Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-11-18
OFF HAND.

"Do yon ever have any preaching
down here 7" inquired colporteur once
of coal.burncr in the New Jersey
pines. Sometimes we have preach
ing over in tho school-house," he repll'
ed /; "and once in a while paperread
er comes along. but we don't set much
store by them, noways." And the" ri,
ners" were right. A man who could
not utter his simple message in rustic
scl,ool-house without having recourse to
a pile Of manuscripts, might we'll ques'
tion, whether no did not lack at least
one most desirable quality for Chris
tian minister.
The distinction mado by this litter
ate collier between preaching and "pa-
per.reading,' is one that is deeply in
grained in the popular mind; for the
masses certainly prefer extemporaneous
discourses. In fact, we doubt whether
there is single minister Of the gospel
who can succeed to his satisfaction in
extemporanoous preaching who is will
ling to write out his sermons habitual!y.
He is led to this opinion, not by the die.
tates of Incidence, but from clear con-
viction of the superior freedom and pow
er Of the "off hand" method. "l al
ways fnd," said the beloved Payson,
",hat when any good is done, it is my
extempore sermons which do it."
Many persons have attained to great
excellence in speaking without notes, by
writing with great cafe, and then leav.
ing their manuscripts at home when
they went to the pulpit. As they grad.
ually acquired greater command of
language, and thoroughness of style in
reasoning, they gradually laid aside
their pens, and trusted only to mem
tai preparation of their public address
es. The discourse came to be written
on the brain, and not upon the paper
at all. 1t was upon this plan 1--WE are
told) that Dr.. Tying fitted himself for
such mastery extemporaneous oratory.
Looking over manuscript letter late
| " which was written by the fascinating
Summerfeld, we ascertaine1 that his
method was to rovolvo his subject fully
in his mind, and leave his words TO be
gathered up while in the pulpit. The
best word" said he, "is the word that
suggests itself in the heat Of the mo-
men" One Of Snmmerfeld's discour-
ses, whom it left his study, was liter
al skeleton, but it appeared before his
charmed auditory as graceful as the
Apollo, and glowing with tho warm
lifetints of Raphael's Madonna.
As pupil learns how to write the
alphabet, and then leaves his hands to
fashion the letters rapidly by sort Of
instinct, so the off hand orator may dis
cipliue himself well in language, style,
and gesture, aud then trust that ho will
utter correctly and gracefully the tho,'s
which his mind is coming during the
heat of the delivery. But he must look
nftcr his digestion also, for bodily health
has much to do with mental action. and
| it is hard to be fluent under the hight
mare Of dyspepsia.
We once had the good fortune to sit
near the accomplished Preston Of South
Carolina while he was prnnouncing u
brilliant eff hand speech. He commen-
ccd very tamely. Presently his hand
hegan to ,remble, and the papers which
he held in his hat began to rattle. Then
he threw aside his hat, and flung himself
into the full tide of his sweeping orato-
ry. But under ali this intense excite.
ment he did not make one ungraceful
gesture, or utter one awkward sentence,
or miscall single word. Such perlec-
ton requires long, s,udious training, in
addition to no ordinary gifts of elo'
ouence. Practice here makes perfect,
| Whitfield only gained his pre-eminence
at the expense Of his earliest auditors
Ho improved at every trial. So may
every young clergyman who outrageous
.Ily determines Gn Gods strensth) to be
an of hand speaker