Doctrinal Preaching

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 4, 1864

Doctrinal Preaching

DOCTRINAL PREACHING.—It is a prevailing notion that doctrinal preaching is necessarily dry and uninteresting, but this is a mistake. Zion's Herald in an article, "Inculcate our Doctrines," very justly remarks:

"Doctrinal preaching is not necessarily dry. If there is dryness anywhere, it must be in the man, and not in those eternal themes which concern Heaven and earth. If anything has power to move the heart and stir its deepest emotions, it must be the contemplation of those grand old themes with which the heart of Paul, of Luther, of Wesley, and of Ashbury was kindled into such holy enthusiasm. All along the centuries these doctrines in the hearts and ministry of earnest, devoted men, have been the power of God unto salvation; and such they will continue to be among us now and hereafter whenever they find like men to preach them. Let us away with the idea that dullness or lack of interest necessarily attaches to the doctrine of the church. If anywhere, those qualities belong to our stupid and unskillful ways of handling them.

AN EDUCATED MAN.—An educated man ought to know three things: First, where he is—that is to say, what sort of a world he has got into; how large it is; what kind of creatures live in it, and how; what it is made of and what may be made of it. Secondly, where he is going—that is to say, what chances or reports there are of any other world besides this; what seems to be the nature of that other world. Thirdly, what he had best do under these circumstances—that is to say, what kind of faculties he possesses; what are the present state and wants of mankind; what is his place in society; and what are the readiest means in his power of attaining happiness and diffusing it. The man who knows these things, and who has his will so subdued in the learning of them, that he is ready to do what he knows he ought, is an educated man; and the man who knows them not, is uneducated.