHER AMONG THE CRITICS. 73 the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, the prophet cries, " Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ! " There must always be belief before there is revelation, a reception of the testimony of God before there is a higher impartation of understanding and insight. 3. We must learn that there are two worlds ; one of matter, tested by the senses ; and one, of the soul, tested by the sensibilities. The world of sense is explored by Science, History, Intellect ; the world of the soul by Experience and Conscience, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The scientific spirit, when it exists alone, is therefore not a revealing, but an obscuring medium. The scientific man has the wrong point of view when he seeks to explore Scripture simply as a scientist. We are all familiar with optical illusions which result from the harmonies and complements of color. In the color spec- trum, chords seem to exist as -in the musical scale : the complement of blue is orange, of green is red, of yellow is violet ; and to fix your eyes on a color imparts the complemen- tary color to other objects when the glance is turned to them. So there is prejudice in scientific habit. Scientific men fix their eyes 74 THE DIVIXE ART OF PREACHING. SO lonij upon one subject or object that, when they turn to another, they are apt to see it in a false light. With regard to worldly wisdom, we are divinely told that .the Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise that they are vain. A mirror that is turned downward reflects only the temporal and the material; it needs to be turned upward if it is to reflect the celestial and the spiritual. John Stuart Mill had a mother- less and godless childhood, and the idea of a personal God was never allowed from any external source to enter his mind. He appears never to have cast off that idea, for he seems never intelligibly to have had it. 4. The unbelieving spirit willfully per- verts and distorts the Word of God ; to use a Scriptural phrase, it "wrests the Scripture." The heart makes the theology. Our diffi- culties are seldom born of the head, but mostly of the evil heart of unbelief, which departs from the living God ; and so Dr. C. F. Deems says, "Believe your beliefs, and doubt your doubts. Never make the mistake of believing your doubts and doubt- ing your beliefs." 5. Scientific fact is to be carefully distin- THE PREACHER AMONG THE CRITICS. 75 guished from skeptical, or even scientific, con- jecture. Many things assumed by scientific men are, like evolution, only a working hy- pothesis. Yet how often are these hypoth- eses assumed to be established scientific facts and laws ! 6. It is unfair to decide without a full knowl- edge of facts. Many antagonisms to Holy Scripture are based upon an imperfect knowl- edge of historical facts. Thirty years ago it was said that Daniel was incorrect in mak- ing the reigning King of Babylon to fall and be slain at the time when Cyrus took the city. Subsequent archaeological disclosures show us that Belshazzar, who was actually reigning at the time, was slain, but that it was Nabonadius his father who escaped, and was made a satrap under Cyrus. Thus, sub- sequent historical disclosures gave the key to apparent contradictions existing hitherto. With much of the modern criticism the fault is that it too often assumes that no facts are as yet unknown, and that whatever is not apparent has no actual existence. 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Dr. Pierson has given us a real book — a thunderbolt — a cataract of fire. These flame-flakes ought to fall in showers all over Christendom, and set every house on fire." — Spurgcon. "The book tingles with the evangelistic spirit, and is full of arousement without sliding into fanaticism." — Springjleld Rcpuhlican. PIERSON— THE DIVINE ENTERPRISE OF MISSIONS. A Series of Lectures delivered at New Brunswick, N. J., before the Theological Seminary of the Reformed Church in America upon the "Graves" Foundation in 1891. By Rev. Arthur T. Pierson, D. D. i6mo, cloth, gilt top $1 25 In this work the author sets forth a philosophy of the History of Missions. He seeks the eternal and immutable principles of mission work in the utterances of the Master himself, and tests the quality of such work by its adherance to or departure from these principles as laid down in the infallible Word. He treats the subject under the Divine Thought, Plan, Work, Spirit, Force, Fruit, and Challenge of Missions. " They breathe throughout the fervent spirit which has made Dr. Pierson an apostle of missions and are as stirring as a trumpet call. They abound in pithy illustrations drawn from the mission field, and go straignt to the mark. They deserve a wide circulation in our churches." — Christian Utiimi. PIERSON— THE ONE GOSPEL ; OR THE COMBINATION OF THE NARRATIVES OF THE FOUR EVANGELISTS IN ONE COMPLETE RECORD. Edited by Rev. Arthur T. Pierson, D. D. i2mo, flexible cloth, red edges, 75 cents ; limp morocco, full gilt $2 00 Each evangelist furnishes some matter, found, if at all, not so fully in the otlier records. It has been sought to blend all the vai-ious features of the four narratives into one witiiout losing whatever is distinctive in each. Without taking the place of the four Gospels this book will be an aid in their study — a commentary wholly biblical, whereby the the reader mav, at one view, see the complete and harmonious testimony of four independ- ent witnesses. " It is a valuable work and is well edited." — New York Ohserz'er. "To ministers, Sunday-school teachers, and all bible students it is of great valtie. presenting, as it does, the gospel story without break, and the events in clironological order." — Presbyterian Obsoivr. Catalogue of Tlie Baker &> Taylor Co. PIERSON- THE CRISIS OF MISSIONS; OR, THE VOICE OUT OF THE CLOUD. Hy the Kcv. Akhrr T. Pierson, U.D. i6ino, paper, 35 cents ; cloth $1 25 "We do not hesitate to say that this book is the most purposeful, earnest, and intelligent review t)f the mission work and field which has ever been given to tlie Church." — Christian Statesman. "One of the most important books to the Cause of Foreign Missions, and, through them, to Home Missions also, which ever has been written. It shoiilil lie in every lil)rary and every household. It seould be read, studied, taken to lieart, and prayed over." — Congrcgationalist. PIERSON— STUMBLING STONES REMOVED FROM THE WORD OF GOD. By Rev. Arthur T. Tierson, D. D. i8mo, cloth 50 cts. In this little book many supposed difficulties of the Bible are shown not to be such in fact, and such simple rules of interpretation of a general character are laid clown, as to make clear the literal truth of many passages which to some minds have previously been doubtful or only capable of the explanation that they were used metaphorically. The book is especially timeh', now that general interest is turned toward the interpretation ot the Scriptures. "A little volume worth its weight in gold, in which many of the difficult and obscure passages of Scripture are made clear and easy to be under- stood." — Clnistian at Work. " This is a small book, but it contains a good deal — helping believers to a better understanding of the I'o(jk. 'I'he stumbling stones are made stepping stones, and hindrances are changed to lielps. It is a valuable, helpful little book, and one to be highly commended." — Presbyterian Observer. PITMAN MANUAL OF PHONOGRAPHY. By Benn Pit- M.\N. i6mo, boards, 80 cents ; cloth e.xtra %\ 00 This work is designecr. '■The work of a ripe scholar. These expository thoughts have met with the heartiest welcome from the press of the leading Christian denomina- tions in this country." — Inter- Ocean. SCOTT— THE WAVERLEY NOVELS, By Sir Walter Scott. Centenary Edition. In 25 vols., illustrated with 158 Steel Plates, and containing additional Copyright Notes from the author's pen not hitherto published, besides others by the editor, the late David Laing, LL.D. With a General Lidex, and separate Indices and Glossaries. Sold only in sets. 121110, half calf extra, $68.75; ^^If morocco, $68.75 \ cloth e.xtra, gilt top $31 25 "A handsome and convenient set, neatly bound in dark blue cloth. Each volume has a special glossary and an index, and the illustrations are numerous." — N. Y. Nation. "The edition is an admirable one. It is one of the best editions avail- able for comfortable reading." — N. Y. Tribune. SCOTT— THE INTERNATIONAL POSTAGE STAMP ALBUM. Boards, half cloth, fi.50; cloth, gilt side.. 2 50 Tlie International is the Standard Stamp Album, and supplies all that a stamp collector can want in a book uf that kind. Catalogue of TJie Baker ^ Taylor Co. STRONG— OUR COUNTRY. By Rev. JosiAii Strong, D. D., with an introduction by Prof. Austin Phelps, D. D. 150th thousand, enlarged and revised with reference to the census of 1890. i2mo, paper, 30 cents ; cloth 60 cts. This revision shows the changes of the last ten years and pictures the religious, social and economic condition and tendencies of our country to- day. The present edition has been printed from entirely new plates, and enlarged Ly the addition of more than one-third new matter. Diagrams have also been employed to forcibly illustrate some of the more startling facts and comparisons. In its new form it adds to its original worth the merit of being the first general application of the results of the recent census to the discussion of tlie great questions of the day. "This book has already' been read by himdreds of thousands of our people, and no publication of the present decade has awakened a more Erofound and intellicrent interest. Since it was issued the census'of 1890 has een completed and the situation of the country has changed in many re- spects. A new edition of a work so valuable and impressive was therefore demanded, and Dr. Strong has met the demand by a careful revision of the original work and theaddition ofalargc amount of new material withillus- trativc diagrams. In its present form, and it is still compact and easily handled, we again commend it to all Christian anject in which so much valuable material is furnished, and in so small a compass." — Congrcgationulist . " Full of thought, vigor and push, of sound wisdom delightfully infused with devout feeling, it is sure to do good wide and long." — AVt'. A'.'S. S/i»-rs, THOMPSON— SONGS IN THE NIGHT WATCHES. FROM VOICES OLD AND NEW. Compiled l.y Hki.kn H. Strong Tiiomt-Son, witli an introduction by Dr. Joslvii Strong. 317 pages, cloth, full gilt, $1 25 ; full leather, padded $2 2 s "This is a collection of religious verse designed, in the words of tin- compiler, Mo pierce with a joyous note the darkness of the night.'" "Nothing lovelier than your 'Songs in the Night * has ever come into my way." — A/arg-iirf/ li. Sangstcr. "Tlie sweetest songs ever sung (his side of llcaviii " — SWllnivstoii rns- lytcrian. Catalogue of The Baker it()nie of his philosophy and a commentary upon the time and society in which he lived. "No lover of Emerson can afford to overlook this book. He pervades if The man himself is there." — New York Sun. " Mr. Woodburj' is the one man who has caught Emerson as Boswell caught Johnson; caught him in his utterance ; caught the accent of his sen- tences ; caught the very impulse which Emerson telt himself in the act of speaking." — Chicago Interior. The ahove or any other books mailed post-paid to any address on re- ceipt of the advertised retail price. THE BAKER ct TAYLOR CO., Publishers and Booksellers, 740 and 742 Broadway, Nkw York. Date Due kp } 5 -oo ^^ ■ *■* 30 . <,/r«>i.*..,^^-,lA'A (fSS^ ~ 1 .#••*?'***- ■f ' "iH^ Iff ' JiJHu 6 \996 1 ^ •^