Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-02-08
IN uAnauArD CHAPEL.

Fourth Eloquent Lecture ON Preach
ing-The chapel Filled TO Hear the
Learned Doctor ON she Ethical RIe-
msnt In Preaching - The Chapel
Crowded.
The fourth lecture in the Lyman Beecher
course of lectures on preaching before the
Yale Theological seminary was given yester-
day afternoon in Marquand chapel at three
o'clock. The audience room was filed, addi-
tional chairs wsrs supplied and standing
room was occupied. Sevsralof New Ravens
clergymen were present, besides many we'll
known local preachers from neighboripg
towns.
DR.. Behrends began his lecture by an
nouncing his theme. He said: t'The subject
this afternoon is the Ethical Element In
Preaching" Then the lecturer went on to
show how that some say that ethical preach
ing and preaching Of ethics is the open door
to naturalism and rationalism. This ID not
dangerous If we define our terms. At this
point DR.. Behrends defined his use of ration
Alism and naturalism. These points the leo.
turer illustrated by the preaching of Paul,
who was Q nationalist, If the epistle to the
Romans may be taken as q sample OF his
preaching. There may often be more reason
where there is lees logic, says DR.. Behrends.
Man needs no railway of logic to convey him
| to the edge of the supernatural, for man is
already living In the realm of the super~
natural.
You are not to preach q code of ethics and
| morals, but the redemptive act of Jesus
| Christ. Paul could not take up collection
| for the poor in Jerusalem without speaking
the gospel. The preacher today is little moro
than lecturer on ethics, for he must deal
| with the conduct of man. It is not your vo-
cation to be preacher of etchics, distinctively
| as such, but you must temper your preaching
| with ethical elements.
The temper of your own mind must be
ethical; this must be so in all the different
parts of your sermon. This temper will pre-
vent q minister from making q wrong inter
| probation of the scripture and will cause him
to destroy his sermon, even if at the eleventh
| hour he finds he has made a wrong interpret
alton. This temper of mind will cause man
to guard himself against advertisements.
| Make your introductions to the sermons Sim
pie and let the sermon come directly from
| the text. Be sure and establish reputation
for intellectual sincerity.
The ethical method must also determine
preachers theological methods He deals
with ethical verities, and they must be ethi-
cally interpreted; for Christianity rests on
an ethical fact and criticism has not put this
down. Present the Lord Jesus and his gos-
| pei truths; your people won't quarrel with
the Lord Jesus, but they may with Calvin or
| Luther. But on points where Jesus Ia silent,
| you will do well to be silent.
What we call moral law is all included in
what we call God and what we call man.
These beings are ethical, and their relation
ships must be ethical Moral law is the ex-
preston of divine judgment. In preaching
you must appeal to the conscience. The
best definition that DR.. Behrends has ever
heard for conscience is the one taught by ex-
President Robinson of Brown university
when he was DR.. Behrends' instructor, and
that 10 that conscience is ''the souls power
| of passing Judgment upon ITSELF" To sp.
peal to the conscience of your hearers is to
appeal to the highest prerogative any man
can appeal to. You cannot convict man;
let him convict himself. This will make
your preaching hortatory; better make that
part of the sermon brief. Leave the truth
to do its own work. 1t You have brought
your nearer face to face with God you may
retire. To provoke men to self-iudgment
should be the aim of your vocation.
Next week the theme of the two lectures
on Thursday and Friday afternoons will be
the spiritual element in preaching. Other
lectures will be on the Biblical and practical
elements,