Page:Sermons for all the Sundays in the year.djvu/26

 question is asked, and replied to by the speaker. For example: “Tell me why so many sinners relapse, after confession, into the same sins ?” I will tell you: because they do not remove the dangerous occasions of sin. It is also useful oftentimes to call on the auditory to attend to what is said, and especially to certain things that are more important. For example: ”O good God! you come to us in order to save us, and we fly from you to destroy ourselves." It is useful likewise to repeat with emphasis some striking maxim of religion; as, for example: ”There is no alternative: sooner or later we must die sooner or later we must die ;" or, ”My brethren, it is certain that, after this life, we must be eternally happy, or eternally miserable. ” 19. I do not enlarge more on this subject, which I deem most important, as I have found it necessary to write more at length on it in a letter of apology which I published in reply to a religious who censured me for approving of sermons composed in a simple and popular style. I there premised in a sufficient manner whatever Muratori has observed on this subject, and subjoined what the Holy Fathers have written on it, as far as I was able to discover. I pray the reader not to omit to read this letter: it is an uncommon little treatise, which contains matter not treated by any preceding writer. 20. I do not, however, deem it right to omit to say something on the modulation of the voice, and on the gesture which should be used in preaching. As far as regards the voice, the preacher should avoid speaking in an inflated tone, or in a monotonous and invariably loud tone of voice. What moves and engages the attention of the