mon fallacy of the desirableness of always using Saxon English。 I
would remind you that a vast number of words of other than Saxon origin
are used by writers of notorious simplicity。 Take； for instance； the
famous work of John Bunyan； and look at the very title of it； The
Pilgrim's Progress。 Neither of the leading words in that title is
Saxon。 Would he have improved matters if he had called it 〃The
Wayfarer's Walk〃？ In saying this I admit freely that words of French
and Latin origin are generally inferior to Saxon； and； as a rule； I
should say； use strong pure Saxon words if you can。 All I mean to say
is； that you must not think it a matter of course that words cannot be
good and simple if they are not of Saxon origin。 In any case； beware of
long words。
Dr。 Gee； in his excellent book； Our Sermons （Longman）； very ably points
out the uselessness of using long words and expressions not in mon
use。 For example； he says； 〃Talk of happiness rather than of felicity；
talk of almighty rather than omnipotent； lessen rather than diminish；
forbidden rather than proscribed； hateful rather than noxious； seeming
rather than apparent； afterwards rather than subsequently； call out and
draw forth instead of evoke and educe。〃 We all need to be pulled up
sharply on these points。 It is very well to use fine words at Oxford
and Cambridge； before classical hearers； and in preaching before
educated audiences。 But depend upon it； when you preach to ordinary
congregations； the sooner you throw overboard this sort of English； and
use plain mon words； the better。 One thing； at all events； is quite
certain； without simple words you will never attain simplicity in
preaching。
III。 The third hint I would offer； if you wish to attain simplicity in
preaching； is this： Take care to aim at a simple style of position。
I will try to illustrate what I mean。 If you take up the sermons
preached by that great and wonderful man Dr。 Chalmers； you can hardly
fail to see what an enormous number of lines you meet with without
ing to a full stop。 This I cannot but regard as a great mistake。 It
may suit Scotland； but it will never do for England。 If you would
attain a simple style of position； beware of writing many lines
without ing to a pause； and so allowing the minds of your hearers to
take breath。 Beware of colons and semicolons。 Stick to mas and full
stops； and take care to write as if you were asthmatical or short of
breath。 Never write or speak very long sentences or long paragraphs。
Use stops frequently； and start again； and the oftener you do this； the
more likely you are to attain a simple style of position。 Enormous
sentences full of colons； semicolons； and parentheses； with paragraphs
of two or three pages' length； are utterly fatal to simplicity。 We
should bear in mind that preachers have to do with hearers and not
readers； and that what will 〃read〃 well will not always 〃speak〃 well。 A
reader of English can always help himself by looking back a few lines
and refreshing his mind。 A hearer of English hears once for all； and if
he loses the thread of your sermon in a long involved sentence； he very
likely never finds it again。
Again； simplicity in your style of position depends very much upon
the proper use of proverbs and epigrammatic sentences。 This is of vast
importance。 Here； I think； is the value of much that you find in
Matthew Henry's mentary； and Bishop Hall's Contemplations。 There are
some good sayings of this sort in a book not known so well as it should
be； called Papers on Preaching by a Wykehamist。 Take a few examples of
what I mean： 〃What we weave in time we wear in eternity。〃 〃Hell is
paved with good intentions。〃 〃Sin forsaken is one of the best evidences
of sin forgiven。〃 〃It matters little how we die； but it matters much
how we live。〃 〃Meddle with no man's person； but spare no man's sin。〃
〃The street is soon clean when every one sweeps before his own door。〃
〃Lying rides on debt's back： it is hard for an empty bag to stand
upright。〃 〃He that begins with prayer will end with praise〃 〃All is not
gold that glitters。〃 〃In religion； as in business； there are no gains
without pains。〃 〃In the Bible there are shallows where a lamb can wade；
and depths where an elephant must swim。〃 〃One thief on the cross was
saved； that none should despair； and only one； that none should
presume。〃
Proverbial； epigrammatic； and antithetical sayings of this kind give
wonderful perspicuousness and force to a sermon。 Labour to store your
minds with them。 Use them judiciously； and especially at the end of
paragraphs； and you will find them an immense help to the attainment of
a simple style of position。 But of long； involved； plicated
sentences always beware。
IV。 The fourth hint I will give is this： If you wish to preach simply；
use a direct style。 What do I mean by this？ I mean the practice and
custom of saying 〃I〃 and 〃you。〃 When a man takes up this style of
preaching； he is often told that he is conceited and egotistical。 The
result is that many preachers are never direct； and always think it
very humble and modest and being to say 〃we。〃 But I remember good
Bishop Villiers saying that 〃we〃 was a word kings and corporations
should use； and they alone； but that parish clergymen should always
talk of 〃I〃 and 〃you。〃 I endorse that saying with all my heart。 I
declare I never can understand what the famous pulpit 〃we〃 means。 Does
the preacher who all through his sermon keeps saying 〃we〃 mean himself
and the bishop？ or himself and the Church？ or himself and the
congregation？ or himself and the
Early Fathers？ or himself and the Reformers？ or himself and all the
wise men in the world？ or； after all； does he only mean myself； plain
〃John Smith〃 or 〃Thomas Jones〃？ If he only means himself； what earthly
reason can he give for using the plural number； and not saying simply
and plainly 〃I〃？ When he visits his parishioners； or sits by a
sick…bed； or catechises his school； or orders bread at the baker's； or
meat at the butcher's； he does not say 〃we；〃 but 〃I。〃 Why； then； I
should like to know； can he not say 〃I〃 in the pulpit？ What right has
he； as a modest man； to speak for any one but himself？ Why not stand up
on Sunday and say； 〃Reading in the Word of God； I have found a text
containing such things as these； and I e to set them before you〃？
Many people； I am sure； do not understand what the preacher's 〃we〃
means。 The expression leaves them in a kind of fog。 If you say； 〃 I；
your rector； I； your vicar； I； the curate of the parish；〃 e here to
talk of something that concerns your soul； something you should
believe； something you should doyou are at any rate understood。 But
if you begin to talk in the vague plural number of what〃 we〃 ought to
do； many of your hearers do not know what you are driving at； and
whether you are speaking to yourself or them。 I charge and entreat my
younger brethren in the ministry not to forget this point。 Do try to be
as direct as possible。 Never mind what people say of you。 In this
particular do not imitate Chalmers； or Melville； or certain other
living pulpit celebrities。 Never say 〃we〃 when you mean 〃I。〃 The more
you get into the habit of talking plainly to the people； in the first
person singular； as old Bishop Latimer did； the simpler will your
sermon be； and the more easily understood。 The glory of Whitefield's
sermons is their directness。 But unhappily they were so badly reported；
that we cannot now appreciate them。
V。 The fifth and last hint I wish to give you is this： If you would
attain simplicity in preaching； you must use plenty of anecdotes and
illustrations。 You must regard illustrations as windows through which
light is let in upon your subject。 Upon this point a great deal might
be said； but the limits of a small treatise oblige me to touch it very
briefly。 I need hardly remind you of the example of Him who 〃spake as
never man spake；〃 our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ。 Study the four
Gospels attentively； and mark what a wealth of illustration His sermons
generally contain。 How often you find figure upon figure； parable upon
parable； in His discourses！ There was nothing under His eyes apparently
from which He did not draw lessons。 The birds of the air； and the fish
in the sea； the sheep； the goats； the。 cornfield； the vineyard； the
ploughman； the sower； the reaper； the fisherman； the shepherd； the
vinedresser； the woman kneading meal； the flowers； the grass； the bank；
the wedding feast； the sepulchre； mall were made vehicles for conveying
thoughts to the minds of hearers。 What are such parables as the
prodigal son； the good Samaritan； the ten virgins； the king who made a
marriage for his son； the rich man and Lazarus； the labourers of the
vineyard； and others；what are all these but stirring stories that our
Lord tells in order to convey some great truth to the souls of His
hearers？ Try to walk in His footsteps and follow His example。
If you pause in your sermon； and say； 〃Now I will tell you a story；〃 I
engage that all who are not too fast asleep will prick up their ears
and listen。 People like similes； illustrations； and well…told stories；
and will listen to them when they will attend to nothing else。 And from
what countless sources we can get illustrations！ Take all the book of
nature around us。 Look at the sky above and the world beneath。 Look at
history。 Look at all the branches of science； at geology； at botany； at
chemistry； at astronomy。 What is there in heaven above or earth below
from which you may not bring illustrations to throw light on the
message of the gospel？ Read Bishop Latimer's sermons； the most popular；
perhaps； that were ever preached。 Read the works of Brooks； and Watson；
and Swinnock； the Puritans。 How full they are of illustrations；
figures； metap