Secondhand Wisdom – Reading Sermons

1905

Sir Roger de Coverley obliged his chaplain to deliver sermons written by famous old divines in lieu of original preachments, and Addison assures us that many clergymen would do well to adopt the plan, but most congregations prefer a minister who speaks his own thoughts, however mediocre they may be.

The New Orleans States says that a bishop, commenting on the aversion of congregations to sermon reading, tells this story:

A sermon-reading clergyman, a friend of mine, called one day on a humble parishioner, a cobbler. He sat mending a pair of boots and reading his Bible at the same time.

"What are you doing, Giles?" asked my friend, with a benevolent smile.

"Prophesyin'," Giles answered.

"Prophesying? Nonsense!"

"Well," said the cobbler, curtly, "if readin' a sermon is preachin', isn't readin' a prophecy prophesyin'?"