Earnestness! The sine qua non for the preacher. The preacher must be in earnest, not should be. Take J.A.James – who devoted an entire volume to the subject, calling it An Earnest Ministry the Want of the Times: We listen to one [preacher] whose excellent composition, and sonorous, perhaps even musical voice, command our admiration, but not a passion stirs, all within is cold, quiet and without emotion. The speaking is good, but it does not move us. But there is another, with perhaps less talent... but his tones, his looks, his manner throughout, are full of earnest feeling. |