Gardiner Spring, a nineteenth-century American minister, did not shy away from preaching on hard topics. In this message, he takes on the inevitability of death, but he pairs it with the Christian assurance of eternal life. “Death is the foe of man,” he says, “but it is the glory of the Gospel that it teaches us how we may meet this last enemy with triumph.” As a former lawyer, Spring presents compelling sermons rich with Scriptural analysis—“Death and Heaven” is no exception.

The subtitle of this sermon by Reverend Mattison is “an appeal to Methodists, in regard to the evils of card-playing, billiards, dancing, theatre-going, etc.” Mattison argues that while the Bible does not directly condemn all these activities, it opposes the principles behind them. He asks, “can men and women dance, and play billiards, and go to circuses and theaters, ‘to the glory of God?’” Regardless of how readers feel about these particular topics, Mattison presents an interesting proc...

The steamer Central America sank on September 18, 1857, taking 560 of its passengers with it to a watery grave. Two days later, American minister Ebenezer Rogers delivered this sermon. In his rousing speech, Rogers argues that God is sovereign in all things, “from the falling of a leaf–to the extinction of a race.” While the tragic events of the world can be hard to fathom, Rogers urges anyone listening or reading to take comfort in the fact that an all-knowing God has directed them.

Theodore Cuyler lived and preached in the US during the 1800s. In this sermon, he analyzes the Bible’s position on recreational activities. He distinguishes between Christian and secular forms of amusement, arguing that the latter should be avoided as it is both “dangerous to the body and damning to the soul.” This compelling sermon calls Christians to delight in the pleasures given to us by God, but to flee from those rooted in sin.

American pastor Theodore Cuyler opens this text by describing a Bible story in which Jesus answered a woman’s prayer because of her persistent pleas for help. Cuyler argues that the lesson from this story is that blessings come to those who consistently ask for them. He writes persuasively, saying, “if we are tamely content to be without spiritual blessings, and neither labor nor pray persistently for such blessings, we deserve to suffer.” “Prevailing Prayer” was published in The New York ...

American preacher Gardiner Spring spent 63 years ministering to his congregation at the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York. He initially wanted to work in law, but after his admission to the Bar, he felt called to the ministry. In this sermon, he defines human sinfulness, because “Next to just views of God, just views of the morally depraved character of man, are essential to the knowledge of divine truth.” Spring faces the issue of sin directly for the benefit of all Christian readers....

Nineteenth-century preacher Gardiner Spring left the legal profession when he felt called to ministry. In this sermon, he describes his belief in the selectivity of God’s grace. He argues against “the modern notion, that God saves all he is able to save; and that if any are lost, it is because his almighty power cannot convert them.” Jumping off from the example of Cain and Able, Spring makes his case for predestination.

The words of minister DeWitt Talmage touched the lives of tens of thousands of Americans. This sermon functions as a balm for Christians with heavy hearts. In it, Talmage describes the purpose of tears, which he believes exist to keep our souls focused not on this world, but on eternity with Christ. Looking forward to the promise of Heaven, Talmage says, “Bear cheerfully the Ministry of tears, and exult at the thought that soon it is to be ended.”

In this book, American minister Gardiner Spring tackles the inescapable question of suffering. What is the purpose of Christian sorrow? UsingScripture, Spring argues the nature and purpose of these difficult experiences is to bring us into closer communion with God. He assures the reader, “How far above the ‘sorrows of nature’ are the ‘consolations of grace.’”

Politician William Jennings Bryan delivered this speech at the Democratic National Convention in 1896. Historians consider it one of the most famous political speeches in American history; Bryan stirred the crowd into a frenzy with his support for adding a silver to the mix of America’s gold-backed currency. “You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of Gold,” he stated, for it was bankrupt farmers who suffered at the hands of this inflation freeze. Experience for yourself this fiery spee...