P. 477.
“
Settle in your mind, that no sermon is worth much in which the Lord is not the principal speaker. There may be poetry, refinement, historic truth, moral truth, pathos, and all the charms of rhetoric; but all will be lost, for the purposes of preaching, if the word of the Lord is not the staple of the discourse.
— John Hall (Presbyterian pastor)
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Settle in your mind, that no sermon is worth much in which the Lord is not the principal speaker. There may be poetry, refinement, historic truth, moral truth, pathos, and all the charms of rhetoric; but all will be lost, for the purposes of preaching, if the word of the Lord is not the staple of the discourse." in the context of "P. 477." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "John Hall (Presbyterian pastor)" (Quotes, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895): Quotes reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895).)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About John Hall (Presbyterian pastor)
John Hall Magowan (1829–1898) was pastor of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York City, from 1867 until his death in Bangor, County Down, Ireland. The landmark New York church, that still stands today on Fifth Avenue at 55th Street, was built during his tenure.
About John Hall (Presbyterian pastor)
John Hall Magowan (1829–1898) was pastor of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York City, from 1867 until his death in Bangor, County Down, Ireland. The landmark New York church, that still stands today on Fifth Avenue at 55th Street, was built during his tenure.
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