bookslover
Puritan Board Doctor
From a letter dated May 18, 1776, when he was 50
...It seems a good rule, which I have met with somewhere and which, perhaps, I have mentioned to you, to fix our eyes upon someone of the auditory whom we judge of the least capacity; if we can make him understand, we may hope to be understood by the rest...
I think this opinion is interesting since, in an interview I read some years ago, John MacArthur took exactly the opposite view. He said that he aims his sermons at the most intelligent and active people in his congregation, while trusting the Holy Spirit to make his sermons understandable and applicable to the less intelligent folks.
From a letter dated September 10, 1777, when he was 52
...as to long preaching. There is still in being an old-fashioned instrument called an hour-glass which, in days of yore, before clocks and watches abounded, used to be the measure of many a good sermon; I think it a tolerable stint. I cannot wind up my ends to my own satisfaction in a much shorter time, nor am I pleased with myself if I greatly exceed it. If an angel was to preach for two hours, unless his hearers were angels likewise, I believe the greater part of them would wish he had done. It is a shame it should be so, but so it is, partly through the weakness and partly through the wickedness of the flesh, we can seldom stretch our attention to spiritual things for two hours together without cracking it, and hurting its spring; and, when weariness begins, edification ends.
Perhaps it is better to feed our people like chickens, a little and often, than to cram them like turkeys, till they cannot hold one gobbet more. Besides, over-long sermons break in upon family concerns, and often call off the thoughts from the sermon to the pudding at home, which is in danger of being over-boiled. They leave, likewise, but little time for secret or family religion, which are both good in their place and are entitled to a share of the Lord's Day.
Upon the preacher, [overly long sermons] must have a bad effect, and tend to wear him down before his time. I have known some, by over-acting at first, have been constrained to sit still and do little or nothing for months or years afterwards...
So, I gather Newton was not in favor of sermons lasting more than an hour or so. It makes me wonder how the Puritans sat through those marathon sermons. Since human nature never changes, the probable answer is: not very well, I'd guess...
...It seems a good rule, which I have met with somewhere and which, perhaps, I have mentioned to you, to fix our eyes upon someone of the auditory whom we judge of the least capacity; if we can make him understand, we may hope to be understood by the rest...
I think this opinion is interesting since, in an interview I read some years ago, John MacArthur took exactly the opposite view. He said that he aims his sermons at the most intelligent and active people in his congregation, while trusting the Holy Spirit to make his sermons understandable and applicable to the less intelligent folks.
From a letter dated September 10, 1777, when he was 52
...as to long preaching. There is still in being an old-fashioned instrument called an hour-glass which, in days of yore, before clocks and watches abounded, used to be the measure of many a good sermon; I think it a tolerable stint. I cannot wind up my ends to my own satisfaction in a much shorter time, nor am I pleased with myself if I greatly exceed it. If an angel was to preach for two hours, unless his hearers were angels likewise, I believe the greater part of them would wish he had done. It is a shame it should be so, but so it is, partly through the weakness and partly through the wickedness of the flesh, we can seldom stretch our attention to spiritual things for two hours together without cracking it, and hurting its spring; and, when weariness begins, edification ends.
Perhaps it is better to feed our people like chickens, a little and often, than to cram them like turkeys, till they cannot hold one gobbet more. Besides, over-long sermons break in upon family concerns, and often call off the thoughts from the sermon to the pudding at home, which is in danger of being over-boiled. They leave, likewise, but little time for secret or family religion, which are both good in their place and are entitled to a share of the Lord's Day.
Upon the preacher, [overly long sermons] must have a bad effect, and tend to wear him down before his time. I have known some, by over-acting at first, have been constrained to sit still and do little or nothing for months or years afterwards...
So, I gather Newton was not in favor of sermons lasting more than an hour or so. It makes me wonder how the Puritans sat through those marathon sermons. Since human nature never changes, the probable answer is: not very well, I'd guess...
