New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-18
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Professor Mahaiy attempts to explain IN seVcrai
vellc divisions of his subject. Among the
historical causes Of the decay Of preaching he men
tious first the lack OF novelty, charm with winch
The APOSTLES seized upon mems minds Inc nearer
of to-day is tired of rcpetitons OF what he aiteauS
knows very well. To adjure men to believe IN Ger
tam doctrines is to ask them to do what they already
profess 20 do. The subtle distinctions now made De-
tween intellectual belief and saving BELIEF VIII nov,
our author claims lay hold OF the world as tue o..
preaching did. The stubborn adherence W o'.
formulas and to aphorisms which II they nave NV
lost theii meaning have become mere uuisnis ~, n"'
helped to decrease the power OF preaching NV
growth of education is another historical cause ior
this decadence. The preacher and MS auuien'o
stand on the same level; men read ana eAo,o's0
their priyate Judgment and critcise the preacher
ARGUMENTS from vantage ground of knowledge ana
retlect;on canal 10 his own. They are no longer III
the attitude of chilren drinking III the words oil one
wiser stronger and better than thcy. Chrisla"i.S,
too and modern civilization have quieted tle Win
MISSIONS and conflicts of men, so that they no loheei
like the early believers seek spiritual peace anu
spiritua liberty beyond the chances OF war ana tue
caprice of tyrants.
Among the social causes OF pulpit decadencel Is So
cetys devotion 10 uniformity-its Discrimination W
pe disturbed or alarmed and its desire 10 near l'o
more than q confirmation OF its preJuulces iio
fassor MabaGv Is speaking for English audiences
when he regrets that TO be amusing III the puiP,' 10
considered a great crime Americans 1t has oil Iate
yssrs been seen. do not dsdan humor in sacred
nI.ces Modern society our author adds, has done
its best TO make preaching perfunctory duty ana
n has succeeded. 1t is now thought improper 10
carry on serious debate in the pulpit; ana cohgesa
tions even weary of controversial discourse ino,
the marriage of the clergy is another soel CAUSE VI
puIpit decadence. The troubles ana MISTAKES VI
bonsehold life are apt to be brought up against INC
ideal standard of tho clersymans teachlns' anu
they moreover invade his study ana DISTRACT nis
thoughts from his sermons. Professor MahahS 10 VI
corrse again speaking for England when he says
that the ADLER young men of the day 90 not "oopV
the clerical profession. and that the preachers rs
hody are beo., even the average In intellect. IL
,omember very we'll" he says, indeed painfully
vella class of divinity students which instructed
in the Epistlc to the Romans, and after Iaoorlhg
whole term with all possible care anu making 'ucin
90 over the argument aud write 1t out ana reheaSo
it, they confessed to NE in body at the Gnu Vi 'no
term that they had made no advance III IL "ha'eHel'
for that none OF then, ,cas able TO toliOo an argument
They were not many,-eight, think,-ahu such
case only occurred TO me once lnSmany years 'eacn
ing: but in every year there were some men OF tis
kind-men who deliberately adopted the profession
OF religious teaching, with the CONSCIOUSNESS 'hae
thav could not possibly understand what they had
IN teach They WERE in fact, adopting this probes
son because they were too dull for any other. II 1t
IL M wander ON the one hand that such men produce
no effect and bring preaching into disrepute on the
other il is not the least surprising that the ministry
should be regarded as suitable for stupid man.
Professor Mahafiy holds that intense piety is not
an indispensable requisite for religious teaching
and that this piety indeed, is far Iarer than even
great moral purity or great intellectual aollty'
The inconsistency which assumes an inward spirit
nal calling IN the theological candidate, and whch
vet regards the ministry as a comfortable probes
sion. to be ranked with law and medicine con
tributes not little to weaken the power OF modern
preaching. The man himself is apt 10 think that
the requirement of the high ideal is but formal
aema,d which expects no ful6lment, and his
preacbng becomes unreal as his life is without
earnestness The general want of culture also Is
ono of the greatest and constant causes OF fail
ure in the pulpit and with it the author mentions
the lack OF careful calculation III matters OF
rhetoric and the want of that special theological
training in which the layman expects the preacher
TO he his superior.
While Professor Mahafy feels that deep per-
suasion may lie in the happy employment OF humor
he has no mercy the excessive love OF variety 10
which, he says, "may be ascribed the vulgar habit
of introducing anecdotes in the pulpit, anecdotes
which are not only foolish and beside the point but
often practically untrue"
Anecdotage in the pulpit graties only the most
ignorant and vulgar Of hearers, and IRON vulgar
mean TO exclude all those, OF however low degree
,hn come Ia hear seriously for the sake of spiritual
benefit. The use of such illustrations is therefore
very dangerous and not TO be Tesorted TO without
the greatest caution, especially In the assignment OF
motives or causes Tor the 1actS.
OF "a similar character are those excursions INTO
politics into popular science, into secular poetry;
which sometimes occupy whole ulscoulSes anu
which are listened to with attention ana amuse-
nent, but seldom with proht. Ii THESE Things pe
used In illustration of great truths, they are evil
dences of large culture in the preacher, and also
have their real value. But TO make variety the
main object of preaching is to forget that eternal
truths require more than passing notice.
1t NAV be considered the test of seriousness In an
audience and an index whether they come for I'M
provement or for amusement to inquire whether
fhev insist on and appreciate variety beyond every
thing i'm their preacher If they do. we may be sure
that il is not their spiritual welfare which guides
them but the mere desire OF spending an hour peas
antly or less unpleasantly than usual III their
church on Sundays. And so those preachers In our
large cities who affect this sort OF variety are sure
20 command considerable attention from the ldie
classes mean spiritual ldlers-who now abound
everywhere. Ii is mistake 10 consider the preach
ing which attracts a crowd OF this KIND successful
preachipg Ii does not even raise the preacher In
the proper and sound estimation OF those people
whose opinion is but worth having IL is very likely
TO mslead him into the belief that he IS DONG gcod
when he is doing at lest nothing at all. For In
me ST cases he is dong worse than nothing; he Is
training his people TO the sensatOn-serinon, aD
analogous thing TO the sensation novel and one
which produces the same kind of effect upon those
who pursue IL continuously.
To rival nature in art. the authos concludes i'm
plies very high stage of perfection, and to avoid
artihcIality, cant, mannersm extravaganza,
tediousness, is given not TO the ignorant amateur
but TO the best and most thorough artist" So ends
what is really plea for finer and wider theologi-
cal training
ENERSONS PICI CRE. OF HIS HOME.
HIS WIFE AN INCARNATION OF CHRIS
kTlANITY,