The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-23
THE EVANGGLtCAL UNION.

Henry Ward Beeeher on Pulpit Preaching-
What Preachers and Preaching should BE.
The great feature at the Evangelical Convention
in the Reformed church in Washington square, yes
terday, was an address by the Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher on pulpit Preaching"
The reverend gentleman began his discourse by
remarkIng that there was prevalent Impression
That preaching had fallen OF. and that 1t
was no longer the power it formerly was
Churches complained that the pulpit did not
bear the same relation to religion that it once did
and 1t therefore became matter OF profound I'M
portance to know whether there had been any en-
feebement, and If there had been what had caused
it. For his part the speaker said he believed the
pulpit was never stronger than 1t Is to-day. The
community had. too gained relatively more, for the
work which was once done by the pulpit
was now performed by other agencies;
but, notwithstanding all these changes, The pull
PIT stood as hgh absolutely though not perhaps
The Impression prevailed, it Is true, thai 1t had
turned from the ministry great many young men,
and it was desirable, therefore, to look at the mat
ter In Its original element, and attract the
thought and feeling OF the young to the
s saSfea for man 81 be- was pos
and pastor and not good preacher. while at tue
same time man might be good preacher and yet
be very lar from being good pastor or general
administrator. In some instances, however, these
different qualities are combined Ia one indi-
and looking at his works, 1t would seem
that the true dednition OF preacher
was tnis-the end OF preaching is the entire moral
elevation OF human nature OF bringing 1t into the
conscious presence and sympathy of God. That was
the end sought by preaching. Tue main Character
istic OF preaching is the elevation OF mans moral
nature, not his elevation to refinement How is
this 10 be done, The most direct instrument
is preaching. and that understand to be the end OF
bringing truth to the human soul In It's living,
human form. l understand preaching 10 be the art
OF one soul graphing with another, not to
\ mt 4 hnf IA
1t up. There are great many ways OF affecting
men, the principal and highest being exciting senti-
ment. Natural emotion Is the highest form TRUTH
The preacher should be full OF love and faith ana
inspiration In order to animate his audience TO the
love and glory Of God: the man who instructs his
ing, but MISUNDERSTANDING the Helenlotic rather
tnan the Hebraistic. The Hebrew appealed to the
stood between them and said '.lt is not by wisdom
the word is to be conferred, but by the power of
God that comes from an lnnamed human neart.' In
New England there was always teacher ana pas
tor each having separate duty to discharge, and
IN like manner every pastor should know when TO
be teacher and when 10 be preacher The
three great elements OF good preaching are
intense conviction, intense fervor and intense SYM
patty. person who desired TO move audience
must believe earnestly himself. sympathy isanotser
chief element In good preaching IL is as II you felt
knew you. All these requisites are to be found In
the present day. and It Is not necessary TO go back
for them to the days OF the Apostles. The tempta
ton OF the times Is TO incline TOO much to science
and reason. Besides preaching 1t Is also necessary
to organize ana instruct. The question arose, what
were The hlndrances that lay In the way OF
preaching producing its proper eiectY The most
eminent was the church binding. This Ia a very
stately church for many purposes but not for preach
ing. person could not preach In that church Us
he ought Ii he courted fair lady In his congrega-
ton before MIN could he make headwayf lie con-
trasted the churches or the present day with the
Roman Catholic churches OF the middle ages. II they
were Catholics he could very well understand their
anxiety to obtain costly Churches but their church
was household church. And yet we see men building |
ambitious churches. A preacher should be not |
merely q scholar cultivated man. and If he were
true to nature he could not help carrying everybody
with him. Language should be employed suitable |
to the understanding or the congregation. Elegant |
and refined language Is often without effect Ii /
was not necessary TO be ungrammstical or vulgar |
In whatever manner have spoken my heart is In
this matter for If there Ii ANYTHING Gods eartn
long for after Jesus Christ, aud next TO my
CONGRATULATIONS OF my BONE heart OF my heart
IL rs TO raise up a generation OF preachers for the
service OF God and their fellow man. The Gospel |
is not dead, and never will die. As long the sun
shines the rain descends and the summer and har-
vest come 80 long will the Gospel be the wisdom OF
God and The towers OF Gods salvation long
will there be work for preachers ana so long will
God raise up preachers to do the work.