Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals. * * * * * [Illustration: Cover] [Illustration: titlepage] _The World's Great Sermons_ VOLUME IV L. BEECHER TO BUSHNELL THE WORLD'S GREAT SERMONS COMPILED BY GRENVILLE KLEISER Formerly of Yale Divinity School Faculty; Author of "How to Speak in Public," Etc. With Assistance from Many of the Foremost Living Preachers and Other Theologians INTRODUCTION BY LEWIS O. BRASTOW, D.D. Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology in Yale University IN TEN VOLUMES VOLUME IV L. BEECHER TO BUSHNELL FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY NEW YORK and LONDON COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY _Printed in the United States of America_ CONTENTS VOLUME IV LYMAN BEECHER (1775-1863). _Page_ The Government of God Desirable 1 CHANNING (1780-1842). The Character of Christ 27 CHALMERS (1780-1847). The Expulsive Power of a New Affection 53 ALEXANDER CAMPBELL (1788-1866). The Missionary Cause 79 IRVING (1792-1834). Preparation for Consulting the Oracles of God 101 ARNOLD (1795-1842). Alive in God 131 WAYLAND (1796-1865). A Day in the Life of Jesus of Nazareth 145 VINET (1797-1847). The Mysteries of Christianity 171 SUMMERFIELD (1798-1825). The Heavenly Inheritance 189 NEWMAN (1801-1890). God's Will the End of Life 207 BUSHNELL (1802-1876). Unconscious Influence 233 LYMAN BEECHER THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD DESIRABLE BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE LYMAN BEECHER was born in New Haven, Conn., in 1775. He graduated from Yale in 1797, and in 1798 took charge of the Presbyterian Church at Easthampton, Long Island. He first attracted attention by his sermon on the death of Alexander Hamilton, and in 1810 became pastor of the Congregational Church at Litchfield, Conn. In the course of a pastorate of 16 years, he preached a remarkable series of sermons on temperance and became recognized as one of the foremost pulpit orators of the country. In 1826 he went to Boston as pastor of the Hanover Street Congregational Church. Six years later he became president of the Lane Theological Seminary in Ohio, an office he retained for twenty years. In 1852 he returned to Boston and subsequently retired to the house of his son, Henry Ward Beecher, where he died in 1863. His public utterances, whether platform or pulpit, were carefully elaborated. They were delivered extemporaneously and sparkled with wit, were convincing by their logic, and conciliating by their shrewd common sense. LYMAN BEECHER 1775-1863 THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD DESIRABLE _Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven_.--Matthew vi., 10.