The Test of Good Preaching.
By Independent
Whosoever hides the truth by embellishment of words; by a vain exhibition of wit and fancy; by opaque learning; by the impenetrable thickness of nice distinction; by stupidity and lifelessness; by insane solemnity and sanctimonious conventionalism—is a desecrator of the pulpit, and a breaker of the Sabbath day. Stupidity hides the truth just as fatally as levity. Consecrated dullness is no better than flippant folly.—If a window fails to let the light through, it makes little difference whether the obscurity comes from the web of a big, lazy spider, or from the nimble weavings of a hundred pert little spiders. God's truth, really earnestly, pungently spoken, for a direct and practical purpose, with distinct results constantly following—that is preaching, no matter what are the particular methods of speech. Doubtless some are better than others. But every sincere and truthful man must use that way by which God has enabled him to achieve success; some by solid statements, some by inexorable reasoning, some by illustration and fancy, some by facts and stories—just as God has given power to each one. But the test is the same in the highest and lowest. Fruit must follow. The truth of God must shine through the human instrument, evince its divinity by signs following—the awakening of the conscience, conviction of sin, conversion to God, and a life redeemed from selfishness, and set aglow with Christian goodness and benevolence.—Independent.