Give Me this Mountain: Life History and Selected Sermons

Front Cover
University of Illinois Press, 1989 - 218 pages
"C.L. Franklin, the most imitated soul preacher in history, was a combination of soul and science and substance and sweetness."--Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, from the Foreword
Few black preachers have been better known that the Reverend C. L. Franklin; none has been considered a better preacher. This collection of twenty of Franklin's best sermons shows the development of his style. A learned man, Franklin had attended both seminary and college, yet in his sermons used the old-fashioned, extemporaneous style of preaching, "whooping" or chanting, combining oratory and intoned poetry to reach both head and heart.
Dozens of Franklin's sermons were released on record albums, and he went on preaching tours with gospel groups that included his daughter, Aretha Franklin, reaching virtually every corner of the United States.
This volume begins with Franklin's life history, told in his own words.
In an afterword, Jeff Titon reviews the African-American sermon tradition
and Franklin's place in it.

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Contents

Life History of Clarence LaVaughn Franklin
1
Introduction
41
The Eagle Stirreth Her Nest
47
The Prodigal Son
55
Pressing On
63
How Long Halt Ye between Two Opinions?
71
Dry Bones in the Valley
80
Without a Song
89
The Man at the Pool
130
Except I Shall See in His Hands the Print of the Nails and Thrust My Hand into His Side
134
Hannah The Ideal Mother
141
The Foolish and the Wise Builders
153
What of the Night?
162
This Is My Beloved Son
171
The Preacher Who Got Drunk
180
A Bigot Meets Jesus
189

Jacob Wrestling the Angel
98
Moses at the Red Sea
107
Ye Must Be Born Again
114
Give Me This Mountain
122
Meeting Jesus in the Dawn
196
A Mother at the Cross
201
Afterword
208
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