Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1850-10-10
Rev. Charles WadSWOrth.

CORRESPONDENTS Of the New York Observer
Last evening 1 went to hear the Rev.
Mr.. Wadsworth, at the Arch street
church. Understanding that the crowd
would be great, | reached the place at Z
o'clock, hall an hour before the time of
commencing the service. The doors
were not open, and some three hundred
people were standing on the steps and
sidewalks. AS soon as free ingress was
granted, the crowd passed quickly in and
took their choice in the seats. From
that moment there seemed to be con-
slant and full current of people flowing
down each of the aisles and along both
sides Of the gallery, till every nook and
corner of the house were filed. AS soon
as the whole place was packed. the Rev.
Mr.. Wadsworth appeared in the pulpit.
He assembled from beneath. l do not
like those Witch of Endor associations
connected with coming up. But this is
only a matter Of taste. Ihad never heard
him. and was prepared to relish every
thing fresh and good. Well. l was not
disappointed. His prayer was peculiar
"a little more so than would like
But it was solemn, reverential, devout.
His text was" A sound mind" That
did not suit my taste either. 1t is an
important rule in Homiletics, that text
should contain q complete sense in itself !;
that it should contain at least one whole
sentence. His introduction was simple
and natural, aud his proposition, or rath-
or his subject, was announced as "The
nationality Of true goodness. Tle gem
eral plan as developed in the progress Of
his discourse was to show that the Chris
tian exercised sound mind, let, in choo-
sing eternal things as the chief object of
his regard; and I'd, in the zeal and en-
thusiasm with which he prosecuted his
object. He treated his subject in such
u manner as to keep skeptical obiector
before his audience as an antagonist, He
assumed that such an obiector charges
the christian with being mailman. In
conclusion, he threw back the charge on
the obiector. The power of his discourse
did not consist in the body of Instruction
which it contained, or in the force of its
arguments, though it was by no means
destitute If either. It's style was attract.
i've. TWAS gorgeous, something between
that of Edward Irving and Dr., Chal.
mers. 1t bore the marks of rapid com.
position. Still it was on the whole both
attractive and forcible. Its chief power
lay in a bold and startling manner of an
nouncing important and familiar truths.
But greater in power than his style was
his delivery.
His utterance was distinct, and mostly
natural. His tones peculiar. A tremo,
pervades them, which creates an imnres.
; sion upon you of great earnestness and
feeling. This trembling acts on YOU CON,
stantly as if an Eolian harp were assault
ing your ear with its plaiutive music
His action is very great --too great fo
/, those of the most refined tastes, but no
/, too great for general popular effect; III,
4 impression made by the sermon was
profound one. Mr.. Wadsworth is ma
o Of remarkable idiosyncrasies. Clergymel
ought TO- hear him They can lear
e something. They will make great mis
take if they attempt to initiate him. ]
would be more profitable Cor him to imi
y tate those who conform little more {
:" the demands Of cultivated taste.