American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1855-07-28
INSTANCES OF PULPIT ELooyESCE.

| INSTANCES OF PULPIT EL0QUENCE.
In the life of John Flavel, u ronown-
cd dissenting preacher of England, it
is said zone Of those omens which are
supposed to announce future eminencc
accompanied his birth. A pair of
nightingalcs made their nest on the
window of the chamber of his mother,
and with their delicious notes sang the
birth OF him whose tongue swoctly pro-
claimed the glad tidings which gave
songs In the night" cannot assert
that tho oratorical distinction of John
q. Burris was preceded by any such in
cldent, but it has seldom been my for
tune to hear q more mclifluous and Sc
datlvc speaker. In very early life, u
student in Washington City, / heard
the famous Summerfeld, young Meth
odist itinerant. His face and form
were of womanly, almost of angelic
beauty. A divine lustre beamed from
his eyes. His clear, full, sonorous
voice, fell like the tones of mountain
bell one moment, and, anon, came
crashing, laundering down, with terri
bic effect on the startled masses, fore
ing them to cry aloud and crowd togcth-
er, with uplifted arms as though for
shelter from an impending avalanche.
His eloqucncc shook sin from it's cita-
dcls and dragged vice and fashion from
their "pridc Of place." The sensation
he produced was tremendous. Multi
tudcs followcdh his footsteps. AS field
preacher he lowered alongside of
Whitcfcld; but he soon went down to
tho grave, consumed by his own fire,
and called to q higher sphere for some
inscrutable purpose.
1t is related of Bossuet that when
he pronounced the funeral sermon of
the Princess Henrietta, and described
her dying agonics, the whole audience
arose from their seats, with terror in
every countenance.
When Massilon assembled the pulpit,
on the death Of Louis XIV, he con-
templatcd for a moment the impressive
spcctaclc--the chapel draped in black;
the magnificent mausoleum raised over
the bier; the dim but vast apartment
filled with the trophies Of the glory of
the monarch, and with the most illustri-
GUS persons in the kingdom. He look
cd down on the gorgeous scene beneath,
then raised his arms to heaven and said
IN solemn, subducd tone, "Mos teyes
-DjcW seal est grand !" Good only is
great" With one impulse, all the au-
dicncc arose, turned to the altar, and
rcvercntly bowed.
When DR.. IIusscy preached at Wat
crtord, on the small number of the elect,
he asked whether, if the arch of Hcav-
en- were to open, and the Son of Man
should appear to judge his hearers, it
were "quitc certain that thrcc-that
two--nay, trembling for myself as well
as Tor you, is it certain that one of us"
he exclaimed in u voice Of thunder,
"would be savod?" During the whole
OF this apostrophc, tho audience was
agonizcd. At tho ultimate intcrroga-
ton, there was general Shrek, and
some fell to the ground.
IVA 1llV"!ic, u Tfcncn missionary,
and the pcor Of the most renowned or
ators Of that eloquent nation, preached
u sermon at Bagnolc. At the end of it
he lifted up his arms and thrice cried
IN a loud voice, O Eternity! At tho
third repetition Of this awful cry, the
whole party fell on their knees. Du-
ring three days, CONSERVATION pcrva-
dcd the town. In the public places,
young and old were heard crying a.
loud, Mcrcy! 0 L0rd, Wcycy!