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true, 'All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.' A Church is buried by the State, and not supported, when it draws its sustenance from forced tithes and legalised exactions."

We have not made any reference to the theological views which Dr. Stanley has professed, or sympathised with, in this volume. We abstain from doing so because we would not condemn where we have not opportunity left us to deal with the subjects at length. There are some passages from which, could we have presented them, we should have expressed our hearty dissent. This is the case particularly in regard to the speech on the "South African Controversy."

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Again, whilst we have unhesitatingly disapproved of much of Dr. Stanley's volume, and complained of his mode of treating some subjects, we cannot conclude without testifying to his general fairness, to the fine and generous spirit in which he pleads for the comprehension of the rival parties in the Church, and especially to the appreciative and discriminating spirit in which the personal sketches of the volume are presented. The Church of England is fortunate in possessing such a son; and amongst the clergy of that Church there is no one who by his courtesy, his liberality, his fine embodiment of true Christian gentlemanliness, has more endeared himself to the heart of his country than Dean Stanley.

W. J. T.

ART. II.-PREACHING.

SINCE our last number we have had the privilege of perusing several "Charges," by Methodist Presidents, delivered during the current year's Conferences to newly ordained ministers, and, as usual, "published by request." They are of average merit and interest; manly, sensible, practical, useful. Our present purpose, however, is not to analyse them, or make reflections, of any sort, upon them; but rather to cast into the observations following, such thoughts upon Preaching as the "Charges" we have read naturally suggest; merely premising that the writer is not a "President,” has no "Charge" to offer unto-still less against-the clerical readers of this QUARTERLY, and does not publish "by request."

How wonderful it is that we can talk! No good gift from the Father of lights is more merciful or marvellous than this gift of speech. It can influence all sentient things; and, with human beings especially, it is most potent for good or evilthe soul and the senses being alike subject to its sway. It has pleased the God of salvation, therefore, to ordain that this power shall be employed, as His chief created instrument, in the advancement of religion. "The tongue is a little member," but it is mighty, through God, in effecting His own saving purposes towards our race. And to "preach the Gospel" is no less a human necessity that a Divine command. He who worthily holds the office of preacher, has first been ordained of God, who by the Holy Spirit calls, qualifies, and appoints to this work. Given the call and the qualification, then the opening is sure to occur; to suppose the contrary would be a libel on the character of God; while of such call and qualification it may be affirmed most surely, that they act and react, succeed and depend, upon each other. Granting that the call comes first in the order of time, yet it thus comes to prompt its subject to that self-discipline which proves to others the reality and genuineness of the call itself, and to render the call effectual in the achievements of those grand ends for which it is given. "How shall they believe without a preacher?" That is a question most significant and suggestive. God, no doubt, works on man by many mysterious influences, by powers personal and relative, by calls from within and without; yet it would appear that all must be concentrated and driven home by the living agency of men, chosen of God to

proclaim His messages of mercy, and to beseech sinners to be reconciled to Him. The whole Bible teaches this; so does the history of our race. "Faith cometh by hearing." The most successful Colporteur has attempted in vain to compass the work of the Apostle, the Evangelist, the Pastor and Teacher; for God has given these "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ," the Church. However mightily and marvellously even Divine influence may fall upon human souls to arouse, convince, and overwhelm with grief, yet they need also the Preacher to speak unto them " all the words of this life." Why are these things so? Well, although man has fallen, and has such enmity to God that every direct approach and appeal to him on God's part is disliked and dreaded, still he is a social being, and may be wooed and won by a brother's voice. And so, when the power of God is in the preacher, and he speaks, alike with Divine authority and brotherly concern, of the things which accompany salvation, the living preacher of a living Saviour wins many souls to Him.

While very much more might be said upon this subject, yet our design is not now to rebuke the silly and unscriptural outcry against gospel preaching in these latter days, but rather to point out some characteristics by which our preachers and preaching must be distinguished. Ever and anon, this is a duty equally necessary and unthankful. Who does not know that of much so-called preaching we cannot predicate any good-preaching, utterly unworthy of the name, having not one promise pertaining to it, and not one virtue going out of it among men! And this is said of no one style in particular; but of preaching of every type-save the true type. We condemn not diverse modes of pulpit thought and utterance; we rather rejoice in all God's rich varieties. Having gifts differing," let us so cultivate them as to perpetuate and exhibit the dissimilarity. Be it so, that we cannot use another's gift or adopt another's mode, are we to hinder or censure him? Nay rather, let us bid him God speed, while we do our own work well, and do it also in our own way! Yet some things are indispensable to all preachers, if worthy of their office and acceptable to their Master; these we proceed to point out.

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The first and most fundamental is mature Christian experience. As only pious men are called of God to enter on this work, so only while personal religion continues to be cultivated can ministerial work be well done. Should the good work within a preacher decay, his call to preach is surely withdrawn, and he ought to cease the work at once, as

he becomes an incumbrance and a curse. Nothing can be a substitute for robust and healthy piety. Neither gifts, learning, eloquence, wealth, social embellishments, physical endowments, political zeal, public influence, nor a strong love for the position, should induce circuits to recommend, or Conferences to accept, any man in whom real and deep seated piety is not beyond question; and no favours and no threats ought to be able to continue a man in this ministry if it ever becomes obvious that His Master's love and grace are lost. Ordinary Christian life is described as "having the Spirit," "walking after the Spirit," being " filled with the Spirit;" then how much more urgent and imperative is it that preachers should "mind the things of the Spirit," be "spiritually minded," and possess the fulness of the Spirit's sanctifying grace. "Piety is power," and the want of it is weakness; and the greatest gain which could come to modern Methodism would be the loss of such of her ministers as wear the garb of religion in professional duty, but do not cultivate it in the soul. However preachers may and must differ in many things, in this one they must be alike; for the only way to usefulness is the King's highway of holiness.

Genuine simplicity, too, is required in this work. By this we do not, of course, mean baldness, or coarseness, or rudeness in the pulpit; or that feeble and fragmentary style, which, on pretence of being simple, gives not a single indication that either the head or heart of the preacher has been preparing for its duty. No. In this work, thought cannot be too profoundlogic cannot be too cogent, forcible, or convincing,-imagery cannot be too rich or striking,-appeal cannot be too tender or persuasive; but, through all, there must be the use of words that address themselves to the heads and hearts of the humblest hearers, and yet which the wisest and most educated cannot despise. Surely this is possible to preachers; they ought not to be content until they have attained it. In the current slang of the day, preachers are often told to put themselves on a level with the people, and to "talk as they talk." But that would outrage simplicity itself, and, sinking to vulgarity, preachers would deserve and secure the people's scorn. The working men of England have too much sturdy good sense to require such treatment, and would resent it as little better than an insult. We are satisfied that nothing is more offensive to most working men than that pretended plainness which in the name of faithfulness, becomes coarse and rude. It insults them by the inference, which they are quick to draw, that the preacher supposes they can relish

nothing better; and though it may be applauded for a moment, the wretched impertinence is not soon forgotten, and is not fitted to excite desire and love for a religion which the preacher by seeking out acceptable words, is commissioned to commend. Yet guarding against one extreme, let not ministers be driven to the other. Let them not aspire to be announced as "intellectual preachers" by those few foolish hearers who live in cloudland, and despise a ministry which dwells not in the mists and fogs of metaphysical speculations and subtleties; often speaking of matters the people do not care to understand, and which, probably, the preacher does not understand himself. If they have leisure and disposition preachers may well seek to meddle with all wisdom; but they must not get into mazes and muddles, and drag the people after them. To do that would be the way, doubtless, to lead some to think very grand things of them, and to designate their preaching very "intellectual." But their work would be a miserable pretence, were it to consist only in that. Fancy Paul, the prince of preachers, toiling only to be dubbed "intellectual;" speculating, before perishing sinners and hungry saints, about the " subjective" and "objective," the "esthetic" and "ethical," the "intuitions of the soul" and the "inner consciousness," yes, fancy Paul doing that! He could have done it, for he had most extensive and varied learning, and he had no dread of intellectual encounters; but in preaching Christ he avoided all dazzle and display. Having to present an unveiled gospel he declared, "We use great plainness of speech." He coveted the great distinction of his Master, of whom it was said "the common people heard Him gladly." And if preachers of our time are to be thus heard, they must aim to be clear as the light of day.

And as warm too! For fervour is the very genius of sincerity, and in ministerial work (as in any sort of work), it aids largely to success. By fervour we mean a spirit truly earnest; whether calm or vehement in its exhibitions, we care little, if it live and work, with due intensity, within. Vain will be the selection of important texts, and careful elucidation of their meaning and bearings, if the speaker's heart be cold, heavy, drossy, dead! Let there be a clear head by all means in the pulpit, but joined with it a warm, loving heart full and fresh as the living fountain. Of these two had one or the other to be given up, then we should certainly say "Preserve heart-power at any cost." For mightier far will be the force of generous sympathy and gushing love, even though the mind be feeble, and the knowledge scant, than that of the most

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