On the Delivery of Sermons

1. This is evidently a matter of great im« portance, and almost every body pretends to be a judge of it — A good delivery is much io a nan’s favour and the contrary is much to

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Ins disadvlifitage. — Iti some tnstatices bearers judge of a man’s character by the manner of his speaking, as macb as, or more than they do by his matter,

§ 2. Several things are essential to a good delivery; — Particularly, it must be grave and serious; — agreeable to the dignity of the character in which you appear. — This is opposed to a careless air in your delivery, — and to every thing that approaches that ludicrous manner which an unhappy few have affected; — and also to improper actions, such as playing with the cushion, band, gloves, &c. s

3. It should be distinct,* — Take care of

* Every preacher wishes to be understood as wejl as heard; but many are deficient in this respect, for want of a distinct articulation; which might easily be acqoired, if they would attend to a certain rule, without the observation of which no man’s delivery can be perfect. It is well known, that a piece of writing may be understood, if all the vowels are omitted; but if the vowels are set down, and the consonants omitted, nothing can be made of it. Make the experiment upon any sentence; for example: Judge not, that ye be not judged. Take out the vowels, and it will stand ihusdg nt tht y b ntjdgd: this may readily be made out: but take away the consonants, and nothing can possibly be made of it — «e o a e e oue. It is the same in speaking as in writing; the vowels make a noise, and thence they have their name, but they discriminate nothing. Many speakers think they ard heard, if they bellow them out: and so they are; but they are not understood; becaase the discrimination of words depends upon a distinct articulation of their consonants: for want of eonsidering which, many Speakers spend their breath to little eflect. — Do justice to every consonant — thii vowels will be sure to speak for themselves. Jones* Life of Dr. JEf(omc,ji. 141.

ruonmg yovtr words into one another, — and of sucking in your breath, — or dropping your voice at the end of a sentence. — Make pauses in proper, and avoid them in improper places. - — Let the accent be laid right, — but avoid too much, lest it seem affectation. — Pause at the end of your heads, — repeat them (when repetition is thought advisable) with a stronger voice than the rest.

4. Let it be affectionaie. — Feel all you say. If a tear will fall,, do not restrain it,; — but it should never be forced. “Nothing is more indecent than a dead preacher, speaking to dead hearers the living truths of the living God.” — Baxter. “A due fervour makes a plain discourse more touching than one more exquisitely composed and coldly delivered, as a blunt iron when red hot will pierce deeper into a piece of wood, than a much sharper one that is cold.” — Bates. § 5. Composed and sedate — In the warmest parts do aot be transported beyond your voice so as to scream. — Moderate jthe excess of action, — such as throwing your arms over the sides of the pulpit, &/C.

§ 6. Let your delivery be various, — Your delivery mast vary according to the different parts of your Sermon, and the different sentiments expressed. — Explication and application must be delivered in a very different manner.

§ 7. Natural and unaffected, — Theatrical airs are by all means to be avoided.* — Do not

* It has been joroetimes remarked, that a good theatrical enuneiatioiL is only a just imitation of natate

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LeCt. 11.y DEUrESV OF SERMONS. 7t

act all you sayt is ridiculous. — Be careful not to make pauses that look like self-admiratioa between the several words of the same clause, nor afiect to vary your voice too. much

tjid therefore ouht not to be condemned, bat imitated*. Bat the .best imittUion of nature, it must be remembered, is not nature itself. An accurate view, of the real difference in question is of considerabie importance. An actor traoiiports himself into the views, the feelings, and the circumstances of the person repreeenied; and this excites a traiMient pleasurable rarpri8» at the resemblance. The genuine effect in. its nature i» the same ub what is produced by any. work of art, as music, painting, designing, and the like, which is quite different from a moral effect. A bad nnn may b» a good actor, for the same reason that he may be a good artist. A bad character may bat acted weU,,£9r the professed object i« to please by the art of imitation. Nay a good Imitation of a bad character may please an audience more than a less perfect invitation of the best character. But a preacher’s profeflMd object Is to produce moral and spiritual effects, not such as artful imitation can produce, la short, the one afi)3cts by a persuasion we have that he really is what he appears to be; the other by appearing to be what he realty is not. The one speaks from th» heart, the other from artificial coaformity. The latter dues not even pretend that what be says is the dictate of his own heart, nor does he seriously wish for others to think so. Nature speaks from contnaion, but an actor assumes what he may, at heart, even detest. A good theatrical representation of Whit* fidd on a stage, would be extremely different from the reality as to moral effect. The representation haa pleased many a spectator, but was ever one of them edified f Or had the excellence of Ihe imitation in Dr. S^^ntum the least tendency to benefit I hose wlro would have been edjfied by the original speaker I Ssppose Garriek had taken much labour to represent our Lord delivering his sermon on the mount — the result is too obvious to need a single remark. — W.

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to express Tery different ideas of sorrow, in«^ dignation, fear, d&c.’ — When the delivery ap» pears too artificial, the aaditory is ready to suspect a man’s sincerity, and that he is only playing his part. — Speak as a good man, bringing out of the full treasure of his heart good things.

8. Free, that is, above the servile use of notes. — Do not read every word, nor be afraid to change a clause, or to add a sentence which may rise suddenly, and be as useful and fre« qnently as graceful as any.- — To be able to preach without notes raises a man’s character. Accustom yourselves to look about much upon your auditory.

§ 9. I shall finish this lecture, with some advices on the best means of attaining an agreeable delivery.

^10. 1. Guard against faults, rather than study beauty. — A delivery that has no considerable faults will probably have some beauties.

11. 2. Accustom yourselves to read aloud the same thing again and again; — perhaps your own Sermons wilt be preferable to any thing else. — This will fix them fast upon your memory,^ — and you will acquire by use the proper emphasis, cadence and action.

4 12. 3. Be sure to be master of your notes, in proportion to the degree in which you intend to use them, that you may not be entangled. — It is a sad reproach to a man when he cannot read his own writing before a congregation, yet this I have often seen.

13. 4. Let your mind be as composed as possible. — Endeavour to get above the fear of the people by rational and pious considerations. — Remember your own superiority to most of them in point of understanding; — also the candour of others of good sense, and how little a thing the applause of any is. — Fix your dependence upon God; — be willing to be disposed of by him, in these instances, as he sees fit; — and yet cheerfully hope as you go forth in his work, that he will give you his strength.

14. 5. Let your minds be animated.- — “For this purpose reflect seriously upon what you are to deliver. After you have composed your discourse, pray over it in private. — Seek divine assistance. Keep your mind welp employed as you go to the house of God. — In the pulpit make a little pause (if there be no singing) between prayer and preaching, both that your hearers may be settled, and your own minds awakened; — and especially reflect on the beginning of your Sermon.

$ 15. 6. Avoid unnecessary expense of spirits just before you are to preach. — When the spirits are low, the performance cannot be comfortable to ourselves, and is seldom pleasant to our hearers. — Yet God sometimes honours those Sermons with success from which we have had the least expectations. — Do not sit up too late on Saturday night, nor study too intensely on Lord’s day morning. — Nor be too long in secret and family prayer, but reserve your spirits as much as possible, — ‘and 74’ LECTtTRES ON PREACBINO.*

endeavour to keep yoar mind in a serious calm and tender frame.

§ 16. 7. Encourage the reflections of your friends upon the manner of your delivery.’ — We hear not our own voices as others do, — nor see that air and manner with which we speak in the light in which they view it. — Our friends, therefore, are the best judges. — And if they find fault, you are not, while young, to be displeased. — If, however, what is in itself right, generally, or at least frequently displease the auditory, it should be waved. — ‘It is much pleasanter to commend than to blame; if our friends therefore deny themselves so much as to take this trouble, we ought to be very thankful, — and instead of being angry at their censures, should rather desire them to do it frequently. — This is a pre caution of importance to all beginners, because proper admonitions may prevent ill habits from - being contracted, which when once formedp are almost incurable.