A few Thursday nights since, I notified my
congregation that we would have a sermon from Bishop Brown on Sabbath morning
at 11 o’clock. Accordingly, a rumor went forth that Bishop Brown was coming to
the city &c. but to crown that matter, rumor had it, that he arrived
Saturday evening at 6 o’clock, by way of the Central Rail Road, that he was
seen getting off the cars, and that he went to the residence of the writer, and
would surely preach Sabbath morning. The specified time arrived, but it was
raining, and the streets were very disagreeable. Nevertheless, a great house of
eager expectants were out, and every eye sought the person of the distinguished
Bishop. The writer finally took the stand and gave out a hymn, and a powerful
prayer was offered by a brother; and other hymn was sung, and the Bishop not
despaired of, was still anxiously looked for, till lo, and behold, the writer
broke the spell, and contradicted the false rumor, by arising and reading a
masterly sermon that the Bishop preached before the last session of the
Louisiana Conference. When they were informed that the Bishop would preach
through me acting as his proxy, it did not seem to set well on their moral and
intellectual stomachs, consequently some sucked their teeth, others looked out
the windows, and others tried to go to sleep.
But
as soon as we could dispose of the Bishop’s Greek and Latin quotations, and
glide through his very nice and logical exordium, and struck the grand artery
of his discourse, a change was soon visible. About midway of the sermon, we
fancied we were the actual Bishop Brown, and such a set of gesticulations we
put on for the Bishop, has not been executed since the dawn of the nineteenth
century. Had he heard our gestures and the inimitable emphasis we were giving
him, he might have declined the idea of ever allowing another sermon to go to
the press, or brought a charge against us for caricaturing his reverence. But
at all events we strode through, without omitting a single sentence or word;
and before we finished, the Amens and other approving utterances that came up
from the congregations, were absolutely remarkable. The sequel was, all were well pleased and
edified, and we were complimented by being asked if we didn’t think our pulpit
would be more attractive if that course was followed every Sabbath.
The
Louisiana Conference has done honor to itself and the literature of the entire
church, by publishing a small volume of sermons, and we are at a loss for
language to express our high appreciation for their leading off in this matter.
The time has certainly arrived, when we should begin to make a living
literature for our great connexion. Our young preachers as well as our growing
youths demand it at our hands. Our rank and reputation through the civilized
world also require it. This is the first volume that has come under our notice,
and for literary chasteness and deep piety combined, these sermons will not be
excelled in a long time. I know it is customary to crouch before power, and pay
empty compliments to distinguished rank; but when we say that the sermons of
this volume are an able and masterly production, we utter our most unequivocal
convictions, to which all will agree who have read it. This is followed by
sermons from Rev. James H. Harper, Rev. J.R.V. Thomas, Rev. James A. Handy, and
Rev. M. R. Johnson A. M., all of which do credit to their distinguished
authors, and make a rare contribution to the religious, moral and intellectual
literature of our church. We have before us also, a sermon of great eloquence
and logical force, delivered before the New Jersey Conference at its last
session, by the Rev. Dr. John Stephenson. The Dr. seems to have out done
himself, for the sermon would do honor to the Arch Bishop of Canterbury. Still
another rare production from Rev. W.J. Gaines of the Georgia Conference, which
will hand his name to posterity. Now I am not referring to these brethren and
their sermons in any spirit of sycophancy, nor to seek their smiles and
favorable considerations. We have no favors to seek at their hands, but the
underlying privilege, the act per se is so praiseworthy and commendable, that
some public recognition should go out, as a stimulus to the coming ministry of
our church.
For
several years we have been thinking of sending out a circular, asking the
leading ministers of our church, to give us a well-prepared sermon, so that we
could get fifty or seventy five, and publish them in one volume, to be known
as, The Pulpit of the A.M.E. Church. But our financial embarrassments have been
so grievous, that we saw no hope of getting them through the press, if we
succeeded in collecting the sermons and thus the request was deferred from time
to time, till the Louisiana conference broke the monotony on a small scale.
Such a work we believe would find rapid sale; for if there is one thing that
our southern ministers want, it is a church literature peculiarly our own, and
there is no doubt about our ability to give them a book of sermons if we had
the will, for whatever we may be deficient in, there is one thing sure, the
ministers of the A.M.E. Church can preach. The ambition to be a big preacher
permeates the whole connection. True, a large number believe that pulpit power
and success consist in getting up shouts and vociferous responses, and some
will say anything to ring it out of the people, yet it is an ambition and
stripped of its whimsicalness is a laudable ambition. Such preaching I confess
will seldom hear the test of scrutiny, but the great bulk of our people care
nothing for chasteness any way , and it answers as an inventive to the
ignorant, and frequently edifies those who higher culture. -October 21, 1875
