Preaching the Bible

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, Cal. · Jul 15, 1875

Preaching the Bible.

Very many people find fault with our method of preaching because we read so much Scripture in our discourses. Nothing seems to them like preaching but taking a sentence for a text and talking far from it, telling anecdotes, &c. This style of harangue, for it is not worthy to be called by the name of sermon, is more popular in America than in the old countries. The following is from an account of a discourse by Dr. Parker, of London:—

“The sermon was one of a series of Sunday evening discourses, in which he was expounding the book of Nehemiah. The expository style being so much more commonly used in Great Britain than by American preachers, this seemed a peculiarly favorable time to study it at its best. Especially were we glad to hear him in it, as Dr. Parker himself spoke with much enthusiasm of the necessity of feeding the people with ‘great masses of Scripture,’ and with some contempt of the opposite method of taking a mere pinch of Scripture words with which to flavor a very copious dilution of human speculation. Solid Gospel meat seemed to him much better than the poor water-gruel some ministers offer, on whose surface a text may float which has no vital connection with it.”

That is an excellent picture of the modern essay style, which is called sermonizing. “A mere pinch of scripture words with which to flavor a very copious dilution of human speculation.” And frequently popular ministers will talk on some passing event, or some political movement, quoting a text of Scripture so that it may be called preaching, the text, however, having no possible relation to the matter of discourse. When Paul preached he “reasoned out of the Scriptures.” Perhaps we have not done ourselves and our cause justice in styling our discourses “Bible Lectures.” They are generally expository sermons, and people should be led to look upon them in that light. There is something in a name, and we should recognize it. As long as we call an expository discourse a lecture, we are fastening on the minds of the people the idea that an essay with a “mere pinch of scripture” to preface it is real preaching. Let us lead the people to respect, as a sermon, an argument or discourse which brings out and enforces Bible truth. J. H. W.