Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-07-02
HOW TO PREACH.

Shall Illustrations be Used in the Pulpit.
Presbyterian.
An adverse judgment is beginning to
appear in reference to the use of incident
or story in the sermon, and as action and
reaction are equal We may expect as much
hostility to it in the incoming fashion OF
preaching &C favor las been shown to It IN
that going out. The style of preaching at
any time is shaped by few heads OF The
profession. They become, both because OF
intellect and position, the models for the
imitation of the young. This is invetable.
The illustrative method of preaching has
prevailed largely in the last quarter OF a
century. The great preachers have not
argued as much and as closely as those in
has rather been to throw light on dim
truths, or to magnify the truth in them.
Hence moro attention has been given TO
deepening impressions and rendering m
mediately effective their teachings. The
men of this age have conceived their
mission to be that of harvesting, and while
this ia esteemed as the end to be attained
in discourse the use of illustration and i'll
cident will prevail in despite Of adverse
criticism. Il was Christ's method, aud
cannot be sreerc6 out o! existence by sup
ercilious fault finding.
The men who have ever been most ef-
fective in convincing men of sin and turn
ing them to God have used illustrations
incidents and stories if you please-tO
make truth effective and to deepen i'm
prcssions, to command attention and
arouse feelings to action. When these are
thrown aside. and the stately style is
adopted, or even the severely chaste,
without pendants or OrnamentatiOn, the
didactic will come to be the style, and the
results of the change must be looked for
q half century hence. There will be no
sowing and reapiDg by the same hand on
the same day. The mon Cf intellect will
hold the fort, while the men of genius
will writhe in chafing harness at the rear.
Poets will have to make brick without
straw. Painters will be compelled to the
service of whitewashing prepared models.
There will be some advantages in the
change. Tie Doric style VIII require less
labor. OrnamentatiOn FOR effect is expen
sive, and ten can work on Doric models to
one on the elaborate Corinthian; and to a
certain class of minds, hearts and tastes
tie severe style will be more effective. TO
the young, thoughtless and ignorant tho
beauty of icebergs in moonlight would be
as convincing. The want of variety will
be felt, as means of drawing attention
and impression.
Besides, this style has had but a limited
hold OF the minds aud emotions of men.
A diamond is known by its crystalline
structure, its proportions and its brlGancy;
but the final test of the genuineneSs Of 4
diamond is its coidncss. 1t is too trans
parent toget warm. The style Of dress in
the transmission of human thought which
will ever be most potent in the pulpit
must produce heat, quicker pulsations and
warmer blood. The great classic orators
did not spurn the fable and story when it
served their purpose. Demosthenes and
Cicsro drew often their quickest and most
telling effects through their use.
The reactio;: @o ,i:,yn indicated above is
easily explained. ar5i has been expected
by those who are foid Of forecasting the
future. Tho illustrative style has been
abusati--is has been iosaeved III = hot
house ard has tacomc suc2ulert. The
serInnn, with not srGv. la. been string
i"E 10 yStGer os tie irrelevant 8to;ie!, iui
probable often as 80 fact. Tho odor Oi
the lead fly has been ,;i%cGT3:a6ia in the
pot of ointment, a. tbs discourse has oce!
perccp ptibly made or ,teliected for the sake
Of the story. The illustration has been
tne tounuatio2 anu hSau oi iHe coINei
and tie impressions lett have been ONLY
iror the story These had not strength
enough 80 take. intt t!'., >,:,.l singh t.Utl
or the fruit of a. trt:;,. This thing is
doomed, and the sconor It is
Doomed, and the sooner il is CHI led
like Ananias and Sapphira, the
better. That tie illustrative meth
Cd vii! give way 70 the tIrgt
and icigd methods, now Eushe'! in some
quarters, in tDo interests of what is callci
pure and elegant dicton, fit for the pull
pit. is nonsense. We might as we'll taboG
the tropics. Whatever convnces the MIND!
of men and turns their hearts to God il, fl
for the pulpit and is chaste enough fol
Gods favor and "what God has cleansed lei
no man call common or unclean''