which they bring to mind, and delight in them as the names which are written in heaven: D. To commend ourselves more and more to the consciences of men by multiplying our meritorious deeds; if we are now eminent and all eyes directed toward us, we should increase the worthiness of our example, so that our names shall be mentioned with new complacency by the multitudes who are proud to imitate us: E. To occupy every hour of the new year with zealous labors for the general welfare; for life is short; and we must be diligent, if we would scatter all along our pathway such memorials of ourselves as will excite the gratitude of posterity, and quicken them to cultivate the virtues which will be suggested by the very letters which designate our persons. By useful industry each man may acquire a good name, and one which is permanently useful.. The preceding abstract from Reinhard leads us into the § 6. Rhetorical Structure of his Discourses. It is needless to say that one excellence of his sermons consists in their accurate arrangement. His mind was so severely disciplined that he wrote, both on the most intricate and the most familiar themes, with a remarkable exactness of method. Almost every one of his sermons is a system, having its general Divisions, each of which is subdivided into tributary parts, and each of these parts exhibits a wonderful precision in the sequence of its component thoughts. A skeleton of one of his sermons fails to exhibit the rigid order which pervades the entire composition, for the muscles of the body are as nicely and systematically collocated as the bones. He generally announces his main Divisions immediately after the statement of his theme. He often enumerates the Subdivisions of each principal topic, immediately after that topic is brought forward to be discussed. He distinctly repeats the Subdivision both at the commencement and at the close of its discussion. He announces its minute and specific parts with so much neatness and accuracy, as to make the whole discourse appear like a congeries of themes, particular and general, one rising above another, and all in their inter-dependencies, constituting a single, comprehensive, extensively related, organized, almost living subject. It must be confessed, indeed, that his arrangement is often artificial, that he sacrifices ease to order, and thus extends his excellence into a fault. He 1 Reinhard comments very freely on his own errors in the arrangement of his sermons, but denies that he ever intended to force his thoughts into a preconceived or favorite order. See Geständnisse, Sulzbach, 1810, ss. 156, 157. 1849.] Their regular Structure. 315 is too much enamored of the poetry of the mathematics, the rhythm of numbers. He is, for example, too fond of a division into four general topics, and a subdivision of each of the four into a couple of secondary parts. He often divides the body of his sermon into six heads, and concludes with three inferences. Four and two, six and three are with him far preferable to seven and three, five and two. He devotes nearly an equal amount of space to each of his regular divisions, and thus gives to the whole sermon a balance and equipoise which indicate constraint in his own mind, and interfere with the natural growth of his theme. But although a syllabus of his discourses will not expose the whole extent of their symmetry, it will indicate the principle on which he elaborated them, a principle far too excellent to be disregarded as it often is, and appearing none the less important from the excess into which a scholastic preacher has carried it. Perhaps the structure of our author's and of many other German discourses, may be well exhibited in the following abstract of a double sermon which he preached on the two successive days of the Easter Festival. Doxology, from 1 Pet. 1: 3, 4 (instead of the Benediction with which his discourses usually commenced). Introduction, closed with a brief prayer. The instability of all things on earth depresses the heart; hence man strives to make himself immortal in the respect and affection of posterity. But he fails in his design. This festival presents the only object which can gratify man's love of permanence and immortality; for it shows him that he is not born to die, but dies to live forever and ever. The resurrection of Christ suggests the following Proposition. The Infinite in the employments and the experiences of man. Division. 1. Explanation and proof of the Infinite in human affairs. 2. The importance of recognizing it. Before discussing this subject let us entreat for the Divine aid in a silent prayer. (Here the congregation rise, offer a secret petition and remain standing until after the announcement of the text.3) ' Predigten, 1807, Band II. ss. 257-299. 2 Although the Introduction in the German discourses usually precedes the text, yet it is not the general, although with Reinhard it is a frequent custom to insert the Proposition before the text. 3 This practice of the hearers' standing while the text is read commends itself to the taste and judgment, as indicating reverence for the Scriptures and interest in the discourse. Text, same as the lesson of the day which had been previously read; Mark 16: 1-8. Explanation and Transition. The female friends of Jesus supposed that all was over with him. "They trembled, therefore, and were amazed," when they heard that he had returned to life. Suddenly the thought rushes into their minds, that in the duties and events of human life there is something boundless, infinite. Jesus is a man, but after his death lives forever. The design of his resurrection suggests our first Division, and leads us to show the meaning and the reality of the Infinite in the duties and events of life. Subdivision of the First Head, constituting the body of the first sermon. I. The employments and experiences of man contain the Infinite, A. in their design, B. in their continuance, C. in their consequences. A. In their design, as they relate to ends a. which are infinitely important, and b. which cannot be compassed without unceasing progress; both of these facts being illustrated by Christ's rising from death. B. In their continuance as they belong to a nature a. which will ever exist, b. which will be ever active, both of these truths being suggested to us by Christ, "the first fruits" of the general resurrection. C. In their consequences as these are a. ineffaceable in their nature, it being impossible for a man to revoke the influence which he has already exerted upon himself and upon others; b. immeasurable in their power, the influence which a man exerts being communicated from one to another interminably; an illustrious example of these indestructible results of life being suggested by Christ's resurrection. Conclusion of the first sermon, growing immediately out of I. C. b. above, in the form of an address to the Deity. Introduction to the second sermon, containing a recapitulation of the first, and a statement of the influence exerted on great men by a belief in their immortality. Text, Luke 24: 13-34, the lesson for the second day of the Easter Festival. Explanation and Transition. The two travellers to Emmaus were 1849.] Their regular Structure. 317 enlightened and renovated by the discourse of Jesus; for they now perceived their relations to the Infinite. Hence we come to our second Division, The importance of recognizing the Infinite in the employments and experiences of man. Subdivision of the Second Head, constituting the body of the second sermon. II. The recognition of the Infinite in human affairs is important, because it conduces A. to our intellectual advancement, B. to our moral improvement, C. to our practical activity, D. to our inward peace. A. It conduces to our intellectual advancement, a. as it clears our minds from hurtful prejudices; we do not regard anything aright if we look upon it as intended for time merely; b. as it directs our attention to the right objects; to those which are of the loftiest and most enduring interest. Christ was not understood by others until he rose from death to reign forever. B. It conduces to our moral improvement, a. as it shows this moral reformation to be indispensably necessary; for how can we hunt like brutes for earthly pleasures, if we are made for an unending existence, and if we are to be judged by Christ? b. as it exhibits the great blessings derived from such improvement; for all our virtuous self-denials will be compensated at the last. The friends of Jesus did not see the importance of their living a new life, nor the advantages resulting from it, until they saw that he had risen from a state of suffering to glory and honor. C. It conduces to our practical activity, a. as it makes our activity more powerful; for we are operating on minds which will through eternity develope the results of our influence; b. as it makes our activity more persevering; for no obstacle can ultimately prevent the success of our efforts in the right cause. Christ's disciples became far more efficient after his resurrection than before, and none of them after this event, forsook his cause. D. It conduces to our inward peace, a. as it emboldens us to fear nothing; for why should we tremble before the greatest earthly loss, since it conduces to our eternal welfare? b. it encourages us to hope for all good; in the compass of our everlasting life we shall enjoy every real blessing which we can conceive. The resurrection of Jesus emboldened his disciples, and animated them with the most cheerful courage. Conclusion, immediately growing out of II. D. b. above, in the form of an address to the Deity. The four Subdivisions of each of the two general Heads in the preceding sermon are discussed at equal length, and each couple of the subordinate Heads under each of the four Subdivisions, occupies in its discussion about the same space with each of the others, and a similar equality and balance are visible between the two minor Heads composing each of these couples. We give another abstract1 illustrating the symmetrical structure of Reinhard's discourses, and free from some peculiarities of the preceding. Benediction. "The grace of our Lord," etc. Introduction, closed with a brief prayer. Jesus often extols the Samaritans and the heathen as superior to the Jews. The ancient pagans exhibited many noble characteristics which we seldom see surpassed, or even equalled among men who adopt the true faith. If it be said that these were merely the semblances of virtue and not virtue itself, then we ask why do we not discover such good appearances more frequently in the Christian Church? These facts suggest the theme of our present discourse. Text, Luke 17: 11-19, the same as the lesson which had been previously read. Transition and Explanation. This passage records that among the ten lepers who were healed, one who was a Samaritan and therefore despised by the Jews, manifested gratitude to his benefactor, but the nine who were blessed with the Jewish faith, exhibited no thankfulness for the favor which they had received. This incident suggests the Proposition: Why are those who believe that they possess the true religion, so often put to shame by the virtues of men who appear to live in error? Division. A. Because the true religion is often, in the minds of those who adopt it, not what it ought to be. 1 Taken from Predigten, 1802, Band II. ss. 252—275. |