New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

work on lonietics has twofOld once IN tS
aay; to instruct lTcachorsand to instruct the puoo
as to the ideal Of preaching which is really heiu ny
Tie Churchs teachers. This latter funcnoh y ~
pecialW in demand since the Yagares Oh oii"I0
aiyincs are foo often assumed to represent tne
C,,,rcl,s theory Of rreaohing. Professor HoPpins
book the result of extensive study anu long eA-
xo.io,,,o &c nm instructor in one of the leading
,bo,ogical schools Of the country. IS based upon
ho5 and truc ideal Of the dignity auG responsibility
90 ,be ministerial Office On the one hand, he Is not
disposed TO contest Che rightfrness OF the popular
claim 10 be Interested and moved by preaching
MT in tbe Inferno was easily detected by the wise
old Ccntarr as a living man, because he moved
what he touched "Thus are not won't To 90 me
feet of The dead The preacher not topass before
his hearers az a shade, even though It be the sAaoe
of a poet OF rhctorician. The radical dihchy
with men," SAYS the Professor lis not so much
perverson of the reason as Of the Will Men arc
more wilful than they are irrational. Here the
prcacber is 10 direct his main assault TO pour IN his
niebtiest forces OF persuasion, and carry the citadel
Nv the violence If n divine love. lie IS 10
aim too. at immediate results. Life Is not long
enouqh TO preach prophecies and semblance>'
Rut ON the other hand, the author has no mercy
upon charlatanry in the pulpit, upon preaching
which aims principally at entertainment. IDS ne
treats uu6cr the head Of preaching addressed 10
the fancy and the nervous sensibllucs; "hat
Shakespeare would call tafleta writing" Ut Is
not dealing" he continues, with plain tnoughl'
from which true ideas evolved and true Prlnc'-
pes brought out, but II is striving tonVal brilliant
and nonnlor lecturers. Who by continually working
upon their lectures. have made u'em Ike pohshed
gems and have taken everything ont of them which
Is not brilliant and Immediately effective. 1t is also
what is commonly called sensational preaching
since il is determining to produce sensation on The
nerves by words rather than on the conscience ana
heart by Thought and feeling II is writing from
the motive of exciting men for the mounenV ana
of catching their attention by novelties
rather than of doing them good for
eternity. 1t is true that the mass OF men
will be attracted by this STYLE and perhaps enconr-
age il; and vet sooner or later, even they VIII tire
of it, for it is tuning the sanctuary into lecture
hall nv theatre end the results OF this kind OF
preaching arc indeed as superficial as those OF inc
popular lecturer and player; for if there are con-
versions they are of doubtful sorf it being poor
seed sown on bad soil. We ind no iaui'
with HIM who strives for the sake of truth, to say
thing eloquently bat if he says it in order to he
eloquent to make himself attractive to build up MS
reputation to produce an excitement for ms or l's
own sake to gain the name of an eloquent preacher
70 make preaching a vehicle for personal and popu-
lar inAuence--here we detect the false style 1t is
thoroughly and in the lowest sense human, and not
divine"
Professor Hopp;n lays down another principle OF
fundamental Importance; viz, that the preachers
before everything else, interpreter lie differs
from the popular lecturer in that his business is to
expound and bring to bear the thoughts of God, in
stead of his own mental discoveries or conceptions
In the substance of his preaching true preacher
can be original The methods OF presenting truth
will of course vary with each preachers pecuhaTl-
tles We quote again: "The preacher must Do
fhus voice to give uttcTancc to this viii and grace
Of God in His gospei. He is tire voice OF one crying
in the wilderness Of sinful and CeSOlate SOULS
He is especially servant of the Lord The preacher
therefore is not responsible for originating new
truth but his business is to announce ahd inter-
pref truth already originated, and that was from
the beoinniup He is TO speak the word
that God gives him The truth is given him. and he
Ia 10 make il clear to the minds of men. lie Is al
WAYS to make advance in the knowledge of God
He publishes to men, not new truth, but new as
coyeres of truth as the starSOwn spaces of the sky
were the same in the time OF Adam Us they were N
the time of Kepler. and as they are now; but the
eve of the true interpreter ever deeper and
clearer into their abys5es"
These arc valuable words; and recognition Of
The principle they cmbody would greatly simplify
the duty and tighten the burdens of those preachers
who are tormentng themselves with the problem
how to keep abreast of popular thought and OF pop
Mar knowledge Preachers might learn from
secular teachers in this matter. Tyndall and Huxley
are specialists and claim hearing on the ground
of their Acquaintance with their specl NO
knowledge indeed. amiss to the preacher, but
his speciality is the Interpretation of the word OF
God. He ought TO he able to speak on this with the
authority of specialists whatever subjects he
touches he should handle in their relations TO That
word BY abandoning that ground and taking mat
Of popular lecturer on politics or literature, he
Laws himself open to the criticism of men who are
his gnperiors in those lines and imposes on himself
n task Of requirement to which no human mind
is equal.
The first part of this work is devoted TO history
of preaching This is treated III lively and inter-
estIng manner and embraces sketches Of the great
preachers Of Christcndom drawn with fidelity and
discrimination The author thea takes up III sue
oessiOn the object of preaching, preparation 1Of
composing sermons, analysis and composition OF a
sermon and the classification of sermons. The sec
ond part deals with the general principles OF khet-
ORC Invention and Style Professor liopplns style
is lucid forcble and graceful. His book besides
containing a large amount of valuable and well
arranged matter is eminentiy readable, and Is
worth of the careful peIusal of every professional
student.
MONUMENTAL CHRISTIANITY; Or, THE ART AMI
sY THT PRIMITIVE CHURCH As WIT
NYssEs AND TEACHERS or TUE ONE CATHOLIC FAITH
AND PRACTICE. BY JONI p LUNDY. Fresbyte
Second Edition, With new Preface, Corrections ana
Additions. Alto. PIP. 453. New-York: j. W. BoutOn.
This handsome and profusely illustrated volume
Is an appeal to the earliest Christian monuments
10 ascertain as far as possible what evidence they
contain as to the real and entire truth of primitive
Christianity The work takes the form OF an
illustration OF the twelve articles of the Apostles
Creed and the author thinks that the christian
faith embodied in the Apostles Creed mas us pra-
hu