The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-05-12

journal stranger arose. aud after apolesizing for
the Intrusion of speaking on 50 public an occasion
said For many years l had been In in1del and
during that time regarded religion as system Of
prestcrail unworthy the notice of intelligent men.
few months since, out of curiosity, happened in
at church 10 hear what the minister had TO say.
heard nothing suited TO my case, and left the
house more child of hell than ever. repeated
the experiment several times after that with the
Ike result AZ length led of The Spirit OF God,
Jesus Chris and him crucifed. my lost eondi-
ton and was led 10 embrace Jesus Christ as the only
refuge from the wrath TO come That sermon was,
sion"
Branerd the missionary, on remarsing upon the
great revival which took place under his ministry
among the Indians in 1745. declares that ii such
preaching Us that indicated in our text that God
made use ui for awakening sinners. and the pTopa-
CATION Of the great work IN which so many souls
werc blessed. II have sometimes formerly" SAYS
he. "in reading st. Peters discourse 10 Cornelius
(AUts X wondered 10 find him quickly intrOdu-
cling the Lord Jesus Christ into his sermon and so
entirely dwelling upon him throughout the whole
OF it, observing him i'll this point very widely di-
iercnt from many of our modern preachers; but
utterly this has not seemed strange since Christ has
appeared 10 be the substance of the Gospel and the
centre in which the several lines of divine revea
lion meet. Happy experience, as well as the word
of God and the example of Christ and his apostles
has taught me that the very method Of preaching
which Is best suited to awaken a sense and lively
apprehension in mankind of their depravity and
misery in fallen state TO excite them so arnesty
and sovereign grace in Christ the only hope set
before them, is also likely to be the most successful
III the reformation OF their external conduct
II was doubt from similar conviction on the
part of the pious aud useful Leigh Richmond that
he was induced 10 preach from the text of my pres
ent selection, when he entered upon the duties of
his charge at Turvey and upon every returning an
niyersary of his incumbency down to the end Of his
at is, says one, "a truth not to be questioned that
ministers will preach Jesus directly and eiectually
in proportion as they are in living sympathy with
him the heart loves Jesus and the souls for whom
he died, and this love is the active engrossing at
traction and affection, the ruling and CONSTITUTING
prlnc1Dle OF action, the sermon that a
that heart will have Jesus for its theme" So it was
with St Paul and his fellow aborers in the minis
try, who could and did say: "The lone of CIria
coistrdinch s; for we thus judge, that if one died
for ALL then were all dead and that he died for all
forth live unto themselves, but unto him who died
and rose again for them."-2 Cor. V. II, &c.
Nevertheless it is true, Rev. J. A. James has
Observed that phraze has been less understood in
some quarters than preaching ChTfS crueifsd." BY
some II has been confined to the constant repetition
of a few common place thoughts upon the same first
principles of divine truth The epstles of Paul are
the best exposition of the meaning of this phraze;
for, he determined to kn0lr make kAoira nothing
but ChYit crucifed of course he intends that every
thing he did make known should be considered as
an accomplishment of this purpose. And what
rdrety, what extensive range of topics do we find
in his epistles? There we find the whole compass
of doctrined theology, the whole body of practical
social duties, sketches of Old Testiment history
complete exposition of the ceremonial law, and yet
all this was making known Christ and him critcifed
His cross is the centre of the whole system around
which, in nearer more remote circles all the doc.
as the planets around the sun; and from which the
doctrines borrow their light and the duties their
energy"
Speaking of the necessity of declaring the doctrine
of human depravity, Rowland Hill once remarked
that las the salvation procured by crucifed Re-
deemer can never be regarded by any that are not
first convinced that they are lost without it, the fall
must be preached as an Introduction to the preach
ing of the Gospel" And indeed this is as much a
part of the faithful preaching of Chris cTucifed as
any other doctrine, for Christ crucifed is the
Alpha as well as the Omega of all the Bible: NOT a
oil n inn. mot
ing is pronounced but he is represented as covert
frUm the Storm and the refuge for the guilty; not
prophecy is revealed but the testimony of Jesus is
the spirit of it: not one mystic institution was
ordained, not one bleeding bullock slaughtered
lamb ever stained Jewish altar, but was meant to
represent crueitied Redeemer as the Lamb of God
slain from the foundation of the world. All the
lives of the patriarchs, filled with curious and in.
structive providenees, manifest the funess of the
grace that is in our Lord Jesus Christ and while we
read with pleasing surprise of the tenderness Of
a forgiving Joseph TO his returning brethren the
meekness Of Moses, the strength of u Samson the
patience of Il job the wisdom ola Solmon, we see
at once their excellencies as faint emblems of him
who is "atogether lovely" and "in whom dyyeIls ali
the fulness OF the Godhead bodily
1t is true, as Rev. John Newton said, that "the
whole Scripture, as 1t consists of histories prophe
cies, doctrines, precepts, promises, exhortations
announcements and reproois is the proper subject
proper course and place be attended to; vet So as
that in every compartment we exhibit Jesus as The
capital fo,re. in whom the prophecies are all full
of type and emblem, the most important part Of
Scripture history have an express reference; and
from whom alone we can receive that life and
strength and encouragement which are necessary 10
make obedience either pleasing or practicable"
The text then, does not imply that the onos,Ie
would discuss other theme, but none that did not
either grow out Of or lead to this grand or central
truth of the Christian system. In addition TO The
Illustrations already given. take one more - '"'
A Young man who had been preaching I'm tle
presence Of an aged minister, asked him what he
thought of the sermon.
"a very poor sermon indeed" was the reply
"a poor sermon !" said the young man. at took
me long time to study it. Why, did you not
think my explanation OF the text good one?'
"oh. yes" said the old preacher. very good
well them why did you say it was poor Sermon
Did you not think the metaphors were appropriate
and the argument conclusiye?"
Yes they were very good; but still it was a very
will you tell me why you think so p
Certainly. because there sCas no Christ in it,"
"Well," said the young man, Christ was not in |
the text; we not always to be preaching Christ
we must preach what is in the text"
Then the old man said: Don't you know, young
man, that from every town and every village, and
every hamlet in England, there is a way to
London q
"Ah o. replied the old preacher, land so from
every text in Scripture there is road TO the metro
polls of the Scripture that is, to Christ. And my
dear brother your business is when you get text,
to say. Now, what is the road TO Christ and then
preach a sermon running along the road to the |
great metropolis-Christ. have never yet found |
text that had not a road to Christ in it, and i'll |
should find one that did not seem to have such |
one that might get to my Master for the sermon |
cannot do any good unless there is of Christ
in it."
We have already seen that in such preaching |
there need be no want of Udriefy. A man who had |
followed DR., Adam Clarke from place to place for |
three years and heard nm preach very often was |
asked by Mr.. Benson if he did not get tired of his
taking the same subjects If not the same texts repli-
ed, NO. he did not take the same subjects, except
that in all he gdre the broad Gospel Of Chris :" iil-
timating what is strictly that in this there Is
pdrety that never fails 10 interest and pret for as dear
old Dr. John s. Reese (Of precOus memory used |
often to say, the Gospel is