Preaching Must Have the Bowels of Compassion

There is something in affectionate tenderness that goes directly to the heart and calls forth its responsive kindness. It awakens attention, convinces that the speaker is sincere in his appeals, breaks down all opposition of the mind to the truth, and touches sympathetic chords which thrill out from speaker to hearer. As he weeps or smiles or hopes or fears or is filled with awe, so they also are moved and their hearts warm with his. This tenderness will melt them when neither arguments nor threatenings nor warnings nor invitations nor anything else would have any effect. This is the way to get at the hearts of the audience, and hold them and influence them by the grand motives that are furnished in the gospel.