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The Cure of Souls; Lyman Beecher Lectures on Preaching at Yale University, 1896
This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.
314 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1896
4 people want to read
About the author
Ian Maclaren
208 books7 followersRev. John Watson, known by his pen name Ian Maclaren, was a Scottish author and theologian. He was born in Manningtree, Essex, and educated at Stirling and at Edinburgh University, later studying theology at New College, Edinburgh, and at Tübingen.
In 1874 he became a minister of the Free Church of Scotland and assistant minister of Edinburgh Barclay Church. Subsequently he was minister at Logiealmond in Perthshire and at Glasgow, and in 1880 he became minister of Sefton Park Presbyterian Church, Liverpool, from which he retired in 1905.
Maclaren's first stories of rural Scottish life, Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush (1894), achieved extraordinary popularity, selling more than 700 thousand copies, and were succeeded by other successful books, The Days of Auld Lang Syne (1895), Kate Carnegie and those Ministers (1896), and Afterwards and other Stories (1898). He is now considered to be one of the principal writers of the Kailyard school, characterized by sanitised and sentimental representations or rural life.
Under his own name John Watson published several volumes of sermons, among them being The Upper Room (1895), The Mind of the Master (1896) and The Potter's Wheel (1897).
In 1874 he became a minister of the Free Church of Scotland and assistant minister of Edinburgh Barclay Church. Subsequently he was minister at Logiealmond in Perthshire and at Glasgow, and in 1880 he became minister of Sefton Park Presbyterian Church, Liverpool, from which he retired in 1905.
Maclaren's first stories of rural Scottish life, Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush (1894), achieved extraordinary popularity, selling more than 700 thousand copies, and were succeeded by other successful books, The Days of Auld Lang Syne (1895), Kate Carnegie and those Ministers (1896), and Afterwards and other Stories (1898). He is now considered to be one of the principal writers of the Kailyard school, characterized by sanitised and sentimental representations or rural life.
Under his own name John Watson published several volumes of sermons, among them being The Upper Room (1895), The Mind of the Master (1896) and The Potter's Wheel (1897).
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June 28, 2013
This Scottish preacher wrote under the pen name John Watson and published several volumes of his sermons. He could be a little sloppy doctrinally, but his viewpoint on preaching was spot on. I can just hear his Scottish brogue as I read. This was the 1896 Yale Lecture.
“Cure” is thick Scottish for “Care” and so he writes about the ministry. He begins with forming sermons and he gives good guidance. He explains how when we preach about everything, we really preach about nothing. He says these casual sermons come either from slackness or laziness.
Chapters 4 and 5 drag, but be sure to read on as chapters 6 through 9 are exceptionally good. You will smile as he tells about church members who are dissatisfied with everything. He calls them “mutineers” and says “…a ship may weather many storms from without, but mutiny among the crew is destruction.” His solution? Every church should refuse them and they could all get together and make their own church! Since no one would want to pastor them, a pastor who has wrecked two churches “by bad temper and overbearing conduct” could be sought for them. See why these old books can still be so valuable because so much of the ministry never changes!
When he speaks of being a prophet versus being an organizer, he sounds like he writes today. He respects and shows the value of small works too. Many ministry books today write that off as failure in these success-mad days we live in.
Whether it is call for confidentiality, or the egotism he hears in some public prayers, or the description of the good side of ministry, every preacher should read it.
“Cure” is thick Scottish for “Care” and so he writes about the ministry. He begins with forming sermons and he gives good guidance. He explains how when we preach about everything, we really preach about nothing. He says these casual sermons come either from slackness or laziness.
Chapters 4 and 5 drag, but be sure to read on as chapters 6 through 9 are exceptionally good. You will smile as he tells about church members who are dissatisfied with everything. He calls them “mutineers” and says “…a ship may weather many storms from without, but mutiny among the crew is destruction.” His solution? Every church should refuse them and they could all get together and make their own church! Since no one would want to pastor them, a pastor who has wrecked two churches “by bad temper and overbearing conduct” could be sought for them. See why these old books can still be so valuable because so much of the ministry never changes!
When he speaks of being a prophet versus being an organizer, he sounds like he writes today. He respects and shows the value of small works too. Many ministry books today write that off as failure in these success-mad days we live in.
Whether it is call for confidentiality, or the egotism he hears in some public prayers, or the description of the good side of ministry, every preacher should read it.
Displaying 1 of 1 review