At the age of 83, John Charles Ryle gave his farewell address to the ministers of Liverpool in 1900. He died a few months later.

Before I leave you, I ask you to accept a few parting words from an old minister who has had more than 58 years’ experience, and during that time has seen and learned many things. Let me, then, charge all the clergy whom I am about to leave behind me never to neglect their preaching. Your districts and population may be comparatively small or large, but the minds of your people are thoroughly awake. They will not be content with dull, tame sermons; they want life, and light, and fire and love in the pulpit, as well as in the parish. Let them have plenty of it. Never forget that a lively, Christ-exalting minister will always have a churchgoing people.

[Thanks to Pastor Randy Booth for sharing this with me.]