Skeleton Sermons

My object in publishing these "Skeleton Sermons" is to help my brother-priests in emergencies. We, most of us, occasionally find that we haven't much time for preparing our sermons, and our ideas sometimes seem to run short, especially when we have to preach on the same subject over and over again. At such times it is a great convenience to have a plan of a sermon drawn up ready to one's hand. Such a plan is likely, at any rate, to suggest a new line of though t, which we can carry ou t in our own way. These Sermons are made pretty full, suggesting, perhaps, more subjects than it is expedient to introduce into one discourse. They are put in this way in order that anyone using the Sketches may take the points that suit him best, and develop them according to his own lights. Of course, neither these nor any other Sketches can be of much use to a preacher unless he makes the points his own, so that they may have the impress of his own mind upon them. I have quoted a good many texts of Scripture -generally well - known and obvious ones-because I think it most expedient, when we can, to enforce our teaching by the very words of the inspired writers. St. Peter says "If any man speak, let him speak as the words of God," and all preachers ought to have the Word of God in their minds and on their lips whilst addressing their flocks. These Sermons, may, perhaps, also be useful to some people in making their Meditations. The Sermons are, generally, on the Gospels, and so can hardly fail to afford a good many points of consideration for those who like to have their Meditations put concisely. Most of these Sketches have already appeared in our excellent clerical periodical, Pastoralia. That form, however, is not particularly convenient, and the periodical is not intended for the general public. I have, therefore, added a few Sermons to make the Sundays and Feasts of the year complete, and I hope they may be useful in this form.