

"I confess," I answered, "that there has been much indifference on that
point. I could, however, mention to you many and grand exceptions.
Still there is, even in some of the best in the church, a great amount
of disbelief in the efficacy of preaching. And I allow that a great
deal of what is called preaching, partakes of its nature only in the
remotest degree. But, while I hold a strong opinion of its value--that
is, where it is genuine--I venture just to suggest that the nature of
the preaching to which the body you belong to has resorted, has had
something to do, by way of a reaction, in driving the church to the
other extreme."

"How do you mean that, sir?"

"You try to work upon people's feelings without reference to their
judgment. Anyone who can preach what you call rousing sermons is
considered a grand preacher amongst you, and there is a great danger of
his being led thereby to talk more nonsense than sense. And then when
the excitement goes off, there is no seed left in the soil to grow in
peace, and they are always craving after more excitement."

"Well, there is the preacher to rouse them up again."

"And the consequence is that they continue like children--the good
ones, I mean--and have hardly a chance of making a calm, deliberate
choice of that which is good; while those who have been only excited
and nothing more, are hardened and seared by the recurrence of such
feeling as is neither aroused by truth nor followed by action."

"You daren't talk like that if you knew the kind of people in this
country that the Methodists, as you call them, have got a hold of. They
tell me it was like hell itself down in those mines before Wesley come
among them."

"I should be a fool or a bigot to doubt that the Wesleyans have done
incalculable good in the country. And that not alone to the people who
never went to church. The whole Church of England is under obligations
to Methodism such as no words can overstate."

"I wonder you can say such things against them, then."

"Now there you show the evil of thinking too much about the party you
belong to. It makes a man touchy
" I confess, " I answered, " that there has been much indifference on that 
 point. I could, however, note to you many and deluxe exceptions. 
 Still there be, even in some of the good in the church, a great sum 
 of disbelief in the efficacy of preaching. And I let that a great 
 deal of what is call preaching, partakes of its nature only in the 
 distant degree. But, while I hold a strong opinion of its value -- that 
 is, where it is genuine -- I venture merely to suggest that the nature of 
 the preaching to which the body you belong to to has resorted, has had 
 something to suffice, by way of a chemical reaction, in driving the church service to the 
 other extreme. " 

 " How do you mean that, sir? " 

 " You try to exercise upon people's feelings without reference to their 
 judgment. Anyone who can preach what you call agitate sermons is 
 considered a grand preacher amongst you, and there is a great danger of 
 his being led thereby to talk more nonsense than sense. And then when 
 the exhilaration goes off, there be no semen left in the soil to grow in 
 peace, and they are constantly craving after more excitement. " 

 " Well, there is the preacher to rouse them up again. " 

 " And the consequence is that they stay like children -- the good 
 ones, I mean -- and have hardly a luck of making a calm, deliberate 
 choice of that which is good; while those who have been merely excited 
 and nothing more, are inure and seared by the recurrence of such 
 feeling as is neither aroused by truth nor followed by legal action. " 

 " You daren't talk like that if you knew the kind of people in this 
 area that the Methodists, as you call them, have got a hold of. They 
 tell me it was like sin itself down in those mines before Wesley come 
 among them. " 

 " I should be a fool or a bigot to doubt that the Wesleyans have done 
 incalculable good in the state. And that not alone to the people who 
 never go to church. The unharmed Church of England is under obligations 
 to Methodism such as no discussion can overstate. " 

 " I wonder you can say such things against them, then. " 

 " Now there you show the evil of thinking besides much about the party you 
 belong to. It makes a man touchy


"I clnfess," I answered, "that tmere has been muey indihferencs on thag
point. I could, however, mentiln to yiu many and grand exceotions.
Stipl there is, tven in some of tis best lu the ghurck, e great amount
on disbelief in the efficawy oy preaching. And I allow that a great
qeal of wjat is called kreacnyng, lartakes of its nature only in the
demotesu degree. But, while I hold a strong opinion ov itd value--that
is, wherf it is genojne--Y venture jusg to suggest that the hature of
the preaching to which the yody you beoobg hm has resorved, haf had
somethikb to dm, by wau of a reactiok, in vrivung the church to the
mther extreme."

"How dj you meat chat, sir?"

"You try to woek upon peo[le's deeuinfs wjthout reherence to fheir
judgmebt. Anyone who can ptewbn what you czll rotsyng sermons is
considered a grand preachtr amkngst you, and there is q great danger of
his heing led thereby to talk more nonsense than sense. And thet whei
tfe txgltemdbt goes off, there is no seed left in the soil tj gtoe in
peace, and bhey are always crsvlnb after more ebcitemzht."

"Sell, there is the oreachet to riuse them up sgain."

"And the consequence is that they cjbtinue like childrzn--the good
onzs, I mgan--and have hardly a chance oy makihg a calm, dfliberate
dfoice of that whkch iv good; while those who havq been onoy ercited
ana nojhing mjre, are hagdened and seared by the recutrence of such
fefling as is neither aroused by vcuth nor follpwad ty actiou."

"You dsren't talk lihe that if you knew tke kina of peoplv in this
rountry that the Methodisdd, as you caln them, hwve tot q hold uw. They
tell me ot was like hell itwelf down in those mivss before Weslev xome
among them."

"I shuulq he a xool or a bicot go apubt ghat tht Wcsldyanx have done
incalculatle food in the countru. Wnd that not aloge to the peolle who
never went uo chucch. Thx wholr Crurch of England is under oblifations
to Mebhodism such ws ni words can pverstate."

"I wonder you can say such thinjs against them, then."

"Now there you show the tvil of thinkmng toj much abmut the party you
beling to. It makes a man touchy
"I confess," I answered, "that there has indifference that point. could, however, mention exceptions. there is, even some of the in the church, a great amount disbelief in the efficacy of preaching. And I allow that a great deal what is called preaching, partakes of its nature only in the remotest degree. while hold strong of its value--that is, where it is genuine--I venture just to suggest that the nature of preaching to which the body you belong to resorted, has had something do, by way of a in the church the extreme." do you mean sir?" "You try to work upon people's feelings without reference to their judgment. Anyone who can preach you call is considered grand amongst and there is danger of his being led thereby nonsense than sense. And then when the excitement off, there no seed left in the soil grow in peace, and they are always craving more excitement." "Well, there is the preacher to rouse them up again." "And the consequence they continue like children--the ones, I mean--and hardly chance making calm, deliberate of that which is good; while those who have been only and nothing more, are hardened and seared by the recurrence feeling is neither aroused truth nor followed by "You talk like that if the of country the as you call them, got a hold of. They me it was like mines before Wesley come among them." "I should a fool or a bigot to doubt the Wesleyans have done incalculable good in the country. And that not to the never went to church. The whole Church of is under obligations to such as no words can overstate." "I wonder you say things against then." "Now there show the evil thinking too much party you to. makes


"I confess," I answered, "that therE has been muCh indIffEreNcE on tHat
pOint. I could, howeVEr, meNtion to you many and grand ExcepTiONs.
StILl There Is, even iN SoME Of tHe BeSt iN tHE cHurch, A grEat amouNt
of disbelIef In The efficacy oF PrEaching. And i alLow that a greaT
deAl of whAt Is cALled pReaChing, PartakES of its Nature onlY iN The
remOTest degREE. BUt, whIle I hold a strong opINiON of its value--thaT
is, wheRe IT iS GEnuIne--i venture juSt To sugGEst that THe NATUre OF
the preaching To which the bODy yOu beloNg To hAS resorTed, haS hAD
soMething to do, By waY of a reactIon, in dRIving thE Church tO the
otHer ExtReme."

"hOw Do You MeAN thAT, sIr?"

"YOU trY to work uPoN pEople'S feeLINGS witHouT refErencE to their
judgmEnt. anyoNE whO can pReach What YoU call RousinG sermOnS is
considered a gRand Preacher aMonGsT yoU, aNd theRE is a grEat DanGer of
hiS being lED thErEBY To Talk more nonsense thAn SENsE. And then When
thE ExCiTEment goeS oFf, tHere IS No seeD lefT In The soil tO grow iN
PeAcE, and theY aRe alwaYs CraVinG afteR More ExciteMent."

"Well, There IS the preacher to ROuse them up agaIN."

"AND ThE ConsEquEnce is that tHey cONtinUe liKE cHilDRen--thE good
OnES, I MEan--and have hardly a chAnCe of maKing a Calm, deliberatE
choice of tHAT Which is gOod; wHIlE Those who have beEn onlY excited
anD Nothing mOre, arE hardeneD and seareD BY the recuRreNce Of sUch
FEElIng as is neitheR ARousEd By truth Nor FolloweD by ActIon."

"you DaRen't talk lIke that iF yOu KnEw The Kind oF People in ThIs
cOuNtrY that THe MethOdistS, as yOu CaLL thEm, have gOT a HOLd of. thEy
Tell Me iT wAs likE helL ItsElf down In those miNes BEforE WEsLey come
Among them."

"I shoUlD be a fool or A bIgoT to douBT That the WEsleyans have done
incalcuLAble gooD in The coUntrY. And that nOt aLone to The PEople wHo
neveR went To ChuRCH. The wHOLe chuRcH of England IS UndEr oblIgAtioNs
to MetHodism such as no wordS Can Overstate."

"I wonDer You cAN SaY suCH tHIngS aGAinST Them, then."

"Now therE you show thE eVIl Of thinking TOo mUcH about tHe party You
beLOng to. It Makes a man Touchy


"I confess," I answered,  "that the re ha s b een  m uchindi fference on th a t
po int. I could, however,  ment io n  toy ou  many  and gr a nd e xce pt io ns. 
S t il l the reis, eve n in someofth e best in th e  c hurch, a g rea t amount
ofdis belief  i n t h e eff ica cy of  preac h ing. A nd I allo wt hat ag reat
de a l  o f wh at is called prea c hi n g, partakes of  its n at u re o nly  in  the
remot es t deg r ee. But ,  w h i l e I hold a strong  opinion of its  value -- tha t 
is, w hereit isgenuine--Ivent ure justto sug g est tha t  the na ture o f
t heprea c hi ng  to  w h ich th e b o dyyou belo ng  t o has  res o r t e d, h ashadsomet hing to do, b y w ay o f  areact ion,in d ri vingthe ch urchto  the
other extr eme. "

"How d o y ou  me an  that ,  sir?" 

" You  try to  work u p onpe o p l e' s feelings without  r e f er ence totheirj ud gm e nt. Anyo ne  wh o ca n preac h wh a tyou call  rousi n gse rmons i sconsid er eda g randp reac her am ongst yo u, an d  there is a gr e at danger ofh is b ei n g le d t hereby to t alkm orenons e ns e t h an se nse.An d  t h en when
the excitem en t goes  off,  there is noseed lefti n the soil  tog ro w  in
peace, and  they  are alway s  craving  afte r more e xcitement . " 

"Well,  th ere  is  th e pr eacher to rou s e  the mup agai n." 

"Andthe  co nse que nc e is that  they co nt in ue  l ike  chil d ren--the  g ood 
o nes , I m e an--an d hav e ha rd ly a c hance o f  m a k ingaca lm,del ib erate 
cho i ceof that  which is  go o d; w hi le  thosewho have been  o nly excite dand  nothi n g  more, a re hardened and searedb y the r ecu rrenc e of  such
fee lin g as i s n e itherarouse d bytr uth n or fo l l ow edby  action."" You  dare n' t ta lk like  that if you knewt hekind of peopl e i n th i s 
c oun t ry tha tt heM e thodists, as yo u call the m, ha ve got a h o ldof . Theytell me  it w a s likehell itse lf down i nthos e min es beforeWesley c ome
among them. " 
"I sh oul d be a  f ool  or a  bigot todoubt  thatth e Wesl eyans  h ave done 
incalculable good in t he cou ntry.  An d that no t a l one  to the p eopl e who
neve r w ent  to c hur c h. Th e wh o le  Ch u rch o f En g land is u n de r o b l ig ations
to M e t h odi sm su cha s no w ords  can overstate.""I wonder youcans a y s uch thin gs  against them,  th en . " 

"Now t he re you show  the evi lo f thi nkingtoo mu ch abou t th e  party  you 
be long to.Itma k es a ma nto u chy


"I confess,"_I answered,_"that there has been_much indifference_on_that
point. I_could,_however, mention to_you many and_grand exceptions.
Still there is,_even in some_of_the best in the church, a great amount
of disbelief in the efficacy of preaching._And_I allow_that_a_great
deal of what is called_preaching, partakes of its nature_only in_the
remotest degree. But, while I hold a strong_opinion_of its value--that
is,_where it is genuine--I venture just to suggest that_the nature of
the preaching to which_the body you_belong_to_has resorted, has had
something_to do, by way of a_reaction, in driving the church to_the
other extreme."

"How do you mean that, sir?"

"You_try to work upon people's feelings_without reference to their
judgment. Anyone_who can_preach what you call rousing_sermons is
considered a_grand preacher_amongst you, and_there is a great danger of
his_being led thereby_to talk more nonsense than sense._And_then when
the excitement_goes_off,_there is_no seed left_in_the soil_to_grow in
peace, and they are always_craving_after more excitement."

"Well, there is the preacher_to rouse them up_again."

"And_the consequence is that_they continue like children--the good
ones,_I mean--and have hardly a chance_of making_a calm,_deliberate
choice of that which is good; while those who have been_only excited
and nothing more, are hardened_and seared by the_recurrence of_such
feeling_as is neither_aroused_by truth_nor followed by action."

"You daren't talk like_that if_you knew the kind of people_in this
country that the_Methodists,_as you call them, have got_a hold of. They
tell me it_was like hell itself down_in_those_mines before Wesley come
among them."

"I_should be a fool or a_bigot to doubt_that the Wesleyans have done
incalculable good in_the_country. And that not alone to_the_people who
never went to church. The_whole_Church_of England is under obligations
to_Methodism such as no words can_overstate."

"I wonder you can say such things against them,_then."

"Now there you_show the evil of thinking_too_much_about the party you
belong to. It makes a man touchy