Thoughts on preaching - Alexander - VII - Letters continued

Required reading
Thoughts on preaching by J. W. Alexander (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue 'Letters to young ministers' by reading Letters 4 and 5.

My summary
In Letter Four ministers are encouraged to devote themselves to study: '...there must be perpetual acquisition.  This is the secret of preaching.'

Then in Letter Five Alexander gives some advice on how to find time for learning:
(i) make the most of your scanty hours by keeping the one sacred object in view in every study you undertake;
(ii) form the habit of contemplating all your study as the study of the word of God;
(iii) lop off all irrelevant studies;
(iv) be economical in time through punctuality and order.

What grabbed me
Two excellent letters!  I'm actually at a loss to give what grabbed me most.  (I'm also beginning to think that these letters are what has sold this volume, not the disjointed paragraphs at the beginning of the book)

Anyway, I think this paragraph on the importance of reading was one of the best from today's section: 'There is such a thing as maintaining a transient popularity, and having a little usefulness, without any deep study; but this fire of straw soon burns out, this cistern soon fails. The preacher who is constantly pouring out, and seldom pouring in, can pour but a little while. I need hardly caution you against the sententious maxim, prevalent among freshmen, concerning those great geniuses, who read little, but think much. They even cite, as of their party, one of the greatest readers who ever wrote, as every work of his goes to prove; to wit, Shakspeare! The greatest thinkers have been the greatest readers, though the converse is by no means true. In reading the writings of those most remarkable for originality and invention—and mark, it is in reference to these qualities only the reference is now made— we know not whether most to admire the adventurous flights of their own daring, or their extensive acquaintance with all that has been written before, on their chosen topics.'

If you don't want your preaching fire to burn out, you must fuel the fire with solid reading.

And if you need some encouragement in reading, why not join an online book club! :)

Next week's reading       
Continue 'Letters to young ministers' by reading Letters 6 and 7.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.