The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1844-03-28
MIsCELLANEOUs


MIS- CELLAN EOUS
or5-The following beautiful description o. bind
preacher, is from the pen of the Hon VS.. War This
sketch has been selected by the Rev. Tnoriis FlI,
and published in his series Of essays contributed some
years since to the London Abeneum, on American Iit-
erature, as the finest specimen of the descriptive exacs
1t has been well said by Gray,
"Fu many flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its fragrance on the desert aif;''
andshad it not been for Mr.. WmT the sermon of the
bad preacher would never have been heard ofbeyond
the walls of the runous, old, wooden house," in the
wilds of Yitginia-Ed. Sentinel
THE BLIND PREACHER.
at was one Sunday, as travelled through the
county of Orange, that my eye.w was caught by al
cluster of horses tied near ruinous, old, wood
en- house in the Forest not far from the road side.
Having frequently seen such objects before, in
travelling through these states, bad no difficulty
in understanding that this was aplace of religious
worship.
'sDevotion alone should have stopped me, TO
Join in the duties of the congregation; but must
confess, that curiosity TO hear the preacher of
such wilderness, was not the least of my mo-
tives. On entering, was struck with his prefer
natural appearance. He was tall and very
spare old man; his head, which was covered with
a white linen cap, his shrivelled hands, and his
voice, were all shaking under the influence of a
palsy; and few moments asccriained e me that
he was perfectly blind.
| "The first emotions that touched my breast
we're those of mingled pity and veneration But
how soon were all my feelings changed! The
| lips Of Plato were never more worthy of prog
nosc swarm of bees, than were the lips of this
holy man! 1t was day of the administration of
the sacrament; and his subject was, of course the
passion of our Saviour. had heard the subject
handled thousand tines had thought it eX-
haustcd long ago. Little did suppose that, in
the wild woods of America, was to meet with a
man, whose eloquence would give to this topic a
new and more sublime pathos, than had ever
before Witnessed.
GAS he descended from the pulpit to distribute
1.-THE mystic symbols, there was a peculiar, more
than human solemnity IN his air and manner,
which made my blood run cold, and my whole
frame shiyer.
"He then drew picture Of the sulferings of
our Saviour; his trial before Plate; his ascent UP
Calvary; his crucifxion; and his death. | knew
the whole history; but never until then had
4 heard the circumstances so selected, so arranged
so coloured! II was all new; and seemed to
have heard it for the first time in my life. His
enunciaton was so deliberate, that his voice trem
bled on every syllable; and every heart in the
assembly trembled in unison. His peculiar
phrases had that force of description, that the
original scene appeared to be at that moment act
ling before our eyes. We saw the very faces O
the Jews: the staring, frghtfu distortions of NAL
ice and rage We saw the buffet my soul kin
died with flame Of indignation; and my hands
were involuntrily and convulsveIy clenched.
HBut when he came TO touch on the patience
the forgiving meekness of our Saviour; when hC
drew, to the life, his blessed eyes streaming il
tears to heaven: his voice streaming to God
soft and gentle prayer of pardon on his enemies
Father, forgive them, for they know not wha
they do,'-the voice of the preacher, which hat
all along faltered, grew fainter and fainter, unit
his utterance being entirely obstructed by tn
force of his feelings, he raised his handkerchie
to his ewes, and burst into loud and rrepressi
bic flood of grief The effect il inconceivable
The whole house resounded with the mingled
groans, and sobs, and sInieks of the .congr ega
ton.
at was some time before the tumult subsidized
SO far as to permit him to proceed. Indeed, judg
ing by the usual, but fallacious standard of m
own weakness, began TO be very uneasy for tn
situation of the preacher. For could not con
ceive how he would let his audience down fron
the height to which he had wound them, withot
impairing the solemnity and dignity of his sui
iect, OF perhaps shocking them by the abruptnes
lof the fall. But-ro: the descent was as beat
tful and sublime as the elevation had been rapi
and enthusiastic.
"The first sentence, with which he broke th
awful silence, was quotation from Rosseau
Socrates died like philosopher; but Jesus Chri
like Cod
81 despair ofgivng you any idea of the efe,
produced by this short sentence, unless you coul
perfectly conceive the whole manner of the ma
as we'll as the peculiar crisis in the DISCOURSE :
Never before did completely understand wh
Demosthenes meant by laying such stress on d
livery. You are to bring before you the vener
BILE figure of the preacher; his blindness, Co
stanty recalling to your recollection old Home
Ossian, and Milton, and associating with his pc
fomance the melancholy grandeur of their ger
uses you are TO imagine that you hear his slo'
solemn, well-accented enunciation, and his voic
of affecting trembling rnelody;you are TO remer
Der the pitch of passion and enthusiasm, 10 whi'
the congregation were raised; and then the fe
moments Of portentous, death-like silence whi'
reigned throughout the house the preacher, I
. moving his white handkerchief from his age
er- face eyen yet wet from the recent torrent of
i'd tears dslowly stretching forth the pasiedha
is which holds it, begins the sentence, 'Socrat
Or died like philosopher pausing, rais
as his other hand, pressing them both, clasped
es- gether, with warmth and energy, to his brea
re- lifting his sightless balls to heaven, and pouri
Iut his whole soul into his tremulous vOlce-sbut