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 THE 
 
 VALUE OF THE PULPIT 
 
 AS A ' 
 
 TEAGHEE OF THE PEOPLE 
 
 A PAPER READ BEFORE THE SUNDAY SCHOOL CONFER- 
 ENCE OF THE ARCHDEACONRY OF YORK, IN 
 , ST, JAMES* SCHOOL HOUSE, TORONTO. 
 
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 - JOHN WILSON, M. A. 
 
 Archdeaew of Ptttrbw^^h. 
 
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 THE 
 
 VALUE OF THE PULPIT 
 
 AS A 
 
 TEACHER OF THE PEOPLE- 
 
 f A PAPER READ BEFORE THE SUNDAY SCHOOL CONFER- 
 ENCE OF THE ARCHDEACONRY OF YORK, IN 
 ST. JAMES* SCHOOL HOUSE, TORONTO. 
 
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 JOHN WILSON. M.A^ 
 
 Archdeacon of Peterbffrougk. 
 
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 TORONTO:. 
 
 RoWSELL & HUTCHISOK. 
 
 1885. 
 
THE VALUE OF THE PULPIT. 
 
 . 
 
 In the following paper the writer has endeavoured 
 to put together a few hints and observations, which, 
 by leading to subsequent discussion, may elicit more 
 important information, such as may prove useful to 
 some of the younger Clergy, in their public ministra- 
 tions. At the same time, he presumes not to dictate 
 to his\Jbrethren in the ministry, to whose zealous and 
 faithful labpurs he can bear humble testimony; but 
 desires raWk to act the part of a friend and fellow 
 helper, as otic conscibus of his own infirmities, and 
 feeling the awfi^l responsibilities of the ministerial 
 office. \ 
 
 The grand design of preaching the Gospel is, to 
 bririg sinners to the Saviour, to win souls to G^irist, in 
 order to restore fallen and guilty man to that state of 
 holiness and happiness from which Adam, by trans- 
 gression, fell. The fall of man, and his recovery 
 through Christy lie at the foundation of all true 
 religion, and should be constantly enforced and ex- 
 plained by the Christian minister^in his exhortations 
 •and addresses. In this respect, the Pulpit ^MorAs him 
 a most excellent opportunity of setting forth the whole 
 scheme of Redemption, as revealed to us in the Holy 
 Scriptures.^ For this purpose the Bible should be his 
 
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constant study. To it he must repair, as to an inex, 
 haustiblc fountain of divine truth, for the subject 
 matter of his discourses. Christ Jesus, the Lord, m 
 His threefold office of Prophet, Priest, and King, 
 should be the subject of all his preaching ; and the 
 salvation of sinners the object of his addresses. The 
 glorious work of redeeming love, the love of God m 
 sending His Blessed Son into the world to save sinners, 
 should ever be in his heart, and pervade all his teach- 
 ing. The great doctrine of the Atonement; the 
 Sacrifice of Christ on the Crosr for the sins of the 
 world ; His pure and spotless Example for our imita-, 
 tion ; His intercession for His people ; and His con- 
 tinual presence with His Chnrch ; these are the themes 
 upon which the Christian minister will delight to dwell ; 
 this the preaching which will be most likely to affect 
 the hearts of his hearers, and win souls to Christ. 
 
 Next to the study of the Holy Scriptures, the 
 writings^ of the early Christian Fathers should also 
 engage his attention, and after that, the standard 
 Divines of our own Church will supply him with 
 abiindant materials which, if judiciously used, may 
 prove of great benefit to him in his preparation for tiie 
 Pulpit. The faithful minister, in his pastoral inter- 
 course with his people, will also meet with many 
 / incidents, in the passing occurrences of the day, which 
 he may improve, and turn to good account, in his 
 public ministrations. He will thus become a Scribe 
 well instructed in the word of God, and be enabledr^ 
 
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 bring forth out of his treasure things new and old. He 
 should, also, himself be impressed with the value and 
 importance of the message he has to deliver, or else 
 he will fail to make any impression upon the hearts of 
 his people. \ 
 
 When we consider that the minister is the ambas- 
 sador of Christ, sent to proclaim the message of 
 salvation, and to entreat his fellow sinners to turn 
 from their evil ways, and be reconciled to God, through 
 Christ, we shall at once perceive on what a lofty 
 -eminence he stands, and what a deeply responsible 
 position he occupies. So that the aid of the Holy 
 Spirit should be constantly and earnestly invoked in 
 all his ministrations, remembering what a fearful thing 
 it is to rush thoughtlessly, or without due preparation 
 into tfie presence of God, to speak in His Name. 
 " The edification of our people should ever be in our 
 minds, as often as we stand up in the Church of God 
 Vto address our hearers. A^part, and a most important 
 part, of our commission is, to teach the people com- 
 mitted to our charge in the things which concern their 
 eternal salvation. ^'Teaching them to observe all 
 things whatsoever I have commanded you," is the 
 Saviour's solemn injunction to His ApoJill^s just before 
 He left the world. This is al^solutely necessary, in 
 order that our people may be well grounded in the 
 truths of Religion, and built up in their m^st holy 
 faith. This, it is to be feared, is too often lost sigh 
 of, and instead of the plain and essential doctrines o 
 
 
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 the Gospel, as applicable to daily life and practice, 
 they are sometimes treated to sensational or declama- 
 tory addresses, or to crude and ill-prepared discouriSjCs; 
 by which they are neither benefited nor instructed. A 
 morbid craving for excitement is thus encouraged, the 
 simple truths of the Gospef become distasteful, and 
 people want continually to hear " some new thing ; ** 
 and unless their ears are tickled, or their feelings 
 excited, they cease to feel an interest in the Preacher, 
 or probably leave the Church, in order to gratify their 
 taste, or to feed their fancy, in listei^ing to some more 
 flueot or eloquent speaker. Such peopk^niake/fifa^r/i- 
 itt^, the principal object of Divine service ; ^nd so they 
 go to Church to hear, and not to /ray— forgetting that 
 to hear is simply to get knowledge, but that to pray 
 is to perform an aU of Divine worship. 
 
 Now, as a remedy for this, and in order to attach 
 Our people more loyally and faithfully to the Church* 
 I would here suggest that our preaching should be 
 ^iflferent from what it commonly is. The Church's 
 system of inetruction should -be carefully adhered to. 
 All the leading events of bur Lord's life should be 
 duly commemorated, and the lessons arising but of 
 them dwelt upon and enforced. The Articles of oui^ 
 Christian faith should be frequently explained ; the" 
 value and importance of the two holy Sacraments, as 
 channels of Divine grace, clearly and fully pointed out ;. 
 
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 ana ODei^lcncc to UlC v^uiiniidiiuiiiciiia ui vjruu oci iwi I.U 
 
 ^ as the Christian's duty. Our invaluable Book of Com- 
 
 
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 mon Prayer, being the best commentary on the Holy, 
 Scriptures, may safely be taken as our guide in oui* 
 pulpit ministrations. In the Articles, and Liturgy, 
 
 * and devotional ^ces of the Church, her ministers 
 .will find valuable hints and suggestions for their dis- 
 courses, and thus be Jed to foHoW that safe and most 
 excellent practice of preaching the Gospel through the 
 
 ^ministrations of the Church. _ 
 
 By this means, as a late distinguished Bishop of our 
 thurch observes, " bur people will be brought to some 
 knowledge of the character^ the grounds, and the im- 
 portance of Church communion, of which, it is to be 
 feared, they are, for the most part, greatly ignorant. 
 They may learn to form a due estimate of the value 
 of the Church as an Apostolical and Scriptural Insti- 
 tution; and may constantly communicate with her, 
 after the manner which she herself ordains ; not, 
 indeed, by the mere accidental circumstances of birth, 
 or habit, or fashion, or a capricious taste, or an ' itching 
 ear,' drawing them away hither ancA;hithc^r after some 
 favourite preacher, but loving the Church for her own 
 sake, for the sake of themselves, for the sake of h^r 
 Divine Author and Founder, as the * Church of the 
 living God. the pillar and ground of the truth,* and as 
 tl>e means whereby they may continue \t\ 'the 
 ^postles' doctrine and fellowship,' in the Sacraments 
 M^hich the Apostles ministered, and in the mode of 
 worship which they celebrated ; and may thus be 
 blessed with the spiritual Presence of Him, who pro- 
 
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mised that He would be with His apostles, and so 
 lyith their rightly delegated successors, * always, even 
 unto the end of the world.* " 
 
 In order more fully to carry out this plan of Church 
 teaching, it might be advisable to frame a course of • 
 Sermons or Lectures on the Catechtsm, and to take 
 up and explain the several parts of it as opportunity 
 served. This excellent Manual, though brief and 
 easily committed to memory is yet exceedingly com- 
 prehensive, and contains, in a short compass, the whole 
 faith and duty of a Christian. It i?, in short, a com- 
 plete body of divinity, and he who thoroughly under- 
 stands it may be considered no mean Theologian, 
 Besides, it is appointed by the Church to be learned 
 of all her children ; and the lessons thus learned in 
 youth, when more fully expanded, or explained from 
 the Pulpit, will not be easily forgotten, but will be 
 likely, with the Divine Wessing, to make a lasting 
 impression, and be taken as a rule of conduct through 
 life. Such a course of teaching will enable our people 
 and especially our youthful members, the better to 
 understand what they hear delivered, from time to 
 time, in the Pulpit. For, as a pious Bishop of our 
 Church-;rwho was himself "a burning and a shining, 
 light"— well observes: *The plainest sermon from 
 the Pulpit, will not be understood, nor profit any one 
 who has npt been well instructed in theOhurch Cate- 
 chism." < 
 
 Expositions of vari<Hlf portions of Holy Scripture, 
 a Parablej a Miracle, <% a Discourse of our Blessed, 
 
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 Lord, will be found exceedingly profitable, if duly 
 enforced and applied to the various circumstances of 
 the Christian^ life. The narative portions of the Old 
 Testament, also, are full of the deepest interest, and 
 abound with lessons of the highest importance. 
 
 Sometimes it may be well to take the Epistle or Gos- 
 -pel appointed for the day ; and explain its leading 
 points in a clear and forcible way, and apply its lessons 
 to our daily life and practice. This, we know, was the 
 practice of the primitive Church, and continued so foir 
 many ages.* The SerAion was not then considered 
 everything, as it libw is ; bat was duly subordinated 
 to the other part^ of Divine worship, and generally 
 consisted of art elucidation or exposition of some 
 portion of Scripture, which had been previously read 
 in the service of the day. By this means the people 
 were instructed in the knowledge of their duty; and 
 taught and encouraged to put in practice during th<* 
 week, the holy lessons which they had learned in God's 
 house of prayer. 
 
 And, in this respect, we can have no better model 
 for our imitatioi^, than the Epistles of St Paul. Here 
 we shall find all the great doctrines of the Gospel,, 
 fully and clearly set forth, and explained ; and all the 
 relative duties arising out of them enforced in the 
 plainest manner. The great Apostle again and again 
 reminds his converts that they have been taken out of 
 a state of nature, and placed in a state of grace and 
 salvation; and urges the greatness of their privileges, 
 
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./■■•.■ 10 
 
 as entailing upon them corresponding vows and 
 obligations, and as' a reason why they should walk 
 worthy of their high vocation. He also shows them 
 that the ReHgion which they profess, should influence "• 
 their daily life and conduct, in whatever state or.con- 
 cbndition they might be placed. Thus, the duties of 
 husbands and wives, of parents and 'children, masters 
 and servants, rulers and subjects, are dwelt upon, and 
 enforced in the plainest terms, within the capacity of 
 all to understand. This is practical Christianity, 
 adapted to the conditions of every day life. But, in 
 modern pceaching, it is tobe feared, that these relative 
 duties do not occupy that prominence to which, as 
 inculcated in the Bible, they are so justly entitled, 
 and upon the due observance of which, so much of 
 human, happiness depends, (t is to be feared also, 
 that in rebuking vice, and warning sinners, ^nd exhort- 
 ing men to repentance, bur Congregations are some- 
 times addressed as if they were heat/tens, and not 
 Christians. For, although it is quite certain, that in 
 every congregation there are some who are walking 
 disorderly ; and others, it may be, who are bringing 
 scandal upon the Church, and that holy Religion which 
 they profess, by their wicked and profligate lives; yet 
 we must remember that we are addressing those who 
 who are the redeemed children of God, bought with 
 the precious Blood of Christ, and Sealed by the Holy " 
 Spirit unto the day of redemption. The Prodigal, 
 though fallen and degraded, was still a son, and as a 
 
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 son, was received by his tender and loving Father, 
 upon his repentance. And so. it is with the sinner— 
 once made a child of ^od ; once adopted into His 
 family ; once numbered among the faithful — now, it 
 may be, fallen into the lowest depths of iniquity by his 
 evil course of life ; yet that poor sinner, degraded and 
 fallen as he is, should be addressed as one for whom 
 Christ died ; as having been once entitled to all the 
 privileges of the Christian covenant, as a son of God, ' 
 and an heir of heaven ; and, that if he repent, and 
 turn from his evil .ways,-^ and believe in the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, he shall undoubtedly be saved. 
 . In most cases. Expository Preaching .^'\\\, after all, 
 be found the most profitable and beneficial, if enforced . 
 in a plain, earnest, and practical manner. Our con^ 
 gregations, in rural parishes more especially, consist 
 partly of emigrants, and partly of the early settlers of 
 the country, and their families, as well as of others who, 
 late in life, may have embraced Church principles, or 
 conformed to the Church's doctrine and teaching. But 
 many of these people have had little or no religious 
 . instructfon in their early youth; and consequently 
 have but a very imperfect knowledge of the Holy . 
 Scriptures, or the claims of the Church upon their 
 allegiance. And every Clergyman who has the care 
 of a Country parish or mission, must have been grieved 
 and astonished at the deplorable ignorance of the 
 young persons under his charge, while preparing them 
 for Confirmation, both as regards the H ply Scriptures, 
 
 
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 12 
 
 
 and the elementary truths of religion, as taught in the 
 Church Catechism. « 
 
 Of how great importance is it, then, that our preach- 
 ing should be made"/' profitable for doctrine, for 
 reproof, for instruction in righteousness." Considering 
 the mixed nature of our congregations, and the great 
 diversity of characters we have to deal with, we should 
 study, with God's assistance, to make our Pulpit ad- 
 dresses -as plain, direct, and pointed, and as full of 
 practical instruction as the time and our own ability 
 will admit of All preaching for effect, all self-seeking 
 aims, all desire of public applaus©, should never be 
 attempted, nor so much as thought of by the Christian 
 minister. His manner should be simple, grave, 
 earnest, and devout, as becomes the ambassador of 
 Christ, who comes before his people with messages 
 from heaven. That sensational} unnatural, stimukting 
 hot-bed proces^^if I may so term it— should be 
 entirely avoided in the Pulpit, as only calculated to 
 engage the feeliiigs, to excite admiration, but not to 
 convince the understanding, nor to improve the heart 
 The sober truths, the awful realities of our holy Reli- 
 gion are not to be thus dealt with, but to be set forth 
 in a grave, earnest, and reverential manner, and made 
 level to the capacity of our hearers. Again, all dry 
 and technical disquisitions on metaphysical subjects 
 should be considered as out of place, and not tending 
 to the edification of our people. And so, in like 
 manner, all irritating subjects of controversy, which 
 
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 only tend to stir up strife, should, except on every rare 
 occasions, be avoided ; and when found to be neces- 
 sary in defending our doctrines or principles, should 
 be set forth in a spirit of love, and with a due regard 
 to the differing opinions of men on such subjects. 
 
 It is greatly to be feared that many persons have 
 been lost to the Church for want, of eatrly religious 
 training in her doctrines and worship ; and from want 
 of that plain, practical, and faithful teaching and 
 preaching, in after years, which is so essential to their 
 present and future happiness. Such persons will tell 
 you, that in early life they were .members of the 
 Chifrch, having been duly baptized ; but that the 
 preaching was so far above their comprehension, that 
 they could not understand it ; aftd so, not being 
 edified, they ceased to attend the Church's ministra- 
 tions, and finally connected themselves with some 
 other body of Christians. This shews the great neces- 
 sity of adapting our discourses, as much as possible, 
 to the capacity of our hearers. For, if the people do 
 ' not understand what we say, they cannot be edified j 
 and if not edified, they will soon become weary of 
 attending our ministrations, and grow cold and negli- 
 gent in their religious duties. 
 
 And herein we may see the great value and impor- 
 tance of early religious training in sound Church 
 principles. It is by this means that the youthful 
 mehibers of our Church shall become pious and devout 
 in their lives, and affectionately attached to our doc- 
 
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 trine and discipline. But if this be neglected, they 
 will have no correct knowledge of what is held and 
 taught by the Church, of which they are members ; 
 .and having no settled convictions on the subject of 
 religion, no w:ell defined principles to guide their 
 future course in life, they are likely to become the 
 prey of some wild enthusiasts, or to settle down in a 
 state of general infidelity. 
 
 And, moreover, when we consider the increasing 
 prevalence of crime ; the great laxity of morals ; the 
 levity and friyolity, and insatiable love of pleasure ; 
 the giddy round of amusements, so eagerly sought out 
 and followed, more especially by the young ; owing, it 
 it is to be feared, in a great measurfe, to the absence of 
 religious teaching in the Schools of the Country; we 
 shall see the great need of using all diligence, in our 
 public and private ministrations, to guard our people 
 against these soul destroying evils ; and to make them 
 sober-minded, devout, aijd holy in their lives and 
 conversation, as God would hive them to be, and as 
 the Church has directed that they should be. For 
 this purpose both the Pulpit and the Sunday School 
 may be used with great advantage; alid the members 
 of the Church, thus taught and carefully instructed in 
 their duties and their privileges, will become more 
 aflfectionately, and intelligently attached to the doc- 
 trines and teaching inculcated ; and will, in their turn, 
 endeavour, by God's blessing, to diffuse and dissenii- 
 nate those good and holy prhiciples, which thqy have 
 
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 learned from their Pastor, and which have proved so 
 beneficial to themselves. 
 
 But, perhaps, it may be thought by some persons 
 that in following the course of instruction here recom- 
 mended, we are giving undue prominence to Church 
 teaching, and putting the Church in place of Christ in 
 our ministrations. But there will i>e no danger of 
 committing so fatal an error as this, if we follow the 
 Chnrch AS far as s/te follows Christ. When we con- 
 sider that all the means of grace derive their value 
 and efficacy from the merits of Christ's atonement, 
 and have been appointed by Him for the salvation of 
 His people, we cannot estimate them too highly, nor 
 apply them too faithfully. Without Christ, all our 
 ' preaching would be in vain ; prayer would ^e useless ; , 
 the holy Sacraments valueless, mere unmeanW cere- 
 monies, without life, or power, or efficacy, and Wvey- 
 ing no grace o#benefit to the soul. But by virtii«^of 
 His precious death and w»ufferings. His gloriouK^ 
 resurrection and ascension, ffcey are.made the channels 
 through which flow the richest gifts of God to man. 
 preparing us for the enjoyment of His presence in 
 heaven. As well might the glorious orb of day, the 
 material sun in the heavens, be blotted out of existence, 
 as Christ Jesus the Lord be omitted in the preaching 
 and teaching of His ministers. He is the Head, the 
 Cliurch is His Body, we are His members; and as 
 life and nourishment are diffused from the head to the 
 
 members, so Christ, our living Head, sheds down the 
 
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 16 
 
 kindly influences of His Holy Spirit upon His faithful 
 'people, imparting life, and efficacy, and saving grace 
 to what would otherwise be dead and empty forms. 
 
 I cannot better conclude these remarks, than in the 
 words of our late Metropolitan, in his little book 
 entitled " T/ie Pastoral Office"— a book which ought 
 to be carefully read and studied by every Clergyman 
 who has the cure of souls—" Above all, let us prepare 
 each sermon wii/i an earnest desire that ii may accom- 
 
 9 
 
 plish its own special work, and be productive of some 
 special blessing. Let us aim at the heart, and be 
 content with nothing short of its conviction and 
 improvement. Let us seek to be fully impressed with 
 the awful jeopardy in which souls are placed, and let 
 us leave no effort untried to save them. Each time 
 this solemn resolution should be upon our minds : 
 
 "111 preach aa though I ne'er shonld preach again ; 
 I'll preach, aa dying, onto dying men ! " 
 
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