Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-31

INDUCED In by the Forum c1itlc cah"0S -
sustained. stu he found grave reason u
believe that ministers need more INV
rough training In the art or preaching
He desires to arouse not only the interest,"
of the preachers, but the interest OF th'
laity as well in this subject.
"The catholic character OF my SUB
feet" he says. WILL he hopes, make mS
effort acceptable to readers OF all denomi'
tons. for the need is confined 10 nc
church."
The opening chapter of the book Is on
the preaching of the Prophets" AFTER
showing that no living agency OF rehgion
! is older than preaching, DR.. James says
preaching bursts upon US in Hebrew
prophesy in its most glorihed form. Thu
morning star OF preaching is the bright
est in the skies. AS Homer occupied the
epic throne in the early dawn of Hellas,
and Poetry has remembered him ever
since; as Dante sounded the first and
most tuneful note of Italian song
and remains its master still; as Shakes
peare mounted to the zenith Of English
| poetry in the beginning to be its inspi'
| ration forever, so that constellation OF
! prophetic preachers, among whom Isaiah
| is the star Of first magnitude, breaks
out from the dark, as it were,
new creation fresh from God, lit and
lifted up on high to illuminate their fol-
lowers to the end"
The preachers of these days, the
author continues, abhorred the sophistries
.atRr
picture Of labofious industry. Inspi-
ration with them was no excuse Tor
rhetorical Incidence but new incentive
to exertion. They studied the mind OF
God. and they used the incest art in
framing It into language. And just here,
in referring to the diction OF the prophet
preachers, we have a lesson 10 the
preacher Of the present day.
There is, indeed, nothing artificial
about their sermons we will not even
say that they had the art TO conceal
art No; true art is too busy about
helping nature to her best to think OF
itself at ALL Art is only helping nature
to be her best. 1t finds out what nature
is; what defects need TO be repaired
and repairs them deity; what restraints
are to be removed, and removes them;
what shape nature is trying TO take,
and helps her take it. Art is herself
nothing to display or conceal; she is
lust simply a nurse of nature. But she
IS the most sedulous. toilsome, perse-
vering nurse that ever was seen. 30
she nursed nature TO perfection In HEBREW
prophecy; so in all the great preach-
ers that have moved the world to
God. SO the preacher of to-day must
raise up preaching to power again. NO
toll. no art, no power over men.
In the second chapter, which treats Oh
"Rabbinical preaching" DIR. James Is In
harmony with Graetz In criticising that
school, and makes this thrust at sensa-
tionalism:
'The sensationalism Of the Haggadah,
as Edersheim portrays it, is warning
to the preachers of this day. Some, we
fear. are not far behind. Sensationalism
has q double vice-it perverts the Word
of God and 1t caters for the praise OF
men. Just as the rabbinical preaching
got away from the Word Of God, II
got away from God Himself; 1t ceased to
be a message, 1t became an enforcement
of rules The authority Of God was
obscured by that of the rabbi. The stand
ing formula of the prophets. thus satin
the Lord became Rabbi Eleazar said,'
Rabbi Zadok taught
Further on the author reverts to sem
sationalism in the pulpit, and in speak
ing Of the preacher who uses rhetoric for
popularity, says that 'his sermon is a
performance looking to sensational effect
and not pleading with souls in behalf of
God His power over souls is
gone. He draws crowds. but he draws
them away from Christ"
The third chapter deals with the preach
ing of Christ, and remembering what has
been said of the preaching of the prophets
we have a striking contrast presented.
We are told that
Jesus moved mems hearts to love, be-
cause love charged His every sentiment
and tone. His new mind of sweetness
gave a new mind to the world. Another
feature in the spirit of this Divine Mes
senger gave a new development to preach
ing; it was the new and dominant interest
which He took. in the so-called masses
The prophets had sought reformation by
preaching chiefly to kings, princes, and
grandees. They had a word for the
mean man occasionally; they never
failed to plead the cause of the poor and
needy, but their preaching was addressed
mainly to the great. History teaches us
that great reformations do not begin with
kings but with the people. Jesus preach
ed the Gospel to the poor, to the multi
tude, to the masses yet he dealt not
with them In the mass, but singly, soul
by soul. He delivered the Divine mes
sage to men as individuals, however great
the crowd to hear him. One fundamental
principle of His religion is the sacredness
of personality"
In the fourth chapte< we are givsn
the Development of Preaching During
the Greek Period Qrom Christ TO the
rise of Islam)' and the good and bad
Influences n ha II
spirit on the pulpit are described.
"Medaeval Preaching" follows next, in
Guiding treatses on true and false mysti-
cism, and scholastcism, and then comes
Preaching During the Reformation and
Modern Period" This chapter abounds
in striking lessons, In warnings, and in
to historic characters. Upon
sermon helps and secondhand sermons
Dr. James is very severe. He shows
how sermon helps or their equivalent |
have in the past detracted from the !
power and perverted the mission of the |
pulpit, and in discussing modern sermon |
helps and their use says:
THE materials of reading and obser- |
walton must be taken up into the pro- |
cesses Of the mind and born again into |
our own offspring by the travail of |
1t is the working over OF |
ideas that makes them our own, and |
quickens the imagination till they start |
out in new forms and kindle the affec-
lions and vitaliZe the will. But |
your sleep-easy sermon help-you begin
lead and you end dead. These things
may do for beginners as exercises; SER
mon helps may make fairly good
romiletic go-cart for babies to learn
to walk in. But when we become men
we must put away childish things.
L.. E..v1