Morris tribune., 1888-02-01

TALMAeE MAKING A SERMON


Tho Noted Preachers Methods of Pre-
pairing Discourse-A Crisis.
! make most of my sermons walking
the floor. l can always think better on
my feet. I very often dictate sermons to
stenographer, and after he has written
out his notes read it over, and by that
time I hare placed the substance of it
permanently in my memory. l can
think better standing before an audience
than L can in the privacy of my home;
but it would be very, unsafe thing, de-
pending ON the inspiration OF the mo-
ment. A minister will not do so unless
he is thoroughly lazy. My own rule is
not to go into the pulpit or upon the
platform without enough ideas to occupy
the time usefully, whether ! use those
ideas or not No minister has right to
60 before congregation unprepared,
especially in these days, when through
the newspapers and many other forms of
distribution of knowledge the audience
may happen=to know as much as he
does. -
My idea is that If man sits in his
study and carefully writes out theologi-
cal essay, it may do well for review or
magazine. but it will not interest con-
gregation; but no man can lay down a
rule for others. Many are ruined for life
SO far as work is concerned by trying to
do as others do, Extemporaneousness Of
speech is best for some, and thorough
use of manuscript is decidedly best for
others. The temptation which almost
every minister has felt who has acquired
any facility in public utterance is to in
dolence. The extemporaneous faculty
has been SO much talked about and ex-
tolled that great many ministers have
sacrificed all their effectiveness in trying to
do things impromptu. Unless man uses
his pen good deal in the act of compost
ton he win soon lack terseness and COM
pactness of expression. find that my
best days for work are Wednesdays and
Thursdays equal distances from the
Sabbath, and thee.morning Of each day
am generally not observable; but
it is difficult to make an iron rule
in these cities as to when you will
be seen and wfren~ yod viii not be
seen. I think Brooklyn Is a first rate
place for ministers. The people generally
allow pastor in these regions to work in
lis own waY, and the congregations are
ienient and not Unreasonable in their de-
mands.
I began the ministry by writing out
my sermons with great care, and taking
every nanpscript into the pulpit and con-
fining myself strictly to it. But coming
out Of a theological seminary with but
little preparation in the way of sermon
material, I found the preparation Of two
sermons and lecture week complete
physical exhaustion, SO I retracted from
that habit and used no notes at all My
first experience in this new departure
was marked and unusual. It was in my
village church at Bellville, N. j. Find
ing that I must stop the exhaustive work
of preparation resolved on certain
Sunday night to extemporize. The church
had ordinarily been lighted with lamps,
as theregwa no gas in the village, but
the trustees had built a gas house in the
rear of the church, and the new mode Of
lighting the edifice was to be tested the
very night i had decided to begin my ex-
temporaneous speaking. The church was
thronged with people who had come to
see theonew- mode of lighting. I had
about uttenn,inutes of my sermon in manu-
script and put it down on the Bible, in
tending when the manuscript gave out
to launch Ioutl on the great sea Of ex-
temnoraiieousness. Although it was a
cool night twas a very hot one for me,
and the. Thermometer seemed to be about
up to 100 degs. sAtsa very slow rate !
went onrswtith my sermon, making my
manuscript last as long, as possible.
Coming within three or four sentences
Of what Ihad written and in great trepida-
ton as to4what would happen when ] be-
gan to- eextemporize, suddenly the gas
lights lowered to half their intended size.
I said within myself ..oh! if the gas
would, 0nlysgo outl'' and sure enough, as
Iuttered the last word of my manuscript
the lights were suddenly extinct. Isaid:
ssBrethren, it is impossible for us to pro-
ceed. Receive the benediction.' - ! went
home greatly relieved, feeling that ! had
been .rescned from a great crisis, but
fully, resolved that i would break the
bondage Of manuscript and be free man
IN the pulpit, and my habit has been to
extemporize ever since. God has made
three books.for pulpit texts--the Book Of
Revelation, the Book Of Nature and the
Book OF Providence. All these books are
inspired. Christ took most Of his texts
from the Book of Nature Consider the
Hlies." Behold the fowls Of the air, y
EaSalt is good, - AS a ben gathered hef
chickens under her wing" i have only
one idea in the sermon, and that Is help
fulness. Every man needs help, unless
he be q fool. In some part of his nature
For in sonae of the circumstances sof his
life he needs reinforcement. IL men find
a practical helpfulness in the sermons.
prayers and singing of church they W.
90 there.-.'J, A, McK." in Brooklyn
Eagle, o-