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Wilkinson, a keen, analytic student of preachers and preaching, gave this appraisal of Dr. Broadus in Modern Masters of Pulpit Discourse:. His preaching work has been incidental, rather than principal in his career. He presents a conspicuous example. In discussing Broadus as a preacher, Dr. Robertson made this helpful comparison:. At his best and in a congenial atmosphere Broadus was the equal of any man I have ever heard. Broadus as one of the Olympians. In speaking of the conspicuous position which he occupied and of the esteem and affection in which he was held by Baptists everywhere, Jones observed, "No king on his throne had more loyal and willing subjects than did this professor-preacher.
To these evaluations could be added the personal testimonies of thousands who heard John A. Broadus preach. His fame as a preacher began in his first pastorate at Charlottesville, Virginia, and continued and increased throughout his life. While teaching in the Seminary he was offered some of the leading pastorates m the United States. Louis, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and other cities.
Broadus records that he preached seventy-five times as summer supply and on special occasions in Orange, New Jersey. In addition to supply preaching, he delivered many dedication, convention, and commencement sermons, and was the featured speaker at various conferences.
Wherever he preached the testimony was the same, "He is one of the world's great preachers. Since it is most unusual for a preacher to receive almost universal acclaim, a question naturally presents itself. How can one account for the unusual popularity? Actually, this question can never be completely or accurately answered.
In every area, but especially in the area of preaching, there is a quality which escapes definition or explanation. However, certain factors in the life of Broadus and in his preaching blended to produce a man with unique preaching abilities. Although the Broadus home was not financially wealthy, it was rich in the things which count-intelligence, culture, love, and piety. Since John Albert was the youngest child, the parents and the other children shared in his early training.
To their instructions was added the teaching of other tutors. From an uncle, Albert G. Sims, he received a careful and accurate grounding in the rudiments of learning. His "graduation" from his uncle's school was somewhat unusual. He returned home unexpectedly and when Major Broadus inquired the reason, his son replied, "My uncle says he has no further use for me.
However, the boy's uncle assured him that there had been no difficulty, but rather he had taught John "all that he knew. When he was about sixteen, the young man surrendered himself to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Though he had been surrounded by religious influences, he had not yet confessed faith in Christ.
During a revival meeting at the Mt. Poney Baptist Church, a friend asked him if he would not accept the promise of the preacher's text, "all that the Father giveth me shall come to me. And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. After this initial experience, he made a constant effort to grow in grace and knowledge of his Lord.
He began immediately to witness, to study, and to serve. His preaching knew the undergirding of a warm, contagious, experimental religious faith. From to he continued his education by teaching in a small school and engaging in disciplined independent study. It was during this period that he began a study of Greek.
It required vast resolution for him to stay by the task. In the development of his religious life, he became a Sunday school teacher and later superintendent. He gave some consideration to becoming a minister, but finally chose medicine and began to make general preparation in that area. Plans were now made for him to enter the University of Virginia. However, before entering the University his vocational plans were completely changed. He attended an associational meeting and heard a powerful and impressive sermon on the parable of the talents by S.
Poindexter, one of the most famous preachers in the South. Broadus gave this account of the experience.
He seemed to clear up all difficulties pertaining to the subject; he swept away all the excuses of fancied humility; he held up the thought that the greatest sacrifices and toils possible to the minister's lifetime would be a hundred-fold repaid if he should be the instrument of saving one soul. In the fall of , young Broadus entered the University of Virginia as he had planned.
His early education had been somewhat irregular; consequently, he spent four years in diligent, disciplined study. He received the M. At the close of his University course, Broadus declined various offers because he desired to pursue theological studies. During the next year he taught in a private school in Fluvanna County, Virginia, preached in small country churches, and diligently studied church history, theology, sermons, and above all the Bible.
During this year two notable events occurred-his ordination August 12, , and his marriage to Miss Maria Harrison, November 13, Calls of various kinds came to the young teacher, and he finally accepted the one to be tutor in Latin and Greek at his alma mater and pastor of the Baptist Church at Charlottesville.
After one year he resigned his teaching position in order to devote his full time to his pastorate, which he did with the exception of two years when he was given a leave of absence to serve as chaplain at the University of Virginia. In he was asked to become a member of the first faculty of the new Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Though Broadus had had a part in the planning of the institution, he at first declined the offer because of his attachment to preaching and pastoral work. But there ensued months of struggle with himself over the decision, and he finally agreed to become a member of the first faculty of the Seminary when it opened in Greenville, South Carolina, in For the next thirty-six years, he was Professor of New Testament Interpretation and Homiletics, and his life was inextricably bound to the school.
After much thought, and not a little anguish, Broadus accepted. From the time he began teaching, Broadus showed a lifelong affection for instructing and mentoring students. Rather than canceling the class, Broadus lectured to his lone pupil week after week, honing the content that later became the book The Preparation and Delivery of Sermons.
Over half a century later, several seminaries used it in homiletics classes. When Southern suspended courses in , Broadus served as a chaplain to Confederate soldiers. His talents gained renown. Large and wealthy churches invited him to be their pastor. Broadus declined these overtures. The greatest need and his greatest influence were at the seminary he loved. In trustees elected Broadus president of the seminary to succeed Boyce. The experiment was morally objectionable because the child was never deconditioned.
By s, Behaviorism became the dominant approach to psychology. However, by then it was too late for John Watson who, in , was caught having an affair with one of his students and was forced to resign from his post at John Hopkins. After leaving academia, John started working in an advertising agency where he applied his theories of Behaviorism and quickly rose to the ranks of vice-presidency at the agency. Although by , Behaviorism began to lose its hold on psychology but some of it ideas and principles are used even today.
His analysis of Reformation preaching allowed him to make several strong points about one of the premier aspects of proclamation. Our work cannot be fairly tested by its actual results, but rather by its tendencies, aims, and adaptation. Yet a religious teacher should earnestly seek for tangible results, both in winning and building up. In A Treatise on the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons , his homiletical tour de force, Broadus showed himself a master of preaching, not only in practice but in highly articulated theory.
In the introduction, Broadus set his discussion in a framework that explained how he could remain so deeply connected to the plain, simple, and earnest people of local congregations, while instructing both aspiring and highly trained theologians worldwide in the craft of sermon building. Now the things which ought most to be thought of by the preacher, are piety and knowledge, and the blessing of God. Skill, however valuable, is far less important than these; and there is danger that rhetorical studies will cause men to forget that such is the case.
It is lamentable to see how often the remarks upon preaching made by preachers themselves. Unsympathizing listeners or readers have, in such cases, too much ground for concluding that preachers are anxious only to display skill, and gain oratorical reputation.
Any historical record of the founders of the Southern Baptist Convention, and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, is incomplete without an honest telling of their complicity in American slavery and racism.
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