,,oratory ,,sacred ,,and ,,secular3 ,,or1 ,,the ,extemporaneous ,speaker1 ,,with ,,sketches ,,of ,,the ,,most ,,eminent ,,speakers ,,of ,,all ,,ages ,,by ,,william ,,pittenger1 ,author of 8,daring and ,suffering40 ,,introduction ,,by ,,hon4 ,,john ,a4 ,,bingham1 ,,and ,,appendix ,,containing ,a 8,,chairman',s ,,guide0 ,,for ,,conducting ,,public ,,meetings ,,according ,,to ,,the ,,best ,,parliamentary ,,models4 ,new ,york3 ,,samuel ,r4 ,,wells1 ,,publisher1 #chi ,,broadway4 #ahfi4 ,entered according to ,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahfh1 ,by ,,samuel ,r4 ,,wells4 ,in the ,clerk's ,office of the ,district ,court of the ,united ,states1 for the ,southern ,district of ,new ,york4 ,,edward ,o4 ,,jenkins1 ,,printer ,,and ,,stereotyper1 #bj ,north ,william ,street4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,preface4 ,when we first began to speak in public1 we felt the need of a manual that would point out the hindrances likely to be met with1 and serve as a guide to self-improvement4 ,such help would have prevented many difficult and painful experiences1 and have rendered our progress in the delightful art of coining thought into words more easy and rapid4 ,in the following pages we give the result of thought and observations in this field1 and trust it will benefit those who are now in the position we were then4 ,we have freely availed ourself of the labor of others1 and would especially acknowledge the valuable assistance derived from the writings of ,bautain1 ,stevens and ,holyoake4 ,yet the following work1 with whatever merit or demerit it may possess1 is original in both thought and arrangement4 ,we have treated general preparation with more than ordinary fullness1 for although often neglected1 it is the necessary basis upon which all special preparation rests4 ,as the numerous varieties of speech differ in comparatively few particulars1 we have treated one of the most common--that of preaching--in detail1 with only such brief notices of other forms as will direct the student in applying general principles to the branch of oratory that engages his attention4 ,we are not vain enough to believe that the modes of culture and preparation pointed out in the following pages are invariably the best1 but they are such as we have found useful1 and to the thoughtful mind may suggest others still more valuable4 ,,contents4 ,,preface4--,objects of the ,work stated #c ,,introduction--,by ,hon4 ,,john ,a4 ,,bingham1 ,member of ,congress #g ,,part ,i4--,,general ,,preparations4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,written ,,and ,,extempore ,,discourse ,,compared--,illustrative ,examples #ac ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,prerequisites--,intellectual ,competency2 ,strength of ,body2 ,command of ,language2 ,courage2 ,firmness2 ,self-reliance #ah ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,basis ,,of ,,speech--,thought and ,emotion2 ,heart ,cultivation2 ,earnestness #bg ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,acquirements--,general ,knowledge2 of ,bible2 of ,theology2 of ,men2 ,method by which such ,knowledge may be obtained #ce ,,chapter ,v4 ,,cultivation--,imagination2 ,language2 ,voice2 ,gesture2 ,confidence2 ,references to ,distinguished ,orators and ,writers4 #db ,,part ,,ii4--,a ,,sermon4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,foundation ,,for ,a ,,preacher--,subject2 ,object2 ,text2 ,hints to ,young ,preachers #fi ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,plan--,gathering ,thought2 ,arranging2 ,committing2 ,practical ,suggestions2 ,use of ,notes #hj ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,preliminaries ,,for ,,preaching--,fear2 ,vigor2 ,opening ,exercises2 ,requisites for a ,successful ,discourse #if ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,divisions--,introduction1 ,difficulties in ,opening2 ,discussion1 ,simplicity and ,directness2 ,conclusion #ajd ,,chapter ,v4 ,,after ,,considerations--,success2 ,rest2 ,improvement2 ,practical ,suggestions #aae ,,part ,,iii4--,,secular ,,oratory4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,instructive ,,address--,fields of ,oratory2 ,oral ,teaching2 ,lecturing #abc ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,miscellaneous ,,address--,deliberative2 ,legal2 ,popular2 ,controversial2 the ,statesman2 the ,lawyer2 the ,lecturer2 the ,orator #abg ,,part ,,iv4 ,,eminent ,,speakers ,,described--,st4 ,augustine2 ,luther2 ,lord ,chatham2 ,william ,pitt2 ,edmund ,burke2 ,mirabeau2 ,patrick ,henry2 ,george ,whitefield2 ,john ,wesley2 ,sidney ,smith2 ,f4 ,w4 ,robertson2 ,henry ,clay2 ,henry ,b4 ,bascom2 ,john ,summerfield2 ,c4 ,h4 ,spurgeon2 ,henry ,ward ,beecher2 ,anna ,e4 ,dickinson2 ,john ,a4 ,bingham2 ,william ,e4 ,gladstone2 ,matthew ,simpson2 ,wendell ,phillips2 ,john ,p4 ,durbin2 ,newman ,hall1 and others #acc ,,appendix4 ,,the ,,chairman',s ,,guide--,how to ,organize and ,conduct ,public ,meetings and ,debating ,clubs in ,parliamentary style #aii ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,introductory ,,letter4 ,,rev4 ,,wm4 ,,pittenger3 ,,cadiz1 ,o41 #aith ,nov41 #ahfg4 ,,dear ,,sir1--,i thank you for calling my attention to your forthcoming work on ,extemporaneous ,speaking4 ,unwritten speech is1 in my judgment1 the more efficient method of public speaking1 because it is the natural method4 ,the written essay1 says an eminent critic of antiquity1 8is not a speech1 unless you choose to call epistles speeches40 ,a cultivated man1 fully possessed of all the facts which relate to the subject of which he would speak1 who cannot clearly express himself without first memorizing word for word his written preparation1 can scarcely be called a public speaker1 whatever may be his capacity as a writer or reader4 ,the speaker who clothes his thoughts at the moment of utterance1 and in the presence of his hearers1 will illustrate by his speech the admirable saying of ,seneca3 8,fit words better than fine ones40 ,it is not my purpose to enter upon any inquiry touching the gifts1 culture and practice necessary to make a powerful and successful speaker4 ,it is conceded that in the art of public speaking1 as in all other arts1 there is no excellence without great labor4 ,neither is it the intent of the writer to suggest the possibility of speaking efficiently without the careful culture of voice and manner1 of intellect and heart1 an exact knowledge of the subject1 and a careful arrangement1 with or without writing1 of all the facts and statements involved in the discussion4 ,lord ,brougham has said that a speech written before delivery is regarded as something almost ridiculous2 may we not add1 that a speech made without previous reflection or an accurate knowledge of the subject1 would be regarded as a mere tinkling cymbal4 ,i intend no depreciation of the elaborate written essay read for the instruction or amusement of an assembly2 but claim that the essay1 read1 or recited from memory1 is not speech1 nor can it supply the place of natural effective speech4 ,the essay delivered is but the echo of the dead past1 the speech is the utterance of the living present4 ,the delivery of the essay is the formal act of memory1 the delivery of the unwritten speech the living act of intellect and heart4 ,the difference between the two is known and felt of all men4 ,to all this it may be answered that the ancient speakers1 whose fame still survives1 carefully elaborated their speeches before delivery4 ,the fact is admitted with the further statement1 that many of the speeches of the ancient orators never were delivered at all4 ,five of the seven orations of ,cicero against ,verres were never spoken1 neither was the second ,philippic against ,mark ,antony1 nor the reported defence of ,milo4 ,we admit that the ancient speakers wrote much and practised much1 and we would commend their example1 in all1 save a formal recital of written preparations4 ,there is nothing in all that has come to us concerning ancient oratory1 which by any means proves that to be effective in speech1 what is to be said should be first written and memorized2 there is much that shows1 that to enable one to express his own thoughts clearly and forcibly1 reflection1 culture and practice are essential4 ,lord ,brougham1 remarking on the habit of writing speeches1 says3 8,that a speech written before delivery is something anomalous1 and a speech intended to have been spoken is a kind of byword for something laughable in itself1 as describing an incongruous existence40 ,this distinguished man1 in his careful consideration of this subject1 says3 8,we can hardly assign any limits to the effects of great practise in giving a power of extempore composition10 and notices that it is recorded of ,demosthenes1 that when1 upon some rare occasions1 he trusted to the feeling of the hour1 and spoke off-hand1 8his eloquence was more spirited and bold1 and he seemed sometimes to speak from a supernatural impulse40 ,if this be true of the great ,athenian who notoriously would not1 if he could avoid it1 trust to the inspiration of the moment1 and who for want of a prepared speech1 we are told by schines1 failed before ,philip1--might it not be inferred that one practised in speaking1 would utter his thoughts with more spirit and power when not restrained by a written preparation and fettered by its formal recital8 ,did not ,fox often1 in the ,parliament1 achieve the highest results of speech without previous written preparation2 and is it not a fact never to be questioned1 that the wonderful speech of ,webster1 in reply to ,hayne1 was unwritten8 ,in his admirable lecture on ,eloquence1 ,mr4 ,emerson says3 8,eloquence that so astonishes1 is only the exaggeration of a talent that is universal4 ,all men are competitors in this art4 99 99 ,a man of this talent finds himself cold in private company1 and proves himself a heavy companion2 but give him a commanding occasion1 and the inspiration of a great multitude1 and he surprises us by new and unlooked for powers40 99 99 ,indeed1 there is in this lecture of ,mr4 ,emerson1 in few words1 much to sustain your theory4 ,he says1 8the word eloquence strictly means out-speaking2 the main power1 sentiment--the essential fact is heat1 the heat which comes of sincerity4 ,speak what you know and believe1 and are personally answerable for4 ,this goes by weight and measure1 like everything else in the universe4 ,a man to be eloquent must have faith in his subject1 and must have accurate knowledge of that subject4 99 99 ,the author of power--he is the great man who always makes a divine impression1 a sentiment more powerful in the heart than love of country1 and gives perceptions and feelings far beyond the limits of thought4 ,eloquence is the power to translate a truth into a language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak4 ,such a practical conversion of truth1 written in ,god's language1 is one of the most beautiful weapons forged in the shop of the ,divine ,artificer4 ,god and ,nature are altogether sincere1 and art should be as sincere40 ,how can sincerity be fully attained in the great art of public speech1 if every word to be uttered must be previously written down in the closet1 and memorized and recited8 ,was not ,lord ,brougham right in saying a speech written before delivery is inconsistent with the inspiration of the moment1 and the feelings under which the orator is always supposed to speak8 ,what feelings8 ,the felt-conviction of the truth of what he has to say4 ,what inspiration8 ,the inspiration which1 at the moment1 clothes and expresses the honest thought in appropriate words4 ,surely the living voice1 rightly cultivated1 and rightly employed1 is a power in the world1 and to condemn you for calling attention to what you believe to the most efficient method of human speech1 would be one of those decisions of ignorant arrogance which it costs no labor and needs no intellect to pronounce4 ,is not the man who well and truthfully speaks his own thoughts1 as ,shakspeare and ,bacon wrote1 in some sense their peer8 ,is not the mere reciter of their words1 but their shadow8 ,it is said of ,plato1 that he poured forth the flood of his eloquence as by inspiration1 and that1 had the ,father of the gods spoken in ,greek1 he would have used none other language than ,plato's2 and yet this master of language takes pains1 in reporting the apology of ,socrates on trial for his life1 to represent him as saying that it would not become him to speak 8studied terms and expressions1 but only the truth expressed in the plainest language40 ,i quote the words of ,socrates as given by ,plato3 8,among the false statements which my accusers made1 there was one at which ,i especially marveled1 namely when they warned you to take care not to be led astray by me1 inasmuch as ,i was a powerful speaker4 ,it did appear to me supremely audacious in them to make such an assertion1 ,which must immediately afterwards be disproved by the fact2 for you will see that ,i have no skill in speaking1 unless they call a man a powerful speaker because he says what is true4 ,if they mean this1 ,i certainly must allow that ,i am a speaker of a very different kind from them2 for they1 as ,i have said1 have not spoken a word of truth2 from me you shall hear the whole truth2 and that not clothed in ornate sentences with studied terms and expressions2 you will have from me plain facts expressed in the plainest language4 ,indeed1 ,athenians1 it would ill become me at my age to come before you with a studied discourse like a boy4 ,and there is one thing1 ,o ,athenians1 which ,i must beg and entreat of you3 if ,i use1 in my defense1 the same terms which ,i have been accustomed to use in the market-place and in the shops where most of you have heard me talking1 do not wonder at that1 nor take offence4 ,for this is the fact1 ,i now enter a court of justice for the first time1 though ,i am more than seventy years old2 ,i am1 therefore1 altogether strange to the kind of language used here2 and therefore excuse me1 as if ,i really were a stranger1 if ,i speak to you in that tone and in that manner in which ,i have been brought up4 ,i ask you a thing which is1 ,i think1 reasonable1 that you take no account of the manner of my address to you--it might be better1 it might be worse1 perhaps--but to consider this1 to attend to this1 whether ,i say what is right or not1 for that is the virtue of the judge1 as to speak truly is the virtue of the advocate40 ,no matter if the speech be not clothed in ornate sentences with studied terms1 it is the virtue of the judge to consider whether the speech is right1 as to speak truly is the virtue of the advocate4 ,it is only1 it seems to me1 when men speak wisely1 truly and naturally1 that the full significance of ,quintillian's words can be realized3 8,may ,i perish1 if the all-powerful ,creator of nature and the ,architect of this world has impressed man with any character which so eminently distinguishes him as the faculty of speech40 ,let him who would use this faculty effectively1 and attain to that great power which rules the minds of men1 and moves the passions and affections of the soul1 see to it1 that he speaks what he knows and believes1 plainly and directly from the heart to the heart4 ,very truly your friend1 ,,john ,a4 ,,bingham4 ,,part ,i4 ,,general ,,preparation4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,written ,,and ,,extempore ,,discourse ,,compared4 ,the special object of the following pages is to show the manner and requirements of extempore preaching4 ,but as this differs from other methods of speech in its objects rather than in its external qualities1 many of the thoughts we present will apply as well to the bar and forum as to the sacred desk4 ,there is need that this subject should be enforced1 particularly on the ministry4 ,a growing desire is manifested to give up plain1 direct speech1 and indulge in the ease and certainty of written sermons4 ,young men find themselves in places where it requires unwearied exertion to sustain their reputation1 and satisfy the demands of a cultivated audience4 ,they begin to fear that their spoken sermons may be deficient in polish and style1 and at last they write4 ,the people nearly always protest against the innovation1 but to no purpose1 for having convinced himself that he is right1 the minister treats their murmurs as the effect of vulgar prejudice1 and as a frequent result1 his usefulness is permanently impaired4 ,this evil cannot be diminished by denouncing those who engage in it1 for the supposed necessity they labor under is stronger than any other consideration4 ,but it may be lessened by showing that there is a better way1 and making it plain4 ,such will be our endeavor4 ,the two extremes of speech are1 the discourse which is written and read verbatim1 and that in which both words and thoughts are left to the impulse of the moment4 ,between these there are many intermediate grades4 ,the latter may be excluded from the classification altogether1 for no wise man will adopt it except in some unforeseen emergency4 ,true extemporization relates to the words alone1 and leaves full room for the complete preparation of thought4 ,between this and the manuscript discourse there are various compromises which seek to combine the advantages of both4 ,these1 for the sake of convenience1 may be called the recited1 composite1 premeditated and sketched discourses4 ,it is useless to deny that the method of writing in full and reading1 possesses many and great advantages4 ,it secures time for the consideration of every thought4 ,if the mind fags1 the writer can pause until it is rested and begin again2 and in this way all the ideas and expressions that occur for several days can be concentrated into one sermon4 ,then it can be revised1 and the language improved to an indefinite extent1 and the sermon1 in its completeness1 laid away for future use4 ,but there are great disadvantages4 ,such a sermon may1 by solidity of thought1 and brilliancy of expression1 command approval1 but it will seldom move and sway the people4 ,the very idea that all has been written out1 and is merely read1 will tend powerfully to neutralize its effects4 ,we may remonstrate against this if we will1 and declare that our sermons should be judged by their substance1 but this does not abate the preference of our auditors4 ,they will retort1 with truth1 that they can read even better sermons at home1 and dwell on them at their leisure4 ,what they want in preaching is the living sympathy and guidance of the preacher2 his soul burning and glowing1 and thus lighting up other souls2 his eye beaming on theirs2 his clear1 far-seeing mind1 excited by the magnetism of truth1 and appealing to their hearts with an earnestness that will take no denial4 ,this fills the popular ideal of preaching1 and no elaboration1 no word music will atone for the want of it4 ,men of great genius may succeed otherwise1 but the mass of speakers cannot4 ,the plan of memorizing and reciting sermons would seem1 upon a superficial view1 to secure the advantages of reading without its defects4 ,but another and formidable class of disadvantages come into being4 ,very few men can declaim well4 ,for one who can speak from memory with ease and naturalness1 twenty can pour forth their ideas in the words of the moment with energy and effect4 ,a few have mastered the difficult art1 and won enduring laurels in this way1 but their number is too small to encourage others to imitation4 ,this practice also imposes a heavy burden on the mind4 ,to write and commit two or three sermons in a week1 is a task that only those who are strong in mental and physical health can perform with impunity1 and even then it requires too much time2 for no matter how perfect a minister's sermons may be1 unless he fulfills other duties1 he cannot be wholly successful4 ,most preachers who memorize1 inevitably neglect pastoral work because they have not time for it4 ,and another effect follows that is1 if possible1 still worse4 ,instead of growing daily in knowledge by diligent study1 the mind is kept on the tread-wheel task of writing and committing sermons1 and thus permanently dwarfed4 ,a young man may take a higher rank at first by memorizing1 than otherwise1 but he will not retain it long1 for the knowledge others accumulate while he is conning his discourses1 will soon place them above him4 ,the practice of committing brilliant passages to be recited with the eyes withdrawn from the paper1 or thrown into the current of unpremeditated discourse1 we have termed the composite manner4 ,it is open to all the objections urged against the last method1 and a most formidable one in addition--the difficulty of making these sudden flashes fit into their proper places1 and of preventing them from destroying the unity of the whole discourse4 ,they differ so widely from the rest of the composition1 that the audience are apt to see the artifice and despise it4 ,a skillful man may join them properly1 but even then his own attention1 and that of the audience will1 probably1 be so closely fixed upon them that the main design of the sermon will pass out of sight4 ,these three varieties are much alike1 and may be called branches of the word-preparation method4 ,in them1 words are carefully chosen1 and form the groundwork of discourse4 ,the next three are based on thought4 ,the premeditated discourse comes nearest to the word method4 ,it was the medium of the wonderful eloquence of the late ,bishop ,bascom4 ,in it the ideas are first arranged1 and then each thought pondered until it resolves itself into words1 which are mostly recalled in the moment of speech4 ,men who speak thus usually have great command of language and much fixity of impression4 ,those who receive ideas readily1 and lose them again as easily1 could not adopt this method1 for words previously arranged could not be recalled in the same order1 unless they had been fixed by the pen4 ,there is little objection to this mode of preparation in the case of those who are adapted to it1 provided they do not carry it so far as to feel burdened or confused4 ,no words should be left in charge of the memory1 and no conscious effort made to recall particular expressions4 ,stevens1 in his admirable book called 8,preaching ,required by the ,times10 advises ministers1 when revolving and arranging their ideas1 not to let them run into words4 ,we can see no ill effect in this1 provided the result is a natural one4 ,all the words must be retained easily in the memory1 and not sought for if they do not spontaneously present themselves in the act of speech4 ,president ,lincoln1 who was a most effective off-hand speaker1 said1 that he owed his skill in this art to the early practice of reducing every thought he entertained to the plainest and simplest words4 ,then when he desired to enunciate an idea he had no difficulty in giving it a form that even a child could understand4 ,the sketched discourse approaches very closely to the purely extempore method1 and only differs from it in writing the whole matter in full1 with no care for style1 simply to practice in the art of expression1 and to test our mastery of the plan arranged4 ,in it there is no intention of memorizing1 or of using the same words again1 except so far as the ideas in their simplest form may suggest them4 ,this is only doing on paper what1 in the last method1 was done mentally4 ,it may be of great advantage to those who have had but a limited experience1 and cannot so clearly grasp their ideas in the domain of pure thought as to be sure that they are fully adapted to the purposes of their sermons4 ,but at the slow rate of writing in the common hand1 this requires too much time4 ,if a person have mastered ,phonography1 or ,tachygraphy1 a valuable improvement of the former1 more easily acquired and retained in practice1 he may write a sermon in little more than the time it will take to preach it1 if he only work at full speed and do not stay for the niceties of style4 ,then the defects in the arrangement or material1 that before escaped his attention1 will be brought to light4 ,we can judge a sermon more impartially when it is placed outside of the mind1 than if it were only mentally reviewed1 and we still have time to correct whatever may be amiss4 ,but the great method of which the two former are mere branches1 and which in fact underlies every other1 is that of pure extemporization4 ,in this there is a firm1 compact road of previously prepared thought leading directly to the object aimed at4 ,when thus speaking1 we always feel on solid ground1 and each moment have the proper1 selected idea1 seeking expression1 and clothing itself in the needed words4 ,all men talk thus1 and we cannot but regard it as the highest form of oratory4 ,when we have obtained complete mastery of expression1 and the ability to so arrange facts and ideas1 that at the fitting moment they will resolve themselves into words1 the high problem of eloquence is in a great measure solved4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,prerequisites--,,intellectual ,,competency--,,strength ,,of ,,body--,,command ,,of ,,language--,,courage--,,firmness4 ,almost every speaker has at some time longed to obtain the golden power of eloquence4 ,it always insures to its fortunate possessor a strong influence in the affairs of men4 ,it is needed in the promotion of every reform1 and is the only means by which the minds of a community can be at once moved in a new direction4 ,when employed in the service of error and injustice it is like a fallen archangel's power for evil4 ,but its highest and purest sphere is in the promulgation of revealed truth4 ,it there brings the word of ,god into living contact with the souls of men1 and by it molds them into a higher life4 ,it is sublime to be a co-worker with ,god1 and thus assist him in peopling heaven4 ,only the method of eloquence can be taught4 ,its refined and ethereal substance lies beyond the reach of all art4 ,no preacher can be truly eloquent without the baptism of the ,holy ,spirit1 and even the excited passion and burning enthusiasm which are the human sources of this quality1 can be acquired by no formularies4 ,but they may be developed and properly directed where a capability for them exists4 ,in this respect there is the widest difference of talent4 ,some men never can attain the wondrous power of swaying their fellow-beings4 ,others are born orators4 ,the latter class is small1 and it is never safe to conclude that we belong to it until the fact has been incontestably proved4 ,neither is the class of incapables very large4 ,the great mass of men lie between the extremes4 ,their talents do not make them great in spite of themselves2 but if they make the proper effort1 and are favored by circumstances1 they may become effective1 and even eloquent speakers4 ,to these it is of great importance to have the right road pointed out1 along which they may travel1 and by earnest toil gain the desired end4 ,there is no 8royal road0 to eloquence1 but here1 as elsewhere1 application and study will produce their proper effects4 ,yet certain prerequisites must be received from ,god himself1 without which all cultivation will be vain as the attempt to fertilize the sands of the seashore4 ,the first quality to which we will refer1 is intellectual competency4 ,by this1 we mean a strength of intellect that can grasp an idea1 and form a complete image of it2 one who is not able to think out a subject in its leading features1 cannot speak on it1 and if the deficiency be general1 he is unfitted to speak in public at all4 ,we would not assert that none but men of commanding intelligence can profitably address their fellow-beings4 ,it is not even necessary that the orator should be above the average of mental power possessed by his audience4 ,franklin was entranced by the preaching of ,whitefield1 though in grasp and compass of mind almost infinitely his superior4 ,a man of comparative dullness may1 by brooding over a particular subject1 so master it1 that the greatest intellect will listen to him with reverence and profit4 ,the great ,german poet1 ,goethe1 said that he met few men from whom he did not learn something valuable4 ,but no man ought to address the people unless he can clearly comprehend the nature of his subject1 mark out its limitations1 understand its relations to other subjects1 and so arrange and simplify it as to convey these ideas to his hearers4 ,the ,christian minister has to deal with a great variety of topics1 and requires mind enough to grasp not one only1 but many subjects4 ,it is hard to determine just how much mental power is required to secure a moderate degree of success as an orator4 ,no precise rules can be given on this point1 and if they could1 egotism would prevent each from applying them to himself however correctly he might gauge his neighbor4 ,the presumptuous would do well to remember that oratory is the highest of all arts1 and to measure themselves with becoming humility2 perhaps the following questions may aid in self-examination4 ,can you grasp an idea firmly8 can you follow its ramifications1 perceive its shades of meaning1 and render it familiar in all its bearings8 ,can you analyze it clearly1 so that each separate part will be understood by itself1 and then again link these together and make each serve as a stepping-stone to the comprehension of that which follows8 ,if you can do this with a single subject1 you have the mental power to speak on that subject2 if on all1 or many of the subjects of the ,christian religion1 vast and varied as they are1 you can preach4 ,no deficiency of intellectual power or originality need dishearten you4 ,the fact of the close and mutual influence of body and mind is beyond dispute1 although their connection is a subject of deep mystery4 ,when we see how much the faculties of reason and imagination--nay1 even of hope1 love1 and faith--are affected by bodily conditions1 we can only exclaim with the ,psalmist1 8,i am fearfully and wonderfully made40 ,especially is this mutual dependence forced upon the attention of the extempore speaker4 ,in every effort he feels the subtle effect of physical causes1 and often under the pressure of disease1 strives in vain to realize the grand but intangible thoughts that float through his brain4 ,the body is the instrument of the mind in its communication with the outward world1 and even if the most sublime and glorious conceptions existed within1 they would be powerless if the bodily organs were unequal to the task of expressing them4 ,a dumb man cannot be an orator1 no matter how richly endowed2 and all other bodily defects will be felt as hindrances even if they fall short of the deprivation of an organ of sense4 ,the preacher needs to be a completely developed man physically1 as well as mentally1 though he may succeed in spite of many disadvantages4 ,feeble health will always detract from his power4 ,the mind may for a time rise superior to it1 but a crushing recoil will follow4 ,this takes place when the ill-health is not extreme2 but when it fetters the ability of expression1 and prevents the manifestation of living power1 the barrier is absolute4 ,many ministers utterly fail1 because they forget that eloquence is the offspring of health2 others1 perhaps1 still more unfortunate have battled against disease and bodily infirmity for years1 and yet have been doomed to feel1 amid their brightest aspirations1 that a power beyond their control was conquering them4 ,it is terrible to sit helpless1 and see a cloud stealing over the brightness of genius1 and shading the whole future of life4 ,yet this has been the experience of thousands4 ,we remember an impressive illustration of this in the case of one who possessed the richest endowments4 ,he was almost unequaled as a pulpit orator1 yet1 in the middle of life1 saw his powers of usefulness withdrawn1 and his fame fading--only because his body could not bear the strain he unwisely put upon it4 ,in view of the many facts of this kind1 it would be well for the man who aspires to eminence in the fields of eloquence1 to examine himself1 and see if he have the needed physical strength4 ,with some the incapacity is no doubt total4 ,how many ministers have had their light turned into darkness by a diseased throat1 a cerebral affection1 or a nervous disorder8 ,but the majority of men only need care and obedience to the laws of life to bring their bodies up to the standard of efficiency4 ,in youth1 at least1 there is nothing so easily improved as health4 ,by the golden rule of temperance in all things--in voice and thought1 as well as food and drink--nearly all may render the body adequate to the manifestation of mind4 ,to an orator1 the power of readily clothing his thoughts in words is indispensable4 ,language is the dress of ideas--the means by which they are communicated to others4 ,the thoughts that arise in our minds resolve themselves into words as naturally as the clouds do into falling showers4 ,we use words to some degree in our most secret meditations1 and whenever the latter become clear and well defined they fall into language without conscious effort4 ,to cause them to do this with precision and certainty is one of the problems of extempore speech4 ,the thought is prepared in advance1 but is to be coined into words at the moment4 ,if the faculty of language is weak this cannot be done without such hesitation and embarrassment as greatly to diminish the effect2 but if strong1 a tide of words will be poured forth without apparent effort4 ,even in common conversation1 a wide difference in point of fluency may be observed4 ,in fact1 it was this which gave ,gall the first hint that led to the establishment of ,phrenology4 ,no doubt this faculty may be greatly cultivated and improved1 but when its original strength is very small1 it can not1 probably1 be made available for ready and powerful speech4 ,there are persons whose voices seem to have no defect1 who cannot learn to sing2 others1 with eyes perfectly organized1 are unable to distinguish between colors4 ,the power of language may be equally deficient in an otherwise well-constituted mind4 ,we once knew a man who could not find the words necessary to make the most common statement without long and embarrassed pauses4 ,he forgot the names of his nearest neighbors2 and1 when telling a story1 required perpetual prompting wherever names occurred1 and would often hesitate until some every-day term was suggested to him4 ,no cultivation would have made him a speaker4 ,he had as much education as his neighbors around1 and was not remarkably dull4 ,he was simply an almost wordless man4 ,many persons suffer in the same manner1 though but few to the same degree4 ,but the mere fact that a man is slow of speech is no bar even to the highest eminence as an orator4 ,the proper test of the power of this faculty is in common conversation4 ,there one feels perfectly at ease1 and deals with matters he understands4 ,if he have but a moderate share of fluency1 he will have no difficulty in conveying his ideas4 ,but if he does experience such difficulty1 it shows a radical defect which art can never remove4 ,but we should not be discouraged if it is hard to find appropriate words when speaking on unfamiliar subjects1 for we cannot have words to express ideas before possessing the ideas themselves6 ,those who are deficient in language1 but have strong powers of thought1 are almost the only persons who really find relief in writing and reading their sermons4 ,if they have time to wait1 the right word may come to them1 or they can search through dictionaries for it2 but in the hurry of speech there is no such leisure for selection4 ,they have some excuse for writing1 though it will still be questionable whether it would not be better for them to dash ahead with the loss of some precision1 or if this cannot be done1 abandon altogether a profession for which they are so obviously unfitted4 ,a man must have a degree of courage to place himself within reach of any danger1 and remain there4 ,if he be destitute of it1 he will resign the hope of victory rather than encounter the perils by which it may be won4 ,it is needed in extempore speaking as well as in any species of physical danger1 for the perils to be encountered are not less terrible4 ,to some sensitive minds these even amount to a species of martyrdom4 ,they go to the desk trembling in every limb1 and would feel wonderfully relieved if they could exchange their position for the tented field1 where the warfare would be of the body only1 and not of the spirit4 ,some of the greatest orators have never been able to entirely overcome this feeling1 although they may have been free from the fear of failure4 ,but it is difficult to be perfectly assured even against failure4 8,there is nothing so fitful as eloquence10 says the ,abbe ,bautain1 who was well qualified to judge4 ,the practiced and prepared orator does not often dread losing command of words altogether1 and being obliged to close before the proper time1 but fears that his rich and glowing conceptions may fade1 and his high ideal be unattained4 ,mere boldness does not suffice to protect a speaker from these dangers4 ,of what avail is a man's courage if his brain be clouded and his tongue paralyzed8 ,he cannot brave the consequences1 for the power of ridicule is too keen for any armor--at least when it comes in such a concentrated volume as falls on the head of the unfortunate speaker who can not finish what he has begun4 ,at such a time the boaster's fate is worst of all2 for1 while others are pitied1 he is crushed beneath the scorn and triumph of his audience4 ,there is no positive guard against failure4 ,public speaking is a modern battle1 in which the most skillful warrior may be stricken down by a random bullet--the bravest slain by a coward6 ,what then is the benefit of courage8 ,we have placed it in the list of essential qualities1 and believe the orator cannot succeed without it4 ,it does not operate by rendering failure impossible1 or even materially reducing the risk1 but by enabling us to endure all danger and press on4 ,bonaparte said that most generals failed in one point--they delayed to attack when it became necessary to fight a great battle4 ,the issue was so uncertain--so far beyond the reach of human wisdom--that they hesitated and deliberated until the favorable moment had passed forever4 ,in war this timid policy courts destruction1 by permitting the adversary to choose his own time to strike4 ,the same principle governs in other affairs4 ,the risk must be taken4 ,a man of courage derives new lessons from his failures1 and makes them the introduction to future triumphs4 ,especially in the field of oratory is there no possibility of success1 if this indomitable1 persevering spirit be wanting4 ,many persons of excellent talents have been condemned to perpetual silence1 because they would not endure the perils of speech4 ,men who have instructed the world by their pens1 and in the privacy of the social circle have charmed their friends by the magic of their conversation1 have never spoken in public because they shrunk from the inevitable hazard4 ,there is no difficulty in determining whether we possess this quality or not4 ,let the trial be made1 and if we do not abandon our posts and incur disgrace rather than speak1 we have all the boldness that is needed4 ,the quality of firmness in oratory is sometimes undervalued4 ,while steady1 persevering industry1 working toward a definite end1 is known to be essential in everything else1 in this field genius is often supposed to be sufficient4 ,there never was a greater mistake4 ,nature does lay the foundation broad and deep for some men1 but they must build diligently upon it to make their gifts availing4 ,the way to eminence1 even for the favored few1 is long and hard1 requiring deep thought and earnest striving1 and without a strong purpose fixed in the very beginning1 and firmly adhered to through years of labor1 there is slight chance of success4 ,a few persons have risen to eminence without appearing to pay the price for it1 but such exceptions are more apparent than real4 ,there are times of great excitement1 when some one before unknown is able to speak so as to fix the eyes of the nation upon himself1 but unless he has been previously prepared1 and continues to put forth resolute effort1 his success is but transitory4 ,the career of ,patrick ,henry is adduced as an instance of success without labor4 ,he had little education in the schools1 but learned much from ,nature herself4 ,his observation was tireless4 ,it is said1 that when he kept a country store1 he would sit and question his customers by the hour1 causing them to display their various dispositions4 ,he was thus learning to play upon the human heart1 and as this was only one manifestation of a ruling passion1 it doubtless took a hundred other forms4 ,when on those long hunting excursions in the beautiful valley of ,virginia1 how many deep and ineffaceable impressions must have been made on his mind4 ,he had a peerless genius1 yet all we can learn of him leads us to believe that he cultivated it to the utmost1 at least as applied to oratory4 ,the familiar examples of ,demosthenes and ,cicero are not solitary ones4 ,all who have acquired the power of effective speech have toiled long and patiently4 ,the poor1 weak waverer can never be an orator in the highest sense of the term1 however he may1 on special occasions1 flash into momentary brilliancy4 ,and as the minister of the ,gospel must cultivate the most difficult field of eloquence1 we advise no one to attempt preaching who is not conscious of a strong1 unchangeable purpose--a purpose that will bear delay1 discouragement and weary waiting4 ,of course1 the nature of all the results obtained through our firmness will depend on the direction of our efforts4 ,if personal ambition1 or pecuniary profit be the object toward which we bend our energies1 the grand and holy character of the ,christian ministry will be lost sight of4 ,but let our aim be unselfish1 and our success will be pure and noble4 ,to him who has a mind to conceive1 a body with strength to execute1 language to coin the mass of thoughts into words1 courage to bear the scrutiny of a thousand eyes1 and firmness that will endure the toil of preparation--to him the upward pathway is clear4 ,he may not win great fame1 but he will be able to present the truth in its native beauty1 and make his words fall with weight and power on the hearts of men4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,basis ,,of ,,speech--,,thought ,,and ,,emotion--,,heart ,,cultivation4 ,thought and emotion are two prime elements in the manifestations of mind4 ,all the products of mental action1 unless it be the mysterious power of will1 are divided between them1 and by them1 through various means of expression1 we reach and influence the outward world4 ,thought springs from the intellect1 and acts upon the facts received from every source1 retaining1 arranging and modifying them at will4 ,feeling is the mind's response to all these1 and comprises fear1 love1 hope1 faith1 hatred and all the sentiments and emotions that are described under the general name of 8the heart40 ,speech is founded on these two elements1 which meet and mingle in every human production1 though seldom in the same proportion4 ,the speaker who has greatest mastery of one1 is often most deficient in the other4 ,but if so1 the whole range of eloquence is not open to him4 ,he is only a half-developed orator1 and his usefulness will be very much narrowed4 ,a man of deep thought but sluggish emotion1 may enchain the attention of an assembly by the novel and far-reaching views he presents and the ability with which he unfolds them1 but the whole discourse will be dull and lifeless4 ,he will find it very difficult to move his hearers to action4 ,they may assent to every word he utters1 and yet continue in their own course4 ,every minister's experience furnishes proof that it is not enough to convince1 or it would be very easy to convert the world4 ,at times it is right to use the sword of intellect alone4 ,in controversy1 for example1 a solid basis of reasoning must be laid before anything else can be done4 ,but it is not always enough4 ,men are led as often by their sentiments and intuitions as by their judgments1 and we are allowed to use all lawful means to win them4 ,even the pure light of truth is not always to be discovered through the intellect alone4 ,a mere feeling of what is right1 or just1 or true1 often leads1 in an instant1 to a conviction that all subsequent reasoning can only strengthen4 ,the ideal orator1 therefore1 is one who1 even in argument1 can show the truth1 and then1 by a flash of heavenly sympathy1 change our cold assent into fervent conviction4 ,on the other hand1 a man of predominant feeling may make us weep1 but as we see no reason for it1 we resist the emotion to the extent of our power4 ,if we yield1 a reaction follows1 and we go away ashamed of what we cannot justify4 ,of this class were some of the early ,methodist preachers--the weeping prophets1 as they were termed4 ,their tears1 and the feeling with which they spoke1 were often irresistible1 and by the mere force of sympathy1 men who had very little intellectual power were able to sway the passions of an audience at will4 ,but had it not been for some of their brethren1 who were men of thought as well as emotion--men who had clear heads to organize and combine1 as well as tears to shed1 the effect of their labor would have been evanescent as the emotions they excited4 ,continuity is a highly important quality of thought4 ,all men think2 they cannot help it1 for the mind is ever active4 ,but with most these thoughts are but random flashes--illuminated pictures--that arise for a moment1 and then vanish to give place to others4 ,powerful thinking consists in holding these scattered images together in a chain1 and making them run uninterruptedly from one point to another4 ,there is no man who does not at times catch glimpses of far-reaching1 profound thoughts2 but before he can combine them into harmony and place them in their proper relation to other thoughts1 they disappear1 and he may search long before he will find them again4 ,all persons see the beauties of natural scenery1 but it is only the poet who can reproduce the scattered elements and combine them into a harmonious description4 ,only the true thinker can gather the fragments of thought that flash through the mind1 and give them form and consistency4 ,this power is indispensable to the speaker4 ,he must give1 not a mere gallery of pictures1 however beautiful they may be1 but a succession of thoughts1 naturally connected1 by which the mind advances step by step through the discourse1 without jar or interruption4 ,we will endeavor to give some directions for the acquisition of this power1 as far as may be necessary in extempore speaking4 ,the capability of thought must indeed be possessed or all cultivation will be vain2 but if the mind have any native vigor1 it can learn to think consecutively and methodically1 even as the unskilled but perfectly organized hand may be taught to carve beautiful and complicated forms4 ,as a general rule1 men can be more easily moved by appeals made to their feelings than to their reason1 and find the most masterly dissertation cold and lifeless unless relieved by some touches of humanity and passion4 ,a man who does not possess true feeling cannot so counterfeit it as to reach the hearts of others1 but he may1 in a great measure1 transform his own nature and acquire it4 ,the most essential qualification for a religious teacher is a deep personal religious experience4 ,one who has never passed through the mystic1 mingled sorrow and joy of penitence and the agony of remorse--has never watched with straining eyes for the dawning light of salvation1 and at last been enabled to say1 8,abba1 ,father60 such a one cannot preach the gospel with power and success4 ,his speech may glitter with all the flowers of rhetoric and the form of words be complete1 but the vast power of the earnest soul sympathizing with all the lips utter1 will be absent4 ,without genuine experience1 our preaching will be apt to fall into that loose generalization which can do no good4 ,for it is only when we plant our feet on living realities--those we have tested and know to be sure1 and deal in particular1 specified facts1 that we are able to pierce through all the folds of ignorance and self-love1 and awaken an echo of the conscience within4 ,as a mere form of knowledge1 the experience of ,god's dealings with the awakened soul is more valuable than any other lore4 ,but its great advantage to the preacher is not the increase of knowledge4 ,it produces a tide of emotion that can never sleep until the judgment day4 ,it connects the ,cross and the divine ,sufferer with cords of living sympathy that always thrill to the very centre of our being4 ,conversion invariably deepens and intensifies the emotions of our nature2 and if the speaker has passed through a strongly marked change he will have the power of imparting his impressions to others1 and of giving to his descriptions the inimitable charm of reality4 ,if his religious experience accords with the ,bible1 he can speak from his own heart with almost irresistible force4 ,this was the secret of the power wielded by ,luther1 ,wesley1 ,whitefield and others who have shaken the world4 ,thus prepared1 ,john ,bunyan wrote the most wonderful book of any age--recorded the world's experience in religion1 and made the cold1 dead realms of allegory flash with life4 ,he laid the spell of his genius on all alike1 and the child prattles of the burdened pilgrim with the giants in his way1 while the old man is cheered by the light that streams down from the high hill on which the city is built4 ,the reason of his power is simply that he wrote his own spiritual experience in the language of truth4 ,he had stood at the bar of ,vanity ,fair1 had fought with the fiends1 and groped his way through the ,valley of the ,shadow of ,death4 ,from the depths of his own heart1 torn by internal conflict1 or healed and made happy by a heavenly anointing1 he drew the images that glow with all the color of life in his marvelous book4 ,love is the mightiest of all forces1 and ,jesus was revealed to draw unto himself the love of the universe4 ,let the minister learn of him1 and he will be able to speak as he never spoke before4 ,he will strike the key-note of that song whose solemn music has rolled down through the centuries1 and will wax louder and clearer until time shall be no more4 ,the story of the ,cross1 with all that depends upon it1 forms principal part of the ,christian orator's theme4 ,but he has other duties4 ,his work is broad as human life4 ,he stands by the bed of sickness2 he weeps with the mourners when the last flutter of life is stilled1 and strives to lift their eyes to the victor over death2 he warns the impenitent of coming woe4 ,it is his to deal with the highest and holiest emotions of the heart4 ,and how can he touch these delicate chords gently1 but firmly--not shrinking from the infliction of necessary pain1 yet never causing a tear to flow 8in the mere wantonness of grief0--unless he has passed through sorrow's deep waters8 ,he must have unfeigned sympathy for all1 and be able to express it plainly and tenderly4 ,this power1 both of feeling and expression1 may be greatly increased by exercise4 ,if the preacher will enter the abodes of rich and poor alike1 and take a friendly interest in their hopes and fears1 their joys and sorrows1 he will find his heart drawn out toward them1 and when he addresses them in public1 it will be with far more intense anxiety for their good than if they were strangers4 ,it will be comparatively easy for him to throw his heart into all he says4 ,there are two methods of cultivating genuine emotion that we would cordially recommend to all desirous of swaying the hearts of the people4 ,the first is prayer4 ,we need not enlarge on its general benefits1 but will notice its effect on sacred oratory4 ,the man who often addresses ,god in prayer is in the very best school of eloquence4 ,it brings us close to ,him1 and in the awful light of ,his purity1 we more clearly see anything that is bad in our hearts and strive to cast it out4 ,as we pray for others1 and spread their needs before him1 we cannot fail to be inspired with a stronger desire for their welfare4 ,then1 too1 religion becomes something more than a mere form of words1 and our hearts burn with a stronger flame4 ,we speak now of prayer as it should be--a warm1 pure1 fervent outpouring of the heart to ,god4 ,this is more difficult in the public congregation1 for then many disturbing elements are brought to bear on the person praying4 ,the listening people are apt to be in the preacher's thoughts1 and prevent him from enjoying simple and direct communion with heaven4 ,it is the prayer 8when none but ,god is nigh10 that will stir his heart to its profoundest depths and put his mind in the right frame for delivering his sermons4 ,let any one pray earnestly for help from above all the time his sermons are in course of preparation1 and he will be surprised to find how much of the coldness and deadness supposed to belong to this species of composition will be swept away1 and how beautifully over all will be spread the vivid charm of real experience4 ,yet we must not restrict our prayers to this time1 for ,god may not meet us in loving friendship if we only approach him when we have a favor to ask4 ,to reap the full benefit of prayer1 it should be a habit woven into our life1 and continued on every occasion4 ,this will rebuke sinful ambition and moderate that sensitiveness which has reference to the opinions of our fellow-beings4 ,thus armed1 the preacher will come as the messenger of ,god1 rather than the caterer to men's fancies4 ,and from the mere operation of natural causes1 he will speak with a boldness and earnestness that will draw the hearts of men as the magnet does the steel4 ,but prayer is far more than the means of cultivating emotion4 ,there is a direct influence that comes from ,god to man4 ,the power of the ,holy ,spirit is no fable4 ,a heavenly anointing is sent down--an unction that gives sweetness and power even to the most commonplace words4 ,it is not bestowed unasked1 for ,god desires that we should feel the need of ,his high gifts before they are granted4 ,but when humbly implored1 there is often breathed an influence from above1 mighty to sustain the faithful minister in his task4 ,what an encouraging but awful thought6 ,god himself stands by us in the time of our weakness and gives us ,his strength4 ,if the minister would always go to the pulpit with this assurance1 he would not fear the mass of upturned faces1 but calmly view them with a heart stayed on the ,master whose work he has to do4 ,the ,spirit's presence will not in the least absolve us from the need of complete preparation4 ,in nothing is it more true that ,god helps those who help themselves4 ,all that we contend for is such an influence as will cause the words uttered to penetrate the souls of those for whom they were spoken1 remove the fear of man from the preacher's heart1 and make him bold in speaking the truth4 ,it may be that clearer knowledge will be given1 and the most fitting selection of words suggested1 but this can only be hoped for after all preparation is made4 ,god does not duplicate his work1 and that which he gives man faculties to discover1 he will not afterward bring to him by an express revelation4 ,the second method of imparting unction and feeling to the coldness of thought1 is by meditating on the great truths and promises of ,christianity4 ,this subject is well treated in ,baxter's 8,saint's ,rest10 though not with reference to the wants of the orator4 ,the power of long-continued and earnest meditation varies in different persons1 but all can acquire it to some degree4 ,it may be defined as a method of transporting ones-self from a sense of the present reality to an ideal situation--reaching and experiencing the feelings that would naturally arise in that situation4 ,thus we may experience some of the pleasures of heaven and the society of the blest4 ,we may walk the plains of ,galilee with the ,lord and behold his wondrous love there manifested1 almost as if we mingled with the throng who hung on his gracious words2 we may turn to the time of our own conversion1 and recall the passage from despair to conscious life2 or look forward to the day of our death1 and think of its mingled sorrow and triumph4 ,it is a kind of waking dream by which the mind is filled with one idea to the exclusion of all others4 ,and when we select some high object of contemplation and return often to it1 we acquire a susceptibility of strong and fervent emotion on that subject which it requires only a word to arouse4 ,an illustration of this is often found in the case of an inventor or discoverer who has dwelt on one subject until his whole mind is filled with it1 and he cannot hear it mentioned without the deepest feeling4 ,however cold and listless he may be on other subjects1 touch but the sacred one of his fancy1 and his sparkling eye and animated voice tell how deeply you have roused the whole man4 ,what an advantage it must be to the extempore speaker1 with whom everything depends on feeling1 to have all the cardinal facts he proclaims surrounded by fountains of holy emotion1 continually supplied from the spring of meditation1 and ready to flow copiously at the slightest touch6 ,such trains of thought may be carried on in moments too often given to idleness1 and thus1 not only will a mighty power be added to our pulpit ministrations1 but our whole life ennobled and enriched4 ,it has been conjectured that ,milton's mind1 while composing 8,paradise ,lost10 existed in the state of a sublime waking dream1 in which the forms of heaven and hell1 chaos and creation1 all mingled in one glorious vision4 ,something of this nature1 though not necessarily continuous1 must take place in the mental history of every true and powerful ,christian minister4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,acquirements4--,,knowledge1 ,,general--,,of ,,bible1 ,,of ,,theology1 ,,of ,,men4 ,thought is the workman of the mind1 and requires materials upon which to labor4 ,we are such creatures of experience that we cannot go far beyond a foundation of fact1 or weave long trains of pure imagination4 ,in the wildest fiction the mind can only combine and rearrange what was previously known4 ,this necessity rests with added weight upon the preacher4 ,he cannot invent his materials in the sense the poet can1 but must confine himself to the statement of unadulterated truth4 ,fortunately1 he has no narrow field to explore1 for all knowledge is related to his themes4 ,he has to speak of ,god1 by whom everything exists1 and whose glory shines through all the works of his hand4 ,the truths he utters apply to the whole circle of life and its duties1 yet are so familiar and so often neglected1 that he needs all his power to make them touch the popular heart4 ,there is no science that may not at times be made available for illustrating or enforcing the word of ,god4 ,the want of extended knowledge will be more severely felt by an extempore preacher1 than by one who reads or recites4 ,the latter has time for selection1 and may take the parts of a subject with which he is familiar and pass over all others4 ,but the former will find this very dangerous4 ,extemporizing should be free and unfettered4 ,the speaker must be able to see his own way1 and make it clear to his hearers4 ,if he is always anxious to avoid dangerous obstructions and steer around them1 he will lose that free flow of ideas in which much of the beauty of unstudied speech consists4 ,let the man1 therefore1 who looks to the preacher's vocation1 lay the foundation broad and deep in a complete education1 not only in that of the schools1 for the knowledge they teach is very defective1 but let him know all the facts that hinge on common life2 the processes of the different pursuits and trades2 the subjects that most occupy the human mind2 the arts and sciences in their wide departments4 ,we have no hesitation in affirming that preaching ought to be more scientific than it often is2 that is1 when the preacher deals with the phenomena of nature1 he should speak of them in their true form1 as revealed by science1 and not indulge in loose generalities or popular misstatements4 ,if he master these and all other branches of knowledge1 he will have at hand a fund of illustration that will never grow old1 and instead of being under the necessity of turning over books of sermons1 and hunting out figures of speech that have done duty for generations1 he will be supplied from nature's great volume with those that are ever fresh and new4 ,they will be redolent of the morning dew1 the sparkle of sunlight1 the life of humanity1 rather than the must of books4 ,this knowledge constitutes only the rough material of thought4 ,it is the dust out of which the body is to be formed1 and into which the breath of life is to be breathed4 ,the power of thinking comes from no accumulated intellectual stores1 but springs from the living energy of the soul within4 ,it is above all dead brute force1 and fills a world of its own4 ,but we would lay the foundation of success in oratory by giving the mind food1 and providing for it a general acquaintance with the universe4 ,this may be superficial1 for it is not given to man to be profound in everything1 but it will suffice to keep the preacher within the bounds of truth1 when1 for a time1 he leaves his own province4 ,but within that province1 and on all topics he undertakes to discuss1 his knowledge should not be superficial4 ,he must here hold out no false light to lure mankind1 but must speak because he knows the truth1 and feels that others ought to know it4 ,he will then speak--and in his own department he has the right to speak--8not as the ,scribes and ,pharisees1 but as one having authority40 ,to this end the preacher must study the ,bible most thoroughly4 ,it is the book from which he obtains his subjects1 and the most powerful arguments by which they are enforced4 ,he must meditate on it by day and night with earnest1 loving zeal4 ,there is not much profit in merely reading it through once or twice a year4 ,read it prayerfully4 ,study the sense4 ,strive to make it a living book4 ,realize the scenes it describes1 the events it records1 and the deep mysteries it unfolds4 ,there is no study that will increase oratorical power more rapidly than the investigation of the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,they are the best models of eloquence1 the exhaustless armory from which the preacher draws his weapons4 ,to be 8mighty in the ,scriptures0 is one of the highest recommendations he can have2 and1 on the other hand1 ignorance of the book it will be his life labor to expound1 is unpardonable1 and will expose him to merited contempt4 ,many books will be needed in forming a critical1 living comprehension of the ,bible4 ,the student should become familiar with the present aspect of ,palestine and the manners and customs of former ages4 ,judicious commentaries will help him to penetrate through the covering which thoughtlessness and familiarity have woven over the sacred page1 down to its vital meaning4 ,ancient history and ,bible dictionaries will make plain many obscure passages4 ,but above all1 the ,holy ,spirit throws a flood of light over the whole book1 and makes its dark places shine with the radiance of truth4 ,get this first1 in a living baptism1 and all else will be easy4 ,a knowledge of ,theology is essential4 ,it comes not with the same authority as the ,word1 for it is only man's interpretation of what ,god has revealed1 and no one has a right to bind others by the rule of his own weak judgment4 ,yet we cannot despise assistance even here4 ,he would be very foolish who would insist on ignoring the light of science and the accumulated lore of ages1 that he might discover all truth for himself4 ,life is so short and man's intellect so slow1 that an individual standing alone would never get beyond the state of a savage4 ,we can weigh the evidence of truth in an hour that has taken years or ages to discover4 ,there is no way but to accept the aid of others even in the matters that relate to ,god and our own souls1 and use it to build up a complete system of knowledge1 being careful not to surrender our independence of thought1 nor do violence to our conscience4 ,the knowledge of what men have thought and done in the field of revelation is indispensable4 ,without some degree of it no man is prepared for the sacred office4 ,it need not all be attained before beginning to preach1 but should be a constant aim4 ,the preacher should always be a diligent student4 ,he will never reach the end4 ,even when his head is whitening for the grave he will find the book of ,god an unexhausted mine1 and the interest of newly-discovered truth will impart such charm and vigor to his discourses that they will never grow old4 ,theology is a vast science1 embracing all others--an infinite field where man may exert all his powers1 and never cease for want of new realms to explore4 ,the preacher labors in the field of humanity1 and aims to better the present and future condition of mankind4 ,he needs to understand his ground1 as well as the instruments of his labor4 ,it is through him that divine truth reaches the hearts of the multitude4 ,unless he can cause the people to think new thoughts1 and be ruled by new motives1 wisdom and learning and brilliancy are all in vain4 ,a knowledge of the heart1 and of the best methods of reaching it1 are of first importance4 ,no matter if the preacher speaks a truth2 unless that particular truth has an adaptation to the present wants of those whom he addresses1 it will be1 in a great measure1 unfruitful4 ,the love of ,god1 the story of the ,cross1 with many other things revealed in the ,bible1 are suited to all ages and all men4 ,but the consolations intended for a time of sorrow would fall strangely on the ear of a bridal party4 ,exhortations to repentance would be lost upon a congregation of sincere ,christians4 ,different shades of experience need to be met by appropriate instruction2 and the minister who does not watch all changing circumstances1 and carefully adapt his words to them1 will fail of the highest usefulness4 ,it may be objected that1 in large assemblies1 the presentation of any truth will benefit some person1 and that all cannot be reached at once4 ,this is partly true2 but the attentive minister will find currents of thought moving in his congregation from day to day1 and will be surprised to see how often the people are thinking about the same objects4 ,at one time1 the minds of many will be tinged with unbelief2 at another1 spiritualism will have its votaries2 and again1 genuine1 earnest searching for the truth will be apparent4 ,he1 who so thoroughly knows the heart that he can detect the signs of these changes1 has the advantage possessed by a general who is acquainted with all the plans of his antagonist4 ,a close observer once said that a certain minister would never be a revivalist1 because he did not seem to understand the movements of the ,spirit4 ,there was truth in his judgment1 although the deficiency was rather in understanding human nature4 ,that preacher who can look over his congregation as he speaks1 and discern something of the state of their hearts1 can strike directly to the mark1 while the strength of another might be wasted4 ,a general knowledge of the motives by which men are governed will also be of service4 ,we must employ proper arguments when we seek to influence our hearers1 for truth may be so presented as to repel rather than attract4 ,we should know how to appeal to self-interest1 for most follow what they believe to be its dictates4 ,we should be able to excite their love and sympathy2 in short1 we ought to ascertain what motive is powerful enough to move them1 and employ it4 ,this quick and accurate knowledge of the heart is especially valuable to the man who preaches without notes4 ,looking into the eyes of the congregation1 he will see their passing thoughts and emotions often indicated with great precision4 ,he will thus know when it is best to dwell on any particular argument1 and can press it home1 or leave it1 before the audience is wearied4 ,he will1 all the time1 have the advantage of seeing his way distinctly1 instead of stumbling along like a blind man who is conscious of no obstacle until brought into contact with it4 ,to reap this profit1 he must be able to read the expressions and changes that the heart throws over the countenance--visible signs of its own state4 ,the proper way to obtain a practical knowledge of men is to mingle with and study them4 ,a preacher has great opportunities for this4 ,he need not fear to lower his dignity or impair his influence by a free and easy intercourse with all classes4 ,the people have acute perceptions1 and will give him credit for all that is good in him2 and he has no right to demand more4 ,indeed1 if he have not native goodness and intelligence enough to retain the confidence of his people in the closest social intercourse1 the sooner he relinquishes his office the better for all concerned4 ,it is no excuse to say that he cannot spare time from his studies2 for no labor will more surely bring a return of added power and eloquence than the study of his flock around their own hearths4 ,the best books are only transcripts of the human heart1 and here he can study the original in all its freshness4 ,but merely to mingle with the people will not fully cultivate this critical knowledge of character1 unless it is made a particular study4 ,a good way of doing this is to write down our first thoughts and impressions of persons we come in contact with1 and test our correctness by subsequent experience4 ,we thus discover the source of our errors1 and avoid them in future1 and1 at the same time1 form a habit of observation which1 if continued for years1 will increase the acuteness of our perceptions until we are able to read men at the first glance4 ,but most valuable of all means for attaining this power1 is a thorough1 practical acquaintance with ,phrenology4 ,much ridicule has been thrown on this science by traveling imposters1 who have practiced character-reading1 together with witchcraft and fortune-telling--just as astronomy and astrology were once joined4 ,but such associations are not more necessary than that sometimes supposed to exist between geology and unbelief4 ,phrenology is a branch of the inductive sciences1 established and tested by observation and experiment4 ,its two cardinal principles are3 ,first1 that the brain is the organ of mind2 second1 that different mental functions are performed by different parts of the brain4 ,the latter is no more unreasonable than to suppose that the different bodily actions1 walking1 lifting1 eating1 smelling1 etc41 are performed by different parts of the body4 ,the first proposition is admitted by all2 and if the second is allowed to be reasonable1 it then becomes easy to determine whether the correspondence of faculty and organ in any case is sufficiently proved4 ,the poets1 ,whittier and ,bryant1 ,horace ,greeley and the eminent educator1 ,horace ,mann1 all professed to derive great advantage from the study4 ,henry ,ward ,beecher1 who stands among the first of living orators1 attributes all his power 8in making sermons fit0 to the early and constant study of ,phrenology4 ,it is an instructive fact1 that although the different organs were discovered singly and at long intervals1 yet when the contributions of many laborers have been brought together1 the result is a most beautiful and perfect mental philosophy--contrasting with the warring systems of metaphysics as the clear sunlight does with clouds and night4 ,we give it as a deliberate opinion that it is better for the preacher to remain ignorant of any one of the natural sciences or learned languages1 than to neglect that study which unfolds the laws of mind and teaches us to understand our fellow men4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,cultivation--,,imagination--,,language --,,gesture--,,confidence4 ,the ability to convey our thoughts to others may be very greatly increased by culture4 ,the vastest accumulations of learning will not be useful to the world unless there is an available channel by which they may be transmitted4 ,we will consider a few of the elements that make a man ready in communicating his ideas4 ,imagination is often thought to be unnecessary to the sacred orator2 but if he resign to the poet and novelist that faculty that deals with beauty in all its forms1 the lovers of beauty will be apt to desert the churches and seek gratification where it can be found4 ,imagination1 in its legitimate sphere1 is as necessary as the power of reasoning1 or the sentiment of devotion4 ,it deals with truth as well as fiction1 and gives to its possessor the creative1 life-breathing spirit of poetry4 ,listen to the description of any piece of natural scenery by a person of imagination and another destitute of it4 ,they may describe with equal truthfulness1 and even allude to the same objects2 but one will give a dry catalogue of facts1 on which the mind cannot fix without painful effort1 while the other gives a picture that fills us with delight4 ,the same difference is apparent in the commonest things4 ,in relating a story or enforcing an argument1 the man who has this rare and wonderful power will make his words glow with life1 and arrest our attention4 ,it has been said of ,henry ,ward ,beecher1 who possesses so strong an imagination1 that the people would listen with wonder if he were only describing the way a potato grew4 ,this is literally true4 ,he would see in it a thousand beauties no one else had thought of1 and paint the picture with a force and accuracy that would command attention4 ,his own conceptions are exceedingly clear1 and while his knowledge is great1 his imagination enables him to concentrate everything into a clear and vivid description4 ,even the ,bible1 which is the preacher's great example1 is pre-eminently a book of imagination4 ,nowhere is there loftier or more beautiful imagery employed1 or truth wrought into more exquisite forms4 ,a few short and simple words paint pictures that the world looks upon with astonishment from age to age4 ,the first chapters of ,genesis contain as much poetry as ,paradise ,lost2 in fact1 it is the poetry of these chapters interpreted by a mighty mind that illuminates the most sublime imaginative poem in the language of man4 ,job and ,isaiah are without rivals in the mighty imagination that 8bodies forth the forms of things unknown40 ,even the ,new ,testament1 which we usually consider as a plain narrative1 sparkles with true poetry4 ,where will we find a more graceful thought than that of our ,saviour's3 8,consider the lilies of the field1 how they grow2 they toil not1 neither do they spin2 yet ,i say unto you1 that ,solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these40 ,the ,book of ,revelation is full of glorious and awful figures addressed to the imagination4 ,with such sanctions1 the preacher need not fear to employ all of this faculty that ,god has given him4 ,many of his subjects are in the remote past1 and can only be brought near enough to the people to awaken their interest by one who can view them as present4 ,there is no possibility of novelty in our themes4 ,times are altered since ,paul was accused as a setter-forth of strange doctrines4 ,men have listened to the same stories all their lives4 ,yet if the preacher can make the sublime scenes of the ,bible live in his own mind1 he can describe them with the vivacity of an eye-witness4 ,all have noticed the interest excited in the midst of a dry sermon by a simple story4 ,the reason is1 that the preacher was1 at first1 dealing with abstractions--mere words1 and nothing more--but when he came to the story his heart and imagination took hold on it4 ,the same interest may be excited in any part of a sermon if the speaker can but throw his own soul into it1 and see what he describes4 ,the account of the storming of ,lookout ,mountain1 as given by ,bishop ,simpson1 was a fine illustration of this4 ,the incident is perfectly familiar1 and in describing it he used simple words1 without the false brilliancy that sometimes passes for eloquence4 ,there was no particular charm in his manner1 but his imagination grasped the magnificent achievement1 and it stood out in all its fullness before the eyes of the audience4 ,they saw the old flag disappear in the cloud1 and the long lines of blue wind up the mountain until they were hidden in the same obscurity2 heard the thunder that man's artillery made boom out of the bosom of the cloud2 then saw the flag emerge from the mist and heard the cheer of victory ringing down from the sky4 ,the effect upon the audience was overwhelming1 and irrepressible tears streamed from the eyes of all4 ,such glory may be thrown around the teaching of the ,bible1 and every word be true2 and the audience will enjoy it more than if they were actually carried back to the olden time and witnessed its wondrous scenes with their own eyes2 for they will have--what so many feel the want of when gazing on memorable scenes--some one to interpret their feelings and give them living sympathy4 ,while illustrations and comparisons flow principally from the reasoning faculties1 they derive their beauty from imagination4 ,without its influence they may explain and simplify1 but have no power to interest the hearer or elevate the tenor of the discourse4 ,beecher excels in this as in so many other things1 and while his similes may take hold of the most common things1 they are always highly imaginative and appropriate4 ,how may imagination be cultivated8 ,it is said that 8poets are born1 not made20 but the foundation of every other faculty is in nature1 while all are useless unless improved and applied4 ,it1 too1 will increase in power by use4 ,imagination is the faculty that forms complete images from the detached materials furnished by the senses4 ,it takes from all sources1 and mixes and mingles until a perfect picture is formed4 ,now1 the proper way of cultivating it is by forming just such pictures4 ,let the preacher throw on the canvas of the mind every part of his sermon that is capable of sensible representation4 ,it is not enough to have all the facts1 but he must cast them into the very shape he wishes them to take4 ,a great part of every sermon may thus be made pictorial1 and be far more easily remembered1 and more effectively delivered4 ,even in doctrinal sermons1 use may be made of this principle1 by forming clear mental images of the illustrations1 which are mostly from material objects4 ,when ,henry ,bascom was asked how he succeeded in preaching so well1 he said that it was by painting everything vividly in his mind1 and then speaking of it as he saw it before him4 ,he was a man of unbounded imagination1 and perhaps allowed it too much influence in his discourses2 but his example is most instructive to that large number who have not enough to prevent their sermons from being dim and dry4 ,but the preacher must use this faculty with great care1 for it is an edged tool4 ,he deals in sacred things1 and while he may approach the burning bush where the ,lord is1 he must go with naked feet and softest tread4 ,above all1 truth and propriety may never be violated4 ,that imaginative preacher who pictured to his hearers the bustle of a railway station1 the rush of the train1 the crowding of friends around to welcome the passengers1 and conspicuous among them1 the gray-haired father of the prodigal son1 hurrying with tottering steps to the edge of the platform1 and there grasping the returning penitent by the hand1 may have produced a vivid picture1 but his sermon scarcely tended to edification6 ,this faculty may also be cultivated by reading and pondering the works of those who have it in a high degree of perfection4 ,the time devoted to the study of the great poets is not lost4 ,they give richness and tone to the speaker's mind1 introduce him into scenes of ideal beauty1 and furnish him with many a striking thought and glowing image to be woven into his future discourses4 ,many of the sciences give as full scope to imagination in its best workings as the fields of poesy4 ,astronomy and geology stand pre-eminent in this particular4 ,everything about them is great4 ,they deal with immense periods of time1 immeasurable magnitudes and sublimest histories4 ,hugh ,miller's 8,vision of ,creation0 is as replete with imagination as a play of ,shakespeare1 and his other works sparkle with the same radiant spirit4 ,each science requires the formation of mental images1 and thus approaches the domain of poetry4 ,the dryness of mathematical and scientific study is a pure myth4 ,a philosopher once said that poetry and the higher branches of science depended on the same powers of mind4 ,he was right4 ,the poet is a creator who forms new worlds of his own1 and 8gives to airy nothing a local habitation and a name40 ,he pictures the idea that arises in his brain in all the vividness of outward form4 ,the man of science is required to do the same thing1 with the advantage1 perhaps1 of a few scattered hints4 ,the geologist may have a few broken bones1 a withered leaf1 and some fragments of rock1 from which to bring before him the true 8forest primeval10 through which roamed gigantic animals1 and dragons more unsightly than ever figured in ,grecian mythology4 ,the astronomer has the half dozen phenomena he can observe with his telescope from which to conceive the physical appearance of distant worlds4 ,in every science the same need for imagination in its high1 truthful function exists1 and the same opportunity is afforded for its cultivation4 ,an eminent elocutionist once advised his class to employ all pauses in mentally painting the idea conveyed in the coming sentence4 ,by this means1 he said1 the expression of the voice would be made deeper and truer4 ,if this is so important in reciting the words of others1 how much more should we observe it when improvising sentences as well as modulations4 ,our conceptions may remain vague and intangible while within the mind1 but they can only reach others by taking the definite form of language4 ,it by no means follows that a man who has important ideas and deep emotions1 will be able to communicate them2 but if he have a moderate endowment of language it may be so cultivated as to answer all his requirements4 ,we have no doubt that diligent and long-continued practice in the methods indicated below will enable the vast majority of men to express their thoughts with clearness and fluency4 ,there are certain laws in every language1 made binding by custom1 which cannot be transgressed without exposing the transgressor to ridicule4 ,these constitute grammar1 and must be thoroughly learned4 ,if a man has been under the influence of good models in speech from childhood1 correctness will be a matter almost of instinct2 but the reverse of this is usually the case4 ,at the present day1 there is little difficulty in learning to write in accordance with the rules of composition2 and when the power has been attained1 we have a standard by which to judge our spoken words4 ,but it is not enough for the extempore speaker to be able1 by long effort1 to reduce his sentences to correctness4 ,that should be the first and spontaneous form in which they present themselves4 ,he has no time to think of right or wrong constructions1 and the only safe way is to make the right so habitual that the wrong will not once be thought of4 ,in other words1 we must not only be able to express ourselves correctly by tongue and pen1 but the very current of thought which is flowing ceaselessly through our brain1 and which is usually clothed in unspoken words1 must be in accordance with the laws of language4 ,when we have attained the power of precise and accurate thinking1 we will have no difficulty in avoiding the ridiculous blunders sometimes supposed to be inseparable from extemporaneous speech4 ,correct pronunciation is also of great importance4 ,usage has the same authority here as in the collocation of words1 and has assigned to each one its proper sound1 which no speaker can mistake without being exposed to misconception and damaging criticism4 ,a deficient knowledge of pronunciation is apt to produce another and extremely hurtful effect4 ,the mental effort necessary to determine between two different sounds that may be suggested1 is liable to divert the mind from the subject it is engaged upon1 and thus occasion embarrassment and hesitation4 ,that accuracy in the use of words1 which is the charm of spoken no less than written composition1 may also be impaired2 for if two or more terms for one object flash into the speaker's mind1 only one of which he is confident of his ability to pronounce1 he will be strongly tempted to use that one1 even if it be the least suitable4 ,he ought to know how to pronounce all common words1 and be so familiar with the right sound and accent1 that no other will ever enter his mind4 ,then he will be able to select the terms that convey his meaning most clearly and strongly4 ,one blunder in pronunciation should be particularly shunned by every person of good taste4 ,this is the omission of the sound of 8r0 in places where it rightly belongs4 ,it is strange that this shameful perversion of language should be popular in certain circles4 ,it is so easily observed and corrected that the poor excuse of ignorance is scarcely admissible1 and in general it can be attributed only to silly affectation4 ,this sound is as musical as most others1 and the attempt to improve the melody of our speech by its omission is on a par with the efforts of our great-grandmothers to improve their beauty by affixing patches to their cheeks and noses4 ,fluency and accuracy in the use of words are two qualities that have often been confounded1 but are really distinct4 ,they are of equal importance to the speaker1 while the writer has most need of the latter4 ,all words have separate and well-defined meanings4 ,they are not the product of a day1 but have been building up through long ages4 ,by strange turns1 and with many a curious history1 have they glided into the significations they now bear2 but each one has become imbedded in the minds of the people as the representative of a certain idea4 ,no two words are precisely alike4 ,they are delicate paints that1 to the untutored eye1 may seem of one color1 but each of which has its own place in the picture created by the hand of genius1 that can be supplied by no other4 ,many ways have been suggested to learn these fine shades of meaning4 ,it is often supposed that the study of the so-called learned languages--,latin and ,greek--is the best and almost only method4 ,this will certainly give a large amount of information concerning the origin and formation of words2 but it cannot fix their signification at the present day1 for radical changes of meaning often take place4 ,a linguist can use his knowledge to great advantage2 but the man who knows no language but his own need not consider himself as debarred from the very highest place as a master of words4 ,he can obtain the same knowledge in a more condensed and accessible form by the study of a good etymological dictionary4 ,in general reading1 let him mark every word he does not perfectly understand1 and referring to the dictionary1 find what it came from1 the meaning of its roots1 and its varied significations at the present day4 ,this will make the word so familiar1 that1 when he meets it again1 it will seem like an old acquaintance1 and he will notice if the author uses it correctly4 ,he may not be able thus to study every word in the language1 but will be led to think of the meaning of each one he sees2 and from this silent practice will learn the beauty and power of the ,english tongue as perfectly as if he were master of the languages of ,greece and ,rome4 ,if this habit is long-continued1 it will teach him to use words truly in his very thoughts1 and then he cannot mistake even in the hurry of speech4 ,translating from any language1 ancient or modern1 will have just the same tendency to teach accurate expression as careful original composition4 ,in either case1 improvement comes from the search for words that will exactly convey certain ideas1 and it matters not what the source of these latter may be4 ,the use of a good manual of synonyms--a thesaurus1 or storehouse of words--may be of service1 by showing all terms that relate to any object in one view1 and allowing us to choose the most suitable4 ,but none of these methods will very greatly increase our fluency4 ,there is a difference between merely knowing a term and that easy use long practice alone can give4 ,elihu ,burritt1 with his fifty languages1 has often been surpassed in fluency1 force and variety of expression by an unlettered rustic1 because the few words the latter knew were always ready4 ,this readiness will always increase by use4 ,the blacksmith's arm1 hardening by the exertion it puts forth1 is a trite illustration of the effect of exercise2 and the man who is always applying to ideas and things the verbal signs by which they are known1 will increase the facility with which he can call them to mind4 ,if he does not employ them properly1 his manner will not improve1 and with all his fluency he will speak incorrectly4 ,but if he speak in accordance with established usage1 his ability will daily increase4 ,conversation is an excellent means for this kind of cultivation4 ,we do not mean a running fire of question and answer1 glancing so rapidly back and forth as to give no time for premeditating or explaining anything1 but real1 rational talk--an exchange of ideas1 so clearly expressed as to make them intelligible4 ,the man who deals much in this kind of conversation can scarcely fail to become a master of the art of communicating his thoughts in appropriate language4 ,talk1 express your ideas when you can with propriety1 or when you have an idea to express4 ,do it in the best way possible4 ,if hard at first1 it will become easier1 and thus you will learn eloquence in the best and most pleasing school4 ,for the common conversational style--that in which man deals with his fellowman--is the germ of true oratory4 ,it may be amplified and systematized2 but talking bears to eloquence the same relation the soil does to the tree that springs from its bosom4 ,but the best thoughts of men are seldom found floating on the sea of common talk4 ,if we wish to drink the deepest inspiration1 our minds must come often in loving contact with the words of the great and mighty of every age4 ,there we will find 8thought knit close to thought20 and1 what is more to the present purpose1 words1 in their best acceptance1 so applied as to breathe and live4 ,we can read these passages until their spirit sinks into our hearts1 and their melody rings in our ears like a song of bliss4 ,if we commit them to memory1 it will be a profitable employment4 ,the words of which they are composed1 with the meanings they bear in their several places1 will thus be fixed in our minds1 and ready to drop on our tongues when they are needed4 ,this conning of passages is not recommended for the purpose of quotation1 though they may often be thus used to good advantage2 but to print the individual words of which they are composed more deeply on the memory4 ,this may be effected also by committing selections from our own compositions4 ,what is thus used should be polished1 and yet preserve1 as far as possible1 the natural form of expression4 ,when this is done to a moderate extent1 it has a tendency to elevate the character of our extemporaneous efforts by erecting a standard that is our own1 and therefore suited to our tastes and capacities1 at the very highest point we can reach4 ,but if this is made habitual1 it will interfere with the power of spontaneous production1 and thus contribute to destroy the faculty it was designed to cultivate4 ,ministers who write and commit all their sermons1 are accustomed to read from a mental copy of their manuscript2 and the force of habit binds them more and more closely to it until they cannot speak otherwise4 ,when such persons are unexpectedly called upon to make a speech1 they do it1 not in the simple1 easy language that becomes such an occasion1 but by throwing together bits of previously-committed addresses4 ,they have made what might be an agent of improvement1 the means of so stereotyping their minds that they can only move in one channel unless time is given them to dig out another4 ,there is no means of cultivating language that surpasses extempore speech itself4 ,the only difficulty is to find occasion to speak often enough4 ,the pioneer ,methodist itinerants1 who had to preach every day in the week1 enjoyed this mode of cultivation to its full extent2 and whatever may be thought of their other merits1 their fluency of speech is beyond question4 ,but long intervals of preparation bring counterbalancing advantages at the present time4 ,let these be improved in the way indicated hereafter1 and the preacher will come to the sacred desk with a power increased by each effort4 ,when a thought is clearly understood1 it will fall into words as naturally as a summer cloud1 riven by lightning1 dissolves into rain4 ,so easy is it to express an idea1 or series of ideas1 that have been completely mastered1 that a successful minister once said3 8,it is a preacher's own fault if he ever fails in a sermon4 ,let him prepare as he ought1 and there is no danger40 ,the assertion was too sweeping1 for there are sometimes external causes that will prevent full success4 ,yet there is no doubt that the continuance of this thorough preparation1 in connection with frequent speaking1 will give very great ease of expression4 8,the blind1 but eloquent0 ,milburn1 says1 that he gave four years of his life--the time spent as chaplain at ,washington--to acquire the power of speaking correctly and easily without the previous use of the pen1 and considered the time exceedingly well spent4 ,his manner is that most difficult to acquire--the diffuse1 sparkling1 rhetorical style so much prized by those who prefer flower to fruit4 ,an earnest1 nervous1 and yet elegant style can be acquired by most persons in much less time4 ,there is another thought that those who complain of deficient language would do well to ponder4 ,no one can use words well on any subject of which he is ignorant4 ,the most fluent man1 who knows nothing of astronomy1 would find himself at great loss for words if he attempted to explain the phenomena of the heavenly bodies4 ,even if he were shown an orrery1 and thus led to comprehend their motions1 he would still be ignorant of the proper terms by which such knowledge is conveyed4 ,if he attempted to explain what he understood so imperfectly1 he would be apt to hesitate1 and finally use words and names incorrectly4 ,as our ideas become clear and defined1 there is an intense hungering for the terms by which they are expressed2 and this hunger will lead to its own supply4 ,let us increase our fluency by extending the bounds of our knowledge2 but ask of language nothing more than belongs to its true function--to furnish means of expression for the ideas we already possess4 ,the voice1 assisted by gesture1 forms the immediate link between the speaker and his audience4 ,its qualities are of great importance1 although1 in some quarters1 over-estimated4 ,a good voice1 well managed1 gives powerful and vivid expression to thought1 but cannot answer as a substitute for it4 ,neither is it indispensable4 ,we have known many and great instances of success against much vocal disadvantage2 but this only proves that its absence may be compensated by other excellencies4 ,we can never be indifferent to the charm of a well-modulated voice1 bending to every emotion1 and responsive to the finest shades of feeling4 ,it makes ordinary talk so smooth and pleasant as to be generally acceptable1 but can never raise it to greatness4 ,the instances that are given to prove this1 do not seem capable of bearing such an interpretation4 ,whitefield is sometimes spoken of as an instance of what can be accomplished by masterly elocution2 but he was a man of fervent1 if not profound thought4 ,his emotion was overpowering1 and his voice1 with all its melody1 was only an instrument for its expression4 ,let a bad or indifferent man have ,whitefield's voice and manner in completeness1 and he would be but a disgusting declaimer4 ,it is soul that must speak through the voice to other souls1 and only thus can the mighty effects of eloquence be produced4 ,we do not think there is much virtue in the merely mechanical training of the voice4 ,to teach the pupil just what note on the scale he must strike to express a particular emotion1 how much of an inflection must be used to indicate sudden joy or sorrow1 and how many notes down the scale mark a complete suspension of sense1 is absurd4 ,speech can never be set to music4 ,but from this let it not be inferred that the cultivation of the voice is useless4 ,it is the instrument for the expression of thought1 and the more perfect it can be made the better it is fitted for its high office4 ,it would be well for the preacher to spend some time every day for years in vocal training1 for there is nothing more susceptible of improvement than the voice4 ,the passion excited during animated speech will demand almost every note and key within its compass1 and unless it has been previously trained on these1 it may fail4 ,to prepare in this way by exploring the range of the voice1 and testing all its capabilities1 has in it nothing mechanical or slavish4 ,it is only like putting a musical instrument in tune before beginning to play4 ,nothing contributes so much to give ability to manage the voice as the separation of words into the simple elements of sound1 and continued practice in the enunciation of these4 ,they can be best learned from the short-hand system of tachygraphy or phonography1 or from the phonetic print4 ,in these we find sound resolved into its elements1 which are but few in number1 and on which we can practice until every difficulty in enunciation is overcome4 ,if there is a fault in our articulation1 we will find just where it is1 and can bring all our practice directly to its remedy4 ,when we are able to give clearly each one of the separate sounds of the language--not many over forty in number--we can easily follow them into all their combinations1 and are thus master of the first great excellency in speaking--good articulation4 ,nor is this all4 ,we can then practice on the same elements1 at different degrees of elevation on the musical scale1 until we can strike every one in full round distinctness at each point1 from the shrillest note used in speech to the deepest bass4 ,then the whole field of oratory is open before us4 ,but there is still another advantage3 if our strength of voice be not so great as we would wish1 we can take the same sounds1 and by practicing upon them with a gradually-increasing effort1 attain all the force our organs are capable of1 and even increase their power to a degree that would be incredible1 were it not so often proved by actual experiment4 ,when engaged in these practices1 we will notice a distinction between the vowel sounds--that while some of them may be prolonged indefinitely1 others are made at a single impulse4 ,following out these ideas1 we will increase the rapidity of the second until they can be struck with all the suddenness of the report of a pistol1 and one after another so rapidly that the ear can scarcely catch the distinction between them4 ,this will enable us to avoid drawling1 and help us to speak with rapidity when we desire it1 without falling into indistinctness4 ,we next learn to prolong the other vowels1 and thus to make them carry the sounds of words to the greatest distance4 ,the full1 deliberate enunciation of a word is audible much further than the most violent shout4 ,the passenger calling to the ferryman across the river does not say ,,over in one single violent impulse1 or1 if he does1 he is not heard1 but o-o-ver2 and even if his tone is gentle1 the hills ring again1 and the ferryman is aroused4 ,let this principle be brought into use in public speaking1 and soon no hall will be too large for the compass of the voice4 ,the different extensions of sounds1 as well as their pitch on the musical scale1 and variations of force in enunciation1 constitute the perspective of the art of oratory1 and give it an agreeable variety1 like the mingling of light and shade in a well-executed picture4 ,a dull1 dead uniformity1 in which each word is uttered on the same key1 with the same degree of force1 and each sound enunciated with the same rapidity1 would be utterly unbearable2 while a perpetual variety1 reflecting in each rise and fall1 each storm and calm of sound1 the living thought within1 is the perfection toward which we must strive4 ,little can be done in training the voice beyond these elementary exercises4 ,the expression in the moment of speech may safely be left to the impulse of nature4 ,supply the capability by previous discipline1 then leave passion to clothe itself in the most natural forms4 ,we believe there is such a connection between the emotions of the mind and the different tones of voice1 that emphasis1 inflection and intonation need not be taught4 ,they will well up from the heart itself4 ,reading may require more teaching1 for its very nature is artificial2 and it behoves those who read their sermons to study hard to supply the want of emotion and naturalness by the resources of elocution4 ,but the only effect of rules upon the speaker1 so far as he heeds them at all1 is to make him a cold and lifeless machine4 ,the child that is burnt needs no instruction to find the right tone to express its pain1 so that every one who hears it knows that it is suffering4 ,it strikes the key-note of joy and every other emotion with equal certainty4 ,let nature but have her way1 untrammeled by art1 and every feeling that arises will mold the voice to its will1 and every heart will recognize and respond to the sound4 ,we may in this way miss the so-called 8brilliancy0 of theatric clap-trap1 but our voices will have that 8touch of nature that makes the whole world kin40 ,something may be done by observing the world closely and thus becoming more deeply permeated by that atmosphere of sympathy and passion that wraps all men into one family1 and forms a medium of communication deeper and more wide-spread than any language of earth4 ,it is also profitable to listen to the great orators who have mastered the mysteries of speech1 not for the purpose of imitating them1 but that we may appreciate better what true excellence is4 ,yet it is hurtful to confine our attention too long to one model1 for excellence is many-sided1 and if we view only one of its phases1 we are apt to fall into slavish imitation--the greatest of all vices4 ,we avoid this by looking upon many examples1 and making use of them only to elevate our own ideal4 ,then1 without a conscious effort to reproduce anything we have heard1 we will be urged to greater exertions1 and the whole level of our attainments raised4 ,there are abundant faults to mar the freedom of nature2 and the speaker who would be truly natural must watch vigilantly for them1 and1 when found1 exterminate them without mercy4 ,the sing-song tone1 the scream1 the lisp1 the guttural and tremulous tones1 must be weeded out as they come to the surface2 and if the preacher's own egotism is too great to see them1 or his taste not pure enough1 some friend ought to point them out for him4 ,at the bar1 or in political life1 the keen shaft of ridicule destroys such things in those who are not incorrigible2 but in the pulpit they are too often suffered to run riot because the sacred nature of its themes prohibits ridicule1 and causes every one to endure in silence4 ,but there is one fault that over-tops all others1 and constitutes a crying sin and an abomination before the ,lord4 ,would that every hearer who suffers by it had the courage to go to his minister and tell him of the torture he inflicts4 ,he could not long endure such an overwhelming fire brought to bear on him4 ,it is what is sometimes designated as the 8solemn or holy tone40 ,it prevails to an alarming extent4 ,men who1 out of the pulpit1 are varied and lively in their conversation1 no sooner enter it than it seems as if some evil spirit had taken possession of them and enthroned itself in their voice1 which at once sinks into a measured1 or rather measureless drawl1 with each word sloping down a precipice of falling inflections4 ,it conceals ideas as perfectly as ever ,talleyrand did2 for surely no idea1 even of living light1 could penetrate through such a veil4 ,men who thus neutralize their talents and contribute to render religion distasteful1 will surely have to answer for it at the great day of account4 ,let our style in the pulpit be simple1 earnest and manly4 ,let each emotion clothe itself in its own language and tones1 and then we will be above all rules1 and all censure too1 for we will be under the infallible guidance of nature and the ,spirit of ,god4 ,should we use a conversational tone in speaking8 ,this question has often been discussed1 and although there is a great difference of opinion1 yet it seems to admit of satisfactory answer4 ,the language of conversation is the language of nature1 and therefore it should be the basis of speech4 ,the same intonations that are used in it should be employed in every branch of oratory4 ,but the manner of conversation is not always the same4 ,the man who talks with a friend across a river would not use the same tones as if he held that friend by the hand4 ,and if a man is speaking to a number at once1 the very need of being heard will cause him to speak somewhat louder than in addressing a single person4 ,with this exception1 it might be safely laid down as a rule that a speech should be commenced in the same manner as we would speak to an individual4 ,but should it be continued in that way8 ,the orotund tone is calculated to make a deeper impression than a higher key1 or a less degree of force4 ,but there need be no solicitude about its employment4 ,begin as a man who is talking to his friends upon an interesting subject would do1 and then1 as the interest deepens1 throw away all restraint of voice4 ,let it follow passion1 and it will naturally fall into the way that will best express that passion4 ,it will deepen into the thunder-roar when that is needed1 and will become soft and pathetic at the right time4 ,but beware of thinking that you must be loud1 in order to be impressive4 ,nothing is more disgusting than that interminable roar1 beginning with a shout and continuing all through the sermon4 ,it is worse than monotony itself4 ,the very loudness of voice that1 applied at the right place1 would be overpowering1 loses all power1 and becomes as wearisome as the ceaseless lashing of ocean waves to the storm-tost mariner4 ,strive to have something to say1 keep the fires of passion burning in your own soul1 and the voice1 which has previously been diligently cultivated1 will not fail in what should be its only office--the bringing of your thoughts into contact with the souls of others4 ,books on oratory properly devote much space to the consideration of gesture1 for the eye needs to be addressed and pleased as well as the ear4 ,but we doubt whether the marking out of gestures to be imitated is calculated to do much good4 ,the principal use of training seems to be1 first1 to overcome the backwardness that might freeze both speaker and congregation2 and second1 to discard awkward and repulsive movements4 ,the first can be accomplished by a firm resolution1 and is worthy of it4 ,we have all seen most eloquent men who did not move at all1 or who moved very slightly in the course of their address1 but never without feeling that the want of gesticulation detracted just so much from their power4 ,it is unnatural to speak standing still1 and none but a lazy1 sick1 or bashful man will do it4 ,yet many who do not hesitate to make their voices reverberate to the roof1 will fear to move even a finger4 ,let this timidity be thrown off4 ,even an ungraceful gesture is better than none at all4 ,but after the first fear has been overcome1 and the speaker has learned to use his hands1 he next needs to guard against bad habits4 ,if anything is truly natural1 it will be beautiful2 but we are so much corrupted by early example that it is hard to find what nature is4 ,there is hardly a public speaker who does not1 at some time1 fall into habits that are unsightly or ridiculous4 ,the difference in this respect is1 that some retain all the faults they once get1 hanging and accumulating around them2 while others1 from the warning of friends or their own observation1 discover their errors1 and cast them off4 ,a good method of testing our own manner1 from which we should not be deterred by prejudice1 is by speaking before a mirror4 ,there is reason for the common ridicule thrown upon this practice1 if we recite our sermons for the purpose of marking the proper points of gesture1 and of noting where to start1 and frown1 and wave the arm1 so as to make the whole mere acting4 ,but what we advise is to speak before the glass in as earnest and impassioned a manner as we can command1 not for practice on the subjects we are to discuss1 but that we may 8see ourselves as others see us40 ,in ordinary speaking we can hear our own voice1 and thus become sensible of any audible errors that we may fall into2 but we need the glass to show us how we look1 and to make us see any improper movement that we may have unconsciously contracted4 ,we do not advise the recital of a sermon before the glass4 ,there is something cold and irreverent in the very idea4 ,but the same objection does not apply to ordinary declamation4 ,by these two processes--pressing out into action under the impulse of deep feeling1 as strongly and freely as possible1 and by lopping off everything that is not graceful and effective1 we will soon attain a good style of gesture4 ,all mechanical imitation1 all observance of artificial rules1 and especially all attempts to make the gesture descriptive1 such as pointing toward the object alluded to1 placing the hand on the heart to express emotion1 etc41 will do more harm than good4 ,the best gesticulation is entirely unconscious4 ,frequently the speed or slowness of the gesture reveals more emotion than its direction or form4 ,the stroke1 when it falls upon a particular word1 aids to make it emphatic1 even when there is no observable connection between the kind of movement made and the sentiment uttered4 ,let the mind1 intent on its subject1 take full possession of the whole body1 as a medium of expression1 and every action will correspond with tone and word1 and the soul of the hearer be reached alike through eye and ear4 ,we have already spoken of boldness as an indispensable requisite for an extempore speaker4 ,but more is needed than the courage that leads us to encounter the perils of speech4 ,some speakers master their fears sufficiently to begin1 yet continue to experience a nervous dread which prevents the free use of their faculties4 ,this clinging timidity may hang around an orator1 and impede his flights of eloquence as effectually as an iron fetter would an eagle on the wing4 ,the speaker must confide in his own powers1 and be willing to trust to their guidance4 ,it is not necessary that he should have this confidence previous to speaking1 for it is then very difficult to exercise it1 and if possessed1 it may assume the appearance of egotism and boastfulness4 ,many a man begins to speak while trembling in every limb1 but soon becomes inspired with his theme and forgets all anxiety4 ,but if his fear be greater than this1 and keep him in perpetual terror1 it will destroy liberty and eloquence4 ,a man under such an influence loses his self-possession1 becomes confused1 all interest evaporates from his most carefully-prepared thoughts1 and he finally sits down1 convinced that his effort was a failure1 while1 perhaps1 he had in his brain the necessary power and material to sway the assembly at will4 ,such a one must learn to fear less1 or seek a higher support under his trials4 ,there is no remedy more effectual than to do all our work under the immediate pressure of duty4 ,if we speak for self-glory1 the frowns or approval of the audience become a matter of vast importance to us1 and if we fail1 we are deeply mortified and bewail our foolishness in exposing ourselves to such risks4 ,on the contrary1 if we speak from a sense of duty1 if we hear the cry1 8woe is me if ,i preach not the ,gospel10 sounding in our ears1 it is no longer a matter of choice1 and we go forward1 even trembling1 to obey the imperative command4 ,our mind is fixed on our theme1 and the applause of the multitude becomes of small moment to us except as it is the echo of ,god's approval4 ,we feel that we are his workmen1 and believe that he will sustain us4 ,men have thus been forward in the ,christian ministry who would otherwise never have faced the dangers and exposures of public speaking4 ,they were driven to it1 and therefore threw themselves bravely into it1 and often attained the highest eminence4 ,a want of proper confidence is one great reason why so many with superior talents for off-hand speaking seek refuge in their notes4 ,they try1 and fail4 ,instead of copying the school-boy motto 8try1 try again10 and thus reaping the fruition of their hopes1 they give up--conclude that they have no talents for the work1 and sink to mediocrity and tameness1 when they might have been brilliant in the field of true oratory4 ,the possession of confidence while speaking secures respect and deference4 ,the congregation can pardon timidity at the beginning1 for then their minds are fixed on the speaker1 and his shrinking seems to be but a graceful exhibition of modesty and good sense4 ,but after he has once begun1 their minds are on the subject1 and they associate him with it4 ,if he is dignified1 respectful and confident1 they listen attentively1 and feel the weight of his words4 ,this is far different from bluster and bravado1 which always injure the cause they advocate1 and produce a feeling of disgust toward the offender4 ,the first seems to arise from a sense of the dignity of the subject2 the second from an opinion of personal importance--an opinion no speaker has a right to entertain when before an audience1 for1 in the very act of speaking to them1 he constitutes them his judges4 ,he may have confidence in his own power to present the subject faithfully1 and he will speak with only the more force and certainty if he is well assured of that1 but he must not let it be seen that he is thinking of himself1 or trying to exhibit his own genius4 ,a speaker needs confidence that he may avail himself of the suggestions of the moment4 ,some of the best thoughts he will ever have1 will be out of the line of his preparation1 and will occur at a moment when there is no time for him to weigh them4 ,he must reject them immediately or begin to follow1 not knowing whither they lead1 and this not in thought alone1 but in audible words1 with the risk that they may bring him into some ridiculous absurdity4 ,he cannot even stop to glance ahead1 for the least hesitation will break the spell he may have woven around his hearers1 while if he rejects the self-offered idea1 he may lose a genuine inspiration4 ,a quick searching glance1 that will allow no time for his own feelings or those of his hearers to cool1 is all that he can give1 and it is necessary in that time to decide whether to reject the thought1 or follow it with the same assurance as if the end were clearly in view4 ,it requires some boldness to do this1 and yet every speaker knows that his very highest efforts--thoughts that have moved his hearers like leaves before the wind--have been of this character4 ,it also requires some confidence to begin a sentence1 even when the idea is plain1 without knowing how it is to be framed or where it will end4 ,this difficulty is experienced very often in speech even by those who are most fluent4 ,a man may learn to cast sentences very rapidly1 yet it will take some time for them to pass through his mind1 and when he has finished one1 the next idea may not have fully condensed itself into words4 ,to begin1 then1 with this uncertainty and go on without letting the people see any hesitation1 demands a good deal of confidence in one's power of commanding words and forming sentences4 ,yet a bold and confident speaker feels no uneasiness on such occasions4 ,sometimes he will prolong a pause while he is thinking of the word he wants1 and hazardous as this appears1 it is really safe1 for the mind is so active when in the complete possession of its powers that1 if necessary1 as it seldom is1 something extraneous can easily be thrown in1 that will fill up the time until the right term and the right construction are found4 ,this necessary confidence can be cultivated by striving to exercise it1 and by assuming its appearance where the reality is not4 ,let a person make up his mind that he will become an extempore speaker1 and patiently endure all failures and mistakes that follow1 and he will thus avoid the wavering and shrinking1 and questioning in his own mind that otherwise distress him and paralyze his powers4 ,if he fail1 he will be stimulated to a stronger and more protracted effort4 ,if he succeed1 that will be an argument upon which to base future confidence1 and thus1 whatever is the result1 he is forwarded on his course4 ,and in regard to the difficulty of sentence-casting1 he will make his way through so many perplexities of that kind1 that the only danger will be that of becoming careless1 and constructing too many sentences without unity or polish4 ,he will acquire by long experience so much knowledge of the working of his own thoughts1 as to be able to tell at a glance what he ought to reject1 and what accept1 of the unbidden ideas that present themselves4 ,he will be ready to seize every new thought1 even if it be outside of his preparation1 and1 if worthy1 give it instant expression2 and if not1 dismiss it at once and continue unchecked along his intended route4 ,there is only one direction that we can give for the acquisition of the confidence that is respectful and self-assured1 and yet not forward nor obtrusive4 ,be fully persuaded as to what is best for you1 and make up your mind to take the risks as well as the advantages of extempore speaking4 ,then persevere until all obstacles are overcome4 ,we have thus glanced at a few of the more important acquired qualities necessary for public speaking4 ,these do not cover the whole field1 for to speak aright requires all the faculties of the mind in the highest state of cultivation4 ,there is no mental power that may not contribute to the orator's success4 ,the whole limits of possible education are comprised in two great branches3 the one relating to the reception1 and the other to the communication of knowledge4 ,the perfect combination of these is the ideal of excellence--an ideal so high that it can only be aspired to4 ,all knowledge is of value to the orator4 ,he may not have occasion to use it directly in his speeches1 but it will always be at hand to select from1 and give his views additional breadth and scope4 ,if his materials are few he must take1 not what is best1 but what he has4 ,if a wide extent of knowledge is open before him1 the chances are that he will find exactly what is needed for his purpose4 ,the improvement of the power to communicate knowledge is1 if possible1 still more important4 ,a great part of the value even of a diamond depends upon its setting and polish1 and the richest and most glowing thoughts may fail to reach the heart or charm the intellect1 unless they are cast into the proper form1 and given external beauty4 ,let the man1 then1 who would speak well not fear to know too much4 ,he cannot be great at once4 ,he must build for future years4 ,if he wish a sudden and local celebrity that will never increase1 but molder away1 even in his own lifetime1 he could1 perhaps1 attain it in another way4 ,he might learn a few of the externals of elocution1 and then1 with great care1 or by the free use of the material of others1 prepare some finely-worded discourses1 and read or recite them as often as he can find a new audience4 ,it is true that by this means his success will probably not be as great as he would wish1 but he can be sure that what he achieves will be sufficiently evanescent4 ,he will not grow up to the measure of greatness1 but become daily more dwarfed and stereotyped in intellect4 ,but on the other hand1 let him 8intermeddle with all knowledge10 and make his means of communicating what he thus gathers as perfect as possible1 and then talk to the people out of the fullness of his treasures1 and if no sudden and empty acclaim should greet him1 he will be weighty and influential from the first1 and each year that passes will bring him added power4 ,the aim of the sacred orator should be the full and harmonious development of all the faculties that ,god has given him1 and their consecration to his great work4 ,,part ,,ii4 ,a ,,sermon4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,foundation--,,subject--,,object--,,tex t4 ,we have thus far discussed the subject of preliminary training1 and have endeavored to show what natural qualities the preacher must possess1 and how these can be improved by diligent cultivation4 ,the importance of a wide scope of knowledge1 and especially of that which bears upon oratory2 of understanding and having some command of the powers of language2 of having a personal experience of ,christ's pardoning love1 and a heart filled with desire for the salvation of our fellow men2 of believing that ,god has called us to the work of the ministry2 has already been pointed out4 ,when a man finds himself in possession of these1 and is still a diligent student1 growing daily in grace1 he is prepared to preach the ,gospel in 8demonstration of the spirit and of power40 ,he is then ready to consider the methods by which all his gifts and acquirements may be made available1 and wielded with mightiest effect in the service of his ,master4 ,some of the directions given in this and succeeding chapters are of universal application1 while others are to be regarded only as suggestions1 to be modified and changed according to individual taste1 or particular circumstances4 ,a plan is necessary to every sermon4 ,a rude mass of brick1 lumber1 mortar and iron1 thrown together as the materials chance to be furnished1 does not constitute a house1 and is worthless until each is built into its appropriate place1 in obedience to some intelligent design4 ,a sermon must be constructed in a similar manner4 ,it may contain much that is good1 or useful1 or striking1 and be replete with sparkling imagery1 and full of ideas that will command the attention of the audience1 and yet completely fail4 ,the only safe method is to have a well-defined plan marked out from beginning to end1 and to work according to it4 ,it is always better to have this plan previously constructed4 ,sometimes when we speak on a subject we have often thought over1 its whole outline will flash upon us in a moment1 and we will speak as well as if we had employed months in preparation4 ,but such cases are rare exceptions4 ,the man who attempts1 on the spur of the moment1 to arrange his facts1 draw his inferences1 and enforce his opinions1 will find the task very difficult1 even if his memory promptly furnishes all the necessary materials4 ,every discourse1 of whatever character1 should have a subject and an object4 ,a sermon requires a text also1 and these three constitute the foundation upon which it is built4 ,we will consider them separately4 ,a good plan cannot be constructed without an object in view4 ,why is it that at a particular time a congregation assembles1 and sits silent while a man addresses them8 ,what is his motive in standing up before them and asking their attention8 ,many of the people may have been drawn together by the lightest influences1 but the minister1 at least1 should be actuated by a noble purpose4 ,if he has a clear aim before him1 it will tend powerfully to give unity and consistency to his discourse1 and prevent him from falling into endless digressions4 ,it will bind all detached parts together1 and infuse a common life through the whole mass4 ,we cannot be too careful in the selection of such a ruling object1 for it will affect the whole superstructure4 ,our purposes should not be too general4 ,it is not enough that we should wish to do good4 ,probably no minister ever preaches without that general desire4 ,but the important question is1 8,what special good do ,i hope to accomplish by this sermon80 ,when he has decided this1 he will then be prepared to adapt his means to the end proposed1 and the whole discourse will acquire a definiteness and precision that would never otherwise have belonged to it4 ,the more we sub-divide our objects1 the more will this precision be increased1 although there is a limit beyond which it would be at the expense of other qualities4 ,if we desire the salvation of souls1 it is well1 and most powerful sermons have been preached with that object in view4 ,but if we narrow our immediate aim1 and keep in view only one of the steps by which the soul advances to ,god1 it will give our discourse a keener edge1 and we can plead with those who have not yet taken that step with more prospect of immediate success1 than if we at once placed the whole journey before them4 ,for example1 many sermons may be preached with 8repentance0 as the central object1 and this duty enforced by various motives and innumerable arguments4 ,we may show that it is a duty1 that man is lost without it1 that ,jesus calls him to it1 that ,god assists1 that salvation follows it1 etc4 ,our objects usually have reference to the action of those who hear us1 and the more fully that action is understood1 and the more earnest our desire to produce it1 the greater our persuasive power will be4 ,if we do not exactly know what we wish to accomplish1 there is very little probability that our audience will interpret our thoughts for us4 ,we may1 it is true1 labor to convince the judgment of our hearers1 and make them understand truth more clearly than before1 but this is usually because of the influence thus exerted on their actions4 ,the objects that should govern our sermons are comparatively few1 and ought to be selected with great care4 ,much of our success depends on having the right one of these before us at the right time2 for if we aim at that which is unattainable1 we lose our effort4 ,if we preach sanctification to a congregation of unawakened sinners1 no power of treatment can redeem the sermon from the cardinal defect of inappropriateness4 ,if we preach against errors which no one of our hearers entertains1 our logic is lost1 even if the very errors we battle against are not suggested4 ,let us carefully note the state of our audience1 and select for our object that which ought to be accomplished4 ,there is a difference between the subject of a discourse and its object2 the latter is the motive that impels us to speak1 while the former is what we speak about4 ,it is not uncommon for ministers to have a subject without any very distinct object4 ,their engagements require them to speak1 and a subject is a necessity4 ,that which can be treated most easily is taken1 and all the ideas they possess1 or can collect about it1 are given forth1 and the matter left4 ,until such persons grow in earnest1 and really desire to accomplish something1 they cannot advance the cause of ,god4 ,the object of a sermon is the soul1 while the subject is only the body2 or1 we may say1 the one is the end1 and the other the means by which it is accomplished4 ,after the object is fixed the subject can be chosen to much better advantage2 for instance1 if it be our object to lead the penitent to the ,cross1 we may select any of the themes connected with the crucifixion and dying love of ,christ2 we may show the sinner his inability to fulfill the requirements of the law1 and that he needs an atoning sacrifice to save him from its penalty2 we may show that the salvation purchased is full and free4 ,many other branches of the same great topic will be found suitable for the purpose in view4 ,this order of selection may sometimes be reversed to good advantage4 ,when a minister is stationed with a certain congregation1 there are many objects he wishes to accomplish1 and often no strong reason for preferring one in the order of time to another4 ,it will then be well for him to take that subject which may impress him1 and bend his mind toward an object he can enforce most powerfully through it4 ,on other occasions there is a particular end to be attained1 which is for the time all-important1 and which thus furnishes the proper object4 ,nothing then remains but for the preacher to choose a subject through which he can work to the best advantage4 ,this is one great advantage the ,methodists have in protracted meetings4 ,an object is always in view1 and the congregation expect it to be pressed home with power4 ,no plea of general instruction will then save a sermon from being thought worthless1 if it does not produce an immediate result4 ,and even the much calumniated 8mourners' bench0 contributes most powerfully to the same result4 ,there is something proposed which the congregation can see1 and through it judge of the preacher's success or failure4 ,an outward act is urged upon the unbelieving portion of the audience1 by which they signify that they yield to the power of the ,gospel2 and the very fact of having that before him as an immediate1 though not an ultimate aim1 will stimulate the preacher's zeal1 and cause him to put forth every possible exertion4 ,after all1 the order in which subject and object are selected is not very material4 ,it is enough that the preacher has a subject that he understands1 and an object that warms his heart and enlists all his powers4 ,then he can preach1 not as if dealing with abstractions1 but as one who has a living mission to perform4 ,every subject we treat should be complete in itself1 and rounded off from everything else4 ,its boundaries should be run with such precision as not to include anything but what properly belongs to it4 ,it is a common but grievous fault to have the same cast of ideas flowing round every text that may be preached from4 ,there are few things in the universe that have not some relation to everything else1 and if our topics are not very strictly bounded1 we will fall into the vice of perpetual repetition4 ,thus1 in a book of sermon sketches we have examined1 nearly every one begins by proving that man is a fallen creature1 and needs the helps or is liable to the ills mentioned afterward4 ,no other thought is introduced until that primal point is settled4 ,this doctrine is of great importance1 and does affect all man's relations1 but we can sometimes take it for granted1 without endangering the edifice we build upon it1 and occasional silence will be far more impressive than that continual iteration1 which may even induce a doubt of what seems to need so much proof4 ,ministers sometime acquire such a stereotyped form of thought and expression that what they say in one sermon will be sure to recur1 perhaps in a modified form1 in all others4 ,this kind of preaching is intolerable4 ,there is an end to the patience of man4 ,he tires of the same old ideas1 and wishes when a text is taken that it may bring with it a new sermon4 ,the remedy against this evil is to give each sermon its own territory1 and then guard rigidly against trespass4 ,it is not a sufficient excuse for the minister who preaches continually in one place1 that what he says has a natural connection with the subject in hand1 but it must have a closer connection with it1 than with any other he may use4 ,by observing this rule1 we make each theme the solar centre around which may cluster a great number of secondary ideas1 all of which naturally belong to it1 and are undisturbed by satellites from other systems4 ,the subjects from which a preacher may choose are innumerable4 ,the ,bible is an inexhaustible storehouse4 ,its histories1 precepts1 prophecies1 promises and threatenings1 are almost endless4 ,then all the duties of human life1 and especially those born of the ,christian character2 the best methods of making our way to the end of our journey2 the hopes after which we follow2 the dangers that beset our path2 the mighty destinies of time and eternity1 are a few of the themes that suggest themselves1 and afford room enough for the loftiest talent1 during all the time that man is allowed to preach on earth4 ,if we would search carefully for the best subjects1 and1 when found1 isolate them from all others1 we would never need to weary the people by the repetition of thoughts and ideas4 ,while1 as a rule1 we ought to shun controversial points1 we should not be afraid to lay hold of the most important subjects that are revealed to man4 ,these will always command attention2 heaven and hell1 judgment1 redemption1 faith1 the fall1 and all those great doctrines upon which the ,christian religion rests1 need to be frequently impressed on the people4 ,it is also profitable to preach serial sermons on great subjects4 ,the rise of the ,jewish nation and economy would afford a fine field for instruction4 ,the life and work of ,jesus ,christ would be still better4 ,this latter series might consist of discourses on ,his birth1 baptism1 temptation1 first sermon1 ,his teaching in general1 some miracle as a type of all others1 transfiguration1 last coming to ,jerusalem1 ,gethsemane1 betrayal and arrest1 trial1 crucifixion1 resurrection1 ascension and second advent4 ,many other subdivisions might be made4 ,such linked sermons1 covering a wide scope1 instruct the people better than isolated ones could1 and afford equal opportunities for enforcing all ,christian lessons4 ,yet it would not be well to employ them exclusively1 or even generally1 as such a practice would tend to wearisome sameness4 ,the subject must be well defined4 ,it may be of a general nature1 but our conception of it should be so clear that we always know just what we are speaking about4 ,this is more necessary in an extempore speech than in a written one1 although the want of it will be felt severely even in the latter4 ,a strong1 vividly defined subject will give unity and life to a whole discourse1 and often leave a permanent impression on the mind4 ,to aid in securing this1 it will be well for the preacher1 when he has chosen a subject1 to reduce it to its simplest form1 and then by writing it as a phrase or sentence1 stamp it on the mind1 and let it ring in every word that is spoken2 that is1 let each word aid in carrying out the great idea1 or in leading to the desired object1 and be valued only so far as it does this4 ,those interminable discourses1 that seem to commence anywhere and end nowhere1 may be called sermons by courtesy1 but they are not such in reality4 ,the word 8sermon0 signifies 8a thrust10 which well expresses the concentrativeness and aggressiveness that should distinguish it1 and which nothing but a well-defined theme can give4 ,it ought not to glitter with detached beauties1 like the starry heavens1 but shine with the single1 all-pervading radiance of the sun4 ,this unity of theme and treatment is not easily preserved4 ,it is hard to see in the mind's eye what we know would please and delight those who listen1 and turn away and leave it1 but it is often necessary to exercise this more than ,spartan self-denial1 if we would not reduce our sermons to mere random harangues4 ,not that illustration should be discarded1 for the whole realm of nature may be pressed into this service1 and a good illustration in the right place is often better than an argument4 ,but nothing1 whatever its nature1 should be drawn in1 unless it so perfectly coalesces with the parent idea1 that a common vitality flows through them4 ,if this is the case1 the unity will be unbroken1 though even then it often happens that the idea would produce a better effect in connection with another theme1 and should be reserved for it4 ,usage has established the practice of employing a passage of ,scripture as the basis of a sermon4 ,this is of great advantage to the minister1 for it gives the discourse something of divine sanction1 and makes it more than a popular address4 ,opinion is divided as to whether it is best to select the text1 and arrange the discourse to correspond with it1 or reversing this order1 to compose the sermon first1 and thus secure the harmony that arises from having no disturbing idea1 and at the last moment choose a text of ,scripture that will fit it as nearly as possible4 ,no doubt the comparative advantages of these methods will be to a great degree determined by the occasions on which they are used4 ,when a subject is of great importance1 and we wish to be precise in explaining it1 we may adopt the latter method1 but the former is more generally useful4 ,there are so many valuable ideas and important suggestions in the words of ,scripture1 that we can ill afford to deprive ourselves of this help4 ,for the ,bible1 with all its ideas1 is common property4 ,no minister need fear the charge of plagiarism1 when he borrows1 either in word or thought from its inspired pages4 ,he is ,god's ambassador1 with the ,bible for his letter of instruction1 and the more freely he avails himself of it1 if it be done skillfully1 the better for the authority of his mission4 ,we may often select a subject that appears dark and confused1 but when we have found a passage of ,scripture embracing the same idea1 there may be something in it that will solve every doubt1 and indicate the very thoughts we wish to enforce4 ,for this reason we believe that under ordinary circumstances1 the practice of first constructing the sermon and only at the last moment before delivery1 tacking on a text1 is not the best4 ,another reason in favor of previously selecting the text is worth consideration4 ,the people1 who are not supposed to know anything of the subject1 expect1 when we read a passage of ,scripture1 as the foundation of our remarks1 that it will be something more than a mere point of departure4 ,they anticipate that it will be kept always in view1 and furnish the key-note to the whole sermon4 ,this is but reasonable1 and if disappointed1 they will not so well appreciate what is really good in the discourse4 ,we would not sacrifice unity to a mere rambling commentary on the words of the text4 ,let the subject be first in the mind and bend everything to itself4 ,but let the text be next in importance1 and the whole subject be unfolded with it always in view4 ,it may be feared that the work of sermonizing will be rendered more difficult by observing this double guidance1 but if a proper text be chosen--one that1 in its literal meaning1 will embrace the subject--the labor will be much lightened4 ,it is a common fault to take a passage of ,scripture consisting of a few words only1 and put our own meaning upon it1 without reference to the intention of the inspired writer who penned it4 ,this borders very closely on irreverence4 ,if we cannot use ,god's words in the sense he uses them1 we had better speak without a text at all1 and then our sin will only be a negative one4 ,the taking of a few words divorced from their connection1 and appending them to a discourse or essay1 that has no relation to their true meaning1 is not less a profanation than it would be to prefix the motto1 8,perfect love casteth out fear10 to a fashionable novel4 ,but when1 on the other hand1 we take a text that contains our subject1 and expresses it clearly1 we are prepared to compose a sermon to the best advantage4 ,the subject present in our own mind runs through every part of the discourse1 making it a living unity1 instead of a collection of loose and disordered fragments2 while the text1 being always kept in view by the hearers as well as by the speaker1 leads all minds in the same direction1 and gives divine sanction to every word that is spoken4 ,it is not without reason that the people1 whose tastes are nearly always right1 though they may not be able to give a philosophical explanation of them1 complain of their preacher when he does not 8stick to his text40 ,it is right that he should so adhere4 ,a man of genius may neglect this precaution1 and still succeed1 as he would do1 by mere intellectual force1 were he to adopt any other course4 ,but ordinary men cannot1 with safety1 follow the example of ,sydney ,smith4 ,his vestry complained that he did not talk about the text he took1 and1 that he might the more easily reform1 they advised him to divide his sermons as other preachers did4 ,he promised to comply with their request1 and the next ,sabbath began1 8,we will divide our discourse this morning into three parts2 in the first place we will go up to our text1 in the second we will go through it1 and in the third we will go ,,from it40 ,it was generally allowed that he succeeded best on the last division1 but preachers who have not his genius had better omit it4 ,these rules in relation to the absolute sway of object1 subject and text1 may appear harsh and rigid1 but cannot be neglected with impunity4 ,a true discourse of any kind is the orderly development of some one thought1 with so much clearness1 that it may ever afterward live as a point of light in the memory2 other ideas may cluster around it1 but one must reign supreme4 ,if it fails in this particular1 nothing else will redeem it4 ,brilliancy of thought and illustration will be wasted1 as a sculptor's art would be on a block of clay4 ,a man of profound genius once arose to preach before a great assemblage1 and every breath was hushed to listen4 ,he spoke with power1 and some of his passages were full of thrilling eloquence4 ,he poured forth beautiful images and deep solemn thoughts1 with the utmost profusion4 ,yet when he took his seat a sense of utter disappointment filled the hearts of all present4 ,the sermon was confused4 ,no subject could be traced that bound it together1 and made a point of union to which the memory might cling4 ,had he not read his text no one could have guessed it4 ,it was a most impressive warning of the necessity of laying a foundation before erecting a magnificent structure4 ,had he adhered to the thoughts expressed in his text1 which was one of the richest in the ,scriptures1 his eloquence and power would not have been thrown away4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,plan--,,thought-,,gathering--,,arrangi ng--,,committing4 ,the logical order of sermon preparation is1 first1 to gather the materials of which it is composed2 second1 to select what is most fitting1 and arrange the whole into perfect order2 third1 to fix this in the mind1 thus making it available at the moment of use4 ,these processes are not necessarily separated in practice1 but may be best considered in the order indicated4 ,when we choose a subject for a sermon1 and allow the mind to dwell upon it1 it becomes a centre of attraction1 and naturally draws all kindred ideas toward it4 ,old memories that have become dim in the lapse of time1 are slowly hunted out and grouped around the parent thought1 and each hour of study adds to the richness and variety of our stores4 ,the relations between different and apparently widely-separated things become visible1 just as new stars are seen when we gaze intently toward them4 ,everything that the mind possesses is subjected to a rigid scrutiny1 and all that appears to bear any relation to the subject is brought into view4 ,a considerable period of time is usually required for the completion of all this1 and the longer it is continued the better1 provided the interest felt is not abated4 ,such continuous reaches of thought form a principal element in the superiority of one mind over another4 ,even the mightiest genius cannot1 at a single impulse1 exhaust the ocean of truth that opens around every object of man's contemplation4 ,and it is only by viewing a subject in every aspect1 that we can guard against superficial and one-sided impressions4 ,but the continued exertion and toil which this implies are nearly always distasteful1 and the majority of men can accomplish it only by a stern resolve4 ,this ability1 whether acquired or natural1 is one of prime necessity1 and the young minister1 at the very first1 should learn to thoroughly investigate and finish every subject he undertakes1 and continue the habit during life4 ,this will generally determine the question of his success or failure1 at least from an intellectual point of view4 ,thought is a mighty architect1 and if you keep him fully employed1 he will build up1 with slow and measured strokes1 a gorgeous and enduring edifice on any subject within your mental range4 ,you may weary of his labor1 and think the wall rises very slowly1 and will never be completed1 but wait4 ,the work will be finished at last1 and will be no ephemeral structure to be swept away by the first storm1 but will stand unshaken on the basis of eternal truth4 ,m4 ,bautain compares the accumulation of thought around a subject1 to the almost imperceptible development of organic life4 ,striking as is the illustration1 there is one marked point of dissimilarity4 ,the growth of thought is voluntary1 and may be arrested at any stage4 ,even a cessation of conscious effort is fatal4 ,to prevent this1 and keep the mind employed until all its work is done1 requires1 with most persons1 a regular and formal system4 ,profound thinkers1 who take up a subject1 and cannot leave it until it is traced into all its relations1 and mastered in every part1 and who have at the same time the power of long remembering the trains of thought that pass through their minds1 may not need an artificial method4 ,but these are exceptions to the general rule4 ,we will give a method we have found useful for securing sermon materials1 and allow others to adopt it so far as it may prove advantageous to them4 ,ideas are not always kept equally in view4 ,sometimes we may see one with great clearness1 and after a little time lose it again1 while another1 at first invisible1 comes into sight4 ,each one should be secured when it occurs4 ,after the subject has been pondered for a sufficient length of time1 write all the thoughts that are suggested on it1 taking no care for the arrangement1 but only putting down a word or brief sentence that will recall the idea intended4 ,after everything that presents itself has thus been rendered permanent1 the paper containing these items may be put away1 and the subject recommitted to the mind4 ,as other ideas arise1 let them be recorded in the same way1 and the process extended over days together4 ,sometimes new images and conceptions will continue to float into the mental horizon even for weeks4 ,most persons who have not tried this simple process1 will be surprised to find how many thoughts they have on the commonest topic4 ,if some of this gathered matter remains vague and indefinite1 it will only be necessary to give it more time1 more earnest thought1 and all obscurity will vanish4 ,at last1 there comes a consciousness that the mind's power on that theme is exhausted4 ,if we also feel that we possess all the requisite material1 this part of our work is ended4 ,but more frequently there will be a sense of incompleteness1 and we are driven to seek what we need elsewhere4 ,the next step is the obtaining of new facts4 ,we have thus far dealt with what the mind itself possesses1 and have only sought to make that previously-accumulated knowledge fully available4 ,but when this stage is reached1 we hunger for more extended information4 ,we read the works of those who have treated on the themes we are discussing1 converse with well-informed persons1 observe the world closely1 and at last find the very idea we want4 ,we receive it with joy1 and from thenceforth it becomes a part of our being4 ,we place the treasure on paper with other items1 and continue to search until we have all we desire4 ,it often happens that we do not find exactly the object of our search1 but strike on some chain that guides us to it through the subtile principles of association4 ,it is only the more welcome because we have thus traced it out4 ,we have on paper1 at last1 and often after much toil1 a number of confused1 unarranged notes4 ,the whole mass relates to the subject1 but much is unfitting1 and all requires1 by another process1 to be cast into order and harmony4 ,the first step in this direction is to omit everything not necessary to the purpose of the sermon4 ,this is a matter of great importance4 ,it has been said that the principal difference between a wise man and a fool is1 that the one utters all his thoughts1 while the other gives only his best to the world4 ,nearly every man has1 at times1 thoughts that would profit mankind1 and if these are carefully selected from the puerilities by which they may be surrounded1 the result cannot but be valuable4 ,and if this cautious selection be needed on general topics1 it is still more imperative in the ministry of the ,word4 ,the preacher must beware of giving anything repugnant to the spirit of his mission4 ,and the necessity of a purpose running through his whole discourse1 which we have before enlarged on1 compels him to strike out each item at variance with it4 ,it is well to carefully read over our scattered notes after the fervor of composition has subsided1 and erase all that are unfitting4 ,sometimes this will leave very few ideas remaining1 and we are obliged to search for others to complete the sermon4 ,this can be continued until we have gathered a sufficient mass of clearly connected thoughts to accomplish the object in view4 ,next follows the task of constructing the plan for the intended sermon4 ,unless this is well done1 success is impossible4 ,the mightiest results are obtained in oratory by the slow process of words1 one following another4 ,each one should bear forward the current of thought in the right direction1 and be a help to all that follow4 ,and as1 in extempore speech1 these words are given forth on the spur of the moment1 it becomes necessary to so arrange that the proper thought to be dissolved into words1 may always be presented to the mind at the right time4 ,in some cases this disposition of parts is quite easy4 ,a course indicated by the very nature of the subject will spring into view1 and relieve us of further embarrassment4 ,but often this portion of our task will require severe thought4 ,many different kinds of plans have been specified by writers on ,homiletics4 ,we will be contented with four divisions1 based on the mode of construction4 ,the first1 we may call the narrative method4 ,it is principally used when some scripture history forms the basis of the sermon4 ,in it the different parts of the plan are arranged according to the order of time1 except when some particular reason1 borrowed from the other methods1 intervenes4 ,when there are few or none of these portions which give it a composite character1 the development proceeds with all the simplicity of a story4 ,many beautiful sermons have been thus constructed4 ,a second method is the textual4 ,each part of the sermon rests on some of the words or clauses of the text1 and these suggest the order of its unfolding1 although they may be changed to make it correspond more nearly to the narrative1 or the logical methods4 ,this kind of plan has an obvious advantage in assisting the memory by suggesting each part at the proper time4 ,the logical method is the third we will describe4 ,a topic is taken1 and without reference to the order of time or the words of the text1 is unfolded as a proposition in ,geometry--each thought being preliminary to that which follows1 and the whole ending in the demonstration of some great truth1 and the deduction of its legitimate corollaries4 ,this method is exceedingly valuable in many cases1 if not pressed too far4 ,the last method1 and the one employed more frequently than all the others1 is the divisional4 ,it is the military arrangement1 for in it the whole sermon is organized like an army4 ,all the detached items are brought into related groups1 each governed by a principal thought1 and these again are held in strict subordination to the supreme idea2 or1 to change the figure1 the entire mass resembles a tree1 with its single trunk1 its branches subdivided into smaller ones1 and all covered with a beautiful robe of leaves1 that rounds its form into graceful outlines1 even as the flow of words harmonizes our prepared thoughts1 into the unity of a living discourse4 ,a subject will many times arrange itself almost spontaneously into several different parts1 which thus form the proper divisions1 and these again may be easily analyzed into their subdivisions4 ,even when this is not the case1 we will see1 as we examine our jottings1 that a few of the ideas stand out in especial prominence1 and with a little close study of relations and affinities1 all the others may be made to group themselves around these4 ,the individual ideas which we put down on the first study of the subject1 usually form the subdivisions1 and some generalization of them the divisions4 ,it is well not to make the branches of a subject too numerous1 or they will introduce confusion1 and fail to be remembered4 ,from two to four divisions1 with two or three subdivisions under each1 are in a majority of cases better than a larger number4 ,the tendency to multiply them almost infinitely1 which was formerly very prevalent1 and is still too common1 receives a merciless1 but well-deserved rebuke from ,stephens1 in his 8,preaching ,required by the ,times40 ,he is criticising a popular 8,preacher's ,manual03 8,these more than six hundred pages are devoted exclusively to the technicalities of sermonizing4 ,we almost perspire as we trace down the tables of contents4 ,our eye is arrested by the #8divisions' of a subject--and here we have no less than #8nine kinds of divisions3' the #8,exegetical ,division1' the #8,accommodational ,division1' the #8,regular ,division1' the #8,interrogative ,division1' the #8,observational ,division1' the #8,propositional ,division1' etc42 and then come the #8,rise from ,species to ,genus1' the #8,descent from ,genus to ,species4' ,and then again we have exordiums3 #8,narrative ,exordiums1' #8,expository ,exordiums1' #8,argumentative ,exordiums1' #8,observational ,exordiums1' #8,applicatory ,exordiums1' #8,topical ,exordiums1' and1 alas for us6 even #8,extra-,topical ,exordiums4' ,one's thoughts turn away from a scene like this spontaneously to the ,litany1 and query if there should not be a new prayer there4 8,but this is not all4 ,here are about thirty stubborn pages to tell you how to make a comment on your text1 and we have the #8,eulogistic ,comment' and the #8,dislogistic ,comment1' 7turn to your dictionary1 reader2 we cannot stop in the race to define71 #8,argumentative ,comment' and the #8,contemplative ,comment1' the #8,hyperbolical ,comment1' the #8,interrogative ,comment1' and the list tapers off at last with what it ought to have begun and ended with1 the #8,expository ,comment4' 8,and even this is not all4 ,here is a section on the #8,different kinds of ,address1' and behold the astute analysis3 #8,the ,appellatory1 the ,entreating1 the ,expostulatory1 the ,remedial1 the ,directive1 the ,encouraging1 the ,consoling1 the ,elevating1 the ,alarming1 the ,tender1 the ,indignant1 the ,abrupt4' 8,this is the way that the art #8,homiletic' would teach us when and how to be #8,tender1' #8,indignant1' #8,consoling1' and even #8,abrupt6' #8,nonsense6' 8,yes1 #8nonsense6' says any man of good sense in looking at this folly3 a folly which would be less lamentable if it could only be kept to the homiletic professor's chair1 but which has still an almost characteristic effect on pulpit eloquence--not only on the form of the sermon1 but as a natural consequence on its very animus4 ,this tireless author gives all these outlines as practical prescriptions4 ,he even presents them in a precise formula4 ,we must yield to the temptation to quote it4 #8,there are1' he says1 #8certain technical signs employed to distinguish the several parts of a discourse4 ,the first class consists of the principal divisions1 marked in ,roman letters1 thus3 ,i41 ,,ii41 ,,iii41 ,,iv41 etc4 ,next1 the subdivisions of the first class1 in figures1 #a1 #b1 #c1 etc4 ,under these1 subdivisions of the second class1 marked with a curve on the right1 as #a71 #b71 #c71 etc4 ,then1 subdivisions of the third class1 marked with two curves1 as 7#a71 7#b71 7#c71 etc42 and under these1 subdivisions of the fourth class1 in crotchets1 thus3 #a1 #b1 #c4 ,as-- 8,i4 ,principal division4 #a4 ,subdivision of first class4 #a74 ,subdivision of second class4 7#a74 ,subdivision of third class4 #a4 ,subdivision of fourth class4 8,mathematical this1 certainly2 some of ,euclid's problems are plainer4 ,as a #8demonstration' is obviously necessary1 the author proceeds to give the outline of a sermon on #8,the ,diversity of ,ministerial ,gifts1' from the text #8,now there are ,diversities of ,gifts1' etc4 ,he has but two #8,general ,divisions1' but makes up for their paucity by a generous allowance of #8,subdivisions4' ,his #8,general ,divisions' are1 ,i4 ,exemplify the ,truth of the ,text4 ,,ii4 ,derive some ,lessons of ,instruction1 etc41--an arrangement simple and suitable enough for any popular audience1 if he were content with it1 but under the first head he has two #8subdivisions1' the first of which is reduced to thirteen sub-subdivisions1 and one of these thirteen again to seven sub-sub-subdivisions6 ,the second of his subdivisions again divided into eight sub-subdivisions1 while the #8homily' 7alas for the name67 is completed by a merciless slashing of the second #8general division' into no less than eight subdivisions4 ,the honest author1 when he takes breath at the end1 seems to have some compunctious misgivings about this infinitesimal mincing of a noble theme1 and reminds the amazed student that though the plan should be followed #8in the composition of a sermon1' the #8minor divisions' can be concealed from view in preaching2 and he concludes the medley of nonsense with one sensible and very timely admonition3 #8,if a discourse contain a considerable number of divisions and subdivisions1' care should be taken to fill up the respective parts with suitable matter1 or it will be1 indeed1 a mere skeleton--bones strung together--#8very many and very dry6'0 ,when we have accumulated our materials1 stricken out all not needed1 and determined what shall be the character of our plan1 the remainder of the work must be left to individual taste and judgment4 ,no rules can be given that will meet every case4 ,we might direct to put first what is most easily comprehended1 what is necessary for understanding other portions1 and also what is least likely to be disputed4 ,but beyond these obvious directions little aid can be given4 ,the preacher must form his own ideal1 and work up to it4 ,he may profitably examine sermon skeletons1 to learn what such forms should be4 ,and when he hears good discourses he may look beneath the burning words1 and see what are the merits of the frame-work on which they rest4 ,this may render him dissatisfied with his own achievements1 but such dissatisfaction is the best pledge of earnest effort for higher results4 ,a certain means of improvement is to bestow a great deal of time and thought on the formation of plans1 and make no disposition of any part without a satisfactory reason4 ,if this course is faithfully continued1 the power to arrange properly will be acquired1 and firm1 coherent1 and logical sermons be constructed4 ,there are certain characteristics that each sermon skeleton should possess4 ,it must indicate the nature of the discourse1 and mark out each of its steps with accuracy4 ,any want of definiteness is a fatal defect4 ,the orator must feel that he can rely absolutely on it for guidance to the end of his discourse1 or be in perpetual danger of embarrassment and confusion4 ,each clause should express a distinct idea1 and but one4 ,if it contain anything that is included under another head1 we fall into wearisome repetition1 the great danger of extempore preachers4 ,but if discordant and disconnected thoughts are grouped together1 we are liable to forget some of them1 and in returning1 destroy the order of the sermon4 ,a brief plan is better than a long one4 ,often a single word will recall an idea as perfectly as many sentences would do1 and will burden the memory less4 ,we do not expect the draft of a house to equal the building in size1 but only to indicate the position and proportion of its apartments4 ,the plan cannot supply the thought1 but1 indicating what exists in the mind1 it shows how to bring it forth in regular order4 ,it is a pathway leading to a definite end1 and like all roads1 its crowning merits are directness and smoothness4 ,without these1 it will perplex and hinder rather than aid4 ,every word in the plan should express1 or assist in expressing an idea1 and be so firmly bound to it that the two cannot be separated by any exigency of speech4 ,it is perplexing in the heat of discourse to have a prepared note lose the idea attached to it1 and become merely an empty word4 ,but if the conception is clear1 and the most fitting term has been chosen to embody it1 this cannot easily happen4 ,a familiar idea may be noted very briefly1 while one that is new requires to be more fully expressed4 ,most sermon skeletons may be brought within the compass of a hundred words1 and every part be clear to the mind that conceived it1 though1 perhaps not comprehensible by any other4 ,it is not always best to present the divisions and subdivisions in preaching4 ,the congregation do not care how a sermon has been constructed1 provided it comes to them warm and pulsating with life4 ,to give the plan of a sermon before the sermon itself1 is contrary to the analogy of nature4 ,she does not require us to look upon a grisly skeleton before we can see a living body4 ,it is no less objectionable to name the parts and numbers of the sketch during the discourse1 for bones that project through the skin are very uncomely4 ,the people will not suffer1 if we keep all the divisions to ourselves1 for they are only professional devices to render our share of the work easier4 ,much of the proverbial 8dryness0 of sermons arises from displaying all the processes we employ4 ,a hotel that would have its beef killed and dressed before its guests at dinner1 would not be likely to retain its patronage4 ,whenever we hear a minister state his plan in full1 and take up 8firstly0 and announce the subdivisions under it1 we prepare our patience for a severe test4 ,what the people need1 are deep1 strong appeals to their hearts1 through which shines the lightning of great truths1 and the sword of ,god's spirit smites--not dry1 dull divisions through which 8it is easy to follow the preacher0--a compliment often given1 but always equivocal4 ,a tree is far more beautiful when covered with waving foliage1 even if some of the branches are hidden4 ,let the stream of eloquence sweep on in an unbroken flow1 bearing with it all hearts1 but giving no indication of the manner in which it is guided2 or1 better still1 let it move with the impetus of the cannon ball1 overthrowing everything in its path1 but not proclaiming in advance the mark toward which it is flying6 ,we should go as far in the plan as we intend to do in the sermon1 and know just where to stop4 ,then we arise with confidence1 for we are sure that we have something to say2 we know what it is2 and most important of all1 we will know when it is finished4 ,most objections against extempore preaching apply only to discourses that have no governing plan4 ,when this is firm and clear1 there is no more danger of saying what we do not intend1 or of running into endless digressions1 than if we wrote every word4 ,indeed there is no better way to compose a written sermon1 than by first arranging a plan4 ,but it may be urged that this laborious preparation--this careful placing of every thought--will require as much time as to write in full4 ,it may at first4 ,the mind needs to be trained in the work1 and it will be of great advantage even as a mental discipline4 ,but it grows easier with practice1 until the preparation of two sermons a week will not be felt as a burden--will only afford grateful topics of thought while busied at other labor4 ,the direct toil of a mature preacher may not exceed an hour per week4 ,the sermon is now clearly indicated4 ,a plan has been prepared that fixes each thought to be expressed in its proper place4 ,there is no further danger of the looseness and desultoriness that are not unfrequently supposed to be peculiar to extemporaneous speech4 ,it is possible1 in the moment of utterance1 to leave the beaten track1 and give expression to any new ideas that may be suggested4 ,but there is a sure foundation laid--a course marked out that has been deeply premeditated1 and which gives certainty to all we say4 ,but it is not enough to have the plan on paper4 ,as it came from the mind at first in detached items1 it must1 in its completed state1 be restored to it again4 ,some ministers are not willing to take the trouble of committing their skeletons to memory1 but lay the paper before them1 and speak on one point until that is exhausted1 and then look up the next1 which is treated in the same manner4 ,this tends powerfully to impair the unity of the discourse1 which should he unbroken1 and to make each note the theme of a short1 independent dissertation1 rather than an integral part of the whole4 ,the minister reaches a point where he does not know what is to come next1 and on the brink of that gulf looks down at his notes1 and after a search1 perhaps finds what he wants4 ,had this latter thought existed in his mind1 it would have been taken notice of in time1 and the close of the preceding one bent into harmony with it4 ,the direct address of the preacher to the people1 which they value so much1 is interfered with in the same way1 for his eye must rest1 part of the time1 on his notes4 ,the divisions also of the sermon are apt to be mentioned1 for it is hard for the tongue to refrain from pronouncing the words that the eye is glancing over4 ,for all these reasons we believe that notes should seldom1 if ever1 be used in the pulpit4 ,they remedy none of the acknowledged defects of extempore speaking1 but add to them the coldness and formality of reading4 ,those who cannot trust the mind alone had better go further1 and read their sermons with what earnestness they can command1 and thus secure the elegant finish supposed to be attainable only in written compositions4 ,but not all who use notes thus abuse them4 ,many employ them merely to prevent possible forgetfulness1 and perhaps do not look at them once during the sermon4 ,yet it is still better to carry them in the pocket1 and thus avoid the appearance of servile dependence1 while they would still guard against such a misfortune as befel the ,abbe ,bautain1 who1 on ascending the pulpit to preach before the ,french king and court1 found that he had forgotten the subject1 plan and text6 ,by committing the plan to memory the mind takes possession of the whole subject4 ,it is brought into one view1 and if any part is inconsistent with the main discussion1 the defect will be seen at once4 ,if the plan is properly constructed1 the mind is then in the best possible condition for speech4 ,the object is fixed in the heart1 and will fire it to earnestness and zeal1 and the subject is spread out before the mind's eye1 while the two meet and mingle in such a way as to give life and vitality to every part4 ,this is just what is needed in true preaching4 ,the speaker's soul1 heated by the contemplation of his object1 penetrates every part of his theme1 investing it with an interest that compels attention4 ,all the power he possesses is brought to bear directly on the people4 ,we can scarcely imagine a great reformer--one who has shaken the nations--to have adopted any other method of address4 ,think of ,xavier or ,luther with their notes spread out before them1 while addressing the multitudes who hung on their lips6 ,the ,presbyterian elder who once prayed in the presence of his note-using pastor3 8,o ,lord6 teach thy servants to speak from the heart to the heart1 and not from a little piece of paper1 as the manner of some is60 was not far wrong4 ,it is well to commit the plan to memory a considerable time before entering the pulpit4 ,there is then less liability of forgetting some portion of it1 and it takes more complete possession of the mind4 ,this is less important when we preach on subjects with which we are perfectly familiar1 for then 8out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh40 ,but we are not always so favored4 ,even if the salient features are well known1 some of the minor parts may require close consideration4 ,this cannot be so well bestowed until after the plan is completely prepared1 for before that time there is danger that much of our attention may be given to some idea which may be ultimately rejected1 or changed with the plan4 ,but when the plan is finished1 each idea has settled into its place4 ,if obscurity still rests anywhere1 it will be seen at once1 and the strength of the mind brought to bear on that particular point4 ,the impressions then made are easily retained1 because associated with a part of the prepared outline4 ,such deep meditation on each division of the sermon can scarcely fail to make it original in the truest sense of the term1 and weave it together with strong and massive thought4 ,after the plan is committed to memory1 we can meditate on its different portions1 not only at the desk1 but everywhere4 ,as we walk from place to place1 or lie on our beds1 or at any time find our minds free from other engagements1 we can ponder the ideas that cluster around our subject until they grow perfectly familiar4 ,even when we are reading1 brilliant thoughts may spring up1 or those we possessed before take stronger and more definite shape4 ,this course we would strongly urge on the young speaker4 ,if diligently followed1 it will be invaluable4 ,arrange the plan from which to speak as clearly as may be1 and memorize it2 turn it over and over again2 ponder each idea and the manner of bringing it out2 study the connection between all the parts1 until the whole1 from beginning to end1 appears perfectly plain and simple4 ,this method of preparation has been so fully tested by experience1 that its effectiveness is no longer questionable4 ,it is important to grasp the whole subject1 as nearly as possible1 in a single idea--in the same way that the future tree is compressed in the germ from which it springs4 ,then this one thought will suggest the entire discourse to the speaker1 and at its conclusion will be left clear and positive on the hearer's mind4 ,it is true that some acute auditors may outrun a loose speaker1 arrange his scattered fragments1 supply his omissions1 and arrive at the idea which has not yet formed itself in his own mind4 ,such persons often commend preachers who are incomprehensible to the majority of their audience4 ,but it is not safe to trust their applause for they are exceedingly apt to be in the minority4 ,after the plan is memorized1 it is often of advantage to sketch the discourse in full2 if this is done in long hand1 there is danger that its slowness will make it more of a word-study than what it is intended to be--a test of ideas4 ,here short hand is valuable2 and its use in this manner will at once detect anything that may be wrong in the plan1 for if all is well arranged there need be no pause in the most rapid composition4 ,if we are able at one effort to throw the whole into a dress of words1 we can be confident that with the additional stimulus supplied by the presence of a congregation1 it will be easy to do the same again4 ,there should be no attempt1 at the time of speaking1 to recall the terms used in writing1 but our command of language is usually improved by having so lately used many of the terms we will need again4 ,frequently there are fine passages in the sermons thus struck off at white heat which we would not willingly forget1 yet it is better to make no effort to remember them1 for we are almost certain to rise even higher in the excitement of speech4 ,those who cannot write at a speed approaching that of the tongue1 and who wish a little more assistance than is furnished by the plan1 can make a brief sketch of it--a compact and intelligible model of the whole subject4 ,a discourse that requires an hour in delivery may be compressed into a wonderfully small compass1 without a material thought being omitted or obscurely indicated4 ,such a sketch differs from the plan in clearly expressing all the ideas that underlie the discourse1 while the latter would be unintelligible to any but the writer4 ,the one is only a few marks thrown out into the field of thought1 by which an intended pathway is indicated2 the other is an exceedingly brief view of the thoughts themselves1 without adornment or verbiage4 ,some speakers who might feel insecure in trusting the notes and hints of the plan1 would feel free to enlarge on a statement of their thoughts1 so brief as to require only two or three minutes for reading4 ,but this is only an expedient1 and need not be adopted by those who have confidence in their trained and cultivated powers4 ,the method of committing to memory a skeleton for the purpose of securing our accumulations1 is widely different from the systems of ,mnemonics that were once so current4 ,ideas are linked together by natural1 not artificial associations4 ,it is the grasping of one thought that points to another1 or dissolves1 as we gaze upon it1 into minuter ones1 and is1 in most instances1 based upon that rigid analysis which cannot be dispensed with even by those who would think exactly4 ,all who write their sermons would do well to adopt it4 ,strict analysis and broad generalization are the foundation of all science1 and if the preacher builds upon them the world of spiritual truth will yield him its treasures4 ,after a plan has been fully prepared it may easily be preserved for future use1 by being copied into a book kept for the purpose1 or1 what is more convenient in practice1 folded into an envelope1 with the subject written on the back4 ,by the latter means a large number may be preserved in such form as to be readily consulted4 ,these can be improved as our knowledge increases1 so as to be1 at any time1 the complete expression of our ability on the theme treated of4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,preliminaries--,,fear--,,vigor--,,open ing ,,exercises4 ,it is an anxious moment when1 after having completed his preparation1 the preacher awaits the time for beginning his intellectual battle4 ,men who are physically brave often tremble in this emergency4 ,the shame of failure appears worse than death itself1 and as the soldier feels more of cold and shrinking terror while listening for the peal of the first gun1 than when the conflict deepens into blood around him1 so the speaker suffers more in this moment of expectancy than in any that comes after4 ,he sees the danger in its full magnitude without the inspiration that attends it4 ,yet he must remain calm and collected1 for unless he is master of himself1 he cannot expect to rule the multitude before him4 ,he must keep his material well in hand1 that it may be used at the proper time1 although it is not best to be continually conning over what he has to say4 ,the latter would destroy the freshness of his matter1 and bring him to the decisive test weary and jaded4 ,he only needs to be assured that his thoughts are within reach4 ,it is very seldom possible to banish all fear1 and it is to the speaker's advantage that he cannot4 ,his timidity arises from several causes1 which differ widely in the effects they produce4 ,a conscious want of preparation is one of the most distressing of these4 ,when this proceeds from willful neglect no pity need be felt1 although the penalty should be severe4 ,if the speaker's object is only to win reputation--to pander to his own vanity--he will feel more terrified than if his motive were worthy4 ,such is often the position of the uncalled minister4 ,he can have no help from on high1 and all his prayers for divine assistance are a mere mockery4 ,but if we speak because we dare not refrain1 a mighty point is gained1 for then failure is no reproach4 ,and the less of earthly pride or ambition mingles with our motives1 the more completely can we rely on the help of the ,spirit4 ,another cause of fear is less unworthy4 ,the glorious work in which we are engaged may suffer from our insufficiency2 for1 while ,god will bless the truth when given in its own beauty and power1 there is still scope enough for all the vigor of intellect1 and the strongest preacher feels the responsibility of rightly using his powers resting heavily upon him4 ,a general dread1 that cannot be analyzed or accounted for1 is perhaps more keenly felt than any other4 ,persons who have never spoken sometimes make light of it1 but no one will ever do so who has experienced it4 ,the soldier1 who has never witnessed a battle1 or felt the air throb with the explosion of cannon1 or heard the awful cries of the wounded1 is often a great braggart1 while 8the scarred veteran of a hundred fights0 never speaks of the carnival of blood without shuddering1 and would be the last1 but for the call of duty1 to brave the danger he knows so well4 ,a few speakers never feel such fear1 but it is because they do not know what true speaking is4 ,they have never felt the full tide of inspiration that sometimes lifts the orator far above his ordinary conceptions4 ,they only come forward to relieve themselves of the interminable stream of twaddle that wells spontaneously to their lips1 and can well be spared the pangs that precede the birth of a profound and living discourse4 ,this kind of fear belongs to oratory of any character1 but especially to that which deals with sacred themes4 ,it resembles the awe felt on the eve of all great enterprises1 and when excessive1 as it is in some highly gifted and sensitive minds1 it constitutes an absolute bar to public speech4 ,but in most cases it is a source of inspiration rather than of repression4 ,there is a strange sensation often experienced in the presence of an audience before speaking4 ,it may proceed from the united electric influence of the many eyes that are turned upon the speaker1 especially if he catches their gaze4 ,it may enchain him and leave him powerless1 unless he rises superior to it1 and1 throwing it backward to its source1 makes it the medium of his most subtile conquests4 ,most speakers have felt this in a nameless thrill1 a real something1 pervading the atmosphere1 tangible1 evanescent1 indescribable4 ,all writers have borne testimony to the effect of a speaker's glance in impressing an audience4 ,why should not their eyes have a reciprocal power8 ,by dwelling on the object for which we speak1 and endeavoring to realize its full importance1 we will in a measure lose sight of the danger to be incurred1 and our minds be more likely to remain in a calm and tranquil state4 ,but no resource is equal to the sovereign one of prayer4 ,the ,lord will remember his servants when they are laboring in his cause1 and grant a divine influence to prepare them for the work4 ,no change in the plan should be made just before speaking1 for it will almost inevitably produce confusion4 ,yet this error is very difficult to avoid4 ,the mind has a natural tendency to be going over the same ground1 revising and testing every point1 and is liable to make changes1 the consequences of which cannot at once be foreseen4 ,after all necessary preparation has been made1 we should wait the result quietly and hopefully4 ,over-study is possible1 and when accompanied by great solicitude1 is a sure means of driving away all interest from the subject4 ,if the eye be fixed too long upon one object1 with a steadfast gaze1 it will be unable to see at all4 ,so the mind1 if confined to one point for a great period1 will lose its vivacity1 and grow weary4 ,nothing can compensate for the want of elasticity and vigor in the act of delivery4 ,it is not enough to enumerate a dry list of particulars1 but we must enter into their spirit with the deepest interest4 ,this cannot be counterfeited4 ,to clearly arrange1 and weigh every thought that belongs to the subject1 lay it aside until the time for speech1 and then enter upon it with only such a momentary glance as will assure us that all is right1 is doubtless the method to make our strength fully available4 ,to await the decisive moment with calm self-confidence1 is very difficult1 especially for beginners1 but the ability to do it may be acquired by judicious practice and firm resolution4 ,m4 ,bautain1 whose experience was very extensive1 says that he has sometimes felt so confident of his preparation1 as to fall asleep while waiting to be summoned to the pulpit6 ,but those who misimprove the last moments by too much thought1 form the smallest class4 ,many1 through mere indolence1 permit the finer lines of the future discourse1 that have been traced with so much care1 to fade out4 ,this not unfrequently happens to those who preach a second or third time on the same subject4 ,because they have succeeded once1 they imagine that the same success is always at command4 ,this is a hurtful1 though natural error4 ,it is not enough to have the material for a sermon where it may be collected by a conscious and prolonged effort1 but it must be in the foreground4 ,there is no time1 in the moment of delivery1 for reviving half obliterated lines of memory4 ,we once witnessed an instance of most unexpected failure from this cause4 ,the speaker was much engrossed with other duties until the appointed hour1 and then1 having no leisure for preparation1 he selected a sermon he had preached shortly before1 and with the general course of which he was no doubt familiar4 ,yet when he endeavored to produce his thoughts they were not ready4 ,he became embarrassed1 and was finally compelled to take his seat in the midst of his intended discourse4 ,it is well1 during the last interval1 to care for the strength of the body1 for its condition will influence all the manifestations of mind4 ,it is said that the pearl-diver1 before venturing into the depths of the sea1 always spends a few moments in deep breathing1 and other bodily preparation4 ,in the excitement of speech1 the whirl and hurricane of emotion1 it is necessary that our physical condition should be such as to bear all the tension put upon it4 ,mental excitement wears down the body faster than muscular labor4 ,to meet all its demands we must reserve our strength for the time it is needed2 for any illness will operate as a direct reduction of the orator's power1 and he must not hope1 under its influence1 to realize full success4 ,holyoake makes the following pertinent observations in reference to this point3 8,perhaps the lowest quality of the art of oratory1 but one on many occasions of the first importance1 is a certain robust and radiant physical health2 great volumes of animal heat4 ,in the cold thinness of a morning audience1 mere energy and mellowness is inestimable2 wisdom and learning would be harsh and unwelcome compared with a substantial man1 who is quite a house-warming40 ,the picture painted in romances of a speaker with attenuated form1 and trembling step1 scarcely able to sustain his own weight as he ascends the platform1 but who1 the moment he opens his lips1 becomes transfigured in the blaze of eloquence1 is more poetical than natural4 ,let the instrument be in perfect tune1 and then can the hand of genius evoke from it sweet and thrilling music4 ,as the time for speaking approaches every fatiguing exertion should be avoided4 ,in the 8,rudiments of ,public ,speaking10 ,holyoake gives a passage from his own experience which well illustrates this3 8,one ,saturday ,i walked from ,sheffield to ,huddersfield to deliver on the ,sunday two anniversary lectures4 ,it was my first appearance there1 and ,i was ambitious to acquit myself well4 ,but in the morning ,i was utterly unable to do more than talk half inaudibly and quite incoherently4 ,in the evening ,i was tolerable1 but my voice was weak4 ,my annoyance was excessive4 ,i was a paradox to myself4 ,my power seemed to come and go by some eccentric law of its own4 ,i did not find out till years after that the utter exhaustion of my strength had exhausted the powers of speech and thought1 and that entire repose instead of entire fatigue should have been the preparation for public speaking40 ,absolute rest is not generally advisable1 for then the preacher would enter the pulpit with languid mind and slowly beating pulse1 and would require some time to overcome this state4 ,a brisk walk1 when the health is good1 will invigorate and refresh all his faculties1 and in part prevent the feebleness and faintness of a listless introduction1 by enabling him to grasp the whole subject at once1 and launch right into the heart of it4 ,should any one doubt the power of exercise to produce this effect1 let him1 when perplexed with difficult questions in his study1 start out over fields and hills1 and review the matter in the open air4 ,if the minister cannot secure this kind of exercise he may easily find a substitute4 ,if alone1 he can pace back and forth1 and swing his arms1 until the circulation becomes brisk1 and pours a stream of arterial blood to the brain that will supply all its demands4 ,another simple exercise will often prove of great advantage4 ,it is well known that many ministers injure themselves by speaking too much from the throat4 ,this results from improper breathing--from elevating the upper part of the chest instead of pressing the abdomen downward and outward1 causing the air to pass through the whole length of the lungs4 ,to breathe properly is always important1 and does much to prevent chest and throat diseases4 ,but it is worthy of the most careful attention on the part of the speaker1 for by it alone can he attain full compass and range of voice4 ,but in animated extempore speech there is no time to think of the voice at all1 and the only method possible is to make the right way so habitual that it will be adopted instinctively4 ,this will be greatly promoted if1 just before beginning to speak1 we will breathe deeply a number of times1 inflating the lungs completely to their extremities4 ,at this last hour1 the speaker must not dwell upon the dangers he is about to encounter1 or picture the desirability of escape from them4 ,he has taken every precaution and made every preparation4 ,nothing remains for him but to put his trust in ,god1 and bravely do his duty4 ,the order of opening services is different in the different churches1 but in all they are of great advantage to the minister by overcoming excessive timidity1 and giving an easy introduction to the audience4 ,the hymn1 or psalm1 is to be read1 which is not a very embarrassing task1 and in doing it he becomes familiar with the sound of his own voice4 ,yet it requires many rare qualities to read well4 ,good sense and modesty are essential4 ,the theatric method1 sometimes admired1 exaggerating every tone1 and performing strange acrobatic feats of sound1 tends to dispel the solemn awe and reverence that should gather around the sanctuary4 ,let the hymn be read quietly1 with room for rise as well as fall1 and all be perfectly natural and unaffected4 ,the sentiment expressed by the voice should correspond with the meaning of the words4 ,even in this preliminary exercise1 it is possible to strike a chord that will vibrate in unison through the hearts of preacher and people4 ,prayer is still more important4 ,when it is read1 the same remarks apply as to the reading of the hymns4 ,each word should be made the echo of an inward feeling4 ,but in most ,american churches prayer is extempore4 ,the minister addresses heaven in his own words1 on behalf of himself and congregation4 ,the golden rule here is to pray really to ,god4 ,that minister had no reason to feel flattered1 whose prayer was commended as the most eloquent ever offered to a ,boston congregation6 ,the mass of humanity before us should only be thought of1 in order to express their wants1 and to intercede for them at a throne of grace4 ,the simpler our language the better it is fitted for this purpose4 ,gaudy rhetoric1 and even the charm of melodious words1 if in the slightest degree sought for1 is out of place4 ,the only praise that should be desired from a congregation1 in regard to their pastor's prayers1 is the acknowledgment that their holy yearnings and aspirations1 as well as their needs1 have been clearly expressed4 ,all beyond this is disgusting4 ,neither should fervid utterance be strained after4 ,if deep emotions arise1 and express themselves in the voice1 it is well4 ,but without these1 mere loudness of tone will be empty noise2 the prayer will be the hardest part of the service2 and complex metaphors and profuse poetical quotations will afford very inadequate relief4 ,but if the heart be full it is easy to pray1 and this renders all the remainder of the service easier4 ,a bond of true spiritual sympathy unites the preacher with all the good in his congregation1 and as he rises to speak1 their prayers are given for his success4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,divisions--,,introduction--,,discussio n--,,conclusion4 ,the sermon is the culmination of ministerial labor4 ,other duties are important1 but preaching is highest of all4 ,example1 conversation1 private influence1 only prepare the way for the great ,sabbath work4 ,in it the minister can speak to the assembled multitude with the freedom and boldness of truth4 ,the believer receives deeper insight into ,god's ways1 and directions for his own walk4 ,the careless listen while he denounces impending wrath and shows the only means of escape4 ,he wields tremendous power1 and if sincere and unselfish1 he cannot fail to win stars for his heavenly crown4 ,we will consider the sermon under the three parts of introduction1 discussion and conclusion4 ,it is often divided more minutely1 but these will be sufficient for our purpose4 ,nothing is harder to frame than a good introduction4 ,it is indispensable1 for1 however we may approach our subject there is a first moment when silence is broken and our thoughts introduced4 ,the rustle of closing hymn books and the subsiding murmur of the audience1 tell the speaker that the time has come4 ,if he be sensitive1 or has never spoken before1 his pulse beats fast1 his face flushes1 an indescribable feeling of faintness and fear thrills every nerve4 ,he advances to the pulpit1 and reads from the ,bible the words that are to be the warrant for his utterances1 and breathing a silent prayer for help1 opens his lips1 and hears the tremulous echo of his own voice4 ,there is a vast difference between reciting and extemporizing at first1 and the advantage is all on the side of recitation4 ,every word is in its proper place1 and the speaker is perfectly calm and self-confident4 ,he is sure that his memory will not fail in the opening1 and will usually throw his whole power into it1 causing his voice to ring clear and loud over the house4 ,but it is different with the extempore speaker4 ,he is sure of nothing1 and the weight of the whole speech is heavy on his mind4 ,he is glancing ahead1 striving to forecast the coming sentences1 as well as caring for those gliding over the tongue1 and his first expressions may be feeble and ungraceful4 ,yet this display of modesty and timidity will conciliate the audience and secure their good will4 ,we can scarcely fail to distinguish an extemporized discourse from a recited one1 by the difference in the introduction alone4 ,some persons commit the opening passages of the sermon1 to avoid the pain and hesitancy of an unstudied beginning4 ,but while this may accomplish the immediate object1 it is apt to be at the expense of the remaining part of the discourse4 ,the mind cannot pass easily from recitation to extemporization1 and the voice1 being too freely used at first1 loses its power4 ,the hearers having listened to highly polished language1 cannot so well relish the plain words that follow1 and the whole sermon1 which1 like the condor1 may have pitched from ,alpine summits1 falls fast and far until the lowest level is reached4 ,a written introduction may be modest and unpretending1 but unless it is exactly like unstudied speech there will be a painful transition4 ,a favorite method of avoiding these difficulties is to make no formal introduction1 but plunge at once into the heart of the subject4 ,occasionally1 this can be done to good advantage1 and tends to prevent a monotonous uniformity4 ,but as a rule it is better to prepare the minds of our hearers by all needed observations1 and gradually lead them to our subject4 ,the introduction should not be left to the chance of the moment4 ,it requires more careful study than any other part of the sermon1 for the tide of speech1 which may afterward bear us over many barriers1 is not then in full flow4 ,but the preparation should be general1 and not extend to the words4 ,a first sentence may be forecast1 but much beyond this will do harm4 ,for the introduction should not be the part of the discourse longest remembered4 ,it would be better to omit it1 than to have the attention distracted from the main subject4 ,for this reason nothing far-fetched or hard to be understood should be admitted4 ,but1 beginning with some familiar thought closely connected with the text1 it should remove difficulties and open the whole subject for discussion4 ,much is gained if1 at the outset1 we can arrest the attention and win the sympathy of our hearers4 ,they come together from many different employments1 with thoughts fixed on various objects1 and it is a difficult task to remove these distracting influences and cause the assembly to dwell with intense interest on one subject4 ,sometimes a startling proposition will accomplish this end4 ,earnestness in the speaker tends powerfully toward it4 ,but sameness must be carefully avoided4 ,if every sermon is carried through an unvarying number of always-expressed divisions and subdivisions1 the hearer knows what is coming1 and loses all curiosity4 ,we have heard of a minister who made it a rule to consider the nature1 reason and manner of everything he spoke of4 ,he would ask the questions3 8,what is it8 ,why is it8 ,how is it80 ,the eloquence of ,paul would not many times have redeemed such an arrangement4 ,a considerable degree of inattention is to be expected in every audience at first1 and the speaker's opening words may be unheard by many and unheeded by all4 ,it is useless to attempt by violent means and loudness of voice to awaken them from their indifference4 ,the preacher may safely bide his time4 ,if his words have weight and his manner indicate confidence1 one by one will listen1 until that electric thrill of sympathy1 impossible to describe1 but which can be felt as easily as an accord in music1 will vibrate through the hearts of all present4 ,then the orator's power is fully developed1 and it is delightful to use it4 ,this silent1 pulsating interest is more to be desired than vehement applause1 for it cannot be counterfeited1 and indicates that the hearts of the assemblage have been reached1 and fused by the fires of eloquence1 and are ready to be molded into any desired form4 ,happy the minister who has this experience1 for if his own heart is enlightened by the ,holy ,spirit1 he can stamp on the awakened multitude the seal of undying truth4 ,the introduction should be plain1 simple and direct4 ,but its very simplicity renders it more difficult to construct4 ,preachers who are great in almost everything else1 often fail by making their introductions too complicated1 thus defeating their own purpose as surely as the engineer who gives his road such steep grades1 that no train can pass over it4 ,others deliver a string of platitudes that no one wishes to hear1 and the audience grows restive at the very beginning4 ,when from these or other causes1 the sermon is misbegun1 the consequences are likely to be serious4 ,the thought is forced home on the speaker1 with icy weight1 that he is failing1 and this conviction paralyzes all his faculties4 ,he talks on1 but grows more and more embarrassed4 ,incoherent sentences drop from him1 requiring painful explanation to prevent them from degenerating into perfect nonsense4 ,the outline of his plan dissolves into mist4 ,the points he intended to make1 and thought strong and important1 now appear very trivial4 ,he blunders on with little hope ahead4 ,the room may grow dark before him1 and in the excess of his discomfort1 he ardently longs for the time when he can close without absolute disgrace4 ,but1 alas6 the end seems far off4 ,in vain he searches for some avenue of escape4 ,there is none4 ,his throat becomes dry and parched1 and the command of his voice is lost4 ,the audience grow restive1 for they are tortured1 as well as the speaker1 and if he were malicious he might find some alleviation in this4 ,but he has no time to think of it1 or if he does1 it reacts on himself4 ,no one can help him4 ,at last1 in sheer desperation1 he cuts the ,gordian knot1 and stops--perhaps seizing some swelling sentence1 and hurling it as a farewell volley at the audience--or speaks of the eternal rest1 which no doubt appears very blissful in comparison with his own unrest--then sits down bathed in sweat1 and feeling that he is disgraced forever6 ,if he is very weak or foolish1 he resolves that he will never speak again without manuscript1 or1 if wiser1 that he will not only understand his discourse1 but how to begin it4 ,the passage from the introduction to the discussion should be gradual4 ,to make the transition smoothly1 and strike the subject just at the right point1 continuing the interest that may have been previously excited1 is a most important achievement4 ,a strong1 definite purpose materially assists in this1 for it dwells equally in all parts of the sermon4 ,the object is clearly in view1 and we go right up to it with no wasted words1 while the people cheerfully submit to our guidance because they see that we have an aim before us4 ,but if this be absent we may steer around our subject1 and are never quite ready to enter upon it1 even if we are not wrecked at the outset4 ,a careful preparation of the plan will do much to prevent this1 but it is not enough1 for the words and phrases are not to be prepared4 ,with every precaution1 the best of speakers may fail at this point1 and the more brilliant the introduction the more marked will the failure be4 ,when this danger is safely passed1 he is in the open sea1 and the triumphs of eloquence are before him4 ,there is great pleasure in speaking well4 ,an assembly hanging on the words1 and thinking the thoughts of a single man1 gives to him the most subtile kind of flattery1 and he needs to beware how he yields to its influence1 or his fall will be speedy and disastrous4 ,the triumphs of oratory are very fascinating4 ,the ability to sway our fellow men at will--to bind them with the strong chain of our thought1 and make them willing captives--produces a delirious and intoxicating sense of power4 ,but this is very transient1 and unless taken advantage of at the moment1 to work some enduring result1 it fades1 like the beautiful cloud-work of morning1 before the rising sun4 ,even during the continuance of a sermon it is hard to maintain the influence of a happy moment4 ,persons not unfrequently give utterance to some great and noble thought1 that echoes in the hearts of the audience1 and the nameless thrill of eloquence is felt1 but some irrelevant phrase1 or commonplace sentiment dissolves all the charm4 ,to avoid this1 the whole discourse must be of a piece1 and rise in power until the object is accomplished4 ,diffuseness is often supposed to be an essential quality of extemporaneous speech4 ,it is not such1 though many speakers do fall into it4 ,the reason of this fault is that they are not content to place the subject in a strong light by one forcible and luminous expression1 but say nearly what they mean1 and continue their efforts until they are satisfied4 ,they furnish no clear view of anything1 but give a sort of twilight intimation of their idea4 ,but serious as this fault is1 it may easily be overcome4 ,exquisite finish1 and elaborate arrangement are not to be expected in off-hand speech1 but we may give force and true shading to every idea just as well as in writing4 ,to express exactly what we mean at the first effort1 is one of the greatest beauties of a spoken style4 ,the hearer is filled with grateful surprise when some new and living idea is placed before him1 clothed in a single word or sentence4 ,but a diffuse speaker gives so many premonitions of his thought1 that the audience comprehend it before he is half through the discussion1 and are forced to await his ending1 in listless weariness4 ,he never receives credit for an original idea1 because his advances toward it call up the same thought in the mind of his hearers1 and when formally presented it has lost all novelty1 and seems to be trite4 ,the same study that will impart the power of condensation in writing will do it in speech1 for it can only be obtained in either by earnest1 persevering effort4 ,frequently forecast what to say1 and drive it into the smallest possible number of vivid1 expressive words2 then1 without memorizing the language1 reproduce the same thought briefly as possible in the hurry of speech4 ,it may be less compact than the studied production1 but if so1 let the effort be repeated with the knowledge of where the defect is1 and this continued until it can be cast into bold1 well-defined outlines at a single impulse4 ,this process1 often repeated1 will give the ability to condense1 but in order to exercise it successfully another quality is needed4 ,we must be able to resist the seduction of fine language4 ,no sentence should be introduced because it glitters or sparkles1 for a single unnecessary word that requires others to explain its use1 may damage a whole sermon4 ,let the best words be chosen with reference to beauty and impressiveness as well as strict appropriateness1 but the latter must never be sacrificed4 ,the danger of showy language in speech is greater than in a written composition1 for if the writer be drawn too far away1 he can go back and begin again1 while the speaker has only one trial4 ,if beauties lie in his way all the better1 but he must never leave his path to search for them4 ,bishop ,simpson's lecture on 8,the ,future of our ,country10 was a model of compactness4 ,every gaudy ornament was discarded1 and short1 simple sentences conveyed ideas that would have furnished a florid speaker with inexhaustible material4 ,the whole discourse was radiant with true beauty--the beauty of thought shining through the drapery of words1 and each idea1 unweakened by any pause of expectation1 struck the mind as new truth1 or the echo of what was felt1 but never so well expressed before4 ,we have seen directions for 8expanding thought10 and have heard young speakers admire the ease and skill with which it was done4 ,but thoughts are not like medicines which require dilution in order to be more certain in their effects1 and more readily taken4 ,it is far better to give the essence of an idea1 and go on to something else4 ,if thoughts are too few1 it is more profitable to dig and delve for others1 than to attenuate and stretch what we have4 ,we need deep1 burning1 throbbing conceptions that will live without artificial aid4 ,a similar error exists in regard to the kind of language best adapted to oratory4 ,high-sounding epithets and latinized words are sometimes supposed to be the proper dress of eloquence4 ,these might give an impression of our learning or wisdom to an ignorant audience1 but could not strike the chords of living sympathy that link all hearts together4 ,language is only available as a medium1 so far as hearer and speaker understand it in common4 ,if we use a term the congregation have seldom heard1 even if they can arrive at its meaning1 it will lose all its force whilst they are striving to understand it4 ,but one of the homely ,saxon words that dwell on the lips of the people1 will unlade its meaning in the heart as soon as its sound strikes the ear4 ,for while uncommon words erect a barrier around thought1 familiar ones are perhaps not noticed at all1 leaving the feeling to strike directly to its mark4 ,the only reason why ,saxon derivatives are so powerful1 is because they are usually the words of every-day life4 ,but the test of usefulness is not in etymology4 ,if terms of ,latin or ,french origin have passed into the life of the people1 they will serve the highest purpose of the orator4 ,of coarse1 all debased and slang words should be rejected4 ,we do not plead for 8the familiarity that breeds contempt40 ,the two great requisites in the use of words are1 that they should exactly express our idea1 and be familiar to the audience4 ,melody and association should not be despised1 but they are secondary4 ,every sermon should have strong points upon which especial reliance is placed4 ,a general has his choice battalions reserved to pierce the enemy's line at the decisive moment1 and win the battle4 ,it is important to know how to place these reserved thoughts1 that all their weight may be felt4 ,a crisis occurs in nearly every sermon--a moment when a strong argument or a fervent appeal will produce the result intended1 or when failure becomes inevitable--just as a vigorous charge1 or the arrival of reinforcements1 will turn the scale of battle1 when the combatants grow weary and dispirited4 ,the speaker1 knowing what his object is1 should so dispose his forces as to drive steadily toward it1 and when within reach1 put forth all his power in one mighty effort1 achieving the result for which the whole speech was intended4 ,if neglected1 such chances seldom return1 and an hour's talk may fail to accomplish as much as one good burning sentence thrown in at the right time4 ,this should be foreseen1 and the idea1 which we know to be the key of our discourse1 carefully prepared--in thought1 not word4 ,quotations1 either in prose or poetry1 may be often used to good advantage1 but should be short1 appropriate and secondary4 ,the grand effect of an extempore discourse must not depend on a borrowed passage1 or its character will be changed1 and its originality lost4 ,we have all along taken it for granted that deep thought underlies the whole discourse4 ,without this1 a sermon or any serious address deserves no success4 ,under some circumstances nothing is expected but sound to tickle the ear4 ,this is play1 while the eloquence of the pulpit is solemn work4 ,the very fact that the speaker has a solid and worthy foundation1 gives him confidence4 ,he knows that if his words are not ringing music1 he will still have a claim on the attention of his auditors4 ,it is not necessary that our thoughts should extend far beyond the depths of the common mind1 for the most weighty truths lie nearest to the surface1 and within the reach of all4 ,but most men do not dwell long enough on one subject to understand even its obvious features1 and when these are fully mastered and presented in striking form1 it is like a new revelation4 ,a good illustration of this is found in the sublimity that ,kitto imparts to the journeyings of the ,israelites4 ,very few new facts are stated1 but all are so arranged and vivified by a thoughtful mind1 that the subject grows into new meaning4 ,let the preacher1 by speaking extempore1 save his time for investigation and study1 and his sermons will soon have a charm beyond any jingling combination of words4 ,is the minister1 as he stands before a congregation with their eyes fixed upon him1 to expect them to be overwhelmed by his eloquence8 ,such a result is possible1 but is seldom attained1 especially when sought for4 ,if persons attempt what is beyond their power1 the only result will be to render themselves ridiculous4 ,but good sense and solid usefulness are within the reach of all4 ,any man who studies a subject till he knows more about it than others do1 can interest them in a fireside explanation1 if they care for the matter at all4 ,he communicates his facts in a plain style and they understand him4 ,many persons will sit delighted till midnight to hear a man converse1 but will go to sleep if he address them half an hour in public4 ,in the first case he talks1 and is simple and unaffected2 in the other he speaks1 and uses a style stiffened up for the occasion4 ,when ,henry ,clay was asked how he became so eloquent1 he said he knew nothing about it2 when he commenced an address he had only the desire to speak what he had prepared 7not committed71 and adhered to this until he was enwrapped in his subject and carried away1 he knew not how4 ,this is a characteristic of the modern1 as opposed to the ancient1 school of eloquence4 ,the latter memorized1 while our greatest speakers only arrange1 and speak in a plain1 business style1 until hurried by the passion of the moment into bolder flights4 ,if this does not happen1 they still give a good and instructive speech4 ,these few considerations may be of use when the speaker stands in the pulpit1 but he must rely on his own tact for the management of details4 ,closely observing the condition of the audience1 taking advantage of every favoring circumstance1 he moves steadily towards his object4 ,with an unobstructed road before him1 which he has traveled in thought until it is familiar1 he will advance with ease and certainty4 ,as he gazes into the intent faces around1 new ideas arise1 and1 if fitting1 are woven into what was previously prepared1 often with thrilling effect4 ,each emotion kindled by sympathy will embody itself in words that touch the heart as nothing prepared could do1 and each moment his own conviction sinks deeper in the hearts of his hearers4 ,there are three principal ways of concluding a sermon4 ,the first1 and most graceful1 is to condense a clear view of the whole argument1 and leave the audience with the comprehensive impression thus made4 ,this is admirably adapted to discourses the principal object of which is to convince the understanding4 ,to throw the whole sweep of the argument1 every point of which has been enforced1 into a few telling1 easily remembered sentences1 will go far to make the impression permanent4 ,the old plan of closing with an exhortation1 is perhaps the most generally beneficial4 ,an application is the same thing in substance1 only a little less pungent and personal4 ,in it the whole sermon is made to bear on the duty of the moment4 ,it should be closely connected with what went before2 for a general exhortation1 fitting the end of every sermon1 cannot well apply to any4 ,all the sermon should be gathered up1 as it were1 and hurled as a solid mass into the hearts and consciences of those whom we wish to affect1 thus making it a real 8thrust10 of which the exhortation is the barbed point4 ,it should be short1 and no new matter introduced at the time the audience are expecting the end4 ,the third method is to break off when the last item is finished4 ,if the lines of the argument are few and simple1 or so strong that they cannot fail to be remembered1 there is no need to recapitulate them4 ,and if the exhortation has kept pace with the progress of the sermon1 there is no place for it at the close4 ,if both these coincide1 a formal conclusion would be a superfluity4 ,it is only necessary to finish the development of the plan1 care being taken that the last idea discussed shall be one of dignity and importance4 ,this is simply stopping when done1 and is certainly an easy method of closing1 though1 in practice1 too often neglected4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,after ,,considerations--,,success--,,rest--,,i mprovement4 ,when we have concluded a fervent discourse1 especially if successful1 there comes a feeling of inexpressible relief4 ,for the burden of a speech accumulates on the mind1 from the time the subject is chosen1 until it grows almost intolerable4 ,when we begin to speak all our powers are called into play1 and exerted to the limit of their capacity4 ,the excitement of the conflict hurries us on1 and although we may not realize the gigantic exertions we put forth1 yet when we pause1 with the victory won1 the sense of relief and security is exceedingly delightful4 ,yet we must not indulge too deeply in the self-gratulation so natural at such a moment4 ,if we have conquered1 it has been in ,god's name1 not our own1 and the first thing to be done is to offer him thanks for our preservation4 ,this is but the complement of the prayers made at the beginning of the service1 for if we ask help with fear and trembling1 before the real perils of speech begin1 it would be very wrong1 in the hour of triumph1 to cease to remember the arm upon which we leaned4 ,but by pouring out our thankfulness to ,god1 we are at the same time preserved from pride and undue exaltation1 and encouraged to depend upon ,him more fully the next time we speak4 ,if the effort has been an earnest one1 both mind and body need rest4 ,there are speakers who profess to feel no fatigue after an hour's labor1 but these seldom occupy a place in the first class4 ,if the soul has really been engaged1 and all the powers of mind and body bent to the accomplishment of a great object1 relaxation must follow1 and often a sense of utter prostration4 ,it is well1 if possible1 to abandon ones-self to the luxury of rest--that utter repose so sweet after severe labor4 ,even social intercourse should be avoided4 ,a short sleep1 even if only for a few minutes1 will afford great relief1 and it is much to be regretted that circumstances so often interfere with the enjoyment of such a luxury4 ,after the morning service1 especially if the minister has to preach again in the evening1 all labor1 even in the ,sabbath-school1 should be avoided1 although1 before preaching1 such toil will only form a grateful introduction to the duties of the day4 ,no practice is more pernicious than that of inviting the minister to meet company1 at dinner-parties or elsewhere1 immediately after service4 ,this is objectionable for two reasons2 the conversation at such parties seldom accords with the sanctity of the ,sabbath1 and if unexceptionable in this respect1 a continued tax is made upon the already exhausted brain--a tax greater during such a state of relaxation and languor1 than ten-fold the labor would be at another period4 ,let the preacher1 when he can1 retire to the privacy of his own home1 and there enjoy the freedom of untrammelled rest4 ,it is well to ponder closely the lessons derived from each new experience in speaking4 ,the minister can never exactly measure his own success1 and may often lament as a failure that effort which has accomplished great good4 ,he has in his mind an ideal of excellence by which he estimates his sermons4 ,if this be placed very low1 he may succeed in coming up to it1 or even pass beyond it1 without accomplishing anything worthy of praise4 ,but in such a case he is apt to be well satisfied with the result4 ,and often the sermons with which we are least pleased1 are really the best4 ,for in the mightiest efforts of mind the standard is placed very high--sometimes beyond the limit of possible attainment1 and the speaker works with his eye fixed upon the summit1 and often1 after all his exertions1 sees it shining above him still1 and closes with the conviction that his ideas are but half expressed4 ,he feels mortified that there should be such difference between conception and execution4 ,but his hearers1 who have been led over untrodden fields of thought1 know nothing of the heights still above the orator's head1 and are filled with enthusiasm1 or have received new impulses to good4 ,this is the reason why we are least able to judge of the success of sermons that have been long meditated1 and are thoroughly prepared4 ,the subject expands as we study it1 and its outlines become grander and vaster1 until they pass beyond our power of representation4 ,and each separate thought that is mastered also becomes familiar1 and is not valued at its full worth by the speaker4 ,if he had begun to speak without thought1 intending to give only the easy and common views of his subject1 all would have been fresh to him1 and if a striking idea presented itself1 its novelty would have enhanced its appreciation4 ,this is no reason against diligent preparation1 but rather a strong argument in favor of it4 ,it should only stimulate us to improve our powers of expression as well as of conception4 ,but with all these sources of uncertainty in our judgment of our own productions1 we should not be indifferent to our perceptions of success or failure4 ,in the greater number of instances will be correct1 and we can very frequently discover the cause of either1 and use this knowledge to future profit4 ,even if we imagine our failure to be extreme1 we have no need to feel unduly discouraged4 ,god can1 and does1 often work with the feeblest instruments1 and the sermon we despise may accomplish its purpose4 ,the writer preached one evening when very weary1 and almost unprepared4 ,from first to last a painful effort was required to find anything to say1 and to prevent utter failure the intended plan had to be abandoned1 and new1 detached thoughts thrown in as they could be found4 ,and yet that discourse1 which was scarcely worthy of the name1 elicited warmer approval1 and apparently accomplished more good1 than any one from the same preacher ever given at that point4 ,but such instances should never lead us to neglect all the preparation in our power1 for usually when failure springs from a real defect1 the verdict of the people will coincide with our own4 ,however we may judge of our success it is not wise to ask any of our hearers for their opinion4 ,we may observe any indications of the effect produced1 and1 if the criticisms of others are offered spontaneously1 it is not necessary to repulse them1 especially if they are marked by a spirit of candor and good will2 but all seeking for commendation is debasing4 ,it is sweet to hear our sermons praised1 and most of men can endure an amount of flattery addressed to themselves1 that would be disgusting if applied to others2 but if we indulge this disposition it will become ungovernable1 and expose us to well-deserved ridicule4 ,it is pitiable to see a man who is mighty in word and thought1 who wields the vast powers of eloquence1 stooping to beg crusts of indiscriminate praise from his hearers4 ,nothing contributes more to destroy our influence1 and make our audience believe that we are merely actors1 unaffected by the sublime truths we declare4 ,it is well to think over our sermons after they have been preached1 and if any defect appear1 amend it in the plan1 and add all the new ideas that may have been suggested during speech4 ,this prepares us to preach still better when we have occasion to use the same plan a second time4 ,some ministers are accustomed to write their sermons after delivery4 ,this may do well1 especially when the theme is of great importance1 but in general1 it is questionable whether the advantage is great enough to warrant the expenditure of so much time4 ,but to review and correct a verbatim report of our sermons would be far more profitable4 ,if some short-hand writer--a member of our family1 or any other who is willing to take so much trouble--will preserve our words for us1 a revisal of them on ,monday would be of immense benefit4 ,the offensiveness of pet phrases1 which we might otherwise be unconscious of for years1 would be detected at once4 ,faults of expression1 and especially the profuseness of words1 in which extempore speakers are apt to indulge1 would be forced upon our notice2 and if any really valuable ideas occurred1 they could be preserved4 ,there would be little use in writing the sermon over in full1 for we would commonly find that it might be reduced to one-third or one-fourth its bulk without material injury4 ,the habitual condensation of our sermons after delivery1 would teach us to express our thoughts compactly even in speech4 ,the only difficulty in applying this capital means of improvement1 is the small number of persons who can write short-hand with sufficient rapidity--a difficulty that may be less in the future than it has been in the past1 and can now be obviated by the minister's wife or daughters1 who may have sufficient perseverance and devotion to master the laborious1 but precious art for his sake4 ,,part ,,iii4 ,,miscellaneous ,,addresses4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,instructive ,,address4 ,we will give only a brief consideration to the various fields of oratory outside the pulpit1 because the greater number of principles already laid down can be applied1 with slight modifications1 to any kind of speech4 ,the different varieties of secular address may be divided as follows3 ,i4 ,instructive ,oratory4 ,,ii4 ,legal ,oratory4 ,,iii4 ,deliberative ,oratory4 ,,iv4 ,popular ,oratory4 ,v4 ,controversial ,oratory4 ,we apply the first term to all oral teaching1 more connected than question and answer1 and to all lectures that have instruction for their primary object4 ,this species of discourse differs from the sermon in the absence of persuasion1 rather than in its positive character4 ,the lecturer should thoroughly understand the topic he attempts to unfold1 and place it in the clearest possible light4 ,much illustration is needed1 for the subject is usually a novel one to the greater portion of the audience1 and can be best explained by comparison with familiar objects4 ,it should have its strong central points1 which can be easily remembered1 and around which the minor parts of the discourse may be grouped1 for if the whole consist of isolated facts poured forth without generalization or arrangement1 no distinct impression will be left4 ,appeals to passion and emotion are less necessary in lectures than in most other kinds of speech4 ,yet so closely are heart and intellect connected1 that we can arouse attention1 and secure a more durable result1 if the facts we narrate are linked with the experiences and emotions of life4 ,the practice of writing is even more prevalent when applied to lectures than to sermons1 and the reasons urged in its favor have more plausibility4 ,as the lecturer does not aim to move his hearers to immediate action1 the advantages of direct address are less required4 ,still he wishes to interest them1 and it may be questioned whether this can1 in any case1 be so well accomplished from manuscript4 ,but it is urged that in a scientific lecture there is often too great a number of detached facts to be easily remembered4 ,this may be true1 but it suggests another important question3 if they cannot be recalled by the speaker who has reviewed them again and again for days together1 how can it be expected that those who only hear them read over once1 will retain any distinct impression8 ,a clearer generalization of the whole discourse1 and a proper arrangement of each fact under the principle which it illustrates1 would go far to obviate both difficulties4 ,yet1 in the use of statistics or other items1 about which the speaker wishes to be precise1 though he may only care to give the audience a general conception of them1 notes will be a great relief to the memory1 and the statement of principles deduced can be still made in direct address4 ,after a man has become so famous that each word he utters will be listened to with profound attention1 because it comes from him1 he may write safely4 ,this is especially the case with those who have become authorities in their own departments of knowledge4 ,what they say is received rather as a conclusion to argument1 than as an assertion to be weighed1 and the calm1 deliberate reading of such final statements has all needed impressiveness4 ,but if we have not attained this position1 we had better employ every legitimate means to interest our audiences4 ,it is often claimed by the advocates of reading1 that a literary lecture must be written to secure the polish and smoothness needful in the treatment of such themes4 ,it will not do1 say they1 to give1 in our words and manner1 an illustration of the absence of the very qualities we praise4 ,but surely men can speak on a subject they understand in good grammar and fitting language1 without having first placed each word on paper6 ,and if they attempt much beyond this they lead the mind of the hearer from the subject to a consideration of the skill of the lecturer4 ,we are ready to grant that compositions should be read1 not spoken1 when ever they cease to instruct about something else1 and become an exhibition in themselves4 ,a poet is right in reading his poem2 and even in prose1 if we wish to call attention to our melodious words1 and our skill in literary composition1 instead of the subject we have nominally taken1 it will be well to write4 ,but the resulting composition will not be a lecture4 ,the field for instructive lectures is constantly enlarging4 ,in former times they were monopolized by university professors1 and very few persons sought to teach the people4 ,but this has changed4 ,there are now many more schools where courses of lectures are given on various topics1 and every town of any pretension has its annual lecture course4 ,even these are not sufficient to meet the increasing demand1 and1 as every community cannot pay ,beecher or ,gough from one to five hundred dollars for an evening's entertainment1 there is abundant scope for humbler talent4 ,strolling lecturers1 without character or knowledge1 reap a rich harvest from the credulity of the people4 ,even the noble science of phrenology is often disgraced by quacks1 who perambulate the country and pretend to explain its mysteries--sometimes telling character and fortunes at the same time4 ,so far has this prostitution of talent and opportunity gone1 that the village lecturer is often placed in a category with circus clowns and negro minstrels4 ,but this should not be1 and no class could do more to prevent it than the clergy4 ,if they would each prepare a lecture or two upon some important subject they have mastered1 they could extend their usefulness1 and teach others besides their own flocks4 ,lecturers are becoming more numerous and popular4 ,new sciences and arts are continually springing into being1 and there is no way that a knowledge of them can be so readily diffused among the masses of the people1 as by public addresses upon them4 ,even the oldest of the sciences--,astronomy--has been brought to the knowledge of thousands who otherwise would have remained in ignorance of its mysteries4 ,it was thus that the lamented ,general ,o4 ,m4 ,mitchel succeeded in awakening public interest1 and in securing funds for the erection of his observatory at ,cincinnati4 ,benefit lectures are very common4 ,in these the services of the lecturer are given gratis1 or for a nominal compensation1 and persons are induced to purchase tickets that some good cause may be benefited by the proceeds4 ,this is the most pleasant of compromises1 and is surely better than fairs1 gift drawings1 etc41 although when the patronage of the public is thus secured for a lecture that has no real merit1 the benefit is more questionable4 ,the most important point in a lecture is that the subject be thoroughly understood1 and so arranged that there may be no difficulty in grasping the whole thought4 ,vivacity and life will prevent the audience from growing weary2 wit1 if it be true and delicate1 will add to the interest1 and has a far larger legitimate sphere than in a sermon4 ,ornaments1 too1 may abound1 provided they do not call attention away from the subject1 or weaken the force of expression4 ,the plan of a lecture may be constructed in a manner similar to that of a sermon1 as the end in view is not very different4 ,if this be well arranged1 and all the principles1 facts and illustrations be properly placed1 no need of writing will be felt4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,miscellaneous ,,address--,,legal--,,deliberate--,,popu lar--,,controversial4 ,the speech adapted to the bench and bar presents some peculiar features4 ,the lawyer deals with facts and living issues4 ,he works for immediate results1 and therefore uses the means best adapted to secure them4 ,the use of manuscript1 which increases in proportion as we remove from the sphere of passion1 finds no place when life and property are at stake4 ,the lawyer who would read his appeal to the jury in an exciting case1 would have few others to make4 ,at the bar the penalty for inefficiency is so rapid and certain1 that every nerve is strained to avoid it4 ,to argue with a lawyer against the use of written discourses1 would be like proving the advantage of commerce to an ,englishman4 ,his danger lies in the opposite direction--that of caring too little for polish1 and of making the verdict of the jury his only aim4 ,a lawyer should never contend for what he believes to be wrong4 ,yet the common estimate of the morality of attorneys is not based on fact4 ,they may have greater temptations than some others1 and many of them may fall1 but another reason than this accounts for the grave imputations cast on them4 ,in every suit1 at least one party must be disappointed1 and it is natural that1 in his bitterness1 he should throw discredit on all the agencies by which his hopes were destroyed4 ,but this is most frequently groundless4 ,the lawyer may be counsel for a man whom he knows to be in the wrong1 but he ought never to take his stand on a false position4 ,he may show any weakness in his adversary's case1 and see that all the provisions of the law are faithfully complied with1 but must not endeavor to distort the truth4 ,an adherence to this determination will soon give his words a power and influence that will more than counterbalance all disadvantages4 ,let him seek for the strong points in his own case1 and then throw them into the simplest and boldest shape1 not forgetting the importance of appealing to the heart1 as well as head1 of judge and jury4 ,the judge differs from the advocate in having both sides of the case to present1 and in seeking truth rather than victory4 ,as he stands upon the law1 and unfolds its dictates1 which are obeyed as soon as known1 he has no need to appeal to passion1 and can give his words with all calmness and certainty4 ,under the most absolute monarchy there are always some things that men are left to settle according to their own pleasure1 and when a number of persons have equal interest and authority this can only be done by discussion4 ,in our own land the people bear rule1 and the field of deliberation is almost infinitely widened4 ,city councils1 ,state and national legislatures1 the governing societies of churches1 parties1 companies1 and all organizations1 have more or less of power to be exercised4 ,if this were vested in a single will1 silent pondering would determine each question1 but in assemblies these must be decided by discussion1 argument and vote4#a ,footnote #a3 ,see rules for these in ,appendix4 ,there is one general peculiarity that marks the speeches addressed to such a body2 their main object is to give information4 ,all are about to act1 and are supposed to be diligently looking for the best course to be taken4 ,this secures an interest in everything that really throws new light on the subject1 while it often renders such an assemblage intolerant of mere declamation4 ,in representative bodies there is also constant reference to the opinions and wishes of those for whom they act4 ,such speeches are frequently intended to be read beyond the bounds of the audience where they are delivered1 and for this reason are often elaborately prepared1 and read at first4 ,if they do truly give information1 either in reference to principles or facts1 they suffer from this less than any other class of addresses4 ,they may be dry and unattractive in form1 but if each concerned1 feels that he is obtaining new facts for guidance1 he will listen with patience4 ,yet1 even then1 a greater impression would be produced if the same accuracy and sureness of statement were embodied in spoken words4 ,let there first1 be broad1 statesmanlike views1 a clear comprehension of the effects of measures1 and perfect confidence in what we advocate1 and then all the graces of speech may be added with the certainty that their effect will be that always produced by true eloquence4 ,a popular address differs from a lecture in having an element of persuasion in it4 ,in fact1 this is its principal characteristic4 ,when we desire to incline the hearts of the people to some favorite cause1 we assemble them together1 and labor by all the arguments we can command1 to induce them to adopt our views and enter on the course we recommend4 ,energy and earnestness are the qualities most uniformly successful4 ,the people care little for the subtile niceties of speech1 but they require that the man who addresses them should believe what he says1 and feel the power of his own reasoning4 ,a deep1 strong1 unfaltering conviction is always an element of strength4 ,many speakers think it an advantage to flatter the prejudices of the people1 but they are mistaken4 ,temporary applause may be won1 but second thoughts are apt to detect the lurking insincerity1 even if they do not overthrow the prejudice itself ,if the speaker be really under the influence of the same misconception as the audience1 this is a different matter1 for hearty devotion1 even to the wrong1 is contagious4 ,but calm reasoning and truth are always best4 ,these gave ,abraham ,lincoln the superiority over ,stephen ,a4 ,douglas1 making him more effective with the people than the latter was1 not withstanding his fervid eloquence4 ,the one appealed to the reason of the people1 the other to passion4 ,humor has a place in the popular address not second to any other quality4 ,a telling anecdote1 or a good illustration 7the homelier the better1 if it be not coarse71 will arrest attention and dwell longer on the memory1 than the strongest argument4 ,controversial oratory partakes of the nature of a battle1 but should be something more than strife for victory4 ,there is little danger of languid attention in this species of address1 for opposition arouses both speaker and hearer4 ,the golden rule in all controversies1 is to be certain of a solid basis of fact1 and follow the guidance of true principles4 ,then we deserve success4 ,but fair means only should be employed4 ,it is so hard to see an adversary triumph even1 when convinced of the correctness of his position1 that we can scarcely forbear employing every artifice to prevent such a result4 ,but we should never misrepresent our opponent4 ,even if he has been unfortunate in his explanations1 and leaves the way open for a natural misconception1 we should use our best efforts to understand what he really means1 and give him the credit of that4 ,we must also allow his reasoning its due force4 ,no just argument ought ever to be weakened4 ,let us bring forward our views1 and1 if possible1 show that they are truer and more firmly based than his4 ,and if we see that this cannot be done1 there is only one manly course left--to surrender at discretion4 ,if we cannot maintain our views by clear proof1 we should abandon them1 and seek others that need no questionable support4 ,,part ,,iv4 ,,eminent ,,extempore ,,speakers4 ,,augustine--,,luther--,,chatham--,,pitt --,,burke--,,mirabeau--,,patrick ,,henry--,,whitefield--,,wesley--,,sidne y ,,smith--,f4 ,w4 ,,robertson--,,clay--,,bascom--,,summerf ield--,,spurgeon--,h4 ,w4 ,,beecher--,,bingham--,,gladstone--,,sim pson--,,wendell ,,phillips--,j4 ,p4 ,,durbin4 ,,eminent ,,speakers4 ,,use ,,of ,,examples4 ,notwithstanding the popularity of unwritten speech1 and the innumerable arguments in its favor1 there is an impression in some quarters that the very highest excellence cannot be attained without the previous use of the pen4 ,it may be shown that it is more natural to find the words in which our thoughts are clothed at the moment of expression2 that a stronger and better frame-work of thought can be constructed1 if the mind1 in preparing for speech1 is occupied with that alone2 that the speaker and hearer may thus be brought into closer union2 that this1 in short1 is the order of nature1 which leaves the solid frame-work of the tree standing through many winters1 but each spring bestows its graceful robe of leaves upon that which was prepared to receive it4 ,but this is not enough to produce lasting conviction4 ,it is still maintained1 almost with obstinacy1 that in the highest fields of oratory1 words must be previously chosen1 fitted together1 and polished4 ,this nearly every speech-writer proves from his own experience4 ,the efforts that have afforded him most satisfaction were those in which nothing had been left to the chance of the moment4 ,but it is easy to see how even experience may mislead in this particular4 ,we can judge the comparative merits of another in his different modes of address with some approach to accuracy1 for our mental state--that of listeners--continues the same under them all4 ,but it is different when we judge ourselves4 ,when we extemporize1 our best expressions fade from the mind after they have been given forth1 and can only be recalled by a strong effort4 ,on the other hand1 when we have wrought our language slowly1 and lingered over each sentence1 we see all the beauty it contains1 and begin to admire our own production4 ,if we see anything faulty1 instead of lamenting it1 as we would an unfortunate1 spoken sentence1 we change it1 and take credit for the keenness of our critical taste4 ,is it wonderful that when we come before an audience with an address made as nearly perfect as we can construct it in every line1 and the whole clearly written1 or firmly engraved on the memory1 and then repeat it1 with a full appreciation of each beauty as we pass along1 that we consider it to be of far higher merit than the impassioned torrent poured forth on another occasion1 when we scarcely knew that we were using words at all8 ,if the people do not seem to appreciate it1 their want of taste and culture affords a ready excuse for them1 even if the speaker is not too much occupied with his own eloquence to notice them at all4 ,he is always ready1 too1 with the examples of ,massillon and ,bossuet1 or of ,chalmers1 to prove that it was thus the most powerful orators spoke4 ,we do not deny that great effects may be produced1 under certain circumstances1 by committed words4 ,the fact that many actors have won great fame by repeating the words of others1 proves how much may be done in this direction4 ,it is but reasonable1 that if some gifted minds can thrill an audience to tears1 and rouse every feeling to its highest bent by merely copying others1 that those who1 in addition to this ability1 possess the power of framing their own thoughts in suitable words1 may accomplish as much4 ,john ,b4 ,gough is an instance of the power that may be wielded in this manner4 ,but such men cannot occupy the highest position in the temple of fame4 ,they are but actors4 ,when they speak they will be listened to with eagerness and pleasure1 as great performers always are1 but it will be as performers rather than as authorities4 ,they have placed themselves on a level with those who deal in unreal things1 and there they must be content to remain4 ,doubtless it is more noble to speak the sentiments and feelings that we once possessed1 in the language adapted to that time1 than to deal in those belonging to another person1 but the resemblance between the two is very close1 and the people feel it so acutely that they make no discrimination4 ,but we maintain that even in momentary effect--the quality which is supposed to belong peculiarly to the powerful declamation of prepared language--extempore speakers have passed beyond all others2 while in power of thought and lasting influence1 there can be no comparison4 ,there is no single quality of speech that cannot be reached as well without writing as with it1 while perpetual readiness1 vast and profound knowledge 7which writing extensively leaves no time to acquire71 and weight and authority with the people1 belong almost exclusively to the extemporizer4 ,these assertions may seem bold to many1 but we are prepared to substantiate them4 ,in the preceding pages we have aimed to show how this species of address may be acquired1 and improved to an almost unlimited degree4 ,the ideal thus sketched is not an impossible or imaginary one4 ,it has often been attained1 and for the encouragement of those who may be disposed to throw away their manuscripts1 and trust to the method of nature1 the following examples are selected4 ,these are chosen because of their eminence1 and also because of the wide variety of qualities displayed in their eloquence4 ,many more might be given1 but these are sufficient for our purpose1 which is to show that in every department of speech the highest eloquence that ever flowed from the lips of men has clothed itself in unpremeditated words4 ,in these sketches we1 of course1 make no pretension to originality1 but have compiled what was adapted to our purpose from every available source4 ,and as the matter so obtained has been frequently abridged1 and two or three different accounts woven together1 it has sometimes been impossible to give full credit4 ,we are under especial obligation to the 8,new ,american ,cyclopedia10 ,mosheim's ,church ,history1 ,stevens's ,history of ,methodism1 ,harsha's 8,orators and ,statesmen10 8,kidder's ,homiletics10 with the current biographies of the speakers treated of4 ,much of the oratory of antiquity was recited4 ,this has been used as an argument to prove the comparative inferiority of that speech which is the offspring of the moment1 forgetting the great difference between ancient and modern life--a difference arising from the greater diversity of the latter1 and the nobler aims to which it gives birth4 ,the typical ,grecian oration is as much a work of art as a statue4 ,it was made to be admired1 and if1 by the beauty of its arrangement1 the melody of its language1 and the elegance of its delivery1 this object was achieved1 the orator was satisfied4 ,it was so1 to a less degree1 in the classic age of ,rome4 ,the form of the oration was of greater importance than its matter1 and it was judged that this would be best perfected by the use of the pen1 and of the memory4 ,yet the practice of antiquity on this point was far from uniform4 ,some of the noblest orators spoke extempore1 and have less fame than those who adopted the opposite plan1 only because at that time the art of reporting was too imperfect to preserve their eloquence4 ,the effect they produced remains1 and from it we obtain a faint view of their greatness4 ,pericles spoke without previous writing1 and the sway his speech established over his countrymen was more undisputed than that of ,demosthenes4 ,the latter had an assemblage of talents that1 with his tireless industry1 would have made him eminent in any mode of address that he might have adopted2 but even he did not recite exclusively4 ,the great rival of ,cicero1 ,hortensius1 whose wonderful power excited the emulation of the former1 spoke from the impulse of the moment1 as did many of the more eminent of the ,roman orators4 ,cicero was a man of tireless energy4 ,he applied himself to the study and practice of eloquence with a singleness of aim1 and a concentration of purpose that may well command our admiration4 ,he accumulated vast stores of knowledge1 perfected his logic1 and improved his voice until it became music1 and brought all the resources of a mighty mind to bear on oratory4 ,it is not wonderful that he was listened to with profound attention1 while he recited what he had previously composed4 ,but some of his most brilliant passages were extemporaneous4 ,the outburst that overwhelmed ,catiline when he unexpectedly appeared in the senate1 was coined1 at white heat1 by the passion of the moment4 ,the reason why so many of the ancients committed their speeches1 was because they could not be preserved otherwise1 unless the orator could remember and write down what he had said4 ,every unwritten speech perished1 and left nothing but a dim memory of the results it had produced4 ,this is the reason why the extempore speakers of the ancient world are less known than the reciters4 ,but the art of short-hand has effected a revolution in this particular1 and the most impassioned speeches are now photographed for the admiration of future generations4 ,the man who wishes his speech preserved is no longer compelled to write it4 ,,early ,,preaching ,,in ,,the ,,church4 ,we may be sure that the preaching of ,christ and the ,apostles was without notes4 ,it seems scarcely less than profanation to picture even the latter as reading from a previously prepared manuscript1 after they had been promised the help of the ,spirit in the hour when help was needed2 and it is inconceivable that the ,saviour should have taken any other mode of imparting ,his wisdom to men1 than that of direct address4 ,paul deprecated the eloquence of mere words1 although the sketch of his sermon on ,mars' ,hill1 with other addresses1 shows that he did not neglect the eloquence of thought1 and the strength of orderly1 logical arrangement4 ,we have no direct evidence of the manner of preaching in the first century1 but from all intimations we are led to conclude that sermons were composed without the use of the pen1 and consisted of easy1 familiar scripture expositions and deductions of moral lessons4 ,origen1 the most celebrated divine of the third century1 preached without manuscript1 and ,eusebius says of him3 8,then1 as was to be expected1 our religion spreading more and more1 and our brethren beginning to converse more freely with all1 ,origen1 who they say was now more than sixty years of age1 and who1 from long practice1 had acquired great facility in discoursing1 permitted his discourses to be taken down by ready writers1 a thing which he had never allowed before40 ,this shows not only that he had been accustomed to preach extempore1 but that he would not permit the sketches of his sermons which could be made by the imperfect reporting of that day1 to be published until late in life4 ,this would be very natural1 when unstudied explanation was the main object of the address1 but very unnatural if the sermon had been written according to the rules of rhetorical composition4 ,in the sermons of ,chrysostom there are many passages which could not1 from their nature1 have been precomposed1 and these are among the most brilliant of all4 ,but ,augustine1 who flourished in the fourth century1 affords us a still more conclusive proof of the power of the natural mode of address4 ,,augustine4 ,the father of this great man was a pagan1 but his mother was a ,christian4 ,she was a most remarkable woman1 and from her he doubtless inherited some of the strongest elements of his character4 ,her prayers for his conversion were almost continual1 but for many years produced no apparent result4 ,he plunged into many excesses1 and lived a most irregular life1 but from this he was aroused by the death of his father1 and by the study of philosophy4 ,for a time the latter seemed to satisfy his ardent mind1 but soon he saw its insufficiency1 became an earnest searcher for truth1 and explored the writings of the sages of antiquity without being able to find anything on which he could rest4 ,the problems of life pressed upon him with a terrible weight1 and he was too profound a thinker to be satisfied with any superficial explanation4 ,the doctrine of the ancient ,persians--that of the two antagonistic principles of good and evil in the world--for a while charmed his imagination1 but its influence over him soon passed away4 ,during all this time he was rising in fame as a teacher of rhetoric and eloquence1 and had established a school in ,rome which became widely celebrated4 ,his reputation as a teacher caused him to be summoned to ,milan1 where the ,emperor then was4 ,the great preacher1 ,ambrose1 then in the zenith of his power1 officiated in that city4 ,augustine heard him1 and felt that his doubts were answered4 ,but it required a terrible struggle before he could yield1 and it was only after he had passed the whole series of ,christian doctrines in review1 and tested them by all his mighty power of argument1 that he at last reposed in the truth4 ,the joy of his good mother can scarcely be conceived at this answer to her unceasing prayer1 and she soon passed away triumphantly4 ,he spent a short period in seclusion and profound meditation1 was then baptized1 and four years after began to preach4 ,the success of ,augustine was as great in preaching as it had been in teaching1 and he was promoted to the office of ,bishop4 ,his power was soon felt all over the ,christian world4 ,he at once entered on a course of labor like that of ,whitefield and ,wesley1 but still more varied4 ,he preached once every day1 and sometimes twice2 visited the sick and poor with great assiduity2 governed his diocese wisely2 was the ,christian champion against almost innumerable forms of heresy all over the world2 composed some most beautiful hymns2 wrote extensive commentaries that are still valued2 kept up a vast correspondence with emperors1 kings1 and church dignitaries everywhere2 and indited works of theology1 literature1 criticism1 and philosophy in immense profusion4 ,some of these will live as long as the language in which they are written is known4 ,for thirty-five years he remained at his post1 and died at last1 while his city was beleagured by a barbarian army1 in time to escape witnessing the ruin that burst on the flock he had so long loved and served4 ,the power of ,augustine as a preacher can scarcely be overrated4 ,everywhere the people flocked to hear him1 and the most enduring fruits followed his ministry4 ,his sermons were not calculated simply to win admiration for the preacher1 but pointed to the holier life1 and led men to love and strive after it4 ,he was the real founder of what is known at the present day as ,calvinism1 and by his vast power made it the prevailing doctrine of the church for centuries after his death4 ,there can be no question about his sincerity and earnestness1 and just as little regarding the influence of his solemn eloquence4 ,he quieted tumults1 changed the opinions of whole towns1 and wielded assemblies at his will4 ,he left a large number of sermons in a fragmentary condition1 but fully justifying all that his contemporaries have written of him4 ,it is not possible that such a man should have read or recited his discourses4 ,to have done so would have left him no time for such grand works as the 8,confessions10 8,city of ,god10 and others too numerous to mention1 which will endure while the world stands4 ,but he has not left us in doubt as to his mode of preaching4 ,he enjoins the 8,christian teacher0 to make his hearers comprehend what he says1 8to read in the eyes and countenances of his auditors whether they understand him or not1 and to repeat the same thing by giving it different terms1 till he perceives that it is understood1 an advantage which those cannot have who1 by a servile dependence on their memories1 learn their sermons by heart1 and repeat them as so many lessons4 ,let not the preacher become the servant of words2 rather let words be servants to the preacher40 ,in his charity1 however1 he does allow of reciting under certain circumstances4 8,those who are destitute of invention1 but can speak well1 provided they select well written discussions of another man and commit them to memory for the instruction of their hearers1 will not do badly if they take this course40 ,,luther4 ,the name of ,luther is so well known that it will not be necessary to give more than a very brief sketch of his wonderful life4 ,the peasant1 who was raised by his virtues to more than kingly power1 and to be the leader of the greatest religious movement of modern times1 cannot be a stranger to the world4 ,luther was bred in the midst of poverty and almost of want4 ,as he grew older1 his father1 who was a kind-hearted1 though stern man1 began to rise in the world1 and found means to send him to school4 ,the patronage of a wealthy lady named ,cotta1 was also of great benefit to him4 ,he was distinguished very early for quickness and profundity of intellect1 and the highest hopes were formed of him4 ,but in the midst of flattering prospects1 he was deeply convicted of sin1 and terrified concerning his spiritual state4 ,after he had spent a long time in mental struggles1 full of agony1 he resolved to become a monk1 as the surest way of allaying all doubt1 and obtaining the spiritual rest for which he longed4 ,his father never forgave this step1 until his son stood in direct opposition to the power of ,rome4 ,but the ardent heart of ,luther could not find peace in the dull routine of a convent life1 and every spiritual trial was redoubled4 ,at last1 while he was reading in an old copy of the ,bible1 which he had found in the library of the convent1 the great doctrine of justification by faith dawned upon him with all the freshness of a new revelation4 ,he at once began to teach the people the same blessed doctrine1 with the most gratifying results4 ,his preaching was marked by great power1 and soon his sphere widened4 ,he was made a doctor of divinity in the ,university of ,wittenberg1 and began to lecture on ,paul's ,epistles1 and the ,psalms4 ,he was still a devoted adherent of ,rome1 although he taught the students under his care to look to the ,scriptures as the fountain of all authority4 ,but the germs of the ,reformation were already hid in his own mind1 and it only required circumstances to bring them into vigorous life4 ,these were soon supplied4 ,when a monk came to ,wittenberg1 selling pardons for every kind of sin1 even that which was to be committed1 ,luther felt it his duty to warn the people against any dependence on such sources of forgiveness4 ,the ,pope took part with the monk in the strife that followed2 and the contest went from one point to another1 until the ,pope hurled a decree of excommunication at ,luther1 which he burned1 in the presence of his adherents1 as a token of defiance and contempt4 ,the reformation spread wonderfully1 and although surrounded on every side by threatenings and enemies1 the life of this great man was spared1 and for years he exerted an influence in ,germany not second to that of the ,emperor himself4 ,when he fell at last1 in the midst of his labors1 the people mourned for him as for a personal benefactor4 ,all through his life1 ,luther had the secret of reaching the hearts of the people in a wonderful manner4 ,no other of the great men who abounded at that time possessed a tithe of his power in this respect4 ,it has been said 8that his words were half battles40 ,his discourses were not smooth or graceful1 yet it was not for want of ability to secure these qualities1 for he had great command of every style of language1 and loved softer and more ornamented speech in others2 but he was too much in earnest1 with an empire1 and the vastest hierarchy the world ever saw1 arrayed against him1 to stay to use them4 ,whenever he preached the people would flock together from great distances1 and listen as to a prophet1 while he unfolded the grand and simple plan of salvation in the plainest words4 ,he had every element of a great preacher4 ,his imagination was most vivid1 and he did not fail to use it to the utmost4 ,he could paint a scene in all the completeness of action before his hearers1 and awaken their tears or smiles at his will4 ,he used no manuscript1 but spoke from the vast fulness of knowledge he possessed on every subject4 ,his pen was employed as well as his voice4 ,by it he not only produced a great number of books that advanced the cause of the ,reformation almost as much as his spoken efforts1 but by the combination of the two methods of expression1 writing to meet the eye and speaking for the ear1 he taught himself both accuracy and readiness1 and was thus prepared for the part he was called upon to act4 ,added to these1 were his strong emotions1 and indomitable will1 which gave him an energy that bore every thing before him4 ,for beauty and grace in themselves he cared nothing1 but when they came unbidden1 as they often did1 they were welcome4 ,he rightly estimated his own character and work when he said 8that he was rough1 boisterous1 stormy1 and altogether warlike2 born to fight innumerable devils and monsters1 to remove stumps and stones1 to cut down thistles and thorns1 and to clear the wild woods40 ,,lord ,,chatham4 ,it may well be doubted whether the eloquence of this great and wonderful man did not surpass that of either ,cicero or ,demosthenes4 ,it is certain that the effects he repeatedly produced have never been surpassed4 ,and he had not to deal with a populace easily moved1 although cultivated in some particulars1 as they had2 but his mightiest triumphs were won in the ,british ,parliament1 from an acute1 critical1 and often hostile assembly4 ,his example1 with that of his son1 who was almost equally great1 afford an irrefutable answer to those who doubt the capacity of unwritten speech to convey impressions as mighty as any ever produced by man4 ,he was born in #agjh1 and was educated at ,oxford1 quitting it without a degree1 but with a brilliant reputation4 ,soon after he entered ,parliament1 and gained such power that he was shortly advanced to the office of ,prime ,minister4 ,this was in the reign of ,george ,,ii4 and at the opening of the ,seven ,years ,war1 by which ,england won the province of ,canada1 and became the most powerful empire in the world4 ,but when he took the reins of government it was far different4 ,the armies of the nation had been beaten in every quarter1 and the people were almost in despair4 ,but he infused new spirit into them1 and by his energy and farsighted combinations1 won the most glorious series of triumphs that ever crowned the arms of ,england4 ,his fame did not cease when he left the ministry1 and1 in ,america at least1 he is best known for his friendly words to us during the revolutionary war4 ,he opposed with all the strength of his wondrous eloquence the oppressive measures that provoked the colonists to revolution4 ,yet there was no element of fear or compromise in his disposition4 ,he only opposed the ministry in their government of our country because he believed their measures to be unjust4 ,but when1 after seven years of defeat and disaster1 the body of the nation became convinced that the ,americans never could be conquered1 and the proposition was made to recognize their independence1 ,chatham fought against the accomplishment of the separation with all his vigor4 ,he made his last speech on this subject1 and while the house was still under the solemn awe that followed his address1 he was stricken down by apoplexy and borne home to die4 ,we have little upon which to base an estimate of this almost unequalled orator1 save the effect he produced upon his contemporaries4 ,nothing has been preserved of his speeches1 but a few passages that stamped themselves indelibly upon the minds of his hearers4 ,yet through his eloquence1 backed by his strong will1 he was for many years virtually dictator of ,england1 and even when most alone1 scarcely any one dared to meet him in debate4 ,many curious instances are given of the uncontrolled ascendency he obtained over the ,house of ,commons4 ,his most celebrated rival was ,murray1 ,earl of ,mansfield1 who had just been promoted to the office of ,attorney-,general1 when the incident narrated below occurred4 ,chatham made a speech1 really intended to overwhelm ,murray1 but on a totally different subject4 ,fox says 8every word was ,,murray1 yet so managed that neither he nor anybody else could take public notice of it or in any way reprehend him4 ,i sat near ,murray1 who suffered for an hour4 ,at its close he used an expression that at once became proverbial40 ,after the unhappy ,attorney had writhed for a time1 and endured the terrible1 but indirect1 satire of ,chatham until endurance was scarcely possible any longer1 the latter stopped1 threw his piercing eyes around as if in search of something1 then fixing their whole force on his victim1 exclaimed1 8,i must now address a few words to ,mr4 ,attorney2 they shall be few1 but they shall be daggers60 ,murray was agitated2 the look was continued1 and the agitation became so uncontrollable as to be noticed by the whole house4 8,felix trembles10 roared ,chatham1 in a voice of thunder1 8he shall hear me some other day40 ,murray was too completely stricken to attempt a reply4 ,on another occasion1 having finished a speech1 he walked out of the house with a slow step1 being at the time an habitual invalid4 ,there was a profound silence until he was passing through the door4 ,then a member started up1 saying1 8,mr4 ,speaker1 ,i rise to reply to the right honorable gentleman40 ,chatham caught the sound1 turned back1 and fixed his eye on the orator1 who instantly sat down4 ,he then walked slowly to his seat1 repeating in ,latin1 as he hobbled along1 the lines from ,virgil1 in which is described the terror of the ,grecian ghosts when neas entered the dark realm3 8,the ,grecian chiefs4444 ,when they beheld the ,,man with shining arms ,amid those shades1 trembled with sodden fear1 444 and raised ,a feeble outcry2 but the sound commenced1 ,died on their gurgling lips40 ,reaching his seat1 he exclaimed in a tone that terrified the whole house1 8,now let me hear what the honorable gentleman has to say to me40 ,there was no response1 and the whole body was too much awed to laugh at the situation of the poor orator4 ,yet he did not deal in the terrible and overpowering all the time4 ,in a most eloquent speech in opposition to a measure that he believed violated the sanctity of the ,english home1 he gave the following description of that privilege which is justly the proudest boast of an ,englishman4 ,a single passage is all that remains1 but it will not soon be forgotten3 8,the poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the forces of the ,crown4 ,it may be frail--its roof may shake--the wind may blow through it--the storm may enter--the rain may enter--but the ,king of ,england cannot enter6--all his forces dare not cross the threshold of the ruined tenement60 ,lord ,macaulay1 who was in no sense friendly to the great orator1 gives him a glowing eulogy3 8,his figure1 when he first appeared in ,parliament1 was strikingly graceful and commanding1 his features high and noble1 his eye full of fire4 ,his voice1 even when it sank to a whisper1 was heard to the remotest benches2 when he strained it to its full extent1 the sound rose like the swell of the organ of a great cathedral1 shook the house with its peal1 and was heard through lobbies1 and down staircases1 to the ,court of ,requests1 and the precincts of ,westminster ,hall4 ,he cultivated all these eminent advantages with the most assiduous care4 ,his action is described by a very malignant observer as equal to that of ,garrick4 ,his play of countenance was wonderful2 he frequently disconcerted a hostile orator by a single glance of indignation or scorn4 ,every tone1 from the impassioned cry to the thrilling aside1 was perfectly at his command40 ,he was a truly extemporaneous speaker1 and seldom attempted any other style4 ,when he did he failed4 ,his memory was strong and retentive1 and his mind so fully stored with information on every subject that he was always ready for debate4 ,some of his grandest efforts were called forth by an unexpected circumstance1 or a single glance of his eye4 ,once1 while replying to ,suffolk1 he caught a view of the tapestry on which was painted some of the achievements of the ancestors of that lord1 and instantly seized the hint it conveyed and gave expression to one of the noblest bursts of eloquence in any language4 ,one of his contemporaries says3 8,when without forethought or any other preparation than those talents nature had supplied1 and education cultivated1 ,chatham rose--stirred to anger by some sudden subterfuge of corruption1 or device of tyranny--then was heard an eloquence never surpassed either in ancient or modern times4 ,it was the highest power of expression ministering to the highest power of thought40 ,,william ,,pitt4 ,the manner in which the younger ,pitt succeeded to the talents and position of the elder is one of the most wonderful things in history4 ,his father trained him from his infancy in the models which he himself had imitated so successfully4 ,some of these means of improvement1 which at least assisted in producing the peculiar character of the eloquence of father and son1 are worthy of our attention4 ,they both translated from the best classical authors1 committed to memory choice passages from the poets1 and prose writers they valued1 thus acquiring great command of words4 ,with such previous training1 it would have been useless for them to write even in their most elaborate efforts4 ,when the younger ,pitt had finished the traditional college course and was admitted to the bar1 he also entered ,parliament1 being then only twenty-three years of age4 ,he delivered his first speech1 which was entirely unpremeditated1 only about a month afterward4 ,it took the house by storm4 ,in the midst of that brilliant assembly1 accustomed to the eloquence of ,fox1 ,burke1 and others worthy of any age1 there was a universal burst of enthusiastic admiration4 ,when some one remarked1 8,pitt promises to be one of the first speakers ever heard in ,parliament10 ,fox replied1 8,he is so already40 ,when only twenty-four years of age he was made ,prime ,minister1 and held the post for seventeen years4 ,although there is room for a wide difference of opinion regarding many of his acts during this time1 there is none concerning his ability4 ,among other reforms that he advocated was the abolition of the slave trade4 ,he made a speech on this subject that is still celebrated4 ,wilberforce said that 8for the last twenty minutes he really seemed to be inspired40 ,windham declares 8that he walked home lost in amazement at the compass1 until then unknown to him1 of human eloquence40 ,pitt died at the comparatively early age of forty-seven1 holding the highest office in the gift of his country4 ,brougham gives a glowing account of his power as an orator4 8,he is to be placed without any doubt in the highest class4 ,with a sparing use of ornament1 hardly indulging more in figures1 or even in figurative expression1 than the most severe examples of ancient chasteness allowed--with little variety of style1 hardly any of the graces of manner--he no sooner rose than he carried away every hearer1 and kept the attention fixed and unflagging until it pleased him to let it go2 and then 8',so charming left his voice that we awhile ,still thought him speaking1 still stood fixed to hear4' 8,this magical effect was produced by his unbroken flow1 which never for a moment left the hearer in pain or doubt1 and yet was not the mean fluency of mere relaxation1 requiring no effort of the speaker1 but imposing on the listener a heavy task2 by his lucid arrangement1 which made all parts of the most complicated subject quit their entanglement and fall each in its place2 by the clearness of his statements which presented a picture to the mind2 by the forcible appeals to strict reason and strong feeling which formed the great staple of the discourse2 by the majesty of the diction2 by the depth and fullness of the most sonorous voice and the unbending dignity of the manner1 which ever reminded us that we were in the presence of more than the mere advocate and debater1 that there stood before us a ruler of the people4 ,such were the effects invariably of this singular eloquence2 nor did anything1 in any mood of mind1 ever drop from him that was unsuited to the majestic frame of the whole1 or could disturb the serenity of the full and copious flood that rolled along40 ,macaulay says3 8,at his first appearance in ,parliament he showed himself superior to all his contemporaries in command of language4 ,he could pour out a long succession of round and stately periods1 without ever pausing for a word1 without ever repeating a word1 in a voice of silver clearness1 and with a pronunciation so articulate that not a letter was slurred over40 ,these men1 father and son1 were never excelled in debate4 ,they were always ready4 ,every advantage that the occasion allowed was taken at the time1 and the favorable moment never went by while they were preparing4 ,they each attained a power they never would have possessed had it been necessary for them to use manuscript or depend on their memory4 ,the time others have wasted in writing special orations1 they employed in such wide culture1 and in accumulating such vast stores of knowledge1 that they were always ready4 ,they were able to come to great intellectual contests with their minds fresh and un-fagged by previous composition4 ,but it may be said that with all their power they were destitute of polish and beauty4 ,in such fragments of their speeches as have been preserved1 it is true that gracefulness is less conspicuous than force1 and the opponent of unwritten speech may imagine that this is a necessary consequence of the manner in which they spoke4 ,the advantage they gained was worth the cost1 even if this lack of the finer and more elegant qualities of speech was inevitable4 ,but that this does not necessarily result from extempore speech1 is abundantly proved by the example of their great rival-- ,,edmund ,,burke4 ,this prince of imaginative orators was an ,irishman4 ,he was born in #agcj1 and graduated in ,dublin ,university at the age of twenty4 ,for a short time afterward he studied law1 but soon grew weary of it and turned his attention to philosophy and literature4 ,the productions of his pen speedily won an enviable reputation4 ,a 8,vindication of ,natural ,society0 was speedily followed by the celebrated 8,essay on the ,sublime and ,beautiful40 ,his appearance in ,parliament1 the great arena of ,british eloquence1 was comparatively late in life1 but as soon as elected he gave promise of the great brilliancy he afterward displayed4 ,for more than thirty years he had no superior in that august body1 and scarcely an equal4 ,he stood side by side with ,pitt in defence of ,america1 and endeared himself to every lover of liberty in both hemispheres4 ,the great impeachment of ,warren ,hastings was mainly brought about by his influence1 and afforded room for all his powers4 ,the war with ,france was the last great theme upon which his eloquence was employed1 and in it his strongly conservative views alienated him from most of his former friends4 ,during all this time his eloquence was a wonder both to friend and foe1 and in its own style was never equalled in the ,house of ,commons1 or in the world4 ,his speech on the impeaching of ,warren ,hastings1 made at the bar of the ,house of ,lords1 was an unparalleled effort4 ,it extended over a period of four days1 and bore everything before it4 ,on the third day of this great speech1 he described the cruelties inflicted on some of the natives of ,india by one of ,hastings's agents1 with such vividness that one convulsive shudder ran through the whole assemblage1 while the speaker was so much affected by the picture he had penciled1 that he dropped his head upon his hands1 and was for some moments unable to proceed4 ,some1 who were present1 fell into a swoon1 while even ,hastings himself1 who disclaimed all responsibility for these things1 was overwhelmed4 ,in speaking of the matter afterwards he says3 8,for half an hour ,i looked upon the orator in a revery of wonder1 and actually felt myself to be the most culpable man on earth40 ,lord ,thurlow1 who was present1 declares that long after1 many who were present had not recovered from the shock1 and probably never would4 ,soon after1 the great speech of ,sheridan was delivered4 ,like ,burke's1 it was extempore1 and no report of it1 worthy the name1 remains4 ,it was only inferior to the mighty effort that preceded it4 ,a clergyman who came to the house strongly prepossessed in favor of ,hastings1 said at the close of the first hour1 to a friend who sat by him1 8,this is mere declamation without proof40 ,when another hour had passed1 he remarked1 8,this is a wonderful oration40 ,another hour went by1 and again he spoke3 8,warren ,hastings certainly acted unjustifiably40 ,at the end of the fourth hour he said3 8,hastings is an atrocious criminal40 ,when the speech closed at the end of the fifth hour1 he vehemently declared1 8,of all monsters of iniquity1 ,warren ,hastings is certainly the most enormous40 ,for seven long years this unprecedented trial went on4 ,more than one-third of those who sat on the judge's bench when it began were in their graves4 ,when1 at last it drew to a close1 ,burke made to the ,lords a closing charge worthy of his genius3 8,my ,lords10 said he1 8,i have done6 ,the part of the ,commons is concluded6 ,with a trembling hand we consign the product of these long1 long labors to your charge4 ,take it6 ,take it6 ,it is a sacred trust6 ,never before was a cause of such magnitude submitted to any human tribunal4444 ,my ,lords1 it has pleased ,providence to place us in such a stage that we appear every moment to be on the verge of some great mutation4 ,there is one thing1 and one thing only that defies mutation--that which existed before the world itself4 ,i mean ,,justice2 that justice which1 emanating from the ,divinity1 has a place in the breast of every one of us1 given us for our guide with regard to ourselves and with regard to others2 and which will stand after this globe is burned to ashes1 our advocate or our accuser before our great ,judge1 when ,he comes to call upon us for the tenor of a well spent life40 ,the effect of this speech upon the auditory was such that it was only after some time had elapsed1 and after repeated efforts1 that ,fox1 himself a giant in eloquence1 could obtain a hearing4 ,the character of ,burke's eloquence is well summed up in the following account1 given by ,wraxall1 one of his contemporaries3 8,nature had bestowed on him a boundless imagination1 aided by a memory of equal strength and tenacity4 ,his fancy was so vivid that it seemed to light up by its own powers1 and to burn without consuming the aliment on which it fed3 sometimes bearing him away into ideal scenes created by his own exuberant mind1 but from which he1 sooner or later1 returned to the subject of debate2 descending from his most aerial flights1 by a gentle and imperceptible gradation1 till he again touched the ground4 ,learning waited on him like a handmaid1 presenting to his choice all that antiquity has culled or invented1 most elucidatory of the topic under discussion4 ,he always seemed to be oppressed under the load and variety of his intellectual treasures4 ,every power of oratory was wielded by him in its turn2 for he could be1 during the same evening1 often within the space of a few minutes1 pathetic and humorous2 acrimonious and conciliating2 now giving loose to his indignation or severity2 and then1 almost in the same breath1 calling to his assistance wit and ridicule4 ,it would be endless to cite instances of this versatility of his disposition1 and of the rapidity of his transitions1 #8,from grave to gay1 from lively to severe1' that ,i have1 myself1 witnessed4 4 4 4 ,what he was in public he was in private2 like the star which now precedes and now follows the sun1 he was equally brilliant whether he #8,flamed in the forehead of the morning sky1' or led on with a milder luster the modest hosts of evening40 ,a ,frenchman gives a graphic description of one of his speeches4 ,at first he was disappointed in his appearance4 8,i certainly did not expect to find him in the ,british ,parliament dressed in the ancient toga2 nor was ,i prepared to see him in a tight brown coat1 which seemed to impede every movement1 and above all1 the little hat-wig with curls4 4 4 4 ,he moved into the middle of the house contrary to the usual practice1 for the members speak standing and uncovered1 not leaving their places4 ,but ,mr4 ,burke1 with the most natural air imaginable1 with seeming humility1 and with folded arms1 began his speech in so low a tone of voice that ,i could scarcely hear him4 ,soon after1 however1 becoming animated by degrees1 he described religion attacked1 the bonds of subordination broken1 civil society threatened to its foundation4444 ,when in the course of this grand sketch1 7to show that ,england could depend only on herself17 he mentioned ,spain1 that immense monarchy1 which appeared to have fallen into a total lethargy3 #8,what can we expect1' said he1 #8from her8--mighty indeed1 but unwieldy--vast in bulk1 but inert in spirit--a whale stranded upon the sea shore of ,europe4' ,the whole ,house was silent2 every mind was fixed2 444 never was the electric power of eloquence more imperiously felt4 ,i have witnessed many1 too many political assemblages and striking scenes where eloquence performed a noble part1 but the whole of them appear insipid when compared with this amazing effort40 ,burke was an extemporaneous speaker in the sense we have used the word in the preceding pages4 ,he thought over the ideas of his speech as fully as his time permitted1 and when he spoke1 threw them into the language of the moment4 ,at the conclusion of one of his speeches on the ,american question1 his friends crowded around and urged him to write what he had said for the benefit of the world4 ,he did so then1 and also on five other occasions4 ,of the hundreds of other speeches he delivered only broken and imperfect fragments remain4 ,burke exerted himself in conversation1 and thus improved his powers of language in the method we have recommended4 ,dr4 ,johnson says of him in his oracular way3 8,burke is an extraordinary man4 ,his stream of talk is perpetual2 and he does not talk from any desire of distinction1 but because his mind is full4 ,he is the only man whose common conversation corresponds with the general fame he has in the world4 ,take him up where you please1 he is ready to meet you4 ,no man of sense could meet him by accident under a gateway to avoid a shower without being convinced that he was the first man in ,england40 ,,mirabeau4 ,the career of ,mirabeau more resembles a strange romance than a sober history4 ,he was of a good family1 but during his childhood and early manhood his father treated him like a brute4 ,his very appearance was peculiar4 ,his head was of enormous size1 his body so much misshapen that his father1 who persecuted him for his deformity1 declared that he looked more like a monster than a human being4 ,the whole of his early life presents a picture of dreariness and misery exceeding that of almost any other man who has risen to greatness4 ,several times he was imprisoned--once for three years and a half--by order of his unnatural parent4 ,finally he began to use his pen1 and soon won general admiration4 ,his father1 having failed to crush him1 now became reconciled1 and allowed him to assume the family name1 which he had not permitted before4 ,by this time he had a wide experience of vice1 and was deeply in debt4 ,his struggles for several years were still severe4 ,but at length the great revolution came1 and he found his true element4 ,the powers of speech which had already been displayed to a limited extent1 were now exercised in a noble field4 ,the people soon recognized in him the qualities necessary for a leader1 and elected him to the ,general ,assembly of ,france4 ,here he was feared and respected by all4 ,he had no party to support him1 but worked alone1 and often by the mere force of his genius bent the ,assembly to his will4 ,during his whole career there1 he was not an extremist1 and for a time before his death was engaged in upholding the crown and the cause of constitutional government against the party of anarchy and death4 ,this lost him his unbounded popularity with the fickle populace of ,paris1 and they began to shout for his blood4 ,he was charged in the ,assembly with corruption1 and treason to the cause of liberty4 ,this only prepared the way for his triumph4 ,the very tree was marked on which he was to be hung4 ,but he did not quail before the storm4 ,when he reached the hall1 he found himself in the midst of determined enemies already drunk with blood1 and with no friend who dared to speak on his behalf4 ,but the mere force of eloquence prevailed4 ,he spoke in words of such power that the noisy multitude was stilled1 and the tide turned4 ,after this triumph he took part in every measure1 and was really the guiding power of the state4 ,the king leaned on him as the only stay of his reign1 and the moderate of every party began to look to him as the hope of ,france4 ,sometimes he spoke five times in one day1 and at the sound of his magical voice the anarchical ,assembly was hushed into reverence and submission4 ,but his exertions were beyond his strength4 ,at last he was prostrated4 ,every hour the king sent to enquire of his health1 and bulletins of his state were posted in the streets4 ,it seemed as if the destiny of ,france was to be decided in his sick chamber4 ,he died1 and the whole nation mourned1 as well it might1 for no other hand than his could hold back the reign of terror4 ,it is indeed a problem whether that terrible tragedy would not have been prevented1 if he had but lived a few months longer4 ,some of the speeches of this remarkable man were recited1 but in these he never attained his full power4 ,a ,french writer well describes him3 8,mirabeau in the tribune was the most imposing of orators1 an orator so consummate1 that it is harder to say what he wanted than what he possessed4 8,mirabeau had a massive and square obesity of figure1 thick lips1 a forehead broad1 bony1 prominent2 arched eyebrows1 an eagle eye1 cheeks flat1 and somewhat fleshy1 features full of pock holes and blotches1 a voice of thunder1 an enormous mass of hair1 and the face of a lion4 8,his manner as an orator is that of the great masters of antiquity1 with an admirable energy of gesture1 and a vehemence of diction which perhaps they had never reached4 8,mirabeau in his premeditated discourses was admirable4 ,but what was he not in his extemporaneous effusions8 ,his natural vehemence1 of which he repressed the flights in his prepared speeches1 broke down all barriers in his improvisations4 ,a sort of nervous irritability gave then to his whole frame an almost preternatural animation and life4 ,his breast dilated with an impetuous breathing4 ,his lion face became wrinkled and contorted4 ,his eyes shot forth flame4 ,he roared1 he stamped1 he shook the fierce mass of his hair1 all whitened with foam2 he trod the tribune with the supreme authority of a master1 and the imperial air of a king4 ,what an interesting spectacle to behold him1 momently1 erect and exalt himself under the pressure of obstacle6 ,to see him display the pride of his commanding brow6 ,to see him1 like the ancient orator1 when1 with all the power of his unchained eloquence1 he was wont to sway1 to and fro in the ,forum1 the agitated waves of the ,roman multitude4 ,then would he throw by the measured notes of his declamation1 habitually grave and solemn4 ,then would escape him broken exclamations1 tones of thunder1 and accents of heartrending and terrible pathos4 ,he concealed with the flash and color of his rhetoric1 the sinewy arguments of his dialectics4 ,he transported the ,assembly1 because himself transported4 ,and yet--so extraordinary was his force--he abandoned himself to the torrent of his eloquence1 without wandering from his course2 he mastered others by its sovereign sway1 without losing for an instant his own self-control40 ,,patrick ,,henry4 ,the fame of this great man cannot soon be surpassed4 ,he not only produced a great impression at the time he spoke1 but had an agency1 by his eloquent words1 in bringing about the most important changes4 ,he was more than the mouthpiece of the ,american ,revolution4 ,he not merely interpreted the feelings of the mass of the nation to itself1 but in a large degree originated the enthusiasm that led them through war to independence4 ,it is certain that the aristocratic and powerful colony of ,virginia would have occupied a far different place in the struggle for liberty1 if it had been deprived of his almost irresistible influence4 ,it is hard to speculate on what might have been the result if temporizing measures had carried the day1 and the union of the colonies been interfered with by want of cordial sympathy4 ,the political wisdom of ,franklin1 and the military skill and constancy of ,washington1 did not contribute more to final success than the bold councils and fervent utterances of the country lawyer who is the subject of our sketch4 ,patrick ,henry was born in ,hanover county1 ,virginia1 in ,may1 #agcf4 ,in childhood he acquired the common elements of education1 and some knowledge of ,latin and mathematics1 and was not the ignorant youth that some of his admirers delight in representing him4 ,but he was exceedingly fond of hunting and fishing1 and would often spend the hours in this way1 that might have been devoted to more useful employment4 ,but he became a great day dreamer1 thus at once revealing and exercising the unbounded imagination he possessed4 ,he loved to wander alone1 that he might give full play to the visions and reveries that floated through his brain4 ,when about fourteen1 he heard the celebrated ,presbyterian minister1 ,samuel ,davies4 ,his eloquence was the most powerful that ,henry had hitherto enjoyed1 and awakened in him a spirit of emulation4 ,all his life ,henry delighted to do him honor1 and attributed the bent of his own mind to oratory and a large measure of his success to this man4 ,in business1 the future statesman was uniformly most unsuccessful4 ,he twice failed as a storekeeper1 and once as a farmer4 ,but all this time he was really studying for his future profession4 ,he was fond of talk1 and by indulging in it freely doubtless improved his power of language4 ,he would relate long stories1 and do it so well that those who thronged his counter took as little note of time as he did1 and yielded their hearts as fully to him as larger audiences did afterward4 ,as a last resort he studied law1 but for a time his success was no better in this than in his previous occupations4 ,but after two or three years1 during which he lived without practice1 and in a dependent condition1 he was retained in what seemed merely a nominal capacity--as defendant in the noted 8,parsons case40 ,the preachers of the established church were paid so many pounds of tobacco per annum4 ,but when the price arose1 in a time of scarcity1 the ,legislature passed an act allowing all persons to pay their assessment in money at the rate of #b;d per pound1 which was much less than it was worth at that time4 ,after an interval this law was declared void by the king and his council4 ,then the clergy instituted suit to recover what they had lost during the time the act was enforced4 ,there was no doubt of the legality of their claim1 although more of its intrinsic rightfulness1 and the law question was decided in a test case1 almost without controversy4 ,this really surrendered the whole matter1 and the only issue then was as to the amount of damage they had sustained--a very plain question1 apparently affording no room for argument by the defense4 ,a vast array of the clergy were present1 and on the bench was ,henry's own father4 ,no circumstances could be imagined more unfavorable for the maiden speech of a young lawyer4 ,the case for the plaintiff was clearly and forcibly stated by a leading member of the bar1 and ,henry began his reply4 ,it is no wonder that he faltered1 and that his sentences were awkward and confused4 ,the people1 who were present in great numbers1 and who were intensely hostile to the preachers1 hung their heads1 and gave up the contest4 ,the father of the speaker was shame-faced and dismayed4 ,the preachers smiled in derision1 and exchanged congratulatory glances4 ,but it was too soon4 ,the power of eloquence began to assert itself4 ,the strong mind of ,henry mastered all embarrassment1 and was brought to bear1 with irresistible force1 upon his subject1 and upon those around4 ,all eyes were drawn to the almost unknown speaker4 ,his rusticity of manner had disappeared2 his form became erect1 and his piercing eyes shot forth lightning4 8,a mysterious and almost supernatural transformation of appearance0 passed over him4 ,every pulse beat responsive to his1 and throbbed with his own mighty indignation4 ,he turned his withering invective upon the clergy1 speaking of their greediness1 oppression1 and meanness1 until they fled from the court4 ,spectators say that their blood ran cold and their hair stood on end6 ,when he concluded1 the jury in an instant brought judgment for one penny damages6 a new trial was refused1 and the young but unparalleled orator was borne away in triumph by the shouting multitude4 ,his first appearance in the house of ,burgesses was not less brilliant1 and far more important in its results4 ,the majority of the ,assembly seemed to be bent on new petitions and remonstrances against the oppression of ,england1 when ,henry introduced his celebrated resolutions1 declaring in plain phrases that the acts complained of were unconstitutional and void4 ,this1 which was little short of a declaration of war1 was received1 even by well-meaning patriots1 with a storm of opposition4 ,a most bitter debate followed4 ,henry at first stood almost alone1 with the wealth and talent of the ,assembly arrayed against him4 ,but his clear conviction1 determined will1 and powerful eloquence turned the scale1 and the resolutions passed1 committing ,virginia to the cause of resistance4 ,when ,henry attended the first ,congress he found an array of men1 whose fame was already becoming world-wide4 ,but he soon won his way to the very highest rank among them1 and maintained it to the close4 ,his extraordinary eloquence excited the same astonishment on this broader field1 as in the seclusion of the ,virginia hills4 ,it was 8,shakespeare and ,garrick combined40 ,when he took his seat after his opening speech1 the first speech that had broken the silence of the great assembly1 there was no longer a doubt that he was the greatest orator in ,america1 and probably in the world4 ,this pre-eminence he maintained all through the exciting struggle4 ,his voice was ever like an inspiration1 and the people looked up to him almost as a prophet4 ,his vast power remained until the close of his life4 ,the last great speech1 made in a contest with ,john ,randolph1 when he was nearly seventy years of age1 and only three months before his death1 was equal to any of his former efforts4 8,the sun had set in all its glory40 ,these few sketches will sufficiently illustrate the eloquence of this wonderful man4 ,it only remains to state what is known in regard to his methods of preparation4 ,he never wrote4 ,his mightiest efforts were made in situations where the use of the pen would have been impossible4 ,the ,virginia resolutions were written on a blank leaf in a law book1 and during the whole of the terrible debate which followed1 he was ever ready1 and mastered all opponents4 ,he thought much1 but wrote little4 ,he spoke only on great occasions1 while in political life1 but gave attention to all that was passing1 and by keen observation learned the characters of those upon whose minds he wrought4 ,thus he was prepared to drive every word home to its mark4 ,he was a great student of history1 and this knowledge doubtless contributed very greatly to the clearness and precision of his views upon the great struggle in which the country was engaged1 as well as gave him an ample fund of illustration in his speeches4 ,study of character and of history1 cultivation of the power of narration and of language1 seem to have been the means by which his wonderful natural genius was fitted for its triumphs4 ,,george ,,whitefield4 ,few men of any age have been instrumental in accomplishing more good than the subject of our present sketch4 ,without deep logical powers1 and with little claim to originality of thought1 he chained vast multitudes by his eloquence1 and was one of the foremost actors in a mighty religious movement4 ,none of the converts ,whitefield gathered into the church ever passed through a more strongly marked experience in personal religion than he did4 ,the agony of conviction he underwent was terrible1 and he struggled long and desperately before he obtained peace4 8,god only knows10 he exclaims1 8how many nights ,i have lain upon my bed groaning under what ,i felt4 ,whole days and weeks have ,i spent in lying prostrate on the ground1 in silent or vocal prayer40 ,his mind almost failed under the violence of his mental conflicts1 and he endeavored1 by wearing the meanest apparel1 and almost continual fasting1 and many works of self-mortification to find relief4 ,but all this was in vain4 ,we see in it an indication of the terrible earnestness and sincerity of the man--qualities which never passed away from him4 ,these months of vivid emotion affected his whole life1 and imparted an intensity to his pictures of sin1 and a vividness to his realization of its horrors1 that he never would have had otherwise4 ,at last his health gave way beneath the pressure of his spiritual trials1 and he fell into a long sickness4 ,at the end of seven weeks he found peace1 and his raptures became as great as the horrors of conscience had been4 8,but oh6 with what joy1 joy unspeakable1 even joy that was full of glory1 was my soul filled1 when the weight of sin went off1 and an abiding sense of the love of ,god and a full assurance of faith broke in upon my disconsolate soul40 ,this rapturous experience continued with few interruptions through life1 and really formed the spring of his wonderful exertions4 ,for thirty-four years his soul glowed in all the fervors that he had experienced at his first conversion1 and he put forth his great strength in unwearied efforts to bring others to the same blessed enjoyment4 ,his career opened with wonderful brilliancy4 ,the first sermon preached after his ordination as deacon1 was said to 8have driven fifteen persons mad10--a kind of madness that soon became common in ,england4 ,everywhere the people flocked to hear him in crowds1 and soon no church would contain the multitude1 even when they were opened for him4 ,once1 when preaching with 8great freedom of heart and clearness of voice10 with thousands of persons standing outside of the church1 after hundreds had gone away for want of room1 he was struck with the thought of preaching the word in the open air4 ,friends discouraged1 but the die was soon cast1 and from that time forward his mightiest triumphs were won in imitation of his ,master1 8who had a mountain for ,his pulpit1 and the heavens for a sounding board60 ,this was the proper theater for the display of his wonderful power1 and his spirit felt the beauty and grandeur of the scene4 ,sometimes as many as twenty thousand people were gathered together4 ,the theater of his most marvelous triumphs was at ,moorfields during the ,whitsun holidays4 ,the lowest class of ,london population was then poured forth1 and the most riotous scenes enacted4 ,he resolved to begin early1 in order to secure the field before the greatest rush of the crowd4 ,ten thousand people were gathered impatiently waiting for the sports of the day4 8,he had for once got the start of the devil10 and soon drew the multitude around him4 ,at noon he tried again4 ,the odds against him were greater4 ,between twenty and thirty thousand people were present1 and shows1 exhibitors1 and players were all busy4 ,he shouted his text1 8,great is ,diana of the ,ephesians10 and began the battle4 ,it was waged fiercely1 and stones1 dirt1 and rotten eggs1 with every other means of annoyance1 were brought to bear on the steadfast preacher4 8,my soul10 he says1 8was among lions40 ,but soon his wonderful power transformed the multitude into lambs4 ,at night he renewed the assault on the stronghold of the adversary4 ,thousands had been added to the throng1 and their leaders1 who had lost much of their day's gain by his preaching1 were determined to endure it no longer4 ,a harlequin attempted to strike him with a whip but failed4 ,a recruiting sergeant1 with many followers1 and with drum and fife1 made the next effort4 ,but ,whitefield called to the people to make way for the king's officer1 and the people yielded before1 and closed up behind him1 until he was in this manner conducted harmlessly out of the crowd4 ,next1 a large number combined together1 and taking hold of a long pole charged furiously on the assembly1 roaring like beasts4 ,but they too were foiled1 and threw down the pole1 many of them joining the hearers4 ,at times the tumult rose like the noise of many waters1 drowning the voice of the preacher1 who would then resort to singing1 until silence returned4 ,he kept the field to the last1 and gathered mighty spoil into his ,tabernacle that night4 ,very different were the sermons he preached at the mansion of ,lady ,huntingdon1 but they were marked by the same power4 ,courtiers and noblemen joined in praising him1 and ,hume declared that he would go twenty miles to hear him4 ,no one seemed to be impervious to his wonderful eloquence1 and even in this selected circle he gathered trophies of the ,cross4 ,he passed and repassed from ,england to ,america several times1 and was everywhere as a flame of fire4 ,the languid zeal of lukewarm churches was revived1 and the careless and immoral led into new lives4 ,he was soon looked up to as an apostle by thousands who dated their first religious impressions from the time when they listened to his fervid words4 ,but opposition was not wanting1 and once he very nearly received the crown of martyrdom4 ,after he had finished preaching in ,dublin1 he was attacked by an immense mob of infuriated ,papists4 ,his friends fled for their lives1 and left him to the mercy of the rioters4 ,stones from every direction struck him1 until he was breathless and dripping with blood4 ,he found a momentary refuge1 when almost at the point of death1 but the inmates of the house which he had entered1 fearing it would be demolished1 entreated him to leave4 ,he was offered a disguise1 but refused it1 and in his proper dress passed through whole streets of threatening ,papists1 and as soon as he had reached a place of safety1 and had his wounds dressed1 began to preach again6 ,thus year after year passed1 crowded full of labors4 ,he considered it an indication of great feebleness that for a short time he could only preach one sermon a day4 ,thousands in ,europe and ,america called him blessed1 and everywhere countless multitudes crowded to hear him speak of the grace of ,god4 ,for the lifetime of an ordinary generation his unequaled power and untiring labor continued4 ,after speaking he frequently vomited great quantities of blood1 which he regarded as relieving his over-taxed lungs4 ,his death was romantic and beautiful1 as befitted such a life4 ,there are few more touching1 and yet more happy in the records of biography4 ,he preached his last field sermon at ,exeter4 ,it was continued for two hours1 and was among his most powerful efforts4 ,he reached ,newburyport1 ,mass41 the same evening1 where he intended to preach the next day4 ,while at supper1 the pavement1 and the hall of the house where he sat1 were crowded with people impatient to hear the wonderful orator4 ,but he was exhausted1 and said to one of the clergymen who accompanied him1 8,brother1 you must speak to these dear people2 ,i cannot say a word40 ,he took a candle and started for his room1 but before he reached it1 his generous heart reproached him for even seeming to desert the people who were hungering for the bread of life4 ,he paused on the stairway1 while the piece of candle he had taken when he started cast its flickering light on the crowd below1 and began to speak4 ,the people gazed with tearful awe and affection on his venerable form4 ,his musical and pathetic voice flowed on in words of tenderness and exhortation until the candle went out in its socket4 ,before the morning he was dead6 ,his remembrance did not die with him4 ,europe and ,america vied together in mourning for him1 and ,methodists1 ,churchmen1 and ,dissenters revered him as a departed prophet4 ,what was the secret of his unparalleled power with the people8 ,clearly its spring was his own profound and overwhelming emotions4 ,it is sometimes thought that his almost perfect elocution explains the fascination he exerted1 but it does not4 ,he is classed by many as one who committed and recited his discourses4 ,but it may be safely assumed that he could not have commanded one tithe of his success in that manner4 ,he may have done this at the beginning of his career1 before his marvelous genius was fully developed1 but not after4 ,it is indeed given as a reason of his embarrassment when he began to preach in the open air1 that he had not long been accustomed to preach extempore4 ,he says that often1 in his own apprehension1 he had not a word to say either to ,god or man4 ,think of a person who has a fully committed sermon1 making such an assertion1 and afterwards thanking ,god for giving him words and wisdom6 ,the very best possible evidence that his sermons took their external form at the moment1 was that he complained of the reports that were made of them4 ,if they had been written before preaching1 he would have had the means of making these as perfect as desired4 ,yet he repeated sermons on particular subjects very often4 ,foote and ,garrick estimated that they improved up to the thirtieth and fortieth repetition4 ,going over the same ground so often1 many striking phrases would doubtless fix themselves in his mind1 but he would still be free to introduce new matters as he wished4 ,his illustrations1 too1 many of which were gathered from his own wide experience1 would be given in nearly the same manner on successive occasions4 ,but he was a fine talker1 and by his unlimited practice in speech improved the power of language to such an extent that it was fully capable of expressing the ocean of feeling that flowed in his soul4 ,his published sermons show few traces of the pen1 but bear every mark of impassioned utterance4 ,untroubled by doubt1 all that he preached was felt to be present reality4 ,he was a pure and holy man1 moved by the ,spirit to the work he entered on1 and endowed with a heart of fire1 a soul of love1 and a power of expression such as is given to few mortals4 ,no wonder that the multitude felt him to be little less than inspired4 ,,john ,,wesley4 ,both ,henry and ,whitefield were men of such vast genius as to be lifted above ordinary rules4 ,when we look upon them we feel imitation to be almost hopeless4 ,but we will give an instance of an altogether different kind1 and thus show how easily unwritten speech may be the medium of every species of address4 ,john ,wesley was not an impassioned or impetuous orator1 and yet he wielded an almost boundless influence4 ,he was fluent and easy in his language1 but exact and logical1 leaving no careless word on which an enemy might seize4 ,yet his power was great1 and even the scenes of excitement that marked the preaching of ,whitefield1 and other early ,methodists1 were even surpassed under his clear calm words4 ,we have no intention of sketching the life and great achievements of ,wesley1 but will only consider a few events that bear on his character as a preacher4 ,before he found peace in believing1 which he did not until he had preached for years1 his sermons were not characterized by any extraordinary power4 ,they were strong1 clear1 fluent1 and no more4 ,but after his return from his final voyage to ,america1 there was a great change4 ,the external characteristics remained nearly the same1 but the fervor and power of the spirit that breathed through his mildest words1 soon produced the opposite effects of exciting bitter enmity and of drawing the hearts of the people toward him4 ,it mattered not what the nature of his congregations might be1 there was something in his manner and words adapted to all4 ,he began field preaching about the same time that ,whitefield did1 and sometimes gathered as many as twenty thousand into one congregation4 ,while he spoke the whole assembly was often bathed in tears1 and frequently many fell down as dead4 ,he gathered those who were convinced by his preaching into societies1 and these soon spread over the whole country4 ,he was thus required to exercise more authority in caring for them than any bishop of the ,established ,church4 ,for upwards of fifty years he averaged fifteen sermons a week4 ,although ,wesley was the founder of ,methodism1 yet he differed widely from the typical ,methodist preachers4 ,he dressed neatly1 was most courteous and polished in manners1 graceful in the pulpit1 and considered violent exertions of the voice or furious gesticulation to be little less than sin4 ,his published sermons are models of thoughtful analysis1 close reasoning1 and orderly arrangement4 ,yet he always spoke without manuscript and without memorizing4 ,wesley would certainly have been justified1 if any person ever was1 in reading his discourses4 ,for he was surrounded by those who had been led into the way of life by him1 and who treasured up every word that fell from his lips1 while on the other hand1 unscrupulous enemies misrepresented him continually1 and sought for occasion to accuse him of teaching pernicious doctrine4 ,yet amid such ceaseless preaching1 he was always able to command the very words to express his ideas1 and was never compelled to retract an unguarded sentence4 ,the volumes of sermons which he published are to be regarded as mere abstracts of his teaching1 recorded for the benefit of his societies1 and not as the very words he used upon particular occasions4 ,in his later years he came before the people1 as a father instructing his children1 and imparted to them the weighty truths he thought they ought to know1 in all simplicity1 and without the slightest care for outward ornament or word-nicety4 ,,sidney ,,smith4 ,this eccentric1 whole-souled1 humorous1 and eloquent clergyman was born in #agga1 and died in #ahce4 ,he graduated at ,oxford1 received a fellowship1 worth five hundred dollars a year1 and thought to study law1 but at the instance of his father1 changed his mind and entered the ,church4 ,in connection with three others he started the ,edinburgh ,review1 and for years contributed sparkling articles that did much to establish its reputation and popularity4 ,he also became known to a wide circle for his brilliant conversational powers1 and1 like so many extempore speakers1 took great delight in this most pleasant means of improvement4 ,at first his preferment in the ,church was slow1 but his favor with the people was undoubtful4 ,while he preached in ,london large and fashionable audiences were drawn wherever he officiated4 ,finally he was presented with an obscure country living1 and after some delay went to it4 ,it was a desolate place1 far away from all the centers of intellectual life1 and previous incumbents had resided away from it for more than a century4 ,he says1 8,when ,i began to thump the cushion of my pulpit1 on first coming to ,foston1 as is my wont when ,i preach1 the accumulated dust of one hundred and fifty years1 made such a cloud that for some minutes ,i lost sight of my congregation40 ,he soon made a change for the better in all the affairs of the parish2 built an ugly but comfortable parsonage1 and won the devoted affection of his people4 ,he passed much of his time in literary avocations1 and after fourteen years1 received preferment to more desirable churches4 ,during the remainder of his life he used his pen so as to greatly increase his already wide reputation1 and became still more noted as a preacher4 ,he was very witty1 and cared little for the common rules of sermonizing1 but had a power and earnestness that compensated for every defect4 ,the following extract will indicate his method of preparation3 8,pulpit discourses have insensibly dwindled from speaking to reading2 a practice which of itself is sufficient to stifle every germ of eloquence4 ,it is only by the fresh feelings of the heart that mankind can be very powerfully affected4 ,what can be more ludicrous than an orator delivering stale indignation and fervor a week old2 turning over whole pages of violent passions1 written out in goodly text2 reading the tropes and apostrophes into which he is hurried by the ardor of his mind2 and so affected at a preconcerted line and page that he is unable to proceed any further60 ,f4 ,w4 ,,robertson4 ,no minister of the present generation has lived a purer life1 or left the stamp of his thought more deeply on the public mind than the young incumbent of ,trinity ,chapel in ,brighton4 ,his sermons1 not published until after his death1 are meeting with an unparalleled sale1 and every scrap of his sermon preparation1 no matter how fragmentary1 is seized for the press with the greatest avidity4 ,he now addresses a far larger and more important audience than ever during his life time4 ,f4 ,w4 ,robertson was born in #ahaf and died in #ahec--only thirty-seven years of age4 ,he received the traditional ,english education at ,oxford1 and had a strong inclination for the military profession4 ,this he was induced to renounce by the expressed judgment of his father--himself a military officer--that ,frederick was better fitted for the ,church4 ,after he had received ordination1 he acted as curate for twelve months at ,winchester4 ,his health being by this time broken1 he took a trip to the continent under the advice of a physician4 ,he was gone a year1 and during this time entered into marriage4 ,when he returned he served for four years in the parish of ,cheltenham4 ,here the field for the exercise of his talents was comparatively narrow2 but many persons were led to a higher life by his ministry--many more than he1 with his habitual self-depreciation1 was willing to believe until years had passed4 ,after this he spent two months at ,st4 ,ebbs1 in ,oxford1 receiving a miserably small salary4 ,during this short time his talents became known1 and he was offered the rich1 aristocratic1 and intellectual church at ,brighton4 ,the offer was refused at first1 and was only accepted at last through the urgent solicitation of the ,bishop1 who felt that this was his proper field4 ,here his popularity became unbounded4 ,the working people1 who had almost deserted the ,establishment1 flocked to hear his bold1 true words4 ,his biographer says3 8,his eloquence and originality could not fail to be marked4 ,and if the congregation was intellectual he was pre-eminently so4 ,the chapel became crowded4 ,sittings were scarcely ever to be had4 ,for six years the enthusiasm never slackened3 it grew and spread silently and steadily1 and when he died broke out in a burst of universal sorrow4444 ,but he put no faith in mere excitement1 the eager upturned face1 the still hush of attention4 #8,what is ministerial success8' he asks4 #8,crowded churches--full aisles--attentive congregation--the approval of the religious world--much impression produced8 ,elijah thought so2 and when he found out his mistake1 and discovered that the applause of ,carmel subsided into hideous stillness1 his heart well nigh broke with disappointment4 ,ministerial success lies in altered lives1 and obedient humble hearts2 unseen work recognized in the judgment day4'0 ,that success was his4 ,james ,anderson says3 8,i cannot count up conquests in any place or by any man so numerous and so vast--conquests achieved in so short a period1 and in many instances over the hearts and consciences of those whom1 from their age or pursuits1 it is always most difficult to reach--as were the conquests of that devoted soldier of the cross of ,christ40 ,but his labors were too great for his strength4 ,for at least two years before his death he preached in continual pain1 and yet there was no abatement in his power4 ,many of the sermons by which he is best known were then produced4 ,we can scarcely realize as we read his calm sentences1 radiant with beauty1 and full of profound thought1 that they were spoken during the ravages of a cerebral disease1 that was soon to still his eloquent voice forever4 ,when he died1 having preached almost to the last1 the city 7containing sixty thousand inhabitants7 was draped in gloom1 and mourning was universal4 ,a monument was erected1 to which the working-men contributed a touching memorial4 ,the manner in which so many of ,robertson's sermons were preserved1 is1 when we consider his manner of preaching1 very remarkable4 ,he spoke extempore1 and never wrote out a sermon before delivery4 ,his leading thoughts were indicated by short notes1 and the whole subject was carefully arranged in his own mind4 ,but his words and his most powerful illustrations sprang from the inspiration of the moment4 ,usually he took a small piece of paper containing the headings of his thoughts with him into the pulpit1 but never referred to it after the first few moments had passed4 ,his sympathizing biographer thus describes him3 8,so entirely was his heart in his work1 that in public speaking especially1 he lost sight of everything but his subject4 ,his self-consciousness vanished4 ,he did not choose his words or think about his thoughts4 ,he not only possessed1 but was possessed by his idea2 and when all was over and the reaction came1 he had forgotten like a dream1 words1 illustrations1 almost everything4444 ,after some of his most earnest and passionate utterances1 he has said to a friend3 #8,have ,i made a fool of myself8' 8,if the most conquering eloquence for the ,english people be that of the man who is all but mastered by his excitement1 but who1 at the very point of being mastered1 masters himself--apparently cool1 while he is at white heat--so as to make the audience glow with fire1 and at the same time respect the self-possessed power of the orator--the man being always felt as greater than the man's feelings--if that be the eloquence that most tells upon the ,english nation1 he had that eloquence4 ,he spoke under tremendous excitement1 but it was excitement reined in by will4 ,he held in his hand a small piece of paper with a few notes on it when he began4 ,he referred to it now and then2 but before ten minutes had gone by it was crushed to uselessness in his grasp2 for he knit his fingers together over it1 as he knit his words over thought4 ,his gesture was subdued2 sometimes a slow motion of his hand upward2 sometimes bending forward1 his hand drooping over the pulpit2 sometimes erecting himself to his full height with a sudden motion1 as if upraised by the power of the thought he spoke4 ,his voice--a musical1 low1 penetrative voice--seldom rose2 and when it did it was in a deep volume of sound which was not loud1 but toned like a great bell4 ,it thrilled also1 but that was not so much from feeling as from the repression of feeling4 ,toward the close of his ministry he was wont to stand almost motionlessly erect in the pulpit1 with his hands loosely lying by his side1 or grasping his gown4 ,his pale1 thin face and tall1 emaciated form1 seeming1 as he spoke1 to be glowing as alabaster glows when lit up by an inward fire4 ,and1 indeed1 brain and heart were on fire4 ,he was being self-consumed4 ,every sermon in those latter days burned up a portion of his vital power40 ,but though thus surrounded by an admiring congregation1 and weekly giving out thoughts that were worthy of still wider notice1 when some of his people1 who realized that his words were too precious to die1 raised a subscription to employ a short-hand reporter1 with a view to the publication of his sermons1 he refused to sanction the scheme1 and wrote the parties a characteristic letter1 telling them that he had no time to correct1 and1 without it1 the discourses were not fit to be given to the public4 ,yet a number were preserved in this way1 and though not published until after his death1 they are almost faultless in form and expression4 ,other sermons were written out briefly by himself1 after being preached1 for the use of some private friends4 ,it was thus that those almost incomparable discourses were preserved1 which are without doubt the most valuable contribution that has been made to their department of literature during the present century4 ,we will give two extracts showing the power that may be wielded over language without the use of the pen4 ,the first is from a speech made to a workingman's institute opposing the introduction of infidel works into their library4 ,he is speaking of the compassion that should be shown to the honest doubter3 8,i do think that the way we treat that state is unpardonably cruel4 ,it is an awful moment when the soul begins to find that the props on which it has blindly rested so long are many of them rotten1 and begins to suspect them all2 when it begins to feel the nothingness of many of the traditionary opinions which have been received with implicit confidence1 and in that horrible insecurity begins also to doubt whether there be anything to believe at all4 ,it is an awful hour--let him who has passed through it say how awful--when this life has lost its meaning1 and seems shriveled into a span2 when the grave appears to be the end of all1 human goodness nothing but a name1 and the sky above this universe a dead expanse1 black with the void from which ,god ,himself has disappeared4 4 4 4 ,i appeal 7for the truth of the picture drawn7 to the recollection of any man who has passed through that hour of agony1 and stood upon the rock at last1 the surges stilled below him1 and the last cloud drifted from the sky above1 with a faith1 and hope1 and trust1 no longer traditional1 but of his own1 a trust which neither earth nor hell shall shake thenceforth for ever40 ,the second passage we will quote is an illustration from a sermon on the doubt of ,thomas1 showing how weak are all arguments for immortality1 except those that are exclusively ,christian4 ,he speaks of many things that are valuable as suggestions1 but worthless as proofs1 and next shows how the same suggestions may point the other way3 8,six thousand years of human existence have passed away4 ,countless armies of the dead have set sail from the shores of time4 ,no traveler has returned from the still land beyond4 ,more than one hundred and fifty generations have done their work and sunk into the dust again1 and still there is not a voice1 there is not a whisper from the grave to tell us whether1 indeed1 those myriads are in existence still4 ,besides1 why should they be8 ,talk as you will of the grandeur of man2 why should it not be honor enough for him--more than enough to satisfy a thing so mean--to have had his twenty or seventy years life-rent of ,god's universe8 ,why must such a thing1 apart from proof1 rise up and claim to himself an exclusive immortality8 4 4 4 ,why may he not sink1 after he has played his appointed part1 into nothingness again8 ,you see the leaves sinking one by one in autumn1 till the heaps below are rich with the spoils of a whole year's vegetation4 ,they were bright and perfect while they lasted1 each leaf a miracle of beauty and contrivance4 ,there is no resurrection for the leaves--why should there be one for man8 ,go and stand1 some summer evening1 by the river side2 you will see the ,may-fly sporting out its little hour in the dense masses of insect life1 darkening the air a few feet above the gentle swell of the water4 ,the heat of that very afternoon brought them into existence4 ,every gauze wing is traversed by ten thousand fibres1 which defy the microscope to find a flaw in their perfection4 ,the omniscience and the care bestowed upon that exquisite anatomy1 one would think cannot be destined to be wasted in a moment4 ,yet so it is4 ,when the sun has sunk below the trees its little life is done4 ,yesterday it was not2 tomorrow it will not be4 ,god has bidden it be happy for one evening4 ,it has no right or claim to a second2 and in the universe that marvelous life has appeared once and will appear no more4 ,may not the race of man sink like the generations of the ,may-fly8 ,why cannot the ,creator1 so lavish in ,his resources1 afford to annihilate souls as ,he annihilates insects8 ,would it not almost enhance ,his glory to believe it80 ,such language ,robertson was able to employ without the use of the pen4 ,but the art was not attained without long and laborious toil4 ,he committed much--memorizing the whole ,testament1 both in ,english and ,greek1 and storing his mind with innumerable gems from the poets4 ,he also studied the modern languages1 particularly ,german1 and delighted to translate their treasure into his own tongue4 ,he read much1 but not rapidly1 dwelling upon a book until he could arrange the whole of its contents with precision in his mind4 ,thus he attained an almost unequalled mastery of both thought and language4 ,if he had been required to write every sermon1 he could never have pursued such a thorough and long continued course of cultivation1 besides mastering such a vast amount of knowledge4 ,we have dwelt less upon the general character of his preaching1 with its strong originality1 than upon the beauty1 force1 and accuracy of his language1 because these are the qualities usually believed to be unattainable without written composition4 ,but it is safe to say1 that in these respects he has not been surpassed by any preacher ancient or modern4 ,,henry ,,clay4 ,we will take ,henry ,clay as an example of the ,american political eloquence of the last generation4 ,he was one of a bright constellation of great men--most of them1 like himself1 extemporaneous speakers4 ,in some respects he was1 perhaps1 superior to them all4 ,his hold upon the public mind was great1 and even yet he is regarded with love and reverence all over the ,union4 ,this1 however1 is not the result of his genius alone4 ,in some points his great rivals were more unfortunate than himself4 ,calhoun's influence was immense2 but the effect of his teaching has been so deadly that it is not to be wondered at if his fame is of an equivocal kind4 ,the badness of ,webster's private life1 and his unfortunate course on some great questions1 caused his reputation to decline1 and his really great abilities to be undervalued4 ,but the genial1 large-hearted orator of the ,west is still a favorite with the people4 ,clay was a ,virginian by birth4 ,his father was a ,baptist preacher1 very poor1 who died when ,henry was quite young1 leaving a large family of children4 ,henry obtained all his schooling1 which was meager enough1 in a log school-house4 ,the young boy was employed first as a clerk in a store1 and afterward as an assistant in a lawyer's office4 ,next he became an amanuensis to ,chancellor ,wythe1 who treated him kindly and gave him an opportunity to study law4 ,finally1 he was admitted to the bar1 and removed to ,kentucky4 ,he immediately acquired practice1 and met with a hearty welcome from the rough backwoodsmen of that section4 ,he tells us how he acquired the ability to speak with fluency and power3 8,i owe my success in life to one simple fact1 namely1 that at an early age ,i commenced and continued for some years the practice of daily reading and speaking the contents of some historical or scientific book4 ,these off-hand efforts were sometimes made in a corn-field2 at others in the forest2 and not unfrequently in some barn1 with the horse and ox for my only auditors4 ,it is to this early practice of the art of all arts that ,i am indebted for the primary and leading impulses that stimulated my progress and have shaped and molded my destiny40 ,an amusing instance is given of ,clay's first attempt at debate4 ,he was so much embarrassed that he forgot where he was1 and called the chairman 8,gentlemen of the ,jury40 ,yet when this difficulty had been overcome1 he soon made a powerful impression4 ,in fact it was spoken of by some as not inferior to any of the addresses in which he achieved a national fame4 ,the policy of emancipation was then under debate in ,kentucky1 and young ,clay gave it his full support4 ,but although he had almost unbounded influence on any other subject1 the people of his ,state loved slavery better than any man1 and the measure was defeated4 ,the vast power of ,clay as an orator was early displayed4 ,when only twenty-two years of age he1 with another very able speaker1 addressed a popular meeting4 ,while the other spoke there was great applause and deafening acclamations1 but ,clay's address was so much more thrilling and effective1 that the popular feeling became too deep for utterance1 and he closed amid unbroken silence4 ,it was some moments before the crowd recovered sufficiently to give vent1 in thundering cheers1 to the emotion that he had kindled4 ,it is hardly necessary to follow the career of ,clay through all the years that were devoted to the public service1 for the country is still familiar with it4 ,many of the measures with which he was connected may not meet our approval1 but no one will question the honesty of his motives1 or the ability with which they were advocated4 ,in ,congress he had scarcely a rival4 ,calhoun was equally active1 and more logical1 but had not the magic of voice and eye1 the nameless graces of delivery that distinguished the ,kentucky orator4 ,webster spoke more like a giant1 but was hard to call out in his full force1 and on ordinary occasions did not speak nearly as well as ,clay4 ,the voice of the latter was an instrument of great power1 and he well knew how to use it4 8,nature10 he said on one occasion1 referring to an effort made years before1 8had singularly favored me by giving me a voice peculiarly adapted to produce the effects ,i wished in public speaking4 ,now10 he added1 8its melody is changed1 its sweetness gone40 ,these words were pronounced as if in mockery1 in tones of exquisite sweetness4 ,one who had heard him often1 says3 8,mr4 ,clay's voice has prodigious power1 compass1 and richness2 all its variations are captivating1 but some of its base tones thrill through one's whole fame4 ,to those who have never heard the living melody1 no verbal description can convey an adequate idea of the diversified effects of those intonations which1 in one strain of sentiment1 fall in whispering gentleness like the first words of love upon a maiden's lips1 and anon in sterner utterances ring with the maddening music of the main40 ,a gentleman who witnessed an oratorical encounter between ,clay and ,webster describes it as inconceivably grand3 8,the eloquence of ,mr4 ,webster was the majestic roar of a strong and steady blast pealing through the forest2 but that of ,mr4 ,clay was the tone of a god-like instrument1 sometimes visited by an angel touch1 and swept anon by all the fury of the raging elements40 ,clay1 ,webster and ,calhoun were all extempore speakers4 ,webster sometimes prepared very elaborately1 but never confined himself to his preparation4 ,and some of his very best efforts were made on the spur of the moment when circumstances conspired to arouse his vast but somewhat sluggish genius4 ,both the others prepared their discourses in thought alone1 and those who were obliged to rely on their manuscripts or their memories stood no chance at all with them in the fiery debates through which they passed4 ,,henry ,b4 ,,bascom4 ,it may be doubted whether the late ,bishop ,bascom is properly classed among extempore preachers4 ,his mode of preparation certainly bordered on the memoriter plan4 ,but he did not write4 ,he would first construct a skeleton1 usually very simple1 and then throw each point into words mentally4 ,his memory was very great1 and the fine expressions he coined1 as he rode through the forest or meditated in his study1 were impressed on his mind so strongly as to be recalled afterward4 ,it was a common practice with him to repeat his sermons over and over again to himself1 till every line of thought and every strong expression became perfectly familiar4 ,bascom once stopped at a backwoodsman's house1 and left it to take a short walk4 ,soon a neighbor came rushing in1 declaring that he had seen a crazy man walking back and forth on the edge of the woods1 swinging his arms wildly1 and muttering to himself in a strange manner4 ,the neighbor was told not to be alarmed1 but to come to church the next day and he would see the crazy man again4 ,he did so1 and listened to strains of eloquence as admirable as ever charmed his ear4 ,the sermons which were thus prepared1 were preached a great number of times1 and each time reviewed and improved4 ,bascom traveled a vast extent of country1 and the sermons which thus combined all the strength of his really powerful mind1 for years together1 soon became famous4 ,probably no preacher ever did so much with so few discourses4 ,his delivery was wonderful4 ,henry ,clay1 who was well qualified to judge1 pronounced him the finest natural orator he had ever heard4 ,his form was almost perfect1 his carriage noble and graceful1 every movement light and springy1 so that1 as some of his hearers have declared1 8he scarcely seemed to touch the ground40 ,he dressed with great taste1 and on this account was often objected to by the early ,methodists1 and came very nearly being refused admission into his ,conference4 ,but he soon became a general favorite with the people1 who would throng to hear him from the whole country for miles around4 ,when he entered the pulpit he seemed nearly borne down by the weight of his accumulations1 and it was only after he had begun to make headway that he became easy and self-possessed4 ,then he poured forth torrent after torrent of highly wrought eloquence1 until the hearers were lost in admiration of the vast powers he displayed4 ,a very partial biographer considers it as very strange that he took but little part in any ,conference discussions1 or debates on general topics4 ,the truth is1 that with his mode of preparation1 carried as far as he carried it1 he could not4 ,there was no time to forecast his sentences1 and slowly build up a gorgeous fabric1 and he therefore remained silent4 ,he had a mighty imagination1 and could so represent any object he undertook so describe1 that it would live before the eyes of his hearers4 ,but he cared so much for beauty that he wandered too far from his way to seek it1 and the consequence was that the object of his discourse ----8,passed in music out of sight10 and his hearers after recovering from their rapture and astonishment remained as they were before4 ,he drew vast audiences together1 wrought effectually for the building up of some colleges1 collected much money for various agencies1 was made a ,bishop of the ,m4 ,e4 ,church1 ,south1 in compliment to his eloquence1 but in real work was far inferior to many a ,methodist minister whose name is unknown to fame4 ,,john ,,summerfield4 ,the eloquence of the good and noble1 but early fallen ,summerfield was in sharp contrast with that of ,bascom4 ,a lady who had heard them both1 gave the preference1 in some neat verses1 to the latter1 on the ground that he was more grand1 awe-inspiring1 and tempest-like4 ,the melody and pathos of ,summerfield she compared to the mild zephyr1 and thought this was necessarily inferior to the earth-shaking storm4 ,but the world has not agreed with her4 ,bascom held assembled thousands for hours beneath the charm of his voice1 weeping1 smiling1 or shouting1 at his will4 ,yet when all had passed1 and the spell had been dissolved1 the only impression that remained was one of simple wonder4 ,the man and his own eloquence had risen so far above the subject he was to enunciate that the latter faded from the mind4 ,more earnestness for truth and sympathy with it1 would have enhanced his real power a hundredfold4 ,but it was very different with ,summerfield4 ,his soul was full of earnestness1 and he moved in an atmosphere of tenderness and pathos4 ,the eloquence of the great ,whitefield might be compared to the whirlwind1 prostrating everything in its path2 that of ,bascom to an iceberg glowing in the rays of the morning sun1 displaying a thousand colors1 but cold and impassive2 and that of ,summerfield to the light of the sun1 calm and genial1 shining on fields of green1 filling the air with life and light4 ,his speech was simple1 easy1 and unadorned1 flowing right out of his own heart1 and awakening an answering echo in the hearts of all who heard4 ,the sermons which he has left are mere fragments--sketches such as he employed in his preparation1 and of course give no idea of the real power he wielded4 ,stevens thus describes his method of preparation3 8,though in the delivery of his sermons there was this facility--felicity we might call it--in their preparation he was a laborious student4 ,he was a hearty advocate of extempore preaching1 and would have been deprived of most of his popular power in the pulpit by being confined to a manuscript2 yet he knew the importance of study1 and particularly of the habitual use of the pen in order to success in extemporaneous speaking4 ,his own rule was to prepare a skeleton of his sermon1 and after preaching it1 write it out in fuller detail1 filling up the original sketch with the principal thoughts which had occurred to him in the process of the discourse4 ,the first outline was1 however1 in accordance with the rule we have elsewhere given for extempore speaking1 viz41 that the perspective of the entire discourse--the leading ideas1 from the exordium to the peroration--should be noted on the manuscript1 so that the speaker shall have the assurance that he is supplied with a consecutive series of good ideas1 good enough to command the respect of his audience1 though he should fail of any very important impromptu thoughts4 ,this rule we deem the most essential condition of success in extemporaneous preaching4 ,it is the best guarantee of that confidence and self-possession upon which depends the command of both thought and language4 ,summerfield followed it even in his platform speeches4 ,montgomery notices the minuteness of his preparations in nearly two hundred manuscript sketches40 ,this great man died at the very early age of twenty-seven1 having preached seven years4 ,but from the very first he produced a profound impression4 ,dr4 ,bethune thus describes one of his earliest efforts in this country4 ,he was then scarcely known4 ,it was at an anniversary of the ,bible ,society1 and an able man had just spoken with great acceptance3 8,the chair announced the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,summerfield1 from ,england4 #8,what presumption6' said my clerical neighbor2 #8a boy like that to be set up after a giant6' ,but the stripling came in the name of the ,god of ,israel1 armed with #8a few smooth stones from the brook' that flows #8hard by the oracles of ,god4' ,his motion was one of thanks to the officers of the society for their labors during the year2 and of course he had to allude to the president1 then reposing in another part of the house2 and thus he did it3 #8,when ,i saw that venerable man1 too aged to warrant the hope of being with you at another anniversary1 he reminded me of ,jacob leaning upon the top of his staff1 blessing his children before he departed4' ,he then passed on to encourage the society by the example of the ,british institution4 #8,when we first launched our untried vessel upon the deep1 the storms of opposition roared1 and the waves dashed angrily around us1 and we had hard work to keep her head to the wind4 ,we were faint with rowing1 and our strength would soon have been gone1 but we cried1 #8,lord1 save us1 or we perish6' ,then a light shone upon the waters1 and we saw a form walking upon the troubled sea1 like unto that of the ,son of ,god1 and he drew near the ship1 and we knew that it was ,jesus2 and he stepped upon the deck1 and laid his hand upon the helm1 and he said unto the winds and waves1 ,peace1 be still1 and there was a great calm4 ,let not the friends of the ,bible fear2 ,god is in the midst of us4 ,god shall help us1 and that right early4' ,in such a strain he went on to the close4 #8,wonderful6 wonderful6' said my neighbor the critic2 #8he talks like an angel from heaven4'0 ,c4 ,h4 ,,spurgeon4 ,no minister now living has been heard by so many people in the same number of years1 or has been the subject of so much controversy as ,spurgeon4 ,the great populace of ,london has been moved to its depths by his preaching1 and he has met with the same enthusiastic reception wherever he has preached4 ,he is yet very young--only thirty-four years of age--and had become celebrated before he was twenty-one4 ,such speedy recognition is certainly a proof of great merit1 and his example is well worth our attention4 ,spurgeon's parents were poor but respectable--his father and grandfather being ,independent ministers4 ,he early felt it his duty to preach1 and even when a child was accustomed to preach to his playmates4 ,his father wished him to go to college to qualify himself for the work in regular form1 but after giving the matter careful consideration he declined4 ,even when he became usher at ,cambridge1 and began to preach occasionally1 he refused the tempting offer of a college course1 and gave it as his opinion that he was called to go to the work at once1 and not to waste years in preparation4 ,we can hardly tell what effect a long course of training1 that would have allowed time for his fervid zeal to cool1 would have had upon his after life4 ,about the same time he left the church of his fathers and united with the ,baptists1 believing that immersion was the proper baptism4 ,his occasional ministrations were marked by modesty and good sense1 as well as loving earnestness4 ,he was soon called to take charge of an old1 but decayed church in ,london4 ,its forlorn condition did not dismay him1 and under his vigorous care and mighty preaching the congregation became overflowing4 ,the building was enlarged1 but the congregation grew still larger4 ,immense public halls were taken1 and these too were soon overflowed4 ,his congregation built a new church of extraordinary size1 which has been packed full on each preaching occasion ever since4 ,several volumes of his sermons have been published1 and have met with a ready sale4 ,he preaches nearly a sermon a day1 corresponds with a newspaper1 writes books1 superintends a ministerial school1 speaks for and aids a number of charitable institutions--altogether performing more labor than perhaps any other preacher of our day4 ,yet these multiform labors are performed with such ease and certainty that he hardly ever appears tired1 and gives no indication of breaking down4 ,what is the secret of the power by which this man has reached the hearts of the poor more fully than any other man for many years8 ,it is admitted on all hands that he is not a man of profound intellect4 ,there is no trace of unusual powers of thought either in his published or spoken sermons4 ,but there is a more than ordinary force of arrangement1 illustration and expression4 ,he may not be in the first class of great men1 but he is surely foremost in the second class4 ,he also possesses wonderful enthusiasm4 ,his faith is too clear for a doubt1 and he is never troubled with any misgivings regarding his own power of presenting the truth4 ,confidence is a part of his nature1 and enables him to bear unmoved any amount of opposition1 and1 while preaching1 to follow out any suggestions of his genius4 ,his power of language is very great4 ,from beginning to end of his discourse he never falters1 nor uses the wrong word4 ,his voice is strong1 clear1 and melodious1 making the tritest thought interesting4 ,but above all1 he is a good man1 and works solely for the good of his hearers4 ,this is the reason why he is not intoxicated by his great success4 ,he feels that the ,holy ,spirit labors with him1 and that the blessing of ,god rests upon him4 ,spurgeon is an extempore preacher in the best sense of the word4 ,he studies and meditates as fully as his time will permit1 and at any period is ready to give what he thus masters to the public4 8,i can't make out10 said a minister to him1 8when you study1 ,brother ,spurgeon4 ,when do you make your sermons80 8,oh60 he replied1 8,i am always studying--,i am sucking in something from everything4 ,if you were to ask me home to dine with you1 ,i should suck a sermon out of you40 ,one who had known him1 thus writes3 8,with respect to his habits of composition1 he assured us that not one word of his sermons is written before delivery1 and that the only use he makes of his pen upon them is to correct the errors of the stenographer4 ,his happy faculty of mere mental composition1 and of remembering what he thus composes1 saves him much time and drudgery4 ,he can exercise it anywhere2 but probably with more success in the pulpit1 while he is giving utterance to what he has prearranged in his mind4 ,learning not to read manuscript out of the pulpit is the best preparation for not reading it in the pulpit1 and he who in his study can think well1 independently of it1 will1 in the pulpit1 think better without it2 for the excitement occasioned by speaking what he has premeditated--if that excitement does not produce too deep feeling--will summon new thoughts to fill up the old ranks1 and lead whole divisions of fresh recruits into the field40 ,the almost irresistible attraction of ,spurgeon's ministrations may be inferred from the following facts3 8,it was no unusual sight on a ,sunday evening to see placards put up outside of the building 7,exeter ,hall7 announcing that it was full1 and that no more could be admitted4 ,in his own church it has been found necessary for the police to be present at every service1 and the pew-holders are admitted by ticket through a side door4 ,this accomplished1 at ten minutes prior to the commencement of the service1 the doors are opened and a rush commences2 but it is speedily over1 for the chapel is full--not only the seats but every inch of standing-room being occupied1 and the gates have to be closed1 with an immense crowd of disappointed expectant hearers outside4 ,the church has1 indeed1 reason to be deeply grateful that amid the vice and immorality of ,london1 a voice so clear and loud has been lifted up for the cause of the ,redeemer40 ,,henry ,,ward ,,beecher4 ,perhaps no ,american minister has ever become so well known to the whole body of the people as ,henry ,ward ,beecher4 ,he has been bitterly criticised and opposed even by members of his own denomination1 but has triumphed over every attack1 and won a proud place among preachers4 ,he has even become a power in the political world1 and his devotion to the cause of liberty has endeared him to thousands who might otherwise have never heard his name4 ,this great orator was born in #ahac in the ,state of ,connecticut4 ,his father1 ,lyman ,beecher1 was a clergyman of great force and celebrity4 ,young ,beecher graduated at ,amherst ,college at twenty-one1 and studied theology with his father at ,lane ,seminary1 ,cincinnati4 ,when this was concluded1 he was first settled over a small ,presbyterian church at ,lawrenceburg1 ,ind41 where he remained two years1 and then removed to ,indianapolis1 and preached eight years with great acceptance4 ,his first sermon was so earnest and powerful that it led to the conversion of twelve persons4 ,a course of lectures1 which he gave during this period to young men1 attracted great attention1 and he was soon after called to take charge of ,plymouth ,church in ,brooklyn4 ,it was then a feeble organization2 but under his care has increased to vast proportions4 ,it has now a membership of #a1gjj1 and the largest regular congregation by far of any church in the land4 ,the income of the church from the rent of pews is nearly #da1jjj6 ,as a lecturer1 ,beecher stands among the very first4 ,he speaks every year1 in nearly every prominent city of the ,union1 and thus contributes powerfully to the success of the various reforms he advocates4 ,he early gave the anti-slavery movement the support of his powerful eloquence1 and preached and lectured against the great evil so effectually that no man was more denounced and hated at the ,south than he4 ,in the heat of our civil contest he passed some months in ,england1 and there spoke for the cause of liberty and ,union4 ,he met with the most embittered opposition2 the rabble1 who had been incited by handbills to come out and put him down1 often roaring until his voice could no longer be heard4 ,he would calmly watch them until the noise for a moment subsided1 and then speak again with such effect that the victory was soon declared in his favor4 ,no man contributed more powerfully to allay the prejudice of ,england against our nation during her sore contest4 ,we do not wonder at the great popularity of ,beecher4 ,he possesses much greater intellectual acuteness than ,spurgeon1 and is inferior in this particular to no one of the orators of the present day4 ,the variety of topics he discusses is immense1 and he brings such good sense and sound logic to bear on them1 that the people feel him to be a teacher indeed4 ,they go to hear him1 expecting that he will apply high spiritual truth to every day life1 and are not disappointed4 ,beecher is a giant in reasoning power1 and gives no light1 superficial views of anything4 ,his feelings are very acute1 and by the mere force of sympathy he has the smiles and tears of his audience at command4 ,his power of illustration is wonderful2 the most abstruse subject grows plain under the light of his luminous comparisons4 ,while his command of language is very great1 and he never hesitates for a word1 his taste is so pure that he never uses an unnecessary or objectionable term4 ,in fact1 he speaks for the press as much as for the congregation before him4 ,for years his sermons have been taken down by short-hand writers1 and read all over the world4 ,sometimes they do not even receive a final correction from him4 ,this is a convincing evidence of his marvelous popularity4 ,his sermons are first preached to a vast assembly1 and then spread before hundreds of thousands of readers4 ,not only newspapers of his own denomination1 but of others1 count it a great attraction to be able to announce a weekly or semi-monthly sermon from this gifted man4 ,on several occasions we were privileged to hear him1 and will give some account of the first time we listened to his eloquence4 ,a large number of people gathered long before the hour for service1 and waited impatiently for the opening of the door4 ,ten minutes before the hour the crowd was admitted1 and every vacant pew almost instantly filled4 ,then seats were folded out from the ends of the pews into the aisles1 and these filled until the whole vast space was one dense mass of living humanity2 on the ground floor or in the second or third galleries there was no unoccupied space4 ,many even then were forced to turn away from the door4 ,the preaching was plain1 logical1 deep1 and clear rather than brilliant4 ,there was no florid imagery1 but the light of imagination gleamed through the whole discourse4 ,the subject was naturally analyzed1 every part powerfully illustrated1 and the application pungent enough to reach every heart not entirely impervious4 ,several times a smile rippled over the faces of the congregation1 but lasted only for a moment1 and was generally the prelude for some deep and solemn impression4 ,beecher prepares his discourses with care1 but neither memorizes nor reads them4 ,on one occasion we noticed him lay his manuscript on the desk before him and begin to read4 ,the description was beautiful1 but the congregation seemed indifferent1 and gave no evidence of close attention4 ,soon he pushed the paper away4 ,then every eye was bent upon him with intensest interest4 ,beecher's ordinary lectures give but little indication of his real power4 ,they are written and read in the same form to numerous audiences4 ,but his genius finds free play only when the manuscript is abandoned4 ,then1 when he speaks for a cause in which his heart is enlisted1 we have an example of what mortal eloquence can be4 ,we once heard him at a large meeting which he had visited as a listener4 ,a long and rather dull speech had been made by the orator of the evening4 ,but ,beecher was seen1 recognized1 and called out4 ,every murmur was stilled4 ,laughter and tears succeeded each other with marvelous rapidity2 but he closed by a daring apostrophe1 spoken in a low tone1 that thrilled to every heart1 and held all spell-hound for some moments after he had ceased to speak6 ,it seemed the full realization of every dream of the might and power of eloquence4 ,,anna ,e4 ,,dickinson4 ,this lady was born in #ahdb1 and while quite young became celebrated as a public speaker4 ,she has not won her present position by a single brilliant effort1 but by long continued exertions and the display of solid talent4 ,she is a member of the ,society of ,friends1 and early imbibed the hatred of oppression and slavery for which that denomination is distinguished4 ,her principal public speeches have been given in the service of freedom1 and to secure a higher position and a wider range of employments for women4 ,her own example1 as well as her teachings1 has been one of great value to her sex4 ,when ,miss ,dickinson began to speak she had no powerful friends to aid1 and for a time her audiences were quite small4 ,but she was too firm and devoted to the cause she advocated to grow discouraged4 ,and there was something so attractive in her manner1 that opposition was soon overcome1 and her audiences grew continually4 ,she was so truthful1 earnest1 elegant1 and strong1 that before she was twenty-one years of age she was recognized as a power in the political world1 and few voices more eloquent than hers were lifted up on behalf of liberty and justice during our civil war4 ,she has also taken part in political canvassing with great success4 ,her reputation as a lyceum lecturer is fully established4 ,in all the cities of the ,united ,states where she has spoken large and enthusiastic audiences have greeted her4 ,in speaking1 she is modest1 graceful1 and unconstrained1 with an air and manner of perfect naturalness4 ,there is no elaborate ornament in her words1 but they are always well chosen1 and flow with the utmost ease4 ,her discourses are logical1 and usually bear upon a single point with overwhelming force4 ,without the slightest attempt at stage effect1 she frequently displays deep emotion1 and becomes totally absorbed in her subject4 ,her voice is full1 clear1 melodious1 and perfectly distinct2 it is persuasive1 well modulated1 and equally capable of expressing pathos1 and scorn1 and command4 ,with such abilities she cannot fail to be popular1 and her influence1 which is always for good1 is steadily widening4 ,yet in order to display her full power1 she requires a subject that enlists her sympathies1 and in a mere literary lecture1 although always instructive1 she does not produce the same vivid impression as when roused by some injustice1 or pleading the cause of the oppressed and feeble4 ,the manner of preparation by which this lady1 who takes rank with the best of ,american orators1 has acquired such power over words and hearts1 merits attention2 in response to our inquiry1 she says3 8,for the first three years of my public life1 speaking1 with me1 was absolutely extempore2 that is1 ,i gave a general look over the field before ,i rose to my feet1 then talked4 ,since then1 ,i consider my subject--let it lie in my mind1 and gather fresh thoughts--statistics--what not--almost unconsciously--as a stone gathers moss4 8,when ,i wish to make the speech1 ,i arrange this mass in order and form--make a skeleton of it on paper1 and leave the filling in till ,i reach the platform--then some things ,i have thought of are omitted1 and others thought of at the time1 are substituted4 ,the speech changes here and there for some time1 and then gradually crystalizes--that is all4 ,i mean1 of course1 what is called a regular lyceum speech4 ,the political speeches are made very much on my old plan40 ,,john ,a4 ,,bingham4 ,we selected one ,american political orator of the generation that has just gone by as a specimen of the capabilities of extempore speech1 and will now give an instance of the present4 ,the speaker we have chosen is widely known4 ,many have listened to his eloquent words1 and in the stormy events of the last few years1 his name has become a household word4 ,we make this choice the more readily because the character of eloquence for which ,bingham is noted1 is that which many persons suppose to be most incompatible with a spontaneous selection of words--beauteous1 elegant1 melodious1 and highly adorned4 ,bingham graduated1 was admitted to the bar1 and speedily became a successful lawyer4 ,he also turned his attention to political affairs1 and became known as a most efficient public canvasser for the doctrines of the party with which he acted4 ,this is one of the best schools in the world for ready and vigorous speech1 but has a tendency to produce carelessness of expression1 and to substitute smartness for logic and principle4 ,this tendency he successfully resisted1 and became distinguished for the deep moral tone1 as well as for the beauty of the language of his addresses4 ,he was elected to ,congress from an ,ohio district1 and become known as one of the most eloquent members of that body4 ,he took a prominent part in the opposition to the ,kansas and ,nebraska bill1 and met the entire approval of the people4 ,when the ,southern ,states commenced to secede in the winter of #ahfj-fa he brought forward a force bill to compel them to submit to national authority4 ,this was defeated by those who thought that other means would avail4 ,time proved the wisdom of his views4 ,all through the contest that followed1 his voice was heard on the side of liberty and ,union4 ,he soon became known as one of the leaders of the ,republican party1 and has nobly held that position to the date of writing4 ,mr4 ,bingham1 in speaking1 is calm1 clear and pointed4 ,his manner indicates confidence1 and his words flow freely4 ,imagination is allowed full play1 and the spirit of poetry breathes everywhere4 ,he abounds in lofty and beautiful imagery1 that places the truth in the clearest light4 ,while the subject is never lost sight of1 a thousand graces and beauties cluster around it from every hand4 ,from the elevation and certainty of his language1 many casual hearers have been led to imagine that his speeches were written and committed4 ,but the reverse is the case4 ,some of his highest efforts have been made with no time even for the prearrangement of thought4 ,this is one secret of his great success as a debater4 ,he is always ready1 with or without warning1 to speak the thoughts that are in his mind4 ,but he prefers1 of course1 to have time to arrange his matter in advance4 ,the following passage will illustrate the force of ,mr4 ,bingham's thought and expression4 ,it is from a speech in reply to ,wadsworth1 and was entirely unstudied3 8,as the gentleman then and now has chosen to assail me for this1 ,i may be pardoned for calling his attention to the inquiry1 what further did ,i say in that connection1 on that day1 and in the hearing of the gentleman8 ,i said that every loyal citizen in this land held his life1 his property1 his home1 and the children of his house1 a sacred trust for the common defence4 ,did that remark excite any horror in the gentleman's mind4 ,not at all ,i undertook1 in my humble way1 to demonstrate that1 by the very letter and spirit of the ,constitution1 you had a right to lay the lives and the property and the homes1 the very hearth-stones of the honest and the just and the good1 under contribution by law1 that the ,republic might live4 ,did that remark excite any abhorrence in the gentleman1 or any threat that fifteen slave ,states would be combined against us8 ,not at all4 ,i stated in my place just as plainly1 that by your law you might for the common defence not only take the father of the house1 but the eldest born of his house1 to the tented field by force of your conscription1 if need be1 and subject him to the necessary despotism of military rule1 to the pestilence of the camp1 and the destruction of the battle-field4 ,and yet the gentleman was not startled with the horrid vision of a violated ,constitution1 and there burst from his indignant lips no threat that if we did this there would be a union of fifteen slave ,states against the ,federal despotism4 ,i asserted in my place1 further1 that after you had taken the father and his eldest born away1 and given them both to death a sacrifice for their country1 you could1 by the very terms of the ,constitution1 take away the shelter of the roof-tree which his own hands had reared for the protection of the wife and the children that were left behind1 and quarter your soldiers beneath it1 that the ,republic might live4 ,and yet the gentleman saw no infraction of the ,constitution1 and made no threat of becoming the armed ally of the rebellion4 ,but the moment that ,i declared my conviction that the public exigencies and the public necessities required1 that the ,constitution and the oaths of the people's ,representatives required1 that by your law--the imperial mandate of the people--the proclamation of liberty should go forth over all that rebel region1 declaring that every slave in the service of these infernal conspirators against your children and mine1 against your homes and mine1 against your ,constitution and mine1 against the sacred graves of your kindred and mine1 shall be free1 the gentleman rises startled with the horrid vision of broken fetters and liberated bondmen1 treason overthrown1 and a country redeemed1 regenerated1 and forever reunited1 and cries1 ,no2 this shall not be2 fifteen ,states will combine against you4 ,slavery is the civilizer2 you shall neither denounce it as an #8infernal atrocity1' nor overthrow it to save the ,union4 ,i repeat the word which so moved the gentleman from his propriety1 that chattel slavery is an #8infernal atrocity4' ,i thank ,god that ,i learned to lisp it at my mother's knee4 ,it is a logical sequence1 sir1 disguise it as you may1 from that golden rule which was among the first utterances of all of us1 #8whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you1 do ye so even unto them4'0 ,the second instance is taken from a speech on the proposal to furnish relief to the ,southerners who were in a destitute and starving condition after the close of the war4 8,no war rocks the continent1 no armed rebellion threatens with overthrow the institutions of the country4 ,the pillars of the holy temple of our liberties do not tremble in the storm of battle2 the whole heavens are no longer covered with blackness1 and the habitations of the people are no longer filled with lamentation and sorrow for their beautiful slain upon the high places of the land6 ,thanks be to ,god6 the harvest of death is ended and the sickle has dropped from the hands of the #8pale reapers' on the field of mortal combat4 8,sir1 you may apply in the day of war the iron rule of war1 and say that the innocent and unoffending in the beleagured city shall perish with the guilty2 but when war's dread alarm has ended1 as happily it has with us1 when the broken battalions of rebellion have surrendered to the victorious legions of the ,republic1 let no man stand within the forum of the people and utter the horrid blasphemy that you shall not have regard for the famishing poor1 that you shall not give a cup of water to him that is ready to perish in the name of our ,master1 that you shall not even relieve the wants of those who have never offended against the laws4 ,the unoffending little children are not enemies of your country or of mine2 the crime of treason is not upon their souls4 ,surely1 surely they are not to be denied your care4 ,the great ,french patriot1 banished from the empire for his love of liberty1 gathered little children around him in his exile at ,guernsey1 and fed them from his own table1 uttering the judgment of our common humanity in its best estate2 #8,little children at least are innocent1 for ,god wills it so4'0 ,,william ,e4 ,,gladstone4 ,this great statesman and orator is an extempore speaker1 and one of the best in the world4 ,he has not1 perhaps1 the fiery force of ,john ,bright1 who1 like himself1 speaks without previous preparation of words1 but far surpasses him in variety and elegance4 ,his speech1 like a prism1 reflects a thousand shades of color1 and the dullest subject under his treatment blooms into life and light4 ,his style is more like that of ,cicero than of ,demosthenes1 being diffuse1 sparkling1 graceful--flowing like a river1 that is always full to the brim4 ,he is prepared at any hour of day or night to take part in any discussion of interest to him4 ,even when he is explaining details of finance1 usually the driest of subjects1 he is listened to with delighted interest4 ,by the mere force of his talents he has raised himself to a commanding position in ,england1 and as a writer has also attracted much attention4 ,gladstone is of a light and nervous build1 has a very sweet and attractive countenance1 and a rich and fascinating voice4 ,as a debater he is almost faultless1 unless his want of harshness and maliciousness be called a fault4 ,sometimes1 too1 he shows a disposition to yield rather than contend1 but never when principle is at stake4 ,to him1 perhaps more than any other1 belongs the credit of the great reform bill which has almost changed the government of ,great ,britain4 ,the following extract from a communication on the subject of extempore speaking will be read with deep interest3 8,,hawanden1 ,,north ,,wales1 ,oct4 #ab1 #ahfg4 444 8,i venture to remark1 first1 that your countrymen1 so far as a very limited intercourse and experience can enable me to judge1 stand very little in need of instruction or advice as to public speaking from this side of the water4 ,and further1 again speaking of my own experience1 ,i think that the public men of ,england are1 beyond all others1 engrossed by the multitude of cares and subjects of thought belonging to the government of a highly diversified empire1 and therefore are probably less than others qualified either to impart to others the best methods of preparing public discourses1 or to consider and adopt them for themselves4 8,suppose1 however1 ,i were to make the attempt1 ,i should certainly found myself on a double basis1 compounded as follows3 ,first1 of a wide and thorough general education1 which1 ,i think1 gives a suppleness and readiness1 as well as a firmness of tissue to the mind1 not easily obtained without this form of discipline4 ,secondly1 of the habit of constant and searching reflection on the subject of any proposed discourse4 ,such reflection will naturally clothe itself in words1 and of the phrases it supplies1 many will spontaneously rise to the lips4 ,i will not say that no other forms of preparation can be useful1 but ,i know little of them1 and it is on these1 beyond all doubt1 that ,i would advise the young principally to rely4 8,i remain1 c41 ,w4 ,e4 ,,gladstone4 8,w4 ,,pittenger40 ,,matthew ,,simpson4 ,this distinguished divine was born in ,cadiz1 ,o41 in #ahaa1 began to preach in #ahcc1 and was elected ,bishop of the ,m4 ,e4 ,church in #aheb4 ,at the very beginning of his ministerial career1 his sermons made a deep impression1 and his early promise has been abundantly realized4 ,as a lecturer he has also acquired a deservedly high rank4 ,during the war of the rebellion he delivered a discourse on the 8,future of ,our ,country10 in the principal cities of the ,united ,states1 which gave him a more than denominational fame4 ,this lecture has probably never been surpassed as a summing up of the resources of the nation1 and an application of the data to the prediction of the probable destiny and form of our government4 ,as far as words were concerned1 it was an extempore address1 and had the peculiarity that might be expected from this fact1 of being much better delivered1 and therefore1 of making a much more profound impression at some points than others4 ,simpson travels continually1 preaching at conferences1 dedicating churches1 and delivering lectures1 thus being brought into close contact with the people in all parts of the country4 ,he has little resemblance to the popular ideal of an orator4 ,his action is ungraceful1 and his voice low and almost monotonous4 ,he is also hard worked1 and not having the powers of endurance possessed by some of our incessant preachers1 he usually appears tired and exhausted4 ,yet he has three qualities that go far to make up for these defects4 ,he is intensely earnest and real4 ,before listening to him five minutes his hearers are convinced that he is speaking the very thoughts of his soul without evasion or pretense4 ,he also has great imagination1 and1 as a consequence1 the statement of facts1 in which he abounds1 is never dry or tedious4 ,and lastly1 he has great command of condensed and expressive language4 ,what he wishes to say is said in a few words1 and every sermon is filled with the materials of thought rather than with mere verbiage4 ,these qualities atone for every deficiency of external grace1 and place him among the most popular ministers of the ,methodist ,church4 ,simpson preaches entirely extempore1 having no time to write1 even if he had the disposition4 ,his memory is tenacious1 and his power of observation keen1 so that he is never at a loss for facts or illustrations4 ,he has a tender heart also1 and often appeals to his own vivid experiences1 thus drawing the sympathies of the people with him4 ,,wendell ,,phillips4 ,there can scarcely be a doubt that ,wendell ,phillips is the greatest professional lecturer of the present day4 ,he is always radical1 and on the extremest verge of every question1 although in many things the people have followed hard on his footsteps4 ,as a speaker1 he has great power1 combined with unsurpassed elegance4 ,his manner is calm1 his voice of silvery sweetness1 yet every rounded sentence is full of living flame1 and no man is so unsparing in his denunciations4 ,in a style as lucid1 exact1 and pure as that of a scholar who has been all his life secluded from the world1 and busied with literature alone1 he utters words and sentences befitting the stormiest revolution4 ,the lectures of ,phillips1 which are repeated again and again1 are1 of course1 well studied and the language followed pretty closely1 though not invariably4 ,but like ,mirabeau1 it is in his unstudied speeches that he rises highest4 ,the first address that gave him public fame was of this character4 ,a meeting had been called in ,boston to pass resolutions of indignation on the occasion of the murder of ,lovejoy1 who was killed in ,illinois for his devotion to freedom4 ,the whole business of the meeting was arrested1 and the resolutions were on the point of being defeated by the powerful opposition of a leading politician1 who feared even to say that murder was wrong4 ,phillips was present as a listener1 but could keep his seat no longer1 and1 arising1 gave vent to his feelings in a speech so full of thrilling and indignant eloquence1 that the purpose of the meeting was at once secured1 and he himself brought before the public as one of the first orators of the age4 ,in regard to the manner of his preparation ,phillips himself refers to the celebrated letter of ,lord ,brougham to the father of ,macaulay1 on the training of his son in eloquence4 ,the substance of ,brougham's advice is1 to first acquire the power of speaking freely and easily before an audience1 no matter at what sacrifice of accuracy and elegance4 ,this1 he says truly1 can only be done by much practice4 ,when this is accomplished1 he recommends studying and committing to memory the orations of ,demosthenes until their spirit is fully imbibed4 ,,john ,p4 ,,durbin4 ,this traveler1 scholar1 and preacher1 adds another one to the long and illustrious list of those who have triumphed over every hindrance and risen to eminence4 ,he was born in #ahjj4 ,a district school afforded him all the education he obtained before entering the ,methodist itineracy1 but while enduring the hardships of a pioneer minister he studied diligently1 perusing his ,bible and commentaries around the log fires of his parishioners whenever even this poor opportunity occurred4 ,when he was appointed to ,cincinnati a more promising field opened4 ,he went to college during the week1 and still filled his pulpit on the ,sabbath4 ,he soon after became a professor in a college1 and afterward chaplain to ,congress1 where he was highly distinguished4 ,then he served a time as editor of the ,new ,york ,advocate1 and became ,president of ,dickenson ,college4 ,next he traveled through the old world1 as far as ,egypt and ,syria1 and1 returning1 wrote a very interesting account of his journey4 ,he was1 lastly1 elected ,corresponding ,secretary of the ,m4 ,e4 ,missionary ,society--a position which he has held for years1 and which brings him into contact with large masses of people in every part of the country4 ,the merits of ,durbin as an orator are many and high4 ,he possesses deep feeling1 and the tears of the people to whom he preaches are at his command4 ,there is a greatness about his character that is always felt1 and with it a childlike simplicity that endears him to every heart4 ,there is an utter absence of the pretension we sometimes find about those who are conscious of the possession of great powers4 ,his arrangement of every sermon is plain1 simple1 and easily remembered4 ,his command of words is complete1 and he always finds just the one he wants without hesitation4 ,the tones of his voice are affectionate and pleasing1 though when not called into animation by some subject worthy of his powers1 a little monotonous1 yet so strong that when he seems to be only talking at the pitch of common conversation1 every word can be heard to the extremity of the largest church4 ,but his voice can be raised to a thunder peal that is the more impressive because it is seldom employed4 ,the perfect ease with which he preaches1 is far different from the manner of those who have memorized every word and are full of anxiety for its effect4 ,often while he talks away with apparent indifference1 every eye is fixed on his1 or moistened with tears4 ,when we heard him1 some of his images were overwhelmingly sublime1 and we held our breath in awe2 at other times his explanations seemed to throw new and radiant light on what was before dark and obscure4 ,the mode by which ,durbin attained his great success is worthy of careful attention4 ,in a communication to the compiler of these notices1 he says3 444 8,i never wrote my sermons--not more than two or three in my life--and these not till after ,i had preached them4 ,my plan has been to have a well-defined topic1 and only such subdivisions as naturally arise out of the topic4 ,i generally put them down separately on a small piece of paper1 which ,i take into the pulpit1 but scarcely ever use4 ,this is commonly called a skeleton4 ,i do not write out anything ,i propose to say1 but carefully think over the main points2 but never commit them to memory4 ,i keep within living touch of my skeleton1 but depend on the natural consecutiveness of thought to enable me to clothe it with muscle2 and ,i depend on the inspiration of the occasion to give it life and color4 ,the inspiration is partly human and partly divine2 arising from the combined action of the divine and the human spirit1 which combined action constitutes the power of a preached gospel4 8,so far as human ability is concerned1 ,i believe that this is the secret of any success ,i have had in preaching the ,gospel40 ,,newman ,,hall4 ,the ,evangelist gives ,rev4 ,newman ,hall's account of how he learned extempore preaching1 as follows3 8,when ,i went to college1 it seemed to me that ,i should never be able to say a word in public without writing4 ,but ,i soon determined that if ,i was going to be a preacher1 and particularly if ,i wanted to be anything like a successful preacher1 ,i must form the habit of extemporaneous address4 ,so ,i went into my room1 locked the door1 placed the ,bible before me on a mantel1 opened it at random1 and then on whatever passage my eye chanced to rest1 proceeded to deliver a discourse of ten minutes4 ,this practice was kept up an entire twelve months4 ,every day1 for a whole year1 ten minutes were given to that kind of speaking1 in my own room by myself4 ,at first ,i found it very difficult to speak so long right to the point4 ,but then if ,i couldn't talk on the subject ,i would talk about it--making good remarks and moral reflections--being careful to keep up the flow1 and say something to the end of the term allotted for the exercise4 ,at the end of the twelve months1 however1 ,i found ,i could not only speak with a good degree of fluency1 but that ,i could hold myself strictly to the subject in hand4 ,you take this course4 ,don't do your practising on an audience4 ,that is outrageous40 ,,appendix4 ,i4 ,,the ,,chairman',s ,,guide4 ,,order ,,of ,,proceedings ,,in ,,various ,,meetings4 ,when the business of an assembly is limited to hearing one man speak1 there is little need of rules4 ,but when there are several speeches1 and various kinds of business are mingled with them1 the subject of order becomes important4 ,many a fluent speaker may be embarrassed because he does not know just when he ought to speak1 and how to introduce what he desires4 ,a member of ,congress1 for instance1 cannot be efficient1 no matter what his talents1 until he masters the rules of business4 ,even in smaller and less formal assemblies it is of great advantage to every one1 especially if called upon to preside1 as all may be in this land of discussions1 to know just how to fulfil the duties imposed on him4 ,in this short1 and necessarily imperfect sketch1 we will only aim to give those simple forms of parliamentary law that will often be needed by every man who essays to speak at all4 ,every society has the right to form its own laws1 and whenever it does positively determine any matter1 the general rules of order are superseded to that extent4 ,but it would be an endless task for any body to provide beforehand for every case that might occur1 and the greater part of these are always left to be decided by general usage4 ,this usage1 which has been growing up for years1 now covers almost every possible point4 ,an eminent authority says3 8,it is much more material that there should be a rule to go by than what that rule is1 for then the standard cannot be changed to suit the caprice or interest of the chairman1 or more active members1 and all are assured of justice40 ,the same rules apply to all assemblies1 with a few modifications1 which are readily suggested by the nature of the assembly4 ,we will give a few of the special applications first1 and afterward the general rules4 ,,religious ,,assemblies4 ,the regular public service of churches which have a ritual is governed by it1 and in those which have none1 usage always fixes a course from which the preacher should not vary without good reasons4 ,the most common mode of procedure in churches that are governed by unwritten custom is1 first1 a short invocation of ,god's blessing on the service4 ,this is omitted in the ,methodist church and some others4 ,then follows the reading and singing of a hymn2 prayer1 the reading of a ,scripture lesson 7which is frequently omitted in evening service71 singing again and preaching4 ,there are several modes of closing4 ,sometimes the order is3 prayer2 singing a hymn1 with doxology attached2 and benediction4 ,sometimes singing comes first1 then prayer1 and the benediction pronounced while the congregation is in the attitude of prayer4 ,sometimes there are four distinct acts2 singing a hymn2 prayer2 singing the doxology2 and benediction4 ,the order in which these modes of closing are stated is1 in our opinion1 also the order of preference4 ,business and congregational meetings are governed by the common rules of order4 ,,anniversaries1 ,,celebrations1 ,,etc4 ,in meetings of this character1 the object usually is to enjoy a pleasant time1 hear speeches1 and pass resolutions that have been prepared beforehand1 and on which no discussion is expected4 ,in ,sunday-school celebrations1 and other meetings of the same nature1 let a programme be formed1 with each performance in its order1 and either printed and distributed or read as soon as the meeting is called to order4 ,this must be done at the proper time by the superintendent1 or some one appointed for the purpose1 who will act as chairman1 and introduce each speaker in his turn4 ,any resolutions offered should be in writing1 and also read by him1 and put to vote in the regular form4 ,when the exercises are closed the meeting will be dismissed without waiting for a motion to adjourn4 ,in anniversary meetings of a more formal character1 it is common to have each speaker supplied1 in advance1 with a resolution on which he is to speak4 ,at the proper time he will arise1 offer the resolution1 and make his address4 ,if it is desirable to have more than one speech on that resolution1 the next can second the motion and speak in the same way4 ,then the resolution may be put in the common form4 ,this can be continued until all the resolutions and speakers are disposed of4 ,,literary ,,and ,,educational ,,societies4 ,in the societies usually attached to colleges1 everything should be done with the most scrupulous regularity1 and thus the rules of public business fully learned4 ,it is well also for them to have a certain order by which all their exercises shall be governed1 and everything made to move on with the regularity of clockwork4 ,a committee can easily construct such a plan1 and it can be amended as desired4 ,it should always have a department for miscellaneous business4 ,literary societies and debating clubs are very commonly formed in villages and school districts1 and when properly carried on can scarcely fail to be profitable4 ,many a person has received his first lesson in eloquence in such a school1 and the fluency and confidence a boy or young man can acquire in them may be of life-long advantage4 ,their organization may be very simple4 ,a meeting has been called by some one who is interested in the matter1 and when the people are met he calls them to order1 nominates a chairman1 puts the question1 and at the request of the chair explains the object of the meeting4 ,some one then moves to appoint a committee to draft a ,constitution and ,by-laws4 ,it is best for the committee to have these previously prepared1 that no time may be lost4 ,the following form1 taken from 8,how to ,talk10 with a few modifications1 will be all that is needed in most cases3 ,,constitution4 ,,article ,i4--,name4 ,this ,society shall be known as the of ,,article ,,ii4--,objects4 ,the object of this ,society shall be the improvement of its ,members in debating1 and the promotion of their intellectual1 social1 and moral advancement4 ,,article ,,iii4--,membership4 ,any person of good moral character may become a member of this ,society1 by signing the ,constitution and paying the initiation fee4 ,in some cases it may be necessary to receive ,members by a vote of the ,society1 after being regularly proposed4 ,,article ,,iv4--,officers and their ,duties4 ,the ,officers of this ,society shall consist of a ,president1 a ,vice-,president1 a ,secretary1 and a ,treasurer2 each of whom shall be elected by ballot1 and their duties shall be the same as are generally required of such officers in similar societies4 ,,article ,v4--,amendments4 ,no addition1 alteration1 or amendment shall be made to this ,constitution without a vote of two-thirds of the ,members present1 and no motion to amend shall be acted upon at the same meeting at which it is proposed4 ,,by-,,laws4 ,,article ,i4--,meetings4 ,,sec4 #a4--,this ,society shall meet on the of each for the promotion of its objects and the transaction of business4 ,,sec4 #b4--,there shall be an annual meeting on the of for the election of ,officers1 and to hear the reports of the ,secretary and ,treasurer4 ,,sec4 #c4--,special meetings may be called by the ,president at the request of ,members4 ,,article ,,ii4--,initiation ,fee4 ,all persons received into this ,society shall pay the sum of on signing the ,constitution4 ,,article ,,iii4--,dues4 ,all ,members shall pay the sum of per month1 to be appropriated1 with the initiation fees1 to defraying the expenses of the ,society2 and no ,member who may be in arrears for dues more than two months shall be allowed to speak or vote on any question till such arrearages shall be paid4 ,,article ,,iv4--,expulsions4 ,any ,member who shall refuse to conform to the ,constitution and ,by-laws1 or shall be guilty of repeated disorderly conduct1 shall be subjected to expulsion by a vote of two-thirds of the ,members present2 but no motion to expel a ,member shall be acted upon at the same meeting at which it is offered4 ,,article ,v4--,amendments4 ,the same rule in reference to amendments shall apply to the ,by-laws as to the ,constitution4 ,the ,constitution when presented may be discussed1 and put to vote1 altogether1 or article by article2 if adopted1 it becomes the law of the meeting4 ,a list of members will then be made out1 including all who desire to be enrolled1 and are willing to pay the initiation fee4 ,then a new election of officers should be held1 with those only who are members voting4 ,the old chairman will retain his seat until the new one is elected4 ,when it is intended to have performances of different kinds1 as essays1 orations1 debates1 etc41 it is well to appoint a committee to draw up a regular order in which these will be called for4 ,the society being now organized1 may proceed to business1 or fix the time for next meeting and adjourn4 ,,ward1 ,,district1 ,,or ,,township ,,meetings4 ,when one or more persons desire to call a meeting for any purpose1 there is often great confusion and uncertainty as to the mode of procedure4 ,a few simple rules will go far to obviate all difficulty4 ,in the call1 those only who are favorable to the intended object should be invited1 and if others attend1 they should take no part in the meeting1 unless challenged to discussion4 ,the responsibility for the guidance of the meeting until its regular organization1 rests on those who have called it4 ,when the people have met at the appointed time1 one of these will ask them to come to order1 and will then nominate a chairman2 when this is seconded1 he will put it to vote1 and call the man elected to the chair1 who will put all other motions4 ,a secretary also should be elected1 and then the meeting is regularly organized4 ,the chairman next states the object of the meeting1 or if he prefers1 calls upon one of those interested to do it4 ,some one will then move the appointment of a committee 7which is said to be the ,american panacea for everything7 to prepare resolutions expressive of the wishes or opinion of the meeting4 ,if the names of the persons to compose the committee be not mentioned in the original motion1 it is usual for the chairman to name them1 putting the name of the mover first on the list4 ,the chairman may1 for good reasons1 excuse any one of the committee from acting1 if there be no objections on the part of the assembly4 ,but if there are1 he can only be excused by vote4 ,the committee then require some time to make their report1 and it is common for the chairman to call on some one1 who ought to be notified beforehand1 for a speech4 ,when the committee have finished their business they will return1 and waiting until no one is speaking1 their chairman will address the chairman of the meeting1 telling him that they are ready to report4 ,if no objection is made1 the resolutions prepared are then read1 and are at the disposal of the meeting4 ,they may be treated separately1 or together1 amended1 adopted or rejected4 ,the resolutions may be prepared beforehand1 in which case the appointment of the committee may be dispensed with4 ,if the resolutions should not be satisfactory1 they may be recommitted4 ,when the resolutions have been disposed of1 the speaker will announce that there is no business before the house1 which will either bring a motion to adjourn1 or new business4 ,,delegated ,,bodies4 ,all legislatures1 boards of directors1 etc41 hold their power only in trust for others who are not present1 and are therefore held to stricter limitations in the performance of business than those assemblies which act only for themselves4 ,in case the right of any delegate is disputed1 this must be settled as soon as possible4 ,in nearly all such meetings it is also provided that many things shall not be considered as determined until referred back to those by whom the members were chosen4 ,with these exceptions1 and the special rules that such bodies may provide1 they are under the strict government of parliamentary law4 ,,continued ,,meetings4 ,when any body holds sessions at intervals1 it becomes necessary to bear in mind what has been previously done4 ,this is accomplished by having the minutes of each meeting read at the beginning of the next1 and if any mistakes exist they are corrected4 ,this enables the assembly to take up the business where it closed1 and proceed as if there had been no interruption4 ,it is also well to have a certain order of business fixed1 which shall always suggest what is proper to be done and prevent confusion4 ,this order will necessarily differ in the various kinds of meetings4 ,legislative bodies1 from the great variety of business brought before them1 can seldom fix on any order that can be followed from day to day1 but they often establish a regular order for a certain time4 ,matthias suggested the following arrangement for business meetings of bank directors1 railway stockholders1 etc43 #a4 ,presenting communications from parties outside of the meeting4 ,a communication is read1 and motions for action on it may be made1 amended1 and passed or rejected4 ,after this has been done1 or if no motion is made1 the next communication is taken up4 #b4 ,reports of standing committees4 ,the chairman will call for these in their order1 and each one1 if prepared1 will be read by the chairman of the committee4 ,it should close with a resolution of some kind1 and when it is moved and seconded that this be adopted1 it may be discussed and determined as the assembly see fit4 ,the minority of a committee may make a separate report if they wish4 #c4 ,treasurer's report4 #d4 ,unfinished business4 #e4 ,new business4 ,,ii4 ,,general ,,rules ,,of ,,order4 ,,quorum--,,rules--,,decision4 #a4 ,in bodies which have a fixed number of members1 a certain proportion most be present to make the transaction of business valid4 ,the number may be fixed by the expression of the assembly1 or its general custom4 ,in the absence of any other rule1 a majority is sufficient4 ,the chairman should not take his seat until he sees that a quorum is present1 and if the assembly is at any time reduced below this number1 nothing but adjournment is in order4 #b4 ,the assembly may make its own rules in whole or in part1 but whatever it does not determine1 shall be subject to the common rules of order4 ,any member has a right to insist on the enforcement of the rules1 but this duty belongs especially to the chair4 #c4 ,in the absence of any special rule1 the consent of a majority of the members voting is requisite to determine any point4 ,a plurality1 where more than two issues are presented1 is not sufficient4 ,,officers4 ,presiding and recording officers are necessary in every meeting1 and must be chosen by an absolute majority4 ,when the assembly has financial matters to manage1 a treasurer must also be elected4 ,,presiding ,,officer4 ,this officer is known by various titles1 such as chairman1 president1 speaker1 moderator1 etc4 ,we will use the first4 ,the chairman represents the assembly1 declares its will1 and obeys it implicitly4 ,he must be treated with great respect1 although his power is only a delegated one1 and may be set aside by the declared will of the assembly4 ,his principal duties are3 #a4 ,to begin the session by taking the chair and calling the members to order4 #b4 ,to announce business in its order4 #c4 ,to submit all motions and propositions4 #d4 ,to put all questions and announce the result4 #f4 ,to restrain members within rules of order4 #f4 ,to receive all communications and announce them to the assembly4 #g4 ,to sign public documents4 #h4 ,to decide points of order1 subject to an appeal to the assembly4 ,the chairman should fully understand all the rules of business1 be kind and courteous to all1 but prompt and firm1 for on him1 more than any other1 the order and harmony of every meeting depends4 ,in the absence of the chairman1 the vice-president takes the chair1 and when there is no such officer1 a temporary chairman must be elected4 ,the chairman may read while sitting1 but should rise to state a question or take a vote4 ,,recording ,,officer4 ,secretary or clerk is the name usually bestowed on this officer4 ,we will employ the first4 ,it is his duty to keep a true record of all that is done in the assembly4 ,speeches and motions that do not prevail1 need not be recorded4 ,but it is sometimes customary1 when it is intended to publish the proceedings1 and no reporter is present1 for the secretary to make the minutes take the form of a journal4 #b4 ,the secretary must keep all papers that belong to the society in safety2 read them when ordered2 call the roll2 notify committees of their appointment and business2 and sign all orders and proceedings of the assembly4 #c4 ,a temporary secretary must be elected during the absence of the permanent one1 unless there is an assistant to take his place4 #d4 ,the secretary should always stand in reading1 or calling the roll4 ,,members4 #a4 ,all members are on a footing of absolute equality1 and in every form of business the same courtesy and attention should be shown to each one by the chair and by all other members4 #b4 ,every member is expected to observe strict decorum in his behavior4 ,standing1 walking about1 interrupting speakers1 hissing1 whispering1 taking books or papers from the speaker's table1 are all breaches of decorum4 #c4 ,any member accused of disorderly behavior may1 when the charge is stated1 be heard in his own behalf1 and is then required to withdraw1 until the assembly decides as to his guilt and punishment4 ,he may be reprimanded1 required to apologize1 or expelled4 ,,motions4 #a4 ,business can only be introduced into an assembly by a motion4 ,persons1 not members1 may make communications1 or send petitions asking for the doing of certain things2 but these must be taken by one of the members1 and by him read or presented to the assembly4 ,it is then before the body for consideration1 but nothing can be done with it until a motion is made by some one belonging to the assembly4 #b4 ,an assembly expresses its opinion by a resolution1 commands by an order1 and determines its own action by a vote4 ,a member who wishes to secure either of these1 draws it up in the form he desires it to bear1 and moves that the assembly adopt what he proposes4 ,he must first obtain the floor4 ,this is done by rising and addressing the chairman by his title4 ,if there be no previous claimant1 the chairman responds by mentioning the speaker's name1 when he is at liberty to go on4 ,when he has made his motion1 another member must second it before the assembly will receive it or pay any attention to it4 ,the chair or any member may insist on the motion being written1 unless it is one of the kind that have a certain form1 such as to adjourn1 etc4 ,the motion when seconded1 is to be stated by the chair1 when it becomes the property of the assembly1 and is ready for debate or such other action as may be preferred4 ,suggestions and modifications of the motion may be made1 or it may be withdrawn altogether1 before this2 but not after1 without leave of the assembly formally expressed4 ,no other motion1 with some exceptions to be hereafter explained1 can be entertained until the first is disposed of4 ,when a motion is made the assembly may do one of five things with it4 #a4 ,decide it in the shape it then has4 #b4 ,suppress all consideration of it or action on it4 #c4 ,postpone it until a future time4 #d4 ,refer it to a committee to be put in a better form4 #e4 ,amend it themselves before deciding it4 ,we will consider these different ways of treating a question in their order4 #a4--;,,decision4 ,it is always to be taken for granted that the assembly is willing to decide a motion at once1 unless some one moves to adopt one of the other courses4 ,it may be repeated first1 and when no one rises1 the chair asks if they are ready for the question2 if no one responds1 it is put to vote4 #b4--,,suppression4 #a4 ,sometimes the assembly does not wish to discuss a motion at all4 ,in that case a member may move that it be indefinitely postponed4 ,if this is debated1 the matter remains as it was before4 ,if it prevails1 the matter is ended1 and can only be brought up as a new question4 #b4 ,the motion to lay a subject on the table has nearly the same effect4 ,if it prevails1 the subject cannot be taken up without a motion to that effect4 #c4 ,the famous 8previous question0 has a totally different purpose in this country and ,england4 ,there it is used to postpone a question4 ,its form is1 8,shall the main question now be put80 and it is moved by those who wish to obtain a negative decision1 the effect of which is to remove the question from before the house for that day1 and by usage for the whole session4 #d4 ,in this country it is used to prevent debate1 and is only moved by those who wish an affirmative decision4 ,when this is carried the question must be voted upon without further remarks4 ,a majority ought to use this power of stopping debate very sparingly1 and never without good reason4 #c4--,,postponement4 ,if the assembly is not prepared to act upon a question1 or has more important business before it1 the proper course is for some one to move that it be postponed until a certain time4 ,if no time is fixed the question is suppressed altogether4 ,if the assembly is dissolved before the appointed day1 the effect is the same4 #d4--;,,commitment4 ,if the form of the motion is crude1 it may be given into the hands of a committee to perfect4 ,if it first came from a committee1 it may be given back to them1 which is called a recommitment4 ,the whole or a part of a subject may be committed1 and the assembly may1 by vote1 give such instructions as it desires4 ,this motion is sometimes made use of for the purpose of procuring further information4 #e4--;,,amendment4 ,the assembly may alter1 increase1 or diminish any proposition at its pleasure4 ,its nature is often changed entirely4 #a4 ,every complicated question may be divided by a regular vote4 ,this is usually done1 if no objection is offered1 without a vote1 but it cannot be required by a single member as is sometimes stated4 ,a motion to divide should specify the manner of division4 #b4 ,if blanks are left in resolutions1 these must be filled by motion4 ,if these embrace figures1 and several numbers are proposed1 that which includes the others may be put to vote first4 ,but it is usually as well to put first that which is moved first4 #c4 ,all motions to amend1 except by division1 must be to amend by inserting or adding1 or by striking out1 or both4 #d4 ,an amendment may be accepted by the mover of a resolution1 if no objection is made1 for then general consent is presumed2 but not otherwise4 #e4 ,it is strict parliamentary law to begin with the beginning of a proposition1 and after the latter part is amended1 not to return to a former part2 but this is seldom insisted on in common societies4 #f4 ,every amendment is susceptible of amendment1 but this can go no further4 ,but the second amendment may be defeated1 and then a new one made to the principal amendment4 #g4 ,whatever is agreed to1 or disagreed to by the acceptance or rejection of an amendment cannot again be changed4 #h4 ,what is struck out cannot be inserted by another amendment1 unless with such additions as to make it a new question4 ,neither can what is retained be changed4 #i4 ,before putting the question on an amendment1 the passage should be read as it was2 then the amendment2 lastly the passage as amended4 #aj4 ,a paragraph that is inserted by vote ,cannot be changed1 but it may be amended before the question is put4 #aa4 ,when the amendment is both to strike out and insert1 these two may be divided by vote or general consent1 and then the question is taken first on striking out4 ,,preferred ,,motions4 ,when a motion is before the assembly1 it must be disposed of before anything else can be brought forward1 with the exception of three classes of questions4 ,these are privileged1 incidental1 and subsidiary questions4 #a4--,,privileged ,,questions4 #a4 ,the motion to adjourn takes precedence of every other1 except when it has been moved and defeated1 when it shall not be moved again until something else has been done4 ,it cannot be moved while a member is speaking1 or a vote being taken4 ,but to be entitled to such precedence1 it must be a simple motion to adjourn1 without question of time or place4 ,if these are added1 it must take its regular turn4 ,an adjournment without any time being fixed1 is equivalent to a dissolution1 unless this has been provided for by custom or especial rule4 ,at adjournment every pending question is taken from before the assembly1 and can only be brought up again in the regular way4 #b4 ,any question affecting the rights and privileges of members1 as in quarreling1 the intrusion of strangers1 etc41 comes next in order to adjournment1 and displaces everything else4 #c4 ,if the assembly fix on an order of business for a certain time1 when that time arrives1 a motion to take up this order has precedence of all questions1 but the two preceding4 #b4--;,,incidental ,,questions4 ,incidental questions are those that grow out of other questions1 and must be decided before them4 #a4 ,questions of order4 ,if there is a breach of rules it is the duty of the chair to enforce them1 and any member to call for their enforcement4 ,this should be done at once4 ,when there is a doubt as to what constitutes a breach of the rules1 it is first decided by the chair1 subject to an appeal to the assembly1 which may be put in this form1 8,shall the decision of the chair stand as the decision of the assembly80 ,on this the chair may debate as well as others1 but the vote is final4 #b4 ,when papers are laid on the secretary's table for the information of the assembly1 any member may demand to have them read2 but other papers can only be read after a regular motion is carried to that effect4 #c4 ,after a motion is stated by the chair1 permission may be given to withdraw it by a regular vote4 #d4 ,a rule that interferes with the transaction of any business may be suspended by a unanimous vote1 or in accordance with the provisions of a special rule which points out the majority requisite1 such as two-thirds1 three-fourths1 etc4 #c4--,,subsidiary ,,questions4 ,these relate to the principal question as secondary planets do to their primaries4 ,they are of different degrees among themselves1 and with a few exceptions are not applied to one another4 #a4 8,lie on the table40 ,this takes precedence of all the subsidiary motions4 ,if carried1 it takes the principal question and all that belongs to it from the consideration of the assembly1 and they can only be brought up by a new motion4 ,if decided in the negative1 this question1 like all the others of the same class1 except the previous question1 has no effect whatever4 #b4 8,previous question40 ,this motion can only be superseded by that to lay on the table4 ,if lost1 the question is not before the house for the remainder of that day4 #c4 ,a motion to postpone may be amended by fixing the time or changing it4 ,if several days are mentioned1 the longest time should be put first4 #d4 ,a motion to commit takes precedence of a motion to amend1 but stands in the same rank with the others1 except to lay on the table1 and cannot be superseded by them1 if moved first4 #e4 ,a motion to amend may be amended4 ,it is not superseded by the previous question1 or a motion for indefinite postponement1 but is by a motion to postpone till a time certain1 or to commit4 ,it is very important that the order of these secondary questions be carefully observed1 as there may be many of them pending at once4 ,,debate4 ,debate in a society organized for the purpose of discussion1 and in a deliberative body are quite different4 ,in the former reply is expected1 and may be bandied back and forth several times4 ,in the latter the object is supposed to be giving information1 and each member is limited to one speech1 unless special permission is received to speak again4 ,the chair must not take part in debates4 #a4 ,when a member wishes to speak1 he obtains the floor in the same manner as if to offer a motion4 ,the mover of a resolution is usually allowed the floor first1 but this is a matter of courtesy rather than right4 #b4 ,when a speaker gives up the floor for any purpose1 he loses his right to it1 though as a favor he is often allowed to continue his speech4 #c4 ,no names are to be used in debate1 but when it becomes necessary to designate an individual1 some description may be used1 as1 the gentleman on the right1 etc4 #d4 ,every member must stand1 when speaking1 unless sick or disabled4 #e4 ,motions to adjourn1 to lay on the table1 for the previous question1 or the order of the day cannot be debated4 #f4 ,no member shall use abusive language against any of the acts of the assembly1 or indulge in personal denunciations of other members4 ,wrong motives must not be attributed to any one4 ,if a speaker digresses widely from the subject1 and appears to misunderstand its nature1 he may be called to order4 #g4 ,a member who is decided to be out of order loses his right to the floor1 but this is seldom insisted on4 #h4 ,a member cannot speak more than once on the same question without special permission1 which must not be given until all have spoken2 but he may speak on amendments1 and on the same subject1 when it is returned from a committee4 #aj4 ,a member who has been misrepresented has the right to explain1 but not to interrupt any one who is speaking for that purpose4 #aa4 ,debate may be stopped by the previous question2 by determining in advance that at a certain time1 the question shall be decided2 or by adopting a rule limiting each member to so many minutes4 ,in the latter case1 the chair announces the expiration of the time1 and the member takes his seat4 #ab4 ,every member should be listened to with respect1 and no attempt made to interrupt him1 unless he transgress the bounds of order4 ,calling for the question1 hissing1 coughing1 etc41 should be restrained by the chair if possible4 ,the speaker may learn from these things that the assembly does not wish to hear him1 but he is not bound to heed them4 ,if necessary1 the chair will name the obstinate offenders for punishment1 who may be heard in their own defence1 but must then withdraw while the assembly determines what punishment should be inflicted4 ,but if all means of preserving order fail1 and the chairman's repeated calls are unnoticed1 he is not responsible for this disorder1 although it would be better then to resign an office that he can no longer make respected1 unless so bound by public duty that he cannot take this course4 #ac4 ,if a member in speaking makes use of disorderly words1 notice should be taken at once4 ,the words used1 if the offence is serious1 should be reduced to writing while fresh in the memory of all4 ,if necessary1 the assembly may determine what words were used1 whether they were offensive or not1 and at its pleasure require an apology1 censure1 or expel the offender4 ,if other business is done before attention is called to the disorderly words1 they cannot again be taken up4 ,,putting ,,the ,,question4 ,when discussion and all preliminary matters are finished1 the next step is to ascertain the will of the assembly4 ,there are six ways of doing this4 ,we will put first those that are most used3 #a4 ,the chair asks1 8,are you ready for the question80 ,no objection being made1 he first puts the affirmative1 asking those who favor the motion to say1 8,aye20 those who are opposed1 8,no40 ,he judges from the volume of sound1 and declares which he believes has the majority4 ,if any one doubts this1 he may require the vote to be taken in a more exact way4 #b4 ,in place of saying 8aye10 the affirmative may be asked to hold up their hands2 then when these are down the same is asked of the negative4 ,the determination in this case is the same as in the former case4 #c4 ,the affirmative may be required to rise to their feet and be counted2 and when seated the negative will rise4 ,these will also be counted1 and this is the mode most commonly resorted to1 when the result as declared by the chair1 from the former methods1 is doubted4 #d4 ,in this the affirmative and negative may stand up at once1 but in different parts of the house1 and be counted4 ,this is a real 8division40 #e4 ,the method by ballot may be employed2 each man writing his wish on a ticket4 ,these are collected and counted4 ,this mode is often employed in the election of officers1 but seldom in the determination of simple questions4 #f4 ,the roll may be called by the secretary1 and each man in his place answer1 8,aye10 or 8,no40 ,these are marked by the secretary1 and others who keep tally1 and the result announced4 ,sometimes the names are entered on the journals1 in two lists of 8,aye0 and 8,no40 ,the word 8,yea10 is often used in place of 8,aye40 ,the chair has a casting vote in case of equal division4 ,a member who voted with the affirmative may move the reconsideration of any question1 and if his motion is carried1 the whole matter is opened up as it was at first1 and may be discussed as before4 ,,committees4 ,the use of a committee is to give a subject more careful consideration than it could receive in a full assembly4 ,they are of three kinds4 ,from their great importance they are said to be the eyes and ears of the assembly4 #a4 ,standing committees are those that are appointed to take charge of all subjects of a certain character during a session1 or other specified time4 #b4 ,select committees are appointed to take charge of some one thing1 and when that is finished they are dissolved1 although they may be revived again by a vote of the assembly4 ,in appointing a committee1 the first thing is to fix on a number3 if several are named1 the largest should be put first4 ,the committees may be chosen by ballot2 appointed by the chair2 or elected by nomination and vote4 ,the latter is the regular mode when there is no special rule1 but the second is most frequently practised4 ,sometimes a committee is appointed to nominate all other committees1 but this is not usually the case4 ,the mover and seconder of a resolution should have place on a committee appointed to consider it1 and1 as a general rule1 none but those who are friendly to the object to be accomplished should be appointed4 ,those opposed can make their opposition when it is returned to the assembly4 ,it is the duty of the secretary of the assembly to make out a list of the members of a committee1 and hand to the person first named on it1 who is its chairman1 unless the committee shall choose to elect another4 ,the assembly can fix the times and places of the meeting of a committee2 if this is not done1 it can choose for itself1 but cannot sit while the assembly is in session without a special order4 ,in all forms of procedure the committee is governed by the same rules as the assembly1 but a little less strictness is observed in their enforcement4 ,disorderly conduct in a committee can only be noted down and reported to the assembly4 ,when any paper has been referred to a committee1 it must be returned as it was1 with proposed amendments written separately4 ,they cannot reject any matter1 but can return it to the assembly without change1 stating their reasons for taking no action4 ,when a committee is prepared to report1 its chairman announces the fact1 and he1 or an other member1 may make a motion that the report be received at that1 or some other specified time4 ,if nothing is said1 it is assumed that the assembly is ready to receive it immediately4 ,at the time fixed1 the chairman reads the report1 and passes it1 with all the papers belonging to it1 to the secretary's table1 where it awaits the action of the assembly4 ,any report from a committee may be treated by amendment1 etc41 just as if it originated in the assembly4 ,the final question is on the adoption of the report2 if this is agreed to1 it stands as the action of the whole assembly4 #c4 ,the third form of committee is the 8committee of the whole40 ,it embraces the entire assembly4 ,when the assembly wishes to go into committee1 a motion to that effect is made1 seconded1 and put2 if carried1 the chairman nominates a person as chairman of the committee1 who takes his seat at the secretary's table4 ,the chairman of the assembly must remain at hand in readiness to resume his seat when the committee shall rise4 ,the secretary does not record the proceedings of the committee1 but only their report4 ,a special secretary must be appointed for their use4 ,the following are the main points of difference between the 8committee of the whole0 and the assembly3 #a4 ,the previous question cannot be moved1 but the committee may rise and thus stop debate4 #b4 ,the committee cannot adjourn2 it may rise1 report progress1 and ask leave to sit again4 #c4 ,in committee a member may speak as often as he can get the floor2 in the assembly1 but once4 #d4 ,the committee cannot refer a matter to another committee4 #e4 ,the chairman of the assembly can take part in committee proceedings4 #f4 ,the committee has no power to punish its members1 but can report them4 ,when the committee is prepared to close1 a motion is made and seconded that it rise2 if carried1 the chairman leaves his seat1 the chairman of the assembly takes his usual place1 and the committee report is given in the same form as from a special committee4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this brief synopsis has been compiled from various sources4 ,the excellent manuals of ,cushing and ,matthias have been especially consulted4 ,it is believed to embrace all that is essential for conducting business in ordinary assemblies4 ,the man who masters these simple rules1 which may be done in a few hours1 is prepared to assist in the performance of any public business1 and if called upon to act as chairman1 as any one may be1 he will be free from embarrassment4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,sent ,prepaid by ,post at ,prices ,annexed4 ,a ,,list ,,of ,,works ,,published ,,by ,,samuel ,r4 ,,wells1 ,no4 #chi ,,broadway1 ,,new ,,york4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,standard ,,works ,,on ,,phrenology4 ,american ,phrenological ,journal and ,life ,illustrated4--,devoted to ,ethnology4 ,physiology1 ,phrenology1 ,physiognomy1 ,psychology1 ,sociology1 ,biography1 ,education1 ,art1 ,literature1 with ,measures to ,reform1 ,elevate and ,improve ,mankind ,physically1 ,mentally and ,spiritually4 ,edited by ,s4 ,r4 ,,wells4 ,published monthly1 in quarto form1 at #c a year1 or #cj cents a number4 ,it may be termed the standard authority in all matters pertaining to ,phrenology and the ,science of ,man4 ,it is beautifully illustrated4 ,see ,prospectus4 ,constitution of ,man2 ,considered in ,relation to ,external ,objects4 ,by ,,george ,,combe4 ,the only authorized ,american ,edition4 ,with ,twenty ,engravings1 and a ,portrait of the ,author4 #abmo4 #dcf pp4 ,muslin4 ,price1 #a #ge4 ,the 8,constitution of ,man0 is a work with which every teacher and every pupil should be acquainted4 ,it contains a perfect mine of sound wisdom and enlightened philosophy2 and a faithful study of its invaluable lessons would save many a promising youth from a premature grave4--,journal of ,education1 ,albany1 ,n4 ,y4 ,defence of ,phrenology2 ,containing an ,essay on the ,nature and ,value of ,phrenological ,evidence3 ,a ,vindication of ,phrenology against the ,attack of its opponents1 and a ,view of the ,facts relied on by ,phrenologists as proof that the ,cerebellum is the seat of the reproductive instinct4 ,by ,,andrew ,,boardman1 ,m4 ,d4 #abmo1 #bbb pp4 ,muslin4 ,price1 #a #ej4 ,these ,essays are a refutation of attacks on ,phrenology1 including 8,select ,discourses on the ,functions of the ,nervous ,system1 in ,opposition to ,phrenology1 ,materialism and ,atheism40 ,one of the best defences of ,phrenology ever written4 ,education3 ,its ,elementary ,principles founded on the ,nature of ,man4 ,by ,j4 ,g4 ,,spurzheim1 ,m4 ,d4 ,with an ,appendix by ,s4 ,r4 ,,wells1 containing a ,description of the ,tem craments1 and a ,brief ,analysis of the ,phrenological ,faculties4 ,twelfth ,american ,edition #a vol4 #abmo4 #ccd pp4 ,illustrated4 ,price1 #a #ej4 ,it is full of sound doctrine and practical wisdom4 ,every page is pregnant with instruction of solemn import2 and we would that it were the text-book1 the great and sovereign guide1 of every male and female in the country with whom rests the responsibility of rearing or educating a child4--,boston ,medical and ,surgical ,journal4 ,education and ,self-,improvement ,complete2 ,comprising 8,physiology--,animal and ,mental0--8,self-,culture and ,perfection of ,character10 8,memory and ,intellectual ,improvement40 ,one large vol4 ,illus4 ,muslin1 #d4 ,this book comprises the whole of ,mr4 ,fowler's series of popular works on the application of ,phrenology to 8,education and ,self-,improvement40 ,lectures on ,phrenology4--,by ,,george ,,combe4 ,with ,notes4 ,an ,essay on the ,phrenological ,mode of ,investigation1 and an ,historical ,sketch4 ,by ,,andrew ,,boardman1 ,m4 ,d4 #a vol4 #abmo1 #cia pages4 ,muslin1 #a #ge4 ,these are the reported lectures on ,phrenology delivered by ,george ,combe in ,america in #ahci1 and have been approved as to their essential correctness by the author4 ,the work includes the application of ,phrenology to the present and prospective condition of the ,united ,states1 and constitutes a course of ,phrenological instruction4 ,matrimony2 ,or1 ,phrenology and ,physiology applied to the ,selection of ,congenial ,companions for ,life1 including ,directions to the ,married for living together ,affectionately and ,happily4 ,thirty-,fourth ,edition4 ,price1 #ej cents4 ,a scientific expositor of the laws of man's social and matrimonial constitution3 exposing the evils of their violation1 showing what organizations and phrenological developments naturally assimilate and harmonize4 ,memory and ,intellectual ,improvement1 applied to ,self-,educational and ,juvenile ,instruction4 ,twenty-,fifth ,edition4 #abmo4 ,muslin1 #a #ej4 ,this is the third and last of ,mr4 ,fowler's series of popular works on the application of ,phrenology to 8,education and ,self-,improvement40 ,this volume is devoted to the education and development of the ,intellect2 how to cultivate the ,memory2 the education of the young2 and embodies directions as to how we may educate ,,ourselves4 ,mental ,science4 ,lectures on1 according to the ,philosophy of ,phrenology4 ,delivered before the ,anthropological ,society of the ,western ,liberal ,institute of ,marietta1 ,ohio4 ,by ,rev4 ,g4 ,s4 ,,weaver4 #abmo1 #bce pp4 ,illustrated1 #a #ej4 ,this is a most valuable acquisition to phrenological literature4 ,it is instructive and beneficial1 and should be made accessible to all youth4 ,its philosophy is the precept of the human soul's wisdom4 ,its morality is obedience to all divine law1 written or unwritten4 ,its religion is the spirit-utterings of devout and faithful love4 ,it aims at and contemplates humanity's good--the union of the human with the divine4 ,phrenology ,proved1 ,illustrated and ,applied2 ,embracing an analysis of the ,primary ,mental ,powers in their ,various ,degrees of ,development1 and location of the ,phrenological ,organs4 ,presenting some new and important remarks on the ,temperaments1 describing the ,organs in ,seven ,different ,degrees of ,development3 the mental phenomena produced by their combined action1 and the location of the faculties1 amply illustrated4 ,by the ,brothers ,,fowler4 ,sixty-,second ,edition4 ,enlarged and ,improved4 #abmo1 #dib pp4 ,muslin1 #a #ge4 ,self-,culture and ,perfection of ,character2 ,including the ,management of ,children and ,youth4 #a vol4 #abmo1 #cab pp4 ,muslin1 #a #ge4 ,this is the second work in the series of ,mr4 ,fowler's 8,education and ,self-,improvement ,complete40 8,self-made or never made10 is the motto of the work which is devoted to moral improvement1 or the proper cultivation and regulation of the affections and moral sentiments4 ,self-,instructor in ,phrenology and ,physiology4 ,new ,illustrated4 ,with over ,one ,hundred ,engravings1 together with a ,chart for the ,recording of ,phrenological ,developments1 for the use of ,phrenologists4 ,by the ,brothers ,,fowler4 ,muslin1 #ge cents2 ,paper1 #ej cents4 ,this is intended as a text-book1 and is especially adapted to phrenological examiners1 to be used as a chart1 and for learners1 in connection with the 8,phrenological ,bust40 ,moral ,philosophy4 ,by ,,george ,,combe4 ,or1 the ,duties of ,man considered in his ,individual1 ,domestic and ,social ,capacities4 ,reprinted from the ,edinburgh ,edition4 ,with the ,author's latest corrections4 #a vol4 #abmo1 #hhd pp4 ,muslin1 #a #ge4 ,this work appears in the form of ,lectures delivered by the ,author to an association formed by the industrious classes of ,edinburgh2 they created at the time considerable excitement4 ,the course consisted of twenty consecutive lectures on ,moral ,philosophy1 and are invaluable to students of ,phrenology1 ,lecturers on ,morality and the ,natural ,laws of ,man4 ,address1 ,,samuel ,r4 ,,wells1 ,no4 #chi ,broadway1 ,new ,york4 ,,miscellaneous ,,works ,,on ,,phrenology4 ,annuals of ,phrenology and ,physiognomy4--,by ,s4 ,r4 ,,wells1 ,editor of the ,phrenological ,journal4 ,one small yearly #abmo volume4 ,for #ahfe1 #8#ff1 #8#fg and #8#fh4 ,the four1 containing over #bjj illustrations1 for #fj cts4 ,for #ahfg1 one small #abmo vol41 #eh pp4 ,containing many portraits and biographies of distinguished personages1 together with articles on 8,how to ,study ,phrenology10 8,bashfulness1 ,diffidence1 ,stammering10 etc41 #bj cents4 ,for #ahfh1 #abmo1 #gj pp4 ,containing an elaborate article on 8,the ,marriage of ,cousins10 etc41 etc41 #be cents4 ,charts for ,recording the ,various ,phrenological ,developments4--,designed for ,phrenologists4 ,by the ,brothers ,,fowler4 ,price1 only #aj cents4 ,chart of ,physiognomy ,illustrated4--,designed for ,framing1 and for ,lecturers4 ,by ,s4 ,r4 ,,wells1 ,author of ,new ,physiognomy4 ,in map ,form4 ,printed on fine paper4 ,a good thing for learners4 ,price1 #he cents4 ,domestic ,life1 ,thoughts ,on2 ,or1 ,marriage ,vindicated and ,free ,love ,exposed4 ,by ,,nelson ,,sizer4 #abmo1 #gb pp4 ,paper1 #be cents4 ,this is a work consisting of three valuable lectures1 part of an extended course delivered in the city of ,washington4 ,the favor with which they were received1 and the numerous requests for their publication1 resulted in the present work4 ,phrenology and the ,scriptures4--,showing the ,harmony existing between ,phrenology and the ,bible4 ,by ,rev4 ,,john ,,pierpont4 ,price #be cents4 8,a full explanation of many passages of ,scripture40--,new ,york ,mirror4 ,phrenological ,guide4--,designed for ,students of their own ,character4 ,twenty-,fifth ,edition4 ,illustrated4 #abmo1 #ed pp4 ,paper1 #be cents4 ,phrenological ,specimens2 ,for ,societies and ,private ,cabinets4 ,for ,lecturers2 including ,casts of the ,heads of most remarkable men of history4 ,see our ,descriptive ,catalogue4 ,forty casts1 not mailable1 #ce4 ,phrenological ,bust4--,showing the latest classification1 and exact location of the ,organs of the ,brain1 fully developed1 designed for ,learners4 ,in this ,bust1 all the newly-discovered ,organs are given4 ,it is divided so as to show each individual ,organ on one side2 and all the groups--,social1 ,executive1 ,intellectual1 and moral--property classified1 on the other side4 ,it is now extensively used in ,england1 ,scotland and ,ireland1 and on the ,continent of ,europe1 and is almost the only one in use here4 ,there are two sizes--the largest near the size of life--is sold ,in ,box1 at #a #ge4 ,the smaller1 which is not more than six inches high1 and may be carried in the pocket1 is only #ge cents4 ,not mailable4 ,phrenology at ,home4--,how can ,i learn ,phrenology8 ,what books are best for me to read8 ,is it possible to acquire a knowledge of it without a teacher8 ,these are questions put to us daily2 and we may say in reply1 that we have arranged a series of the best works1 with a ,bust1 showing the exact location of all the ,phrenological ,organs1 with such ,illustrations and ,definitions as to make the study simple and plain without the aid of a teacher4 ,the cost for this 8,student's ,set10 which embraces all that is requisite1 is only #aj4 ,it may be sent by express1 or as freight1 safely boxed--not by mail--to any part of the world4 8,mirror of the ,mind20 ,or1 ,your ,character from your ,likeness4 ,for particulars how to have pictures taken1 inclose a prepaid envelope1 directed to yourself1 for answer4 ,address1 ,,samuel ,r4 ,,wells1 ,no4 #chi ,broadway1 ,new ,york4 ,,standard ,,work ,,on ,,physiognomy4 ,new ,physiognomy2 ,or1 ,signs of ,character1 as manifested through ,temperament and ,external ,forms1 and especially in the 8,human ,face ,divine40 ,with more than ,one ,thousand ,illustrations4 ,by ,s4 ,r4 ,,wells4 ,in three styles of binding4 ,price1 in one #abmo volume1 #gjh pp41 handsomely bound in muslin1 #e2 in heavy calf1 marbled edges1 #h2 ,turkey morocco1 full gilt1 #aj4 ,this work systematizes and shows the scientific basis on which each claim rests4 ,the 8,signs of ,character0 are minutely elucidated1 and so plainly stated as to render them available4 ,the scope of the work is very broad1 and the treatment of the subject thorough1 and1 so far as possible1 exhaustive4 ,among the topics discussed are--8,general ,principles of ,physiognomy20 8the ,temperaments20 8,general ,forms0 as ,indicative of ,character2 8,signs of ,character in the ,features0--the ,chin1 the ,lips1 the ,nose1 the ,eyes1 the ,cheeks1 the ,ears1 the ,neck1 etc42 8,the ,hands and ,feet20 8,signs of ,character in ,action10--the ,walk1 the ,voice1 the ,laugh1 ,shaking ,hands1 the ,style of ,dress1 etc42 8,insanity20 8,idiocy20 8,effects of ,climate20 8,ethnology20 8,national ,types20 8,physiognomy of ,classes10 with grouped portraits1 including ,divines1 ,orators1 ,statesmen1 ,warriors1 ,artists1 ,poets1 ,philosophers1 ,inventors1 ,pugilists1 ,surgeons1 ,discoverers1 ,actors1 ,musicians2 8,transmitted ,physiognomies20 8,love ,signs20 8,grades of ,intelligence20 8,comparative ,physiognomy20 8,personal ,improvement2 or1 ,how to be ,beautiful20 8,handwriting20 8,studies from ,lavater20 8,physiognomy ,applied20 8,physiognomical ,anecdotes10 etc4 ,it is an ,encyclopdia of biography1 acquainting the reader with the career and character1 in brief1 of many great men and women of the past one thousand years1 and of the present--such1 for instance1 as ,aristotle1 ,julius ,csar1 ,shakspeare1 ,washington1 ,napoleon1 ,franklin1 ,bancroft1 ,bryant1 ,longfellow1 ,barnes1 ,irving1 ,rosa ,bonheur1 ,theodosia ,burr1 ,cobden1 ,bright1 ,lawrence1 ,whately1 ,thackeray1 ,knox1 ,richelieu1 ,dickens1 ,victoria1 ,wesley1 ,carlyle1 ,motley1 ,mill1 ,spencer1 ,thompson1 ,alexander1 etc4 ,apparatus for ,phrenological ,lectures4 ,phrenological ,specimens1 for the use of ,lecturers1 ,societies1 or for ,private ,cabinets4 ,forty ,casts1 not mailable4 ,may be sent as freight4 ,price1 #ce ,these specimens were cast from living heads1 and from skulls4 ,they afford as excellent contrast1 showing the organs of the brain1 both large and small4 ,lecturers may here obtain a collection which affords the necessary means of illustration and comparison4 ,this select cabinet is composed1 in part1 of the following3 ,john ,quincy ,adams1 ,aaron ,barr1 ,george ,combe1 ,elihu ,burritt1 ,col4 ,thomas ,h4 ,benton1 ,black ,hawk1 ,henry ,clay1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,dodd1 ,thomas ,addis ,emmet1 ,clara ,fisher1 ,dr4 ,gall1 ,rev4 ,sylvester ,graham1 ,m4 ,d41 ,gosse1 ,gottfried1 ,harrawaukay1 ,joseph ,c4 ,neal1 ,napoleon ,bonaparte1 ,sir ,walter ,scott1 ,voltaire1 ,hon4 ,silas ,wright1 ,water-,brain1 ,idiot1 etc4 ,masks of ,brunell1 ,benjamin ,franklin1 ,haydn1 etc4 ,,casts ,,from ,,the ,,skulls of ,king ,robert ,bruce1 ,patty ,cannon1 ,carib1 ,tardy1 ,diana ,waters4 ,a ,cast from the ,human ,brain4 ,a ,human ,head1 divided1 showing the naked ,brain on one side1 and the ,skull on the other1 and the ,phrenological ,bust4 ,the entire list1 numbering ,forty of our best phrenological specimens1 may be packed and sent as freight by railroad1 ship1 or stage1 to any place desired1 with perfect safety4 ,human ,skulls1 from #e to #aj1 or #ae4 ,articulated1 #be to #hj4 ,human ,skeletons1 from #ce to #ge4 ,french ,manikins1 to order4 ,sets of ,forty ,india ,ink ,drawings1 of noted ,characters1 suitable for ,lecturers4 ,price1 #cj4 ,on ,canvass1 in sets1 #dj4 ,oil ,paintings--,portraits1--can be had to order1 from #e each1 upwards4 ,anatomical and ,physiological ,plates ,mounted4--,,weber',s1 #aa in number1 #ajj4 ,,trall',s1 #f in number1 #bj4 ,,lambert',s1 #f in number1 #bj4 ,,kellogg',s1 from the ,french of ,bourgeoise and ,jacobs4 ,very fine4 #bj in number1 #ej4 ,for additional information1 descriptive ,circulars1 inclose ,stamps1 and address ,s4 ,r4 ,,wells1 #chi ,broadway1 ,new ,york4 ,,works ,,on ,,physiology4 ,food and ,diet1 ,a ,treatise4--,with observations on the ,dietetical ,regimen1 suited for ,disordered ,states of the ,digestive ,organs1 and an account of the ,dietaries of some of the ,principal ,metropolitan and other ,establishments for ,paupers1 ,lunatics1 ,criminals1 ,children1 the ,sick1 etc4 ,by ,,jonathan ,,pereira1 ,m4,d41 ,f4 ,r4 ,s4 and ,l4 ,s4 ,edited by ,,charles ,a4 ,,lee1 ,m4 ,d4 ,octavo4 #cah pp4 ,muslin1 #a #ge4 ,an important physiological work4 ,considerable pains have been taken in the preparation of tables representing the proportion of some of the chemical elements1 and of the alimentary principles contained in different foods4 ,the work is accurate and complete4 ,fruits and ,farinacea the ,proper ,food of ,man4--,being an attempt to ,prove by ,history1 ,anatomy1 ,physiology and ,chemistry1 that the ,original1 ,natural and ,best ,diet of ,man1 is derived from the ,vegetable ,kingdom4 ,by ,,john ,,smith4 ,with ,notes and ,illustrations4 ,by ,r4 ,t4 ,,trall1 ,m4 ,d4 ,from the ,second ,london ,edition4 #abmo1 #cad pp4 ,muslin #a #ge4 ,this is a text-book of facts and principles connected with the vegetarian question1 and is a very desirable work4 ,hereditary ,descent3 ,its ,laws and ,facts applied to ,human ,improvement4 ,physiological4 ,by ,mr4 ,,fowler4 #abmo1 #bhh pp4 ,muslin1 #a #ej4 ,human ,voice1 ,the4--,its ,right ,management in ,speaking1 ,reading and ,debating4 ,including the ,principles of ,true ,eloquence1 together with the ,functions of the ,vocal ,organs1 the ,motion of the ,letters of the ,alphabet1 the ,cultivation of the ,ear1 the ,disorders of the ,vocal and ,articulating ,organs1 ,origin and ,construction of the ,english ,language1 ,proper ,methods of ,delivery1 ,remedial ,effects of ,reading and ,speaking1 etc4 ,by the ,rev4 ,w4 ,w4 ,,eazalet1 ,a4 ,m4 #abmo1 #df pp4 ,muslin ,flex41 #ej cents4 ,this work contains many suggestions of great value to those who desire to speak and read well4 ,regarding the right management of the voice as intimately connected with health1 as well as one of the noblest and most useful accomplishments2 the work should be read by all4 ,illustrated ,family ,gymnasium4--,containing the most improved methods of applying ,gymnastic1 ,calisthenic1 ,kinesipathic and ,vocal ,exercises to the ,development of the ,bodily ,organs1 the invigoration of their functions1 the preservation of ,health1 and the ,cure of ,disease and ,deformities4 ,with numerous illustrations4 ,by ,r4 ,t4 ,,trall1 ,m4 ,d4 #abmo1 #bae pp4 ,muslin1 #a #ge4 ,in this excellent work1 the author has aimed to select the very best materials from all accessible sources1 and to present a sufficient variety of examples to meet all the demands of human infirmity1 so far as exercise is to be regarded as the remedial agency4 ,management of ,infancy1 ,physiological and ,moral ,treatment on the4 ,by ,,andrew ,,combe1 ,m4 ,d4 ,with ,notes and a ,supplementary ,chapter4 ,by ,,john ,,bell1 ,m4 ,d4 #abmo1 #cjg pp4 ,muslin1 #a #ej4 ,this is one of the best treatises on the management of infancy extant4 ,few others are so well calculated to supply mothers with the kind of information which1 in their circumstances1 is especially needed4 ,philosophy of ,sacred ,history1 ,considered in ,relation to ,human ,aliment and the ,wines of ,scripture4 ,by ,,graham4 #abmo1 #ehj pp4 ,cloth1 #c #ej4 ,a work highly useful1 both for study and reference1 to an who are interested in the great question of ,biblical ,history in relation to the great moral reforms1 which are acknowledged as among the most prominent features of the nineteenth century4 ,it is among the most valuable contributions to ,biblical and reformatory literature4 ,physiology1 ,animal and ,mental3 ,applied to the ,preservation and ,restoration of ,health of ,body and ,power of ,mind4 ,sixth ,edition4 #abmo1 #cab pp4 ,illustrated4 ,muslin1 #a #ej4 ,the title of this work indicates the character of this admirable physiological work4 ,its aim is to preserve and restore health of body and power of mind4 ,the motto is1 8,a sound mind in a sound body40 ,physiology of ,digestion4--,considered with relation to the ,principles of ,dietetics4 ,by ,,andrew ,,combe1 ,m4 ,d4 ,fellow of the ,royal ,college of ,physicians of ,edinburgh4 ,tenth ,edition4 ,illustrated4 #ahmo1 #caj pp4 ,price1 #ej cents4 ,the object of this work is to lay before the public a plain and intelligent description of the structure and uses of the most important organs of the body1 and to show how information of this kind may be usefully applied in practical life4 ,practical ,family ,dentist4--,a ,popular ,treatise on the ,teeth4 ,exhibiting the means necessary and efficient to secure their health and preservation4 ,also1 the various errors and pernicious practices which prevail in relation to ,dental ,treatment4 ,with a variety of useful ,receipts for ,remedial ,compounds4 ,designed for ,diseases of the ,teeth and ,gums4 ,by ,d4 ,c4 ,,werner1 ,m4 ,d4 #a #ej4 ,this is a work which should be in the hands of all who wish to keep their teeth in a good and healthy condition4 ,the author treats on the subject in a practical manner4 ,principles of ,physiology applied to the ,preservation of ,health and to the ,improvement of ,physical and ,mental ,education4 ,by ,,andrew ,,combe1 ,m4 ,d41 ,physician ,extraordinary to the ,queen of ,england1 and ,consulting ,physician to the ,king and ,queen of the ,belgians4 ,illustrated with ,wood ,cuts4 ,to which are added ,notes and ,observations4 ,by ,mr4 ,,fowler4 ,printed from the ,seventh ,edinburgh ,edition4 ,enlarged and ,improved4 ,octavo1 #cbj pp4 ,muslin1 #a #ge4 8,one of the best practical works on ,physiology extant40 ,science of ,human ,life1 ,lectures on the4--,by ,,sylvester ,,graham4 ,with a copious ,index and ,biographical ,sketch of the ,author4 #abmo1 #fea pp4 ,illustrated4 ,muslin1 #c #ej4 ,we have met with few treatises on the ,science of ,human ,life1 especially among those addressed to the general reader1 of equal merit with this one4 ,the subject is treated1 in all its details1 with uncommon ability4444 ,those lectures will afford the unprofessional reader a fund of curious and useful information in relation to the organization of his frame1 the laws by which it is governed1 and the several causes which tend to derange the regularity of its functions1 which he would find it difficult to obtain from any other source4--,eclectic ,journal of ,medical ,science4 ,sober and ,temperate ,life4--,the ,discourses and ,letters of ,louis ,cornado1 on a ,sober and ,temperate ,life4 ,with a ,biography of the ,author1 who died at #aej years of age4 ,by ,,piero ,,maroncelli1 and ,notes and ,appendix by ,,john ,,burdell4 ,twenty-,fifth ,thousand4 #afmo1 #bbh pp4 ,paper1 #ej cents4 ,this work is a great favorite with the reading public1 as evinced by the number of editions already sold4 ,the sound principles and maxims of temperance of the 8old man eloquent10 are1 though centuries have elapsed since his decease1 still efficient in turning men to a sober and temperate life4 ,,miscellaneous ,,works4 sop's ,fables4--,the ,people's ,edition4 ,beautifully ,illustrated1 with nearly ,sixty ,engravings4 #a vol4 #abmo4 #gb pp4 ,cloth1 gilt1 beveled boards1 #a4 ,it is gotten up in sumptuous style1 and illustrated with great beauty of design4 ,it will conduce to educate the eye and elevate the taste of the young to the appreciation of the highest and most perfect forms of grace and beauty4--,mount ,holly ,herald4 ,chemistry1 and its application to ,physiology1 ,agriculture and ,commerce4 ,by ,,justus ,,liebig1 ,m4 ,d41 ,f4 ,r4 ,s41 ,professor of ,chemistry4 ,edited by ,,john ,,gardner1 ,m4 ,d4 ,twelfth ,thousand4 ,octavo1 #ed pp4 ,paper1 #ej cents4 ,essays on ,human ,rights and their ,political ,guarantees4--,by ,e4 ,p4 ,,hurlbut1 ,counselor-at-,law in the ,city of ,new ,york--now ,judge4 ,with ,notes1 by ,,george ,,combe4 ,sixth ,thousand4 #a vol4 #abmo1 #bdi pp4 ,muslin1 #a #ej4 ,fruit ,culture for the ,million4--,a ,hand-,book4 ,being a ,guide to the ,cultivation and ,management of ,fruit ,trees4 ,with ,descriptions of the ,best ,varieties in the ,united ,states4 ,illustrated with ,ninety ,engravings4 ,with an ,appendix containing a variety of useful memoranda on the subject1 valuable receipts1 etc4 ,by ,,thomas ,,gregg4 #abmo1 #afc pp4 ,muslin1 #a4 ,gospel ,among the ,animals2 ,or1 ,christ with the ,cattle4--,by ,rev4 ,,samuel ,,osgood1 ,d4 ,d4 ,one small #abmo vol41 #bd pp4 ,price1 #be cents4 ,home for ,all2 ,or1 the ,gravel ,wall4 ,a ,new1 ,cheap1 and ,superior ,mode of ,building1 adapted to ,rich and ,poor4 ,showing the ,superiority of this ,gravel ,concrete over ,brick1 ,stone and ,frame ,houses2 ,manner of ,making and ,depositing it4 ,with numerous ,illustrations4 #a vol4 #abmo1 #aib pp4 ,muslin1 #a #ej4 8,there's no place like ,home40 ,to cheapen and improve human homes1 and especially to bring comfortable dwellings within the reach of the poor classes1 is the object of this volume--an object of the highest practical utility to man4 ,how to ,live3 ,saving and ,wasting1 or ,domestic ,economy ,illustrated1 by the ,life of ,two ,families of ,opposite ,character1 ,habits and ,practices1 in a ,pleasant ,tale of ,real ,life1 full of ,useful ,lessons in ,housekeeping1 and ,hints ,how to ,live1 ,how to ,have1 ,how to ,gain1 and ,how to be ,happy2 including the ,story of 8,a ,dime a ,day40 ,by ,,solon ,,robinson4 #a vol4 #abmo1 #cdc pp4 #a #ej4 ,life in the ,west2 or1 ,stories of the ,mississippi ,valley4 ,by ,n4 ,c4 ,,meeker1 ,agricultural ,editor of the ,new ,york ,tribune and ,reporter of ,farmers' ,club4 #a large #abmo4 vol41 on tinted paper1 pp4 #cfj1 beveled boards4 #b4 ,movement-,cure4--,an ,exposition of the ,swedish ,movement-,cure4 ,embracing the ,history and ,philosophy of this ,system of ,medical ,treatment1 with ,examples of ,single ,movements1 and ,directions for their ,use in ,various ,forms of ,chronic ,diseases2 forming a ,complete ,manual of ,exercises1 together with a ,summary of the ,principles of ,general ,hygiene4 ,by ,,george ,h4 ,,taylor1 ,a4 ,m41 ,m4 ,d4 #a vol4 #abmo1 #djh pp4 ,muslin1 #a #ge4 ,natural ,laws of ,man4--,a ,philosophical ,catechism4 ,by ,j4 ,g4 ,,spurzheim1 ,m4 ,d4 ,sixth ,edition4 ,enlarged and ,improved4 ,one small #afmo vol41 #aga pp4 ,muslin1 #ge cents4 ,george ,combe1 in that great work 8,the ,constitution of ,man10 acknowledges that he derived his first ideas of the 8,natural ,laws10 from ,spurzheim4 ,an ,essay on ,man4--,by ,,alexander ,,pope4 ,with ,notes by ,s4 ,r4 ,,wells4 ,beautifully ,illustrated4 #a vol4 #abmo1 #ej pp4 ,cloth1 gilt1 beveled boards1 #a4 ,three ,hours' ,school a ,day4--,a ,talk with ,parents4 ,by ,,william ,l4 ,,crandal4 ,intended to aid in the ,emancipation of ,children and ,youth from ,school ,slavery4 #a vol4 #abmo1 #bfd pp4 ,muslin1 #a #ej4 ,the ,christian ,household4--,embracing the ,christian ,home1 ,husband1 ,wife1 ,father1 ,mother1 ,child1 ,brother and ,sister4 ,by ,rev4 ,g4 ,s4 ,,weaver4 #a vol4 #abmo1 #afj pp4 ,muslin1 #a4 ,this little volume is designed as a partial answer to one of the most solicitous wants of ,christian families4 ,i have for years seen and sorrowed over the absence of ,christ in our households4 ,among the ,christian people of every sect1 there is a sad deficiency of ,christian principle and practice at home4444 ,why is it so8--,preface4 ,weaver's ,works for the ,young4--,comprising 8,hopes and ,helps for the ,young of both ,sexes10 8,aims and ,aids for ,girls and ,young ,women10 8,ways of ,life2 ,or1 the ,right ,way and the ,wrong ,way40 ,by ,rev4 ,g4 ,s4 ,,weaver4 ,one large vol4 #abmo1 #fbf pp4 ,muslin1 #c4 ,the three volumes of which this work is comprised1 may also be had in separate form4 ,hopes and ,helps for the ,young of both ,sexes4--,relating to the ,formation of ,character1 ,choice of ,avocation1 ,health1 ,amusement1 ,music1 ,conversation1 ,cultivation of ,intellect1 ,moral ,sentiment1 ,social ,affection1 ,courtship and ,marriage4 ,same ,author4 #a vol4 #abmo1 #bdf pp4 ,muslin1 #a #fj4 ,aims and ,aids for ,girls and ,young ,women1 on the various ,duties of ,life4 ,including1 ,physical1 ,intellectual and ,moral ,development1 ,self-,culture1 ,improvement1 ,dress1 ,beauty1 ,fashion1 ,employment1 ,education1 the ,home ,relations1 their ,duties to ,young ,men1 ,marriage1 ,womanhood and ,happiness4 ,same ,author4 #abmo1 #bbd pp4 ,muslin1 #a #ej4 ,ways of ,life1 showing the ,right ,way and the ,wrong ,way4 ,contrasting the ,high ,way and the ,low ,way2 the ,true ,way and the ,false ,way2 the ,upward ,way and the ,downward ,way2 the ,way of ,honor and the ,way of ,dishonor4 ,same ,author4 #a vol4 #abmo1 #aeg pp4 ,muslin1 #a4 ,notes on ,beauty1 ,vigor and ,development2 ,or1 ,how to ,acquire ,plumpness of ,form1 ,strength of ,life and ,beauty of ,complexion2 with ,rules for ,diet and ,bathing1 and a ,series of improved ,physical ,exercises4 ,by ,,william ,,milo1 of ,london4 ,illustrated4 #abmo1 #bd pp4 ,paper1 #ab cents4 ,father ,matthew1 the ,temperance ,apostle4--,his ,portrait1 ,character1 and ,biography4 ,by ,s4 ,r4 ,,wells1 ,editor of the ,phrenological ,journal4 #ab;c4 ,temperance in ,congress4--,speeches delivered in the ,house of ,representatives on the occasion of the ,first ,meeting of the ,congressional ,temperance ,society4 ,one small #abmo vol4 #be cents4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a ,library for ,lecturers1 ,speakers and ,others4--,every ,lawyer1 ,clergyman1 ,senator1 ,congressman1 ,teacher1 ,debater1 ,student1 etc41 who desires to be informed and posted on the ,rules and ,regulations which govern ,public ,bodies1 as well as those who desire the best books on ,oratory1 and the ,art of ,public ,speaking1 should provide himself with the following small and carefully selected ,library3 ,the ,indispensable ,hand-,book #b #be ,oratory1 ,sacred and ,secular #a #ej ,the ,right ,word in the ,right ,place #ge ,the ,american ,debater #b #jj ,school ,day ,dialogues1 #a #ej ,cushing's ,manual of ,parlia4 ,practice #ge ,the ,culture of the ,voice and ,action #a #ge ,treatise on ,punctuation #a #ge ,one copy of each sent by ,express1 on receipt of #aj1 or by mail1 post-paid1 at the prices affixed4 ,address1 ,,samuel ,r4 ,,wells1 #chi ,broadway1 ,new ,york4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,transcriber',s ,,notes #a4 ,changed 8wanted that what0 to 8wanted than what0 on p4 #aee4 #b4 ,no paragraph number #i on p4 #baf4 #c4 ,silently corrected typographical errors4 #d4 ,retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed4 #e4 ,enclosed italics font in underscores4 #f4 ,enclosed bold font in equals4