The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-02-27
sUMHEHsyHLE4E, $. G. FEBRARY 2g, 1850.

At length the prayer was ended >
Parson Wiley resumed his seat. when
form, hitherto concealed by the naho
any front of the pulpit, sundcnly emek
cd from behind it, and stood for ,,oI
than two minutes erect, silent, md n
tionlcss as statue. At this aprarit;i
every individual in the immense thro,
started, and every heart thrilled VITA
namcless emotion.----it so struck tho 81,
scs, and there was such cloqucnce in''i
attitude, his immobility, nay, in his c
ry silence.
His figure was of perfect symnetr,
his features of classic mould; his, bro
pure Grccian in it's outlines, ana 81
ronudcd with fine circle of let bla,
hair. His countcnance seemed inten,
ly intellectual, without the sl;cht,
nerceptible trace of animal passion: i
his eyes, at the moment, were drcnS,
cSrrcssionlcss, and set on cmptysya,
as ifhc were totally unconscious .f.ny
presence other than theideal Of liswn
deep thoughts. His dacss y az akhc
richest cloth, and made in the lts, cut.
Of the fashion. If it had a fav, soe,c
might say it was loaded with L dit
tering profusion Of ornaments ], good
taste. ss
Presently he raised his highland
with agestorc of ilnpetuous hais. and
pressed his'tihgers on his pale f head,
as II 10 assist the brain in its ,ighty
labors of thought, and then i$antly.
announced his text from tie bok of
Behold! I mee all
things new Without preica or
apology--those flimsy crutchcs ll,'a,ae
Trcachcrs--hc pierced at oacc So tlEc
heart of his subject, ard ss.yIs;fte .yIsfte i
Wings and rode away Or s!EfaA; NJ
oi iirry words. His voice, is{,fx :
commencement, rolled, and peafs
rang like the beantifuily aagS8 {
music Of some wondyeus aI III e,.%
atlng with crashes off,,aS,a u.
building ssd. 6a!tilt.ssS,p..ss { Iai os
ing out Of the clouds. Non it,s'Siy2, i, !,
a wild wall, mellow and plaintisc IS q
funeral chime; again it sNclisd 70 tx
steady roar Of a hurricane, if huri
cane indeed could be attuned t6 sui,
octaves of harmony; and then !. .assouy
break out IN successive thuh3as if:clap$
causing the very hair to rise on til
hearers head, and the warm marrcw {
creep, rs it were, in his bones. Th
effect was aided, too, by the orator
gcsticulation-..now graceful as the air
circles Of butterfly in the air; an
anon, grand to sublimity, and urgcr
as the swoop of the eagle climbing Il,
heights Of the storm-cloud. His eye
at the out, as we have said, dim an
dreamy-now burned, and flashed, an
hshtencd, till, aided by the illusions
fancy and the scene, appeared to dal
arrows of fame around the assembly.
AS the mighty ma ayician went cn, ii
entire multitude seemed charged wit
electricity Here and there single i
dividuals began to rise involuntarily
their feet; then others rose by twos an
threes; next dozen sprang up togct
cr; and finally, the whole living, thro
bng, enthusiastic mass might be sec
standing rs one mon, with fixed, strai
mg cycballs, dcvouring the speak,
with a gaze, with half:parted lips, al
teeth clcnchcd by attention. The e
citcmcnt was mcasurcless, and vet t,
profound for any species Of utteranc
Not a sigh, not whisper, was hear
Nothing could be heard save the vol
OF The orator; and during the intcrva
OF hls rauscs the fall Of a pin wou
have been audible.
| Ills subject, too, was unique rs h
manner. His theme was-"1hc
tnrc eternity Of matter; its natural ca
acity for indefinite and glorio
changes; and the possible splcndor
the ncsr heavens and Garth" II
method Of discussion was purely ratio
al and scicntllic-that is to say, by a
alysls. y few of his nimitablc touch
niger in my recollection to the prese
hour. lie inferred the beauty OF viii
all, even the coarsest, matter is capabl
from the following illustration:
"ChcmIstrv, with its frc.tonguc
the galvaIic battery, teaches that t
starry diamond in the crown of kins
! and tho hlncl. c,,.Lo, ,,l;,l> II, l., .,,,,n