The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-06-12
THE MANUFACTURES OF SERMONS.
A Curious Article.

THE MANUFACTURES OF SEhMONS.
A Curious Article.
From the Liverpool Mercury
correspondence has come into our pos
session, for the authenticity Of which we can
youch. It consists oil series Of letters which
passed betWeen person who made IL MS
trade to write sermons, and Cnnrcn OF
England Clergyman who made 1t bis business
TO preach them In church some forty or nlty
miles from Liverpool. The sermon writer
would appear to have been an obscure news
paper reporter out Of work. The clergyman
(who carried on his correspondence under
feigned name, and had his letters ana MSS.
addressed under cover to his grocery was q
much.esteemed rector-none OF yonr WHO
young curates, but a reputable, middle-aged,
parochIal personsge, with living OF his own
to subsist on. The ball seems to have
been opened by the sermon writer with
an advertisement in Manchester paper,
addressed ITO clergymen," and oGer.
Ing 'origtnal sermons" on terms TO oe ascer-
tained of the advertiser. To this the clergy
man replies, asking ng what me terms mss are, an ana
purse" there will be no trade done "unless
ihe price is very low indeed" The sermon
writer replies that his "usual terms are
guinea per sermen," but that II the clergy
man sis likely 10 become regular customer.
he twill put them In for half guinea each."
The clergyman writes that he Is likely to be-
come regular customer; offers to take Twelve
sermons per month, '.it he can have Them at
the rate of three for five and twenty shlllings;;"
and states. finally. that "if these terms are
accepted, the sermon writer may at once send
the first 'on approval" The sermon writer
certifies that no will do the work for the sum
stated, on condition that no MSS. are to 6e
Cd no Arof
clergyman assents, the sermon writing begins,
and the correspondence becomes more INFER
esting.
It would seem that two of the sermons have
beea delivered, and that the writer OF tnem,
being either distrustful or "hard up,'"' fas aP,
events. he gets this letter: "Dear cir, II you
will send me sermon forthwith on the Chrls-
tian,s victory over death, founded on Similar
passage to the one In lst Corinthians, loth
chapter-sThe last enemy &c.-and approve
of then will remit you the 25s., upon receipt
more OF stirring subjects suitable for SaoOaln
evening uses.n The sermon goes, and ID re-
ply comes this letter: "Dear s'r, have JUST re-
ceiyed Ms. Shall not need 1t tomorrow: Ap;
prove of 1t with one exception, which should
like you to remedy. viii then remit you. haV-
Ing given description OF man when deatn en-
tered Into the world, I,thtak, IN as glowing R
given Of Chrtst,s resurrection from the dead,
when death was conquered and the devil de-
feated. Let me havGfEt fappendage as soon as
possible. Will then aSnlhl before mentioned
agreement, upon receipt OF which you Wlh
please send two more at once on striklDg suo-
iects, dressed in'as gloaoing fo,oery litancs 10
Originally lane,nage as you like" jAt TINS fo'E
the correspondence, except 80 far as It relates
TO remittances, breaks off for month, from
which we Judge that the writer laid on tne
color with sufficiently unsparing hand. Tnen
we get this y "Dear sir, having 6een rom
home, I did not receive yours until THIS osy.
Approve of it, II you please append graphic
descriotion of Gods love manifested In the
gilt OF His Son for sinners, compiled WIN
Glowing description of ChrlsL's dying on Inc;
cross the consummatiOn OF love. Was loo
late this evening for p. o. O. VIII SEND y on
Monday. ng The next letter sets forth tnaG zone
of the last sent (that on Wheat ana ialesl
same subject only few, Sundays be-
fore" .1Can you take this back" tne
clergyman proceeds, land send me TWO, one
on the nature and advantages of faithful prayer,
founded on such subject as the syrophGnl-
clan Woman-sh0nld like that suo)ect.tne
other on the reward OF holy nie ionlaeu Ians, ol
such 8 passage as Say ye to the righteous,
Gn. or sThere remains, therefore, rest 1or
the people Of God.' Your attention Will
oblIge.rr The sermon writer replies that ne Is
unite Willing to write on either OF the SUD
tects suggested, but he declines point plank 10
take back t.Wheat aud Tares. "Fhe compact
was that no MSS. were to De returned % II 1as 10
that unhappy sermon, therefore, must remain
a mystery. Perhaps 1t was s'saved up TOR
fntnre use. Alter tniS, heWever. the clergy
man Ia prudent enough to furnlsn niS own
texts, (Which he seldom did BEFORE and even
10 eketoh out the form OF treatment 70 oe
adopted. For instanee-"Please sena me pa
sermon on the words Work while 1t Is yet
day.; First, the introduction; then, on the
day.' Secondly, on the nature oil the VOTE
firstly. the sinners work, lsalVatlon; BE-
condIy. the Christians work, to aid In mend
ing this bad world, in difYusing and spreading
the Gospel, with q glowing description OF
the evil that surrounds US; anu .nrtddys noid >
Later on, again. we got thls-"Dear slr, VIII
Won send the second sermon OF present course
from these words, And there Is room? my
idea of the passage runs something aiter Iue
following: First, Introduction: Bring IN ioISi-
bly, and clearly the reason and occasion Q! Tue
words. First division, the Gospel provision
in the Church of Christ, with bold and str1k-
inc glance at the number OF believers OF every
casts and character who have been admitted
into its pale. The church on earth compared
to a railway train--passeDgers Of all ages, &c.
vessel playing on The waters OF the sea, 6c.
Secondly, the room ID d0aVcuS WILL o PaenouE
picture Of the saved-and yet there ID room
room for sll-room for me, &c. The third text
viii send in few days, when please enclose
account" The next and concluding letter OF
She series Is too long to quote 10 full. IL
splns about .sthe account und '..ths remit.
AHce.n and goes on to ask for sermon on the
words&"Not by might, nor by power, but Dy
INV spirit, saith the Lord.' The writer
is to "adopt his own course IN intro
duction," but he is to get IN de-
scriniion, ssln as torcible and graphic
languge as possible" of The first sapos-
tlesIashermen, tax.gatherers," &C., and con.
irast them with s'the great ones, the leading
ones, OF this day." He is also to .oring In the
Reformation, Marlin Luther" &C., IN "as
Glowing language as possible" and then TO
describe .sthe position of the church at tne
present day-perfect machlnery-svery ads a.
vantage taken Tor glorious ingatherlng OF
souls,n &c. Alter this there is to be vivid
picture" drawn of ''the sinner saved, not oy q
Visible hand stretched from Heaven, not by q
perceptib!e voice ringing. forth from Inc
throne, not an angel with brilliant wings, not
by might nor by power, but by" &c. LASTLY,
the '.doer of Heaven" Is to be ''seen distinctly
openy with the saved Christian triumphantly
entering it," 'sYou will perceive from the
IL kI.-A