Sermons Preached at Brighton: Third SeriesRobertson, Frederick William
Religion
Sermons Preached at Brighton: Third Series
Robertson, Frederick William
Church of England -- Sermons; Sermons, English -- 19th century
"For while hapless Englishmen complain in the papers, and in
private, in many a varied wail, over the sermons they have to
listen to, it is very apparent that the work of the preacher has
not fallen in any respect out of estimation. Here is a book which
has gone through as great a number of editions as the most popular
novel. It bears Mudie's stamp upon its dingy boards, and has all
those marks of arduous service which are only to be seen in books
which belong to great public libraries. It is thumbed,
dog's-eared, pencil-marked, worn by much perusal. Is it then a
novel? On the contrary, it is a volume of sermons. A fine, tender,
and lofty mind, full of thoughtfulness, full of devotion, has
herein left his legacy to his country. It is not rhetoric or any
vulgar excitement of eloquence that charms so many readers to the
book, so many hearers to this preacher's feet. It is not with the
action of a Demosthenes, with outstretched arms and countenance of
flame, that he presses his gospel upon his audience. On the
contrary, when we read those calm and lofty utterances, this
preacher seems seated, like his Master, with the multitude
palpitating round, but no agitation or passion in his own
thoughtful, contemplative breast. The Sermons of Robertson, of
Brighton, have few of the exciting qualities of oratory. Save for
the charm of a singularly pure and lucid style, their almost sole
attraction consists in their power of instruction, in their
faculty of opening up the mysteries of life and truth. It is pure
teaching, so far as that ever can be administered to a popular
audience, which is offered to us in these volumes."
[EDINBURGH CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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