The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-11-27


the nations law makers. e,et sesAa 1,f rar .sa
.,'' '.'2 Of .,'i-s' From the Mobile Register.
.a Rev. John Newland Maffiti.
For twenty-five yearsyears fruitful ia adventure,
vicissitude aud glory, the celebrated whose
name heads this article the Whitfield Of Ameri-
can pulpits. From the Penobscot TO the Colorado,
from Gaena the pillars Of the Capitol, the fame
and the victories of the oscittaed like the In
dian Ocean, the cub and flow of which resembed
most ,hetianes when Wsslex preached in the Baby
Ions Of England. ...
Scarcely even in the Papal City, did one man ex-
ercise a more potent influence, than in his mad Ca
recr did John Newland Maffitt. Wherever he went
whether in the crowded metropolis, or the hushed
wilderness; whether the religious atmosphere was
cold or hot, it was continued scene Of almost mi
raculous triumph. Friendship converted into a
feeling akin to alteration, and enemies were made
friends. i ~ .,rt j. q
He had but one hoLby-it was that of the cross
and as il the vision of Constantine ever before
his eyes, the preacher he'd in the heaven of his soul
the august and haliowed emblem. Like the Roman
Emperor he beheld inscribed upon it in letters Of In
efTabc beauty g In this conquer !'v,H
Men recognized in him everywhere man, and in !
that the inspirations Of an Apostle. He accom-
pshcd what Genius accomplishes among "every
nation, kindred, tongue and people," 1t is idleto
say, that radically corrupt being cheat and hy-
pOcrite, knave clothed in sacred habitiments, could
have met with such unbroken triunphs the moment
his feet touched the portico of the Church Fraites
he unquestiouabt had, but who had greater templa-
tons to entrap him? 40 asst g., t..5-.,.-.a \
Calumny rose up like mountain in his rath-peo-
PIE of infinite fnrpitude-cnemies thousand fold
more venonious than vners, missed with poisonous
and forked tonsues-but he trod upon and trampled
them down, and stood as erect and compliment as
ever. Bcneyei thnnde, ed down The mn:mu.s around
<h, ~. rod Sa,lth
excoriaed, but it in the language of the Sermon
on the Mount, when the Divine Nazarine checked
the insolence OF the Scribes and Of the Phari-
sees ~ ~" 49,. .'. - .'
AT lc,gth, Ear away in the land of Bienville hunt
ed down, with faded reputation, stricken and i'll, but
with unblenchng spirit and uhabated lire, The, orator
of century lay down to die. The malaria of ,ath
was in his nostrils and the last inevitable hour had
come. Would he swing loose without hope Of i'm
mortality? Would he cash headlong into the vas,
Ct eternity, when the bosom Of the great deep
was swelling, distoting bursting in the agony of the
storm! Or, would he leave the world with that
tranquil chvai,y, which always characte.i-es the
Clr>tian worsa:per! Silence! Genius is upon the
rack!
With his diving breath he declared hinselfa ca
lm hated man! Thou sidn'ie er, think Of thai! lie
said that during his pastoral life, he had been guilty
of many frivolous but criminal acts-lo.gave his
enemies, expressed unal,er.be trust in the Maker
Of the Stars, and did doubt but That all would be
well. 4Hf
Thus passed away John Newland Mafit; ard if
the reader viii visit Toulm,nve, EOm whence can
be the spires OF Mobile, in unobrusive grave
in that tranquil village. his eyes with upon the
spot where sleeps the most splendid Pulpit Oiaor
likely to he seen in half centary to come. The
which arose in the East, over the bright waters
Of The deep and silent Shannon, cuhninaied-in the
American heavens, and went down in the Western
horizon! ..' nt ..r.u' N.5
Upon post mortem examination, the left wall of
the heart was found be the consisielce Of
thin paper. The physician, schooled in the subtle
ties Of his art, Would give this condition Of the heart
a term known in medical science, but we have
much less technical name for disaster like this,
happening under the circumstances, The great GEN.
trail organ of life. Sensitive feelings, in delicate
oraanization,s long and powerfully worked upon,
struggling against SANDER and vtrperation, which
creating emoions of anguish almost unUfterabIe,
sending the crimson tide with seeth;ng violence
aong-might break the heart and 'sloosen the silver
CORDS .srsg-......e .e-y..y5.r
With few words about Mr.. Mafitt's powers of
Oratory, and we have done. He was eminently an
orator. twas b" action, action, action" that made
him vita in every part in the pulpit lie has been
accused Of theatrical gesture, tone and e.-t
Granted. Where do we look for accomplished de-
clanation, fauItIess attitude and gesicuIaon, and
pleasing vocal infections, but to the actor and the
theatre! One may be eloquent, but yet orator.
Demoshenes. Chatham, and Patrick Henry were or
ators, and Mafitt modelled after the g,eat masters.
He spoke with the inspiration Of Isaiah; all the
emotions, all the passions we,e painted before the
eye, as upon an intensified canvas. ,5-t ft...,
He had MOI, like Bascomh, world range Of tho't,
power like that Of the old giants who threw noun
tains at,hc gods had he a voice like him deep,
sonoeous anduprising as Handel anthem, rolling its
Igan thundcr, -. 1870 f- ~ 'f s-'t I
Through the long drawn isle and frettea vault,
until he reached the subiimity Of e!oouence, and
sfOOd hafnre aSsn,phe1 Il, .,,
paipitating messenger, sent hther as
THE wrath, the delegated voice of God T., s.,,.
Less terrible and less powerful than this great d.
vine, Mr., Mafhtt was beyond controversy, a more
elegant and finished elocutionist-the most POLITICALLY
gifted of the twain We do not say that Ma1itt had
men, the nnumerable captives which he bound to the
victorious chariot Of Christianity, preclude such
conclusion. .l.ig DO l,-.... ......., f-.f,r, Is
Rapid yet distinct n articulation, sutng the word
TO the action, and the action to the word; at one
moment by lquidity Of vocal intona,on, sweet as
the music Of a summer serenade, he soiiened down
the asperites Of human nature, subdued the heart,
and melted it into tenderness. i,.a .-..- -ti..R -
There no bestriding the White Horse of the
Apocalypse, to ride Alexander.like into the nyste-
res, crudities and nexpcabe doctrines Of theologi
cal Ore the orator settled in the conviction that the
auditory took upon ust the validity Of the Bible and
the grand principles of immortality illuminating its
pages, plunged az once into the subject. He PLAYED
upon the passions like necromancer, and overture.
ed. by the vehemeace and vigor Of his eoquence the
prejudices others could not control.
In the after time, when the potential wand Of pre
judce shall be broken-that after time which never
fails consccra,e, for Carlyle says Men crs,c
q their gods and worship them afterwards ,n-the
Historian Of the Church will pause to think, how one
alternately caressed like Whkieid, and denounced
like Mirsbesu, gained SO wosdesful an ascendency
over some Of the first tellects of his age and drag
eed thousands with him to the Altar and the Ban
tism! The response Is easy kwasthe triumph of
Gcnius-gen,us notwithstanding the faults and the
aiities which ever IT'S heritage, still genius lid
mated and directed BY the princples and behests Of
hristiani,y. 81 9SI ~ ,g a l.j. gahs n q So -