Evangelical Eloquence

A Course of Lectures on Preaching

Look Inside Price £6.25

Weight 0.36 kg
Dimensions 18.1 × 12.1 × 2.3 cm
ISBN 9780851517735
Binding

Paperback

format

Book

page-count

361

Original Pub Date

1870

Banner Pub Date

Jan 1, 1999

EndorsementsRead More ↓

‘It is not a book to be read and returned to the library shelf; rather, as I have found to my own profit with an older edition, it ought to be read, digested and kept close at hand as a guide, companion and constant prod to us in seeking to fulfil our God-given mandate to “preach the Word”.’ — AL MARTIN

‘Another older gem, Dabney begins with the preacher’s commission before surveying a classic list of those elements which together enable a man gifted by God to compose and deliver his divinely-mandated message in such a way as to accomplish God’s ends, with his blessing. Changes in expectations and appetites in the world at large do not take away the usefulness of these basic Biblical principles.’ — JEREMY WALKER

‘No seminarian should enter the ministry without having read it carefully and having taken its instruction and warnings to heart. He should re-read it periodically thereafter. Ministers who have not read it should make up the lack as quickly as possible, regardless of their age and experience.’ — DAVID ENGLESMA

‘R.L. Dabney, Professor of Church History and then of Theology at Union Theology Seminary, and later of Theology at Austin Seminary, Texas, was one of the greatest theologians of the Southern Presbyterian Church in America. He ranks with such men as J.H. Thornwell, W.G.T. Shedd and the Hodges. Anything from his pen is to be treasured. A man of exceptional erudition, he writes in a style of English now sadly a thing of the past. Consequently the reader’s vocabulary will be considerably increased! Every divinity student and minister of the Word (regardless of age) should read this book. It would be hard to exaggerate its importance. It is more timely now than ever.’ — FREDERICK LEAHY

Book Description

In these days of the soundbite and the autocue, public speaking is a declining art-form, though it is not extinct and still has its own weight and force.

In New Testament times, unlike today, rhetoric was a highly regarded skill and works were written about it which are still read. Dabney quotes liberally from these, but does not always agree with them. He knew that gospel preaching was not to be ‘with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect’.

‘Evangelical eloquence’, for Dabney, was unique. It consisted in ‘the soul’s virtuous energy exerted through speech’ which applied ‘the authority of God to the conscience’ and formed ‘the image of Christ upon the souls of men’.

Table of Contents Expand ↓

LECTURE I.
INTRODUCTORY 13
LECTURE II.
THE PREACHER’S COMMISSION 30
LECTURE III.
DISTRIBUTION OF SUBJECTS 49
LECTURE IV.
THE SAME TOPICS CONTINUED 63
LECTURE V.
THE TEXT 74
LECTURE VI.
THE TEXT (Continued) 93
LECTURE VII.
CARDINAL REQUISITES OF THE SERMON 105
LECTURE VIII.
CARDINAL REQUISITES OF THE SERMON (Continued) 121
LECTURE IX.
CONSTITUENT MEMBERS OF THE SERMON 137
LECTURE X.
CONSTITUENT MEMBERS OF THE SERMON (Continued). – EXPLICATION AND PROPOSITION 154
LECTURE XI.
CONSTITUENT MEMBERS OF DISCOURSE (Continued). – ARGUMENT AND CONCLUSION 168
LECTURE XII.
SOURCES OF ARGUMENT 179
LECTURE XIII.
RULES OF ARGUMENT 191
LECTURE XIV.
RULES OF ARGUMENT (Continued) 205
LECTURE XV.
DIVISION OF THE ARGUMENT 214
LECTURE XVI.
PERSUASION 233
LECTURE XVII.
PERSUASION (Continued) 247
LECTURE XVIII.
PREACHER’S CHARACTER WITH HEARERS 261
LECTURE XIX.
STYLE 271
LECTURE XX.
STYLE (Continued) 288
LECTURE XXI.
ACTION 303
LECTURE XXII.
ACTION (Continued) 318
LECTURE XXIII.
MODES OF PREPARATION 328
LECTURE XXIV.
PUBLIC PRAYER 345

 

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