Giving Ourselves ‘to the Utmost’

There is an undoubted physicality to preaching. 18th Century Baptist, John Gill, evidently knew this by experience:

“Far from being ‘grim’ and ‘high and dry’ when preaching, Gill was very emotional and pleading in his urgent delivery and gave himself to the utmost, often descending the pulpit stairs in exhaustion after his sermon was over. His kind hearers in the pews nearest the pulpit always took a supply of large handkerchiefs with them to the services. As their pastor warmed to the subject, he would sweat profusely and then his hearers would pass handkerchief after handkerchief up to the pulpit so that Gill could wipe his brow and face. A ‘normal’ sermon would be accompanied by three or four handkerchiefs being put to this use. Funeral services tried Gill the most and these were occasions when much laundering after the service!”

(John Gill and the Cause of God and Truth, Goerge M Ellla, p189)

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