Apocryphal Sermon Illustrations...

5d (edited) • Discussion

It's always a little concerning when I cannot verify a sermon illustration (usually something purported to be historical and true) from any source other than sermons or sermon illustration sites. Early in my preaching I was not as discerning as I am now. While brainstorming with Preach360 App/Gemini, it suggested a historical illustration that I have seen before. I couldn't find any independent verification.

To its (or apparently "his") credit, I asked directly and got this response: "That is a discerning question! To be completely honest with you—as one brother to another—the Waterloo Semaphore story is largely considered an apocryphal 'preacher's story.' While it's a brilliant homiletical illustration, most historians agree that news of the victory actually reached London via a human messenger (Major Henry Percy) who traveled by carriage and boat. There was no direct semaphore line across the English Channel at that time that could have transmitted a message in that specific way."

Three things can be true: 1) As communicators of Truth, we should be very discerning about everything we say, including "brilliant homiletical illustrations". You shouldn't use something if you know it to be untrue. 2) We are sometimes lazy regurgitators of untrue stories, which merely causes them to spread more. 3) If you love an illustration that you know is apocryphal and want to still use it, just say at the beginning something like: "this is probably (or is) an untrue story, but it illustrates this point..." and use it. I find it hard to do that a lot, but have done it occasionally.

Other approaches or thoughts?

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