Today in Chapter Five Spring gives us one last way that we know the pulpit has power: if it was to be abolished throughout the world, depravity would erupt. To support his case, Spring gives illustrations from church history where calamity has struck after the pulpit has been removed.
Then in Chapter Six Spring begins to look at the constituent elements of the power which the pulpit is thus invested. The chapter is wholly dedicated to demonstrating that the pulpit has power because it speaks unadulterated truth.
I loved the point that the foundation of the pulpit's power is truth.
I particularly enjoyed this paragraph: 'Yet is this the truth which gives the pulpit all its power. Its facts, its doctrines, its duties, its scrutiny, its rebukes, its invitations, its threatenings, its promises, its consolations, its motives, its worship, its ordinances, and more than all, its atoning Saviour, himself the beginning and the end, the first and the last, — this is the truth which constitutes the power of the pulpit. " I have determined to know nothing among you,'' says the great Apostle of the Gentiles, "save Jesus Christ and him crucified". The pulpit is powerless where the cross of Christ is not magnified. Christ must be the theme, the scope, the life, the soul of the pulpit. It may have the subtleties of philosophy, the attainments of accomplished literature, and the enticing words which man's "wisdom teacheth;" but it has no powerful attraction of God's truth, where Christ is wanting. The preacher may not hope to see the strong cords of earth broken, the fetters of gold dissolved, or any of the fascinations of sin disturbed by which the spell-bound mind is held in bondage, until he throws around it the stronger attractions of redeeming love.'
The most powerful truth that can be uttered from the pulpit is the truth about Christ.
R
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