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gious and political, in vain written-" Better reign in hell than serve in heaven." (Paradise Lost.) I am, Sir, yours very truly, OBSERVER.

ON EXTEMPORE PREACHING.

SIR,-It is in no spirit of controversy that I offer a few remarks on two previous papers in your Magazine-the one signed " W. F. H.," in the Number for September, the other signed "Orthodox," in that for November. The subject itself-Extempore Preaching-is one of so much interest, that it will not merely excuse, but justify discussion. Preaching is addressed to the heart as well as the mind; it is vain to appeal to the powers of the latter until the former has been moved; and I confess that I cannot identify the arousing of the affections with the "inflaming of the passions." This seems to be the mistake committed by “W. F. H.” He, himself, will allow that until the heart is moved and purified by Christian truth, the mind cannot be beneficially employed on reasonings and arguments as to practice and doctrine; how then can the "information of the understanding" be the primary and chief object of preaching?

With this single exception, the opinion of " W. F. H." on this subject, so far as it goes, appears perfectly sound. Perhaps, indeed, some readers might question the justice of his objection to written sermons— "that a stock sermon, embracing all that the writer can say upon the subject, is applied by him to all congregations whom he may address, however they may differ in their spiritual knowledge and spiritual wants." This is the substance of the objection; but surely " W.F.H." cannot mean to imply, that the preacher who writes his sermons cannot adapt them to the wants of individual congregations quite as carefully as he who preaches extempore; and if this be not his charge, there is only the other alternative, that the preacher who can, will not adapt his written discourses as need requires-will not, from indolence, or from some other motive equally culpable. I am sure that "W. F. H." cannot mean this.

In his remarks upon the paper by "W. F. H." " Orthodox" seems to have been rather too hasty in conclusions; or, to speak more correctly, in mistaking assumptions for conclusions, "The extempore sermon," he says, "has generally the appearance of coming more from the heart." Does he mean to appeal for proof to a fair specimen of each kind of preaching? If he do, I must say that he does not advance one inch beyond assumption; for, both in appearance and in reality, the fervour of the preacher is expressed and caught by the hearer as fully in the one case as in the other. And "Orthodox" cannot in fairness adduce the superiority of a perfect specimen of extemporaneous preaching over a faulty or formal written sermon as a proof of the superiority of the one principle over the other. But even if the fervour of extemporaneous preaching do exceed that of written sermons, does this atone for the painful hesitation of delivery, the

wandering in argument, the unintentional misuse of terms, the want of continuity in the address itself (which "Orthodox" kindly mollifies into "transition,") and the yet more dangerous consequences of mis-statement, or over-statement of doctrines, and the outpourings of over-heated imaginations? Can any effect (temporary as it must be) produced by an extempore burst of feeling and appeal to the heart make up for those evils which must ensue from the failure of the majority of preachers in the extemporaneous expression of feeling and thought?

But "Orthodox" lays down the maxim-" that the very excitement of addressing an auditory on an interesting subject arouses the imagination to new and more vivid conceptions of it, and supplies the tongue with more forcible and vigorous ways of stating it." Here, again, an assumption stands for fact. I mean the important assumption that all speakers, or at least the majority of them, possess that fluency which is one of the first steps, if not the first step to eloquence. But, with "W. F. H," I appeal to the House of Commons in refutation of the maxim as intended to be universal. There we have more than six hundred well educated men (?-ED.), men whose acquirements certainly are greater for their purpose than those of the majority of dissenting ministers for theirs. Now how many of these gentlemen (to whom I mean no disrepect) emerge above conversational talk, if they talk at all? Of these, again, how many are able to discuss subjects in a style which deserves the term of "speaking"? and even of those who may claim the title of speakers, how many reach that high order of eloquence which by a gentle tyranny guides the mind by argument, and depresses, or raises, or excites to the highest pitch men's feelings and passions at its will; an eloquence which "Orthodox" assumes to be within the grasp of the majority of extempore preachers? I say nothing of the absurdities, or superfluities, which the tender mercies of reporters repress. I only ask if experience justifies the assumption which "Orthodox" has too hastily converted into a conclusion. I fear not.

The next maxim, however, which he lays down is not less incorrect, that "the extempore preacher has the power of applying himself more directly and forcibly to the incidental circumstances of the occasion." And he again indulges in assumption, by assuming a reply which few would be inclined to make. Now the true reply would be, that incidental circumstances will certainly arise occasionally, but that the man who preaches a written sermon has, at least, equal power with the extempore preacher in taking advantage of such rare incidents. It is easy to introduce a brief, pointed allusion to one single point, when it would be found impossible to speak at length and yet systematically on one copious subject. For one thousand utterers of reasonably good impromptu sayings, you will not find one good improvisatore of an epic or a tragedy. That the body of the sermon is written is no bar therefore to the taking advantage of and improving any incident that may occur. And as to the ideas suggested at the moment "by various parts of the service," I believe that every clergy

man knows and feels every part of that service before he performs it. Of the value of the "transition" spoken of by "Orthodox," and the cause which he assigns for its value, I shall only observe that if the feelings manifested (or supposed to be manifested) by the congregation are to keep us in an expectant fever of change, it looks very like making the instructors change place with the instructed in authority and jurisdiction. Does it not?

I must now conclude these few observations; and yet there are one or two points which I cannot help noticing, for they weigh much with myself. If ever there be a place in which caution as well as zeal is required, it is the pulpit; and there, if any where, the sin of commission exceeds that of omission to a degree fearful indeed. Should not every word then be deliberately weighed which is spoken there? Can he justify himself who, in the moment of embarrassment, or of excitement, misleads confiding hearers by sayings which deliberation and the written record must have prevented? And yet, how could the extemporaneous preaching of the majority of ministers be free, I will not say from the chance, but from the certainty of such misguiding effects, the results of which every feeling man would avoid as he would deplore?

Again, what is the pride of the established national church of England? HER BODY OF PREACHED DIVINITY. Cut off that stream of written eloquence, and wisdom, and truth, by establishing extempore preaching, and from that moment the living water within her vessel of truth rises no higher, her singular glory is of the past, the future will be unmarked by additions of any real or great value. Singular glory, I say, for our church stands far above other churches in the treasures with which she can thus furnish the closet of every one of her pious sons. It is not only that the young divine may store his mind from that treasure house, and clothe himself with armour from that armoury, for his trying struggle, but it is that every true believer, from the most exalted to the most lowly, may "read, and mark, and inwardly digest," in the hours of meditative solitude, volumes that teem with correction for the proud, knowledge and exposition for the ignorant, argument for the reasoner, conviction for the sceptic, and consolation for every suffering follower of Christ. This all is the blessing of written sermons; and let the experience of churches in which extempore preaching is the rule, confirm or refute my assertion, that such churches are barren or poor in treasures without which even extempore preachers would themselves be very barren and poor theologians indeed. And if this be true, as it is, where would have been our whole treasure of printed sermons if extempore preaching had always prevailed from the beginning?

But the written sermon is free to the full extent of reasonable freedom, and checks only where a check should be fixed. It checks extravagance and superfluity in diction, in arrangement, in sentiment, in doctrine, in passion; it gives full and free scope to argument, to learning, to persuasion; and no man who feels rightly as a minister of Christ need ever fear that the writing of his sermon will prevent him

from speaking home truths and saving knowledge, or from cherishing those purified affections in believing hearers, which lead them to cling more and more closely to their Redeemer, until at last they become "one with Him." F. E. T.

Old Brentford, Dec. 10th, 1834.

ORDINATION SERVICES.

REV. SIR,-I perceive, by the " answer to correspondents" in one of your late numbers, that a correspondent has been complaining of the "omission of the Ordination Services in all the common editions of the Prayer Book." Your correspondent is, probably, not aware that one of the fundamental rules of the Prayer Book and Homily Society is, that "all copies of the Book of Common Prayer issued by this society shall contain the Thirty-nine Articles, the Ordination Services, and all other offices complete." While the Christian Knowledge Society continues to circulate the Prayer Book without these important services, it would seem advisable that clergymen should obtain from this society the supply needed for the use of their families and parishes. This may very conveniently be effected; for, by rule ix., “any clergyman contributing a congregational collection, is entitled to receive, without any farther payment, three-fourths of the amount in books at cost prices! I very strongly feel with you, Mr. Editor, the evil of the system of excitement, which is carried on by means of sermons, in different societies; but, perhaps, there can hardly be any course more free from evil than that of a sermon preached by the clergyman of the parish for the purpose of supplying his poor parishioners with unmutilated copies of the Prayer Book at a cheap rate. The importance of circulating the Ordination Services can hardly be too highly estimated. I speak from experience, when I say, that ignorance of their contents is almost universal, even among the educated classes of churchmen. And, perhaps, the strange errors so common, in these days, as to the authority and commission of the clergy, as taught by the church of England, could in no way be so effectually combatted as by an extensive circulation of these services; for surely no unprejudiced person, after reading the form for the Consecration of Bishops, and for the Ordination of Priests, can maintain the common opinion, that the church has not decided as to the Apostolical succession of the clergy, and the invalidity of the pretended orders of the protestant dissenters. To the poorer classes these doctrines will best be brought home in the form of an explanation of these services, which it is well to invite them to follow with their Prayer Books in their hands. These remarks, sir, have been written by one who has long thought that the only reform needed by the church of England would be found in the more consistent development of her actual doctrines and professed principles;-a notion which has long led me to wish, that it might not be found inconsistent with the other engagements of our bishops to hold ordination in a manner more

public than it is at present generally their custom. How much fitter does it seem that these solemn rites should be administered" in the face of the congregation," in the cathedral, or some large parish church, than with closed doors in the private chapel of the episcopal residence. I am, Sir, yours &c., W. D.

SAINTS' DAYS.

SIR,-Permit a layman, through the medium of your magazine, to express his regret that the institutions of our apostolic church appear to him, in too many instances, to be under-valued and slighted by those who are solemnly ordained to administer them. There are clergymen whom I really believe to be desirous of advancing the glory and kingdom of our Blessed Redeemer, who yet prefer, to the appointed means, of which every one who has truly and spiritually used them must acknowledge the benefit, other and less regular institutions of their own. From this cause I have met with disappointment more than once. Last year, being at on the day before the feast of St. Luke, I addressed an officer of the church, named after that evangelist, observing, that I supposed divine service would be performed there on the morrow. He observed, that the keeping of saints' days had been laid aside, but that on (I think two) stated days in the week there was divine service, with a sermon; so that such festivals, fasts, &c., as do not fall on one of these preaching days are suffered to pass unnoticed. I cannot blame a clergyman for preaching on stated days of the week, besides the Christian sabbath; indeed, I should be happy to see daily service performed in our parish churches; but surely the days on which the church directs us to commemmorate any thing that our blessed Lord has done or suffered for us, or those which are dedicated to the memory of his saints, ought not to be slighted for the sake of days undistinguished in the calendar. I may now also remark, that it is probable that many clergymen, desirous of reviving these too long neglected institutions of the church, are deterred therefrom by fear of failure, on account of the indifference and prejudices of their parishioners. It is lamentable, indeed, to see such indifference and prejudice; but as it can only arise from an ignorance of the true spirit of the catholic and apostolic church, it cannot be deemed irremediable. From the effects which I have witnessed in the village of A., where the zealous and truly orthodox curate summons his flock on each holiday, at a convenient hour, to divine service, with a sermon, I am induced to hope, that if others of the clergy would attempt to remove that ignorance, and to restore the ordinances of the church, they would meet with like success. I trust, too, that they would find some of the laity eager to attend on their ministrations, and ready to exert whatever influence they might possess in co-operating with them. O that we could see Jerusalem as a city indeed at unity in itself! And surely a general and strict adherence to primitive order would do much to secure this blessed unity! Can we, for a moment VOL. VII.-April, 1835.

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