An Anglican Bishop on Dull Sermons

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 14, 12 April 1923, Page 41

An Anglican Bishop on Dull Sermons

In a. letter to the people of his diocese the Right Rev. Dr. Furze has been turning his thorny .side to critics of the clergy. He often (he says) has complaints of the dullness of the sermons, and he dared say some of these complaints are justified. But he did know-that the dulness of services" and even of sermons is again and again due not only to the clergy, but also to the members of the congregation who failed to recognise that the spiritual atmosphere in a church is. created by the spirit of the people who come;J if the spirit, was one ofr boredom the atmosphere would be bored and critical. - ; In other words, the congregation, if they want good preaching, must show that they appreciate the 'preacher and must not go to sleep.- '; .-/:.,'•■ , •■' ;: -. 1 ---"'"'' .--■ ■