Lectures on the History of Preaching

John Albert Broadus (1827-1895) was to become one of the most influential Baptist leaders in the history of the nation. Saved in a revival meeting at the age of sixteen, he planned to study medicine at the University of Virginia. A sermon by S. M. Poindexter so challenged him that he surrendered to the call to the ministry instead. He still entered the university in 1846, and in 1850 he received the M.A. degree. Upon graduation he became the teacher of Greek and Latin at the University of Virginia and also took the pastorate of the Baptist Church of Charlottesville. The next year he resigned the teaching position, and he dedicated himself to the church for the next several years, except for two years spent as chaplain at the university. In 1857 he met with four other men to plan a new seminary for Baptists in the South. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary was formally established in 1858, and in 1859 Broadus became a professor there. He was later the second president of the school. Despite the offer of many pastorates, he made the seminary his life's work, teaching there for thirty-six years. Whether preaching or teaching, he was noted for being able to state deep truths in a way plain enough for all to understand them clearly. He stressed the importance of this to his ministerial students. His book "A Treatise on the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons" has been a classic on the subject since its publication. At the height of his popularity and usefulness, he was called home to Heaven on March 16, 1895.Broadus, John Albert is the author of 'Lectures on the History of Preaching', published 2004 under ISBN 9781932474282 and ISBN 1932474285.