The celebrated sermon by the former of these two giants on the "Moral Government of God" was characterized by Thomas H.
Skinner as the mightiest discourse he had ever heard.

Henry Ward Beecher hardly exaggerated when he once said to me, "Put all of his children together and we do not equal my father at his best." Dr.Bushnell's masterly discourses with all their exquisite poetry and insight into human hearts were largely bottomed and built on a theological basis.

To those two great doctrinal preachers I might add the names of my beloved instructors, Dr.Archibald Alexander and Dr.Charles Hodge, of Princeton, Albert Barnes and Professor Park, Dr.Thornwell, Dr.Bethune, Dr.John Todd, Dr.G.T.Bedell, Bishop Simpson and President Stephen Olin.
Has the American pulpit grown in spiritual power since those days?
Have the churches thriven whose pastors have become more invertebrate in their theology?
Another characteristic of the average preacher sixty years ago was that sermons were generally aimed at awakening the impenitent, and bringing them to Jesus Christ.

The evil of sin was emphasized; the way of salvation explained; the claims of Christianity were presented; and people were urged to immediate decision.

Nowadays a large portion of sermons are addressed to professing Christians; many others are addressed to nobody in particular, but there is less of faithful, fervid, loving and persuasive discourses to the unconverted.