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FOREWORD
It is with genuine pleasure that I introduce to the public this volume of gospel sermons preached by N. B. Hardeman in the Ryman Auditorium, at Nashville, Tenn., in which place Brother Hardeman had conducted two similar meetings, the sermons of which were put in book form. A DESCRIPTIVE WORD.
It will be observed that these discourses have been entitled "Gospel Sermons," by which is meant that the gospel of Jesus Christ was proclaimed from start to finish, and not the doctrines, traditions, and experiences of uninspired men. To be sure, the latter were exposed to the view of the most unlearned by being contrasted with the simplicity of the gospel of the Son of God, and thus made to stand out in all of their opposition to the truth and hindrance to the unity of God’s people for which the Savior so earnestly prayed (John 17:20) and regarding which all inspired apostle exhorted (1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Ephesians 4:3-6). A PUBLIC DEMAND.
Because of a public and insistent demand by the thousands who heard and read these sermons in the daily papers, the Nashville Tennessean and the Nashville Banner, no apology is offered for bringing out this volume.
History is valuable only to the extent that it contributes to the betterment of mankind; hence, only such facts should be permanently preserved as will enrich the mind and heart with the inspiration of the highest and noblest ideals of life. So deeply was the public impressed with not only the subject matter of these discourses, but with the clear and forceful presentation of the subjects discussed, that all overwhelming sentiment expressed itself for their preservation in book form—this, too, notwithstanding the fact that it was N. B. Hardeman’s third meeting in the same city and with practically the same audiences.
ALL UNUSUAL PRESENTATION OF VITAL TRUTH. Of course, all truth is vital, but there are some truths of exceeding vital importance that are sometimes neglected. The thing that brought into being and crowned with such a wonderful success the "Restoration Movement," or the effort to return to the church of the New Testament, was the emphasis laid upon the sinful divisions among the professed children of God, the evils of denominationalism, and the only remedy for such evils. This necessarily led the preachers of that age to show the difference between the church revealed in the New Testament and the existing denominations, with their doctrines and traditions of men, making void the word of God. (Mark 7:8-13.) Not since the days of those who launched and most vigorously prosecuted the return to the ancient order as revealed in the New Testament has any man with more boldness, clearness, and convicting power stripped the truth of denominationalism with its human garments or shown the evils of sectarianism than N. B. Hardeman has done in this series of sermons. This he did with the ease and grace of a consummate master of assemblies that so challenged the thousands of hearers as to bring them back with a spirit of eagerness to hear more of the long-neglected truths that stirred the religious world in Alexander Campbell’s days from center to circumference.
PRESENTATION OF CHURCH HISTORY. From both sacred and profane history, with which N. B. Hardeman showed himself to be perfectly familiar, it was shown how the church established by the Lord Jesus Christ had departed from the truth. He showed the origin, creed, doctrine, and practice of all the denominations as purely the work of uninspired men, and how far they were from the word of God.
OPPOSITION AROUSED. This unusual presentation of historical facts stirred the defenders of sectarianism as they have not been for generations, and many criticisms were hurled at the preacher. However, these only served to emphasize the farreaching and revolutionary effects of the truth so ably, earnestly, courteously, and kindly presented by N. B. Hardeman, who, modest, unassuming, and void of egotistical mannerisms, is one of the greatest preachers of this age. THE SONG SERVICE. The inspiration arising from thousands of voices singing in unison spiritual songs with all earnestness unsurpassed added much, no doubt, to the delivery of these discourses, as well as fitting the minds of the great audience with a more receptive mood for the messages delivered. But such edifying and soul-lifting singing could not have been without a competent leader or director, such as B. H. Murphy, who inspired his helpers with his splendid leader The great building was made to ring with the melody of human voices trained to sing as God requires, and this contributed much indeed to the success of this wonderful meeting.
F. W. SMITH.