Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-06-30
ALEXANDRIA:
TUESDAY, JUNE so, 1918.
PULPIT ELcoUENCE.

time-serving CLOSES, diminish the res
pect and impair the authority without
which preachers words Can have no
more weight with his hearers than those
OF any other man. Call them what we
may, they are to all intents and purposes
falsehoods. A polite preacher, who in
consequence Of always wishing to render
his doctrine, as palats6le as possible to
The great folks who heard hirr, had many
severe struggles between his poGteness
and his conviction Of disasreeable truths.
Once speaking Of The deprivty of morals
introduced by luxury and wealth, para
logically added, that "ia the present
day. although the reigning manners ofthe
multitude gave continuance to vice, the
general sentiment Of the public was in
favor of virtue." A near neishbcr Of his
accused him Of attempting to palliate the
exterior Of levity, by the disguised aasi-
tiousucss Of the age, and insisted that il
was mos. unjustifable species OF mock.
cry to give mere empty consent to the
principles of virtue, whilst we 8atly con-
tradic,cd it by actions. The preacher,
a pleasant and worthy man, with many
good points in his character, seemed a
little hurt; but it was remarked at din
ner time, that chasrin had not at all d.
minished his appetite. or injured his SCI
enti6c relish for wine.
As my intention, however. in writing
these papers, is to address my observa
tons to the MANNER Of the preacher, ra.
ther than to the matter of the sermon, |
will now return to that obj Get, from which
| have rather depressed.
lie who would do coed a. divine,
must not let ,cish to shine be his para.
mount motive; he must adopt a grave
simplicity, we'll regulated earnes,ness
Of delivery, a deliberate pronunciation,
mild, devout, unaffected solemnity Of
manner, arising from conviction OF the
important truths be inculcates. Nothing
is more awtally Impressive than we'll
timed pauses, after any strong sentiment
or emphatic quotation from tie inspired
writer's.
There should be no sinking, 10 self.
approving half suppressed smiles, no stu
died attitudes. no curvetting Of the head
and neck, no tossing forward Of the Shout
ders, no prettiuess of gait, no regular
intervals for adjusting dress. band, book,
handkerchief and cushion. know some
popular preachers, who to the disgrace
of their function, constantly exhibit in
the pulpit and reading desk, the prepcs-
ferrous habits, and eifeminate prettinesses
Of petit maitres. know one that takes
as much pains to bleach his hands pure
white as any coquette in Paris or London,
and to embelli,h bis fingers with flashy
rings.
The desirable medium bets cen rant
er aud droue is mere easy 70 desire
than to describe. II must be the effect of
good sense and correct taste on TEN.
perate frame OF body and mind, OF q
well medulated voice, a critical car, an
interesting counteDapce, and a ehaste
uniformity OF expression and gesture;
and believe is, in some instances, unat-
tainable even with these requisites. from
a defect Of some Of the organs Of speech.
Many Of these, it is true, must be born
with 4 man, and cannot be acqaired.-
Numbers Of meriterious young men have,
after great labor, completely faileG, while
others, setting out unprepared, have Sc
cured to themselves universal apProba-
ton.
He who could obtain the occasional at
tendance Of two or three judicious, can.
did, but severe friends, to hear him Off
ciate during the FIRST month Of his en-,
trance into holy orders, mightreap great
advantage from their observations. Di-
shop Byrnet used to indulge in an Undue
degree Of pulpit action. and appea' ed TO
have been highly gratifed with an indeeo-