Napoléon Roussel: How Not to Preach
Eusebius
The first portrait of a bad preacher, the portrait of Eusebius, presents us with a pulpit speaker who practises his art for its own sake, for being admired, without much conviction as to its content. He likes to take centre stage and transform his sermon into an act, a spectacle. But the auditory is not deceived; as a matter of fact “even the simplest listener readily detects affectation, even in the most skilful speaker”, perhaps because “there is a timbre of the human voice which you cannot hide and which reveals the secret of the soul”. Roussel does not beat around the bush:
“Your public did not dare to tell you that you tired them, but be assured, they found you tiresome! If they come back, it is not so much because they want to hear you, but because this is what they do on Sundays.”
And when facing the great problems of life, one does not seek Eusebius:
“Normally, [the people of your group] listen to you, but on Easter Sunday they go elsewhere to take the Lord’s supper. When healthy, they will come and listen to you; when sick, they call somebody else. You will be invited to their parties but not to their family councils, nor to their deathbeds. You amuse them, but they do not trust you; they celebrate your theatre gestures and your melodious voice but they hate your ham acting, and, what is worst – they are right about it.”
What Eusebius really lacks is simplicity, authenticity and conviction. But this is a serious deficiency, because “it is conviction that makes eloquent.”
Go to Chapter 2 (Pamphilus).
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