There is no telling the evils that have arisen in some old
congregations, from preachers assuming that their audiences knew all
about what are usually called first principles, and not preaching
them. In this way, they never get their audiences to understand the
principles of the gospel at all. They preach to their half-sleeping
audiences, not _hearers_, some little, exhortatory sermon, of
twenty-five or thirty minutes, and not a syllable is recollected two
days. The people are thankful that the sermon was short, and the
preacher thankful that “service” is over. In this way the gospel has
literally been shut out of some churches, and year after year passes
without any thing like a clear development of the gospel, and neither
the church nor the regular hearers understand the gospel, or know the
difference between the gospel and something else. This also gives rise
to textuary preaching and preaching a sermon “to develop a single
thought.” We heard of one preacher who delivered a sermon on the
text, “And there shall be no night there.” The wording was soft as a
summer breeze and as harmless as a butterfly. Now, we must say that
we abominate this as mere trash. We want good, sound, solid and manly
preaching, containing principles and practical instruction, that will
make an audience _think_ and _feel_, and _that to some purpose_. Let us
advocate the cause, maintain and defend it, with zeal, earnestness and
power. Unfold the great principles of the faith, spread them out and
let the world see them, and see at the same time that we intend they
shall prevail. The principles are self-evidently right, and there is
no reason why any man should be ashamed of them, or afraid to advocate
them. They can be carried through the world, and we have the men and
ability, and, the Lord helping us, we shall spread them throughout the
land.