G. K. Wallace
The test of a sermon is not its length. Often we hear men making fun of the little sermonettes. What is a sermonette? Surely it is a short sermon. But is the length of a sermon always the true test? Recently someone told me about a young man—just a freshman in college—who went out to a place to preach in the afternoon on a certain Lord’s day. The young man came back rejoicing with great joy. He was now as big a preacher as Brother “H” and “B”. “I preached an hour,” he triumphantly announced.
Surely a man may use an hour and say nothing. Some sermons I hear remind me of the hay that ought to be baled. Suppose you are riding along the road and meet a farmer with a load of hay. The load of hay is so big that it takes up most of the road. You can hardly pass the load of hay without being upset in the ditch. Now if the farmer would bale that hay he would have just as much hay and it would not take up so much space.
Many sermons are like the load of hay. They need baling. There will be just as much food for thought and less time will be used by the preacher. Loose hay has thrown many a church attendant into the ditch and he has never returned to be treated to another feeding. Bale your hay, my brother, and remember that you will likely have another chance to preach.
When you have the hay baled there are three good rules to remember:
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Be sincere.
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Be brief.
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Be seated.
