Why begin with instruction? For this reason: unless I begin – as, in any case, I believe it is right to begin – with instruction, I fear that many will get the impression from what follows that I advocate a kind of preaching which is all emotional, frothy, entirely lacking in substance, something bright and breezy, worthy – if that’s the word! – of a stand- up comic, a cheeky chappie. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am not calling for preaching which is devoid of solid fact, reason and argument. Far from it! I am not asking for preaching which is emotional and nothing more, jokey and mere sentiment and anecdote. The preacher does not stand before his hearers to amuse them. He has much more serious business on hand than that! |