ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON) growing hatred of the pulpit.

In these days, there is a growing hatred of the pulpit. The pulpit has maintained its ground full many a year, but partially by its becoming inefficient, it is losing its high position. Through a timid abuse of it, instead of a strong stiff use of the pulpit, the world has come to despise it; and now most certainly we are not a priest-ridden people one-half so much as we are a press-ridden people. By the press, we are ridden indeed. Mercuries, Despatches, Journals, Gazettes, and Magazines are now the judges of pulpit eloquence and style. They thrust themselves into the censor’s seat, and censure those whose office it should rather be to censure them.

Editor's note: This passage from Spurgeon reminded me of our current day. What Spurgeon saw playing out in the press, we see today over social media and podcasts, where people criticize preaching generally or compare preachers.