in delivery, the following being a verbatim report:
I shall divide the discourse into three
heads: (1) Man's ingress into the world;
(2) His progress through the world; (3)
His egress out of the world.
Firstly, his ingress into the world is naked and bare.
Secondly, his progress through the world is trouble and care.
Thirdly, his egress out of the world is nobody knows where.
To conclude:
If we live well here, we shall live well there.
I can tell you no more if I preach a year. Then he gave the benediction.
(2909)
Sermon, Eccentric—See Grace Sufficient.
SERMON HEADS
Preaching a trial sermon in presence of
an audience of only two persons must in any
case be a trial to one's nerves, but especially
so when the two happen to be the Archbishop
of Canterbury (Dr. Tait) and Dean Stanley.
We read of such an unfortunate young "candidate
for priest's orders" so preaching in
that rather awful presence. In his confusion
he stammered out, as he began, "I will divide
my congregation into two—the converted
and the unconverted." Dr. Tait interrupted
him with: "I think sir, as there are only
two of us, you had better say which is
which."—Chicago Standard.
(2910)
SERMON, SAVING A
When pastor of Park Avenue Church,
Brooklyn, New York, I was preaching one
Sunday morning to a languid audience, for
it was a hot, sultry day in summer. The
windows were all open for ventilation, but
scarcely a breath of air was felt. The atmosphere
was oppressive, and the service
dragged. When about half way through my
sermon, a sparrow flew through one of the
open windows, and startled the drowsy audience
by flying round the church, at times
threatening to light on one or other of the
ladies' bonnets. At length it lighted on the
communion-rail, directly in front of the pulpit
and in full view of the audience, and
there settled down quietly. All eyes were
intent upon it. My discourse had been rudely
interrupted, but as if by inspiration I was
seized with the thought to change my theme,
speak of God's care for His children, and
use the little bird as an object-lesson. This
I did, quoting the Savior's words in Matthew
6:26: "Behold the fowls of the air: for
they sow not, neither do they reap, nor
gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father
feedeth them. Are ye not much better than
they?" The audience was intensely interested,
every mind was alert, every soul
thirsty for the comforting truth. The little
creature remained perfectly quiet, and seemed
as interested as any of the rest of us. Just
before I closed he flew out of one of the
windows, having left a message of hope and
comfort to tired hearts. I have felt a warmer
place in my heart ever since for "God's sparrows."—Elijah
Humphries, Our Dumb Animals.
(2911)
Sermon, The Effect of a—See Creature, A New.
Sermon versus Salmon—See Preaching,
Responsibility in.
Sermons in Candles—See Illustrations
from Candles.
SERVICE
Service is labor baptized and anointed, and consecrated to high ends.
William Carey, cobbling shoes in that
dingy little room in Leicester, tho he was
never a skilful workman, yet cobbling them
as best he could, putting in honest leather
and sound pegs and strong stitches, and consecrating
the toil to the service of God's
kingdom, was as truly in the Father's business
as was Dr. William Carey, the distinguished
Oriental scholar, when translating
languages, preaching the gospel, and baptizing
converts in India. That little work-*shop,
with its hammers and awls and scraps
of leather, represented a department of the
heavenly Father's business. (Text.)
(2912)
Dr. Grenfell, whose devoted labors among deep-sea fishermen are known and appreciated on both sides of the Atlantic, was converted at a mission conducted in England by D. L. Moody. Meeting the evangelist many years afterward, Dr. Grenfell recalled the circumstance. Immediately Mr. Moody asked Dr. Grenfell, "And what have you been doing since?" Christians must not live on their past experiences. "What have you been doing since?" will be the Master's question.
(2913)
