In The Decay of Modern Preaching, John Pentland Mahaffy offers a critical analysis of the state of preaching in late 19th century England, arguing that it had lost its relevance and effectiveness. Mahaffy identifies a number of reasons for this decline, including the changing tastes and expectations of audiences, the homogenization of religious ideas, and the rise of scientific and rationalistic thinking. This essay is a valuable historical document for understanding the evolving role of religion in modern society and the challenges faced by religious leaders. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.