perhaps； that were ever preached。 Read the works of Brooks； and Watson；
and Swinnock； the Puritans。 How full they are of illustrations；
figures； metaphors； and stories！ Look at Mr。 Moody's sermons。 What is
one secret of his popularity？ He fills his sermons with pleasing
stories。 He is the best speaker； says an Arabian proverb； who can turn
the ear into an eye。
For my part； I not only try to tell stories； but in country parishes I
have sometimes put before people familiar illustrations which they can
see。 For instance …Do I want to show them that there must have been a
first great cause or Being who made this world？ I have sometimes taken
out my watch； and have said； 〃Look at this watch。 How well it is made！
Do any of you suppose for a moment that all the screws； all the。
wheels； all the pins of that watch came together by accident？ Would not
any one say there must have。 been a watchmaker？ And if so； it follows
most surely that there must have been a Maker of the world； whose
handiwork we see graven on the face of every one of those glorious
planets going their yearly rounds and keeping time to a single second。
Look at the world in which you live； and the wonderful things which it
contains。 Will you tell me that there is no God； and that creation is
the result of chance？〃 Or sometimes I have taken out a bunch of keys
and shaken them。 The whole congregation； when they hear the keys； look
up。 Then I say； 〃Would there be need of any keys if all men were
perfect and honest？ What does this bunch of keys show？ Why； they show
that the heart of man is deceitful above all things； and desperately
wicked。〃 Illustration； I confidently assert； is one of the best
receipts for making a sermon simple； clear； perspicuous； and easily
understood。 Lay yourselves out for it。 Pick up illustrations wherever
you can。 Keep your eyes open； and use them well。 Happy is that preacher
who has an eye for similitudes； and a memory stored with well…chosen
stories and illustrations。 If he is a real man of God； and knows how to
deliver a sermon； he will never preach to bare walls and empty benches。
But I must add a word of caution。 There is a way of telling stories。 If
a man cannot tell stories naturally； he had better not tell them at
all。 Illustration； again； after all I have said in its favour； may be
carried too far。 I remember a notable instance of this in the case of
the great Welsh preacher； Christmas Evans。 There is in print a sermon
of his about the wonderful miracle that took place in Gadara； when
devils took possession of the swine； and the whole herd ran down
violently into the sea。 He paints it so minutely that it really bees
ludicrous by reason of the words put in the mouth of the swineherds who
told their master of the loss he had sustained。 〃Oh！ sir；〃 says one；
〃the pigs have all gone！〃 〃But；〃 says the master； 〃where have they
gone？〃 〃They have run down into the sea。〃 〃But who drove them down？〃
〃Oh！ sir； that wonderful man。〃 〃Well； what sort of a man was he？ What
did he do？〃 〃Why； sir； he came and talked such strange things； and the
whole herd ran suddenly down the steep place into the sea。〃 〃What； the
old black boar and all？〃 〃Yes； sir； the old black boar has gone too；
for as we looked round； we just saw the end of his tail going over the
cliff。〃 Now that is going to an extreme。 So； again； Dr。 Guthrie's
admirable sermons are occasionally so overlade with illustrations as to
remind one of cake made almost entirely of plums and containing hardly
any flour。 Put plenty of colour and picture into your sermon by all
means。 Draw sweetness and light from all sources and from all
creatures； from the heavens and the earth； from history； from science。
But after all there is a limit。 You must be careful how you use colour；
lest you do as much harm as good。 Do not put on colour by spoonfuls；
but with a brush。 This caution remembered； you will find colour an
immense aid in the attainment of simplicity and perspicuousness in
preaching。
And now bear in mind that my five points are these： First： If you want
to attain simplicity in preaching； you must have a clear knowledge of
what you are going to preach。
Secondly： If you would attain simplicity in preaching； you must use
simple words。
Thirdly： If you would attain simplicity in preaching； you must seek to
acquire a simple style of position； with short sentences and as few
colons and semicolons as possible。
Fourthly： If you would attain simplicity in preaching； aim at
directness。
Lastly： If you would attain simplicity in preaching； make abundant use
of illustration and anecdote。
Let me add to all this one plain word of application。 You will never
attain simplicity in preaching without plenty of trouble。 Pains and
trouble； I say emphatically； pains and trouble。 When Turner； the great
painter； was asked by some one how it was he mixed his colours so well；
and what it was that made them so different from those of other
artists： 〃Mix them？ mix them？ mix them？ Why； with brains； sir。〃 I am
persuaded that； in preaching； little can be done except by trouble and
by pains。
I have heard that a young and careless clergyman once said to Richard
Cecil； 〃I think I want more faith。〃 〃：No；〃 said the wise old man； 〃you
want more works。 You want more pains。 You must not think that God will
do work for you； though He is ready to do it by you。〃 I entreat my
younger brethren to remember this。 I beg them to make time for their
position of sermons； to take trouble and to exercise their brains by
reading。 Only mind that you read what is useful。
I would not have you spend your time in reading the Fathers in order to
help your preaching。 They are very useful in their way； but there are
many things more useful in modern writers； if you choose them
discreetly。
Read good models； and bee familiar with good specimens of simplicity
in preaching。 As your best model； take the English Bible。 If you speak
the language in which that is written； you will speak well。 Read John
Bunyan's immortal work； the 。Pilgrim's 。progress。 Read it again and
again； if you wish to attain simplicity in preaching。 Do not be above
reading the Puritans。 Some of them no doubt are heavy。 Goodwin and Owen
are very heavy； though excellent artillery in position。 Read such books
as Baxter； and Watson； and Traill； and Flavel； and Charnock； and Hall；
and Henry。 They are； to my mind； models of the best simple English
spoken in old times。 Remember； however； that language alters with
years。 They spoke English； and so do we； but their style was different
from ours。 Read beside them the best models of modern English that you
can get at。 I believe the best English writer for the last hundred
years was William Cobbett； the political Radical。 I think he wrote the
finest simple Saxon…English the world has ever seen。 In the present day
I do not know a greater master of tersely spoken Saxon…English than
John Bright。 Among old political orators； the speeches of Lord Chatham
and Patrick Henry； the American； are models of good English。 Last； but
not least； never forget that； next to the Bible； there is nothing in
the English language which； for bined simplicity； perspicuousness；
eloquence； and power； can be pared with some of the great speeches
in Shakespeare。 Models of this sort must really be studied； and studied
〃with brains；〃 too； if you wish to attain a good style of position
in preaching。 On the other hand； do not be above talking to the poor；
and visiting your people from house to house。 Sit down with your people
by the fireside； and exchange thoughts with them on all subjects。 Find
out how they think and how they express themselves； if you want them to
understand your sermons。 By so doing you will insensibly learn much。
You will be continually picking up modes of thought； and get notions as
to what you should say in your pulpit。
A humble country clergyman was once asked 〃whether he studied the
fathers。〃 The worthy man replied； that he had little opportunity of
studying the fathers； as they were generally out in the fields when he
called。 But he studied the mothers more； because he often found them at
home； and he could talk to them。
Wittingly or unwittingly； the good man hit a nail right on the head。 We
must talk to our people when we are out of church； if we would
understand how to preach to them in the church。
（a） I will only say； in conclusion； that whatever we preach； or
whatever pulpit we occupy； whether we preach simply or not； whether we
preach written or extempore； we ought to aim not merely at letting off
fireworks； but at preaching that which will do lasting good to souls。
Let us beware of fireworks in our preaching。 〃Beautiful〃 sermons；
〃brilliant〃 sermons； 〃clever〃 sermons； 〃popular〃 sermons； are often
sermons which have no effect on the congregation； and do not draw men
to Jesus Christ。 Let us aim so to preach； that what we say may really
e home to men's minds and consciences and hearts； and make them
think and consider。
（b） All the simplicity in the world can do no good； unless you preach
the simple gospel of Jesus Christ so fully and clearly that everybody
can understand it。 If Christ crucified has not His rightful place in
your sermons； and sin is not exposed as it should be； and your people
are not plainly told what they ought to believe； and be； and do； YOUR
PREACHING IS OF NO USE。
（c） All the simplicity in the world； again； is useless without a good
lively delivery。 If you bury your head in your bosom； and mumble over
your manuscript in a dull； monotonous； droning way； like a bee in a
bottle； so that people cannot understand what you are speaking about；
your preaching will be in vain。 Depend upon it； delivery is not
sufficiently attended to in our Church。 In this；