Alexander Vinet (1797-1847) was a 19th century French-speaking Reformed Pastor, and seen by most scholars as a pastor’s pastor. This work is one of the most quoted volumes in the history of teaching ministers the science of homiletics. Homiletics is the study of sermon preparation and preaching the Word of God with boldness, faithfulness and precision. The office of the Evangelical Ministry consists of different elements, among which the Word of God has the predominance. The Christian religion, the religion of liberty and persuasion, is a word. Jesus Christ is called the Word (John 1:1). The Word is the pastor’s great instrument. The minister speaks either on the part of man to God, or on the part of God to man; in doing the first he prays, in doing the second he preaches. It is of the second that this work treats. This work is not a scan or facsimile, has been carefully transcribed by hand being made easy to read in modern English, and has an active table of contents for electronic versions.