Divine revelations, 55

CHAPTER VII.

Further theological investigations.--Unwarranted statements by
preachers.--John Foster's Essay on Some of the Causes by which
Evangelical Religion is Rendered Distasteful to Persons of Cultivated
Minds.--Introduction of similar views to the notice of my ministerial
brethren.--The reception they met with.--No Church has got all the
truth.--Most Churches, perhaps all, have got portions of it, which
others have not.--My attempts to gather up the fragments from
all.--Freedom from bigotry.--Love to all Christians.--Judging trees
by their fruit.--Reading the books of various denominations,
like foreign travel, liberalizes the mind.--I found truth
and goodness in all denominations.--Appropriated all as part
of my patrimony.--Results.--Suspicions and fears among my
brethren.--Mutterings: Backbitings: Controversy. Bad feeling, 65

CHAPTER VIII.

My style of preaching.--Decidedly practical.--Using Christianity as a
means for making bad people into good ones, and good ones always
better.--Reasons for this method.--A family trait.--Hereditary.--Great
need of practical preaching.--Folly of other kinds of
Preaching.--Littleness of great Preachers.--Worthlessness of great
sermons.--The Truly Great are the Greatly Good and Greatly Useful.--My
Models.--The Bible.--Jesus.--My Favorite Preachers.--Billy Dawson, David
Stoner, James Parsons.--My Favorite Books.--The Bible--Nature.--Simple
Common Sense, instructive, earnest, moving books.--How my preaching was
received by the people.--Its effects on churches and