The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-09-02 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE LIVERPOOL STAIXD,IRD.

1 Stn,---In an article inserted in a late number of the Liverpool
Journal, and professing to be the first of a series of " Pulpit
Sketches," several remarks are made upon the fitness of the
Rev. Robert Montgomery for the clerical profession That
.those observations are written in no friendly Spirit, although
clothed in language professing much good-will towards Mr.
Moote.omery, cannot, for one moment, be doubted. The fact
too of their publication in a journal, the conductors of which
are avowed enemies to the established church, is ample con-
firmation of that opinion.
I will pass over, without any comment, the writer's introdue.
tory remarks upon the well-established literary reputation of
Mr. Montgomery, and at once proceed to point out the absurdity
and injustice of his attack upon that gentleman's quantizations
for a popular preacher. The writer might have spared himself
the infinite labour of describing Mr. Montgomery as " a very
young man—say twenty-seven years 'of age; well-looking, nest
in dress, and sufficiently imposing in his manner." The intro-
duction of this absurd description of M r. Montgomery's personal
appearance is neither the result of any previous argument, rior
does it form any data upon which the writer's subsequent ones
are founded; therefore, so trivial a circumstance could only
have been recorded with the view of casting ridicule upon those
splendid talents, which are daily increasing the popularity of
Mr. Montgomery, as an author and a preacher.
Whether " R. S. M." has ever had the pleasure of Mr.
Montgomery's acquaintance, I will not take upon myself to de-
termine, hut thus much I will say—that if the author of " Pul-
pit Sketches, No. 1." has known that gentleman for any length
of time, he has obtained but little insight into his mental quali-
fications, and has failed to mark the powerful language in vvhir
the rev. preacher clothes his thoughts, if, from that intimacyi 'e
considers himself warranted in asserting that Mr. Montgomery
" rather declaint4 than reasons."

The article is written after hearing Mr. Montgomery's dis-
, courses on Sunday week. The writer professes to have take!?
' rather copious notes—to have even preserved the ipsixsima versa,
and, upon them, to found his arguments, that Mr. Montgomery
has few claims to the distinction of a popular preacher. The
text selected on that occasion appears to have been the ever-
memorable words of Agrippa to the Apostle Paul—" Almost
thou persuadest me to be a christiau ;":a text upon which no
man of ordinary qualifications would have attempted any expo_
sition. The writer ventures to assert that this discourse, which
may be considered one of the finest efforts of pulpit oratory, was
without argument ; that the declamation of the preacher was
beautiful, like a tessellated pavement of rich mosaic, but that it
was not a practical sermon. This objection to Mr. Montgo-
mery's want of reasoning is not the least serious of those which
are carefully, although ungenerously, urged in the Journal, and
shall be presently answered. The writer's second objection is
to the rev. gentleman's diction, and his third to his delivery.
Firstly—That Mr. Montgomery is deficient in argument, I
cannot admit; :neither can I account for the erroneous iinpres-
sion which appears to have been made upon "R. S. M,"
Those who frequent. St. Juries church, and have been, during
the last few weeks, under the spiritual direction of the Rev. It.
Montgomery, will, no doubt, be enabled to give the most direct
contradiction to an assertion, which breathes ringing of that
"impartiality, and independence" professed by the writer, at
the outset of his criticism. I will fearlessly assert that the
author of the "Omnipresence of the Deity," is not' less an af-
gurnentative than an eloquent preacher. lie enforces " thought!!
that breathe in words that burn," and brings to his assistance,
upon intricate and obscure points, the soundest reason, And the
most soul-thrilling language. The arguments of Mr. M. are
not less distinguished by their force and truth, than by their,
elegant diction, which is never carried to an extent which per-
plexes or displeases. I willingly admit that we should inot
judge of the worth of a sermon by the impression only which it
makes, but by what it leaves in the mind; and, bearing in i'ecol•
leetion, the distinction which that rule prondunces between mere
declamation and reasoning, I cannot conceive that Mr. Mont.:
emery's discourses are deficient in the latter qualification,
while there can be no doubt that, in the foriner, there are few
divines of the. Establishment, by whom 'be can be equalled or
surpassed. Another visit to St. Jude's would convince "R. S.
M. that he has expressed too hasty an opinion upon this point,
—that, notwithstanding Mr. M.'ilanguage• is as a „mingling
glow of rainbow tints," breaking a spirit of poesy and enthusiasm
siinilnrao that which at the dawning and first appearance of the
gospel-sun dispelled those black and sulphurous vapours which
had previohsly. obscured its radiancy—that his power of argu-
ment is still more calculated to establish his reputation as a po-
pular Divine.
I cannot think that there can be the slightest impropriety in
an allusion, from the pulpit, to the very great attention which is
paid by the sons of commerce and those engaged in mercantile
Rursuits, to the variations of trade, or the occurences of the
' I,:xcharige, in preference to evincing any zeal in the service or
adoration of their God. To draw such a comparison, with the
view of creating a spirit of devotedness to religious duties, is a
legitimate course to be pursued by a Christian Minister; and
one which finds its way more readily to the understandings of
all individuals, who, more or less, are directing their thoughts
to thingi worldly, rather than things eternal. And this brings
us to the writer's objection to Mr. Montgomery's diction, which
is, in his opinion, "a galaxy of glittering words, and strained
images, and high-flown sentences." In support of his opinion,_
the writer gives a number of phrases, which are stated 'to be
some of those employed by Mr. M. in his discourse on Sunday
evening week; and these extracts display a richness of concep-,.
than, and a force of language, which I hope Mr. M. will not
endeavour to restrain. If he were to attempt to do so, the chief
recommendation in his favour, at the present moment, would no
longer exist, and I should question what I am now gratified to
admit, viz. that his remarks upon every subject are full of sin-
ceritv, and flow immediately and distinctly from the heart.
What gives to oratory a more lasting grace, than the fotce
and richness of language? What renders the statesman more
distinguished, or the public speaker more popular, than the ,
power of conveying by words, the most enduring impressions ,
upon the minds of his auditors? Why, then, should the pulpit
be excluded as a field for expressing fervency of feeling and,
depth of sentiment ? May not these be expressed with mea-
sured music of declamation, resembling " youth in its light of
beauty ?".

The writer, with a consistency peculiar to himself, complains
of the impropriety of some of Mr. Montgomery's language, and
then, as to give a practical illustration of his argument, com;
pares that gentleman's discourse to a "draught of champagne,',
which "sparkled and frothed, but that was all." If we are to
judge of the writer's notions!of propriety, by the peculiar mode
in which he expresses his opinions, the decision, I fear, would
not redound to his credit, or-convince the world that he pos-
sess.es any transcendaut 9.ualifications for the self-imposed task