1.A 00. WHAT IS PREACHING?

    Chapter 1: WHAT IS PREACHING?

January 31, 1872. DO not propose, in the few lectures which I shall give in this place, and which hardly deserve to be dignified by the name of lectures, to make them other than familiar conversations. This Lectureship is not to be confounded with a regular Professorship of pastoral theology. Such a professorship is already founded in your Divinity School, and amply and ably served. This Lecture ship is an auxiliary to it; but even that only in one regard, namely, the element of Preaching. When one takes charge of a parish he assumes the care of several departments, which, though intimately related, are yet in nature quite distinct. In his social relations, visiting from house to house, he is a pastor. In the management of the affairs of the church, the appointment and conduct of the subordinate meetings, he is an administrator, or more like what in civil government is termed an executive. But besides this, he is to teach and inspire men from the platform or pulpit; and that is what we mean distinctively by Preaching. The design of this Lectureship is not to supersede the instructions given already by the incumbent of the chair of Pastoral Theology, but to intensify one portion of his teachings by bringing in from the field those who are actively engaged in the work of preaching, that you may derive from them the results of their observation and experience. For I believe that it is the wish and purpose of this Institution to send out preachers, not merely good managers, good pastors, but good preachers.