One
of the great legacies of DMLJ is his use of the church’s rich heritage of
hymnology. My, he loved the hymns,
especially the Welsh hymns. He quotes
from them in nearly every sermon, and uses this heritage to illustrate the
riches of God’s grace to condemned sinners, and as a means of bringing them to
a true confession of faith in Christ alone for salvation. Chas. Wesley, Philip Doddridge, J. S. B. Monsell,
Robt. Robinson, A. M. Toplady, Isaac Watts, Wm Cowper, Lewis Hartsough, Henry
Francis Lyle, Wm C Dix, John Newtown, John Mason Neale, Wm Williams, W. C
Smith, etc. DMLJ taught us by example
how the church’s hymnology may be used, not only in the worship of God, but in
closing the Gospel appeal at the end of the sermon. I am aware that not everyone will agree with
this practice, but this was most assuredly the beloved Doctor’s weekly
practice. The references to this use of
hymns are so numerous that those who are familiar with the Doctor’s preaching
and published sermons, whether evangelistic or not, will confirm that this is
indeed the case.
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