Illustrative preaching is intended as well for the unlearned as the learned, for converting the unlettered poor, whose souls are as precious in God’s sight as those of philosophers or kings. An humble woman well expressed it, “I like best the likes of scripture.”
She comprehended best, and was most interested and edified by those passages of the Bible which present abstract truth under concrete forms, and of which we have examples in such expressions of our Lord’s as these— “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed—unto a treasure—unto a merchant —unto a householder—unto a husbandman—unto a king.” A story in a sermon, like a float,keeps it from sinking; like a nail, fastens it in the mind; like the feathers of an arrow makes it strike; and like the barb, makes it stick.”—IBID.
