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JEAN-BAPTISTE MASSILLON The Greatest French Preacher of his Day |
Not too many people in Massillon seem to know it,
but our Fair City is named after a French preacher — one of the best of the 1700's. Although the man to the right
may not look imposing, in his day he would preach before kings and cry loudly against evil
wherever it was found.
Jean-Baptiste Massillon was born in 1663 to Roman Catholic parents at Hyères, a small town in France where his father was a Royal Notary. Massillon seemed destined to be a public speaker; at the age of eighteen he joined the Congregation of the Oratory and soon was teaching at area colleges. So excellent were his public speaking skills that in 1693, upon the death of the Archbishop of Vienne, he was commissioned to deliver the funeral oration. This was the beginning of Massillon's fame. In 1696, while still a young man, Massillon moved to Paris, where he became director of Saint-Magloire — a famous Seminary of the day. There he devoted much of his time to his first great love: preaching — so much so that he was removed from his position a year later for neglecting his duties in favor of preaching sermons. During his lifetime, Massillon would preach thousands of times, even writing extensively about the art of preaching. He soon gained a wide reputation for his strong, assertive sermons and in 1699 was selected to be the Advent preacher at the court of Versailles, where he preached before King Louis XIV of France. Shortly thereafter he was appointed the Court Chaplain to the King. At first Louis regularly attended all of Massillon's sermons, but later the King grew cold with Massillon, perhaps because of his abrasive style.Nonetheless, Massillon was never one to compromise what he considered to be the truth. Prior to the death of Louis XIV, the King instructed Massillon that he was to be buried in a golden coffin, and at his funeral service the entire cathedral should be dark, lit dimly by only one candle positioned above his coffin so that all would be awed by his presence, even in death. Upon Louis' death, Massillon did what the King wanted — but began the funeral oration with his famous words, "Only God is Great" — a slap in the face both to the late king and those who called him "Louis XIV the Great." Following Louis XIV's death in 1715, Massillon returned to favor in the French Court under the new young king, Louis XV. Massillon became a Roman Catholic bishop in 1717, and spent his remaining days faithful to his duties and preaching at every opportunity afforded him. In 1719 he was appointed to oversee the Diocese of Clermont. It was one of the largest in France with 29 abbeys, 224 priories, and 758 parishes. There he served faithfully for more than 20 years. He always visited at least one part of his diocese each year, and by the time of his death he had been through the whole diocese nearly three times, even to the poorest and most remote parishes. During these years Massillon committed himself to maintaining strong discipline and good morals among his clergy. He deeply loved those who labored with him, and even assured the clergy in his diocese a peaceful old age by building a house of retirement for them.
Massillon died on September 28th, 1742. He had preached his messages before commoners and nobility alike —
including
Kings Louis XIV and XV of France. However, Massillon was never intimidated by royalty, and often preached harshly against
the follies and excesses prevalent in high society at the time. Louis XIV once said
to Massillon, "I have heard many great orators ... and have been highly pleased with
them; but whenever I hear you, I go away displeased with
myself, for I see my own character." Massillon was never one to change his message to please
his audience — even if it was the King.
INFORMATION YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT —
Massillon's popularity was partly due to the fact that his sermons almost always dealt with
moral subjects, and not deep theological issues. He seemed to be able to 'get inside' the secrets of the human heart and the processes of man's reasoning.
Following his death, one of his contemporaries said of Massillon — "In
preaching, he manifested himself as both practical and eloquent, with a persuasive style,
great piety and insuperable competence."
His great literary power, his reputation for benevolence, and his toleration toward all
are why he was admired and respected by people of all classes. These characteristics are why he is still
remembered today.
A "Massillon" is a small, French almond pastry that originated in Massillon's hometown of Hyères. The folks there were so proud of their hometown boy who became a well-known bishop, that they named the pastry after him. Here are a few of the more notable quotes attributed to Massillon:
These two sermon excerpts give you a feel for Massillon's style of preaching. In the first, Massillon eloquently expresses his love and devotion to Jesus. The second example is from a commentary on Psalm 23:5a [Thou anointest my head with oil.]
"Thou anointest my head with oil." The unguents of Egypt may preserve our bodies from corruption, ensuring them a long duration in the dreary shades of the sepulchre, but, O Lord, the precious perfumed oil of thy grace which thou dost mysteriously pour upon our souls, purifies them, adorns them, strengthens them, sows in them the germs of immortality, and thus it not only secures them from a transitory corruption, but uplifts them from this house of bondage into eternal blessedness in thy bosom. COMPLETE SERMONS: Below are links to several of Massillon's sermons. Even though they have been translated into English, these sermons quickly give you a sense of the 'in-your-face' style of preaching for which Massillon was noted. Be aware. Although these sermons are interesting, they are certainly not easy reading. This is because: a) They were written almost 300 years ago, and b) They were originally written in French, and c) This English translation is over 150 years old. Nonetheless, you do not need to be an English major in order to understand and appreciate Massillon's writings. And if you'll take the time to read through these sermons, you'll be rewarded with a broader understanding and a deeper appreciation for one of France's greatest preachers and our city's namesake — Jean-Baptiste Massillon.
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