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preaching in this style。 Once he gave out for his text； 〃He that is so
impoverished that he hath no oblation； chooseth unto him a tree that
will not rot〃 （Isa。 40：20）。 〃Here；〃 said he； 〃is man by nature
impoverished and undone。 He has nothing to offer； in order to make
satisfaction for his soul。 And what ought he to do？ He ought to choose
a tree which cannot rot； even the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ。〃On another occasion； being anxious to preach on the doctrine
of indwelling sin； he chose his text out of the history of Joseph and
his brethren； and gave out the words； 〃The old man of whom ye spake； is
he yet alive？〃 （Gen。 43：27）。 Out of this question he ingeniously
twisted a discourse about the infection of nature remaining in the
believer；a grand truth； no doubt； but certainly not the truth of the
passage。 Such instances will； I trust； be a warning to all my younger
brethren。 If you want to preach about the indwelling corruption of
human nature； or about Christ crucified； you need not seek for such
far…fetched texts as those I have named。 If you want to be simple； mind
you choose plain simple texts。
Furthermore； if you wish to see through your subjects thoroughly； and
so to attain the foundation of simplicity； do not be ashamed of
dividing your sermons and stating your divisions。 I need hardly say
this is a very vexed question。 There is a morbid dread of 〃firstly；
secondly； and thirdly〃 in many quarters。 The stream of fashion runs
strongly against divisions； and I must frankly confess that a lively
undivided sermon is much better than one divided in a dull； stupid；
illogical way。 Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind。 He
that can preach sermons which strike and stick without divisions； by
all means let him hold on his way and persevere。 But let him not
despise his neighbour who divides。 All I say is； if we would be simple；
there must be order in a sermon as there is in an army。 What wise
general would mix up artillery； infantry； and cavalry in one confused
mass in the day of battle？ What giver of a banquet or dinner would
dream of putting on the table the whole of the viands at once； the
soup； the fish； the entrees； the joints； the salads； the game； the
sweets； the dessert； in one huge dish？ Such a host would hardly be
thought to serve his dinner well。 Just so I say it is with sermons。 By
all means let there be orderorder； whether you bring out your
〃firstly； secondly； or thirdly；〃 or notorder； whether your divisions
are concealed or expressedorder so carefully arranged that your
points and ideas shall follow one another in beautiful regularity； like
regiments marching past before the Queen on a review day in Windsor
Park。
For my own part； I honestly confess that I do not think I have preached
two sermons in my life without divisions。 I find it of the utmost
importance to make people understand； remember； and carry away what I
say； and I am certain that divisions help me to do so。 They are； in
fact； like hooks and pegs and shelves in the mind。 If you study the
sermons of men who have been and are successful preachers； you will
always find order； and often divisions； in their sermons。 I am not a
bit ashamed to say that I often read the sermons of Mr。 Spurgeon。 I
like to gather hints about preaching from all quarters。 David did not
ask about the sword of Goliath； Who made it？ who polished it？ what
blacksmith forged it？ He said； 〃There is nothing like it；〃 for he had
once used it to cut off its owner's head。 Mr。 Spurgeon can preach most
ably； and he proves it by keeping his enormous congregation together。
We ought always to examine and analyze sermons which draw people
together。 Now when you read Mr。 Spurgeon's sermons； note how clearly
and perspicuously he divides a sermon； and fills each division with
beautiful and simple ideas。 How easily you grasp his meaning！ How
thoroughly he brings before you certain great truths； that hang to you
like hooks of steel； and which； once planted in your memory； you never
forget！
My first point； then； if you would be simple in your preaching； is；
that you must thoroughly understand your subject； and if you want to
know whether you understand it； try to divide and arrange it。 I can
only say for myself； that I have done this ever since I have been a
minister。 For forty…five years I have kept blank MS。 books in which I
put down texts and heads of sermons for use when require& Whenever I
get hold of a text； and see my way through it； I put it down and make a
note of it。 If I do not see my way through a text； I cannot preach on
it； because I know I cannot be simple； and if I cannot be simple； I
know I had better not preach at all
II。 The second hint I would give is this： Try to use in all your
sermons； as far as you can； simple words。 In saying this； however； I
must explain myself。 When I talk of simple words； I do not mean words
of only one syllable； or words which are purely Saxon。 I cannot in this
matter agree with Archbishop Whately。 I think he goes too far in his
remendation of Saxon； though there is much truth in what he says
about it。 I rather prefer the saying of that wise old heathen Cicero；
when he said； that orators should try to use words which are 〃in daily
mon use〃 amongst the people。 Whether the words are Saxon or not； or
of two or three syllables。 it does not matter so long as they are words
monly used and understood by the people。 Only； whatever you do；
beware of what the poor shrewdly call 〃dictionary〃 words； that is； of
words which are abstract； or scientific； or pedantic； or plicated；
or indefinite； or very long。 They may seem very fine； and sound very
grand； but they are rarely of any use。 The most powerful and forcible
words； as a rule； are very short。
Let me say one word more to confirm what I have stated about that
mon fallacy of the desirableness of always using Saxon English。 I
would remind you that a vast number of words of other than Saxon origin
are used by writers of notorious simplicity。 Take； for instance； the
famous work of John Bunyan； and look at the very title of it； The
Pilgrim's Progress。 Neither of the leading words in that title is
Saxon。 Would he have improved matters if he had called it 〃The
Wayfarer's Walk〃？ In saying this I admit freely that words of French
and Latin origin are generally inferior to Saxon； and； as a rule； I
should say； use strong pure Saxon words if you can。 All I mean to say
is； that you must not think it a matter of course that words cannot be
good and simple if they are not of Saxon origin。 In any case； beware of
long words。
Dr。 Gee； in his excellent book； Our Sermons （Longman）； very ably points
out the uselessness of using long words and expressions not in mon
use。 For example； he says； 〃Talk of happiness rather than of felicity；
talk of almighty rather than omnipotent； lessen rather than diminish；
forbidden rather than proscribed； hateful rather than noxious； seeming
rather than apparent； afterwards rather than subsequently； call out and
draw forth instead of evoke and educe。〃 We all need to be pulled up
sharply on these points。 It is very well to use fine words at Oxford
and Cambridge； before classical hearers； and in preaching before
educated audiences。 But depend upon it； when you preach to ordinary
congregations； the sooner you throw overboard this sort of English； and
use plain mon words； the better。 One thing； at all events； is quite
certain； without simple words you will never attain simplicity in
preaching。
III。 The third hint I would offer； if you wish to attain simplicity in
preaching； is this： Take care to aim at a simple style of position。
I will try to illustrate what I mean。 If you take up the sermons
preached by that great and wonderful man Dr。 Chalmers； you can hardly
fail to see what an enormous number of lines you meet with without
ing to a full stop。 This I cannot but regard as a great mistake。 It
may suit Scotland； but it will never do for England。 If you would
attain a simple style of position； beware of writing many lines
without ing to a pause； and so allowing the minds of your hearers to
take breath。 Beware of colons and semicolons。 Stick to mas and full
stops； and take care to write as if you were asthmatical or short of
breath。 Never write or speak very long sentences or long paragraphs。
Use stops frequently； and start again； and the oftener you do this； the
more likely you are to attain a simple style of position。 Enormous
sentences full of colons； semicolons； and parentheses； with paragraphs
of two or three pages' length； are utterly fatal to simplicity。 We
should bear in mind that preachers have to do with hearers and not
readers； and that what will 〃read〃 well will not always 〃speak〃 well。 A
reader of English can always help himself by looking back a few lines
and