Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-07-18
Instances of Pulpit Eloquenoe.

In the life of John Flavel, a renowned
dissenting preacher Of England, it Is said
''one of those omens, which are supposed
to announce future eminence, accon1>
panied his birth. A pair of nightingales
made their nest on the window Of the
chamber of his mother, aud with their
delicious notes sang the birth Of himI
whose tongue sweetly proclaimed the glad
tidiugs which gave songs in the night
cannot assert that the oratorical dis
tinctiou of John G. Burris was proceeded
by any such incident, but it has seldom
been my fortune to hear a5more meliflu-
Gus and sedative speaker. In very early
life, student in Washington City, /
heard the famous Summerfeld, young
Methodist itinerant. His face and form
were of womanly, almost Of angelic beau
ty. A divine lustre beamed from his
eyes. His clear, full, sonorous voice,
fell like the tones Of a mountain bell one
moment. and, anon, came crashing, thurA
dering down, with terrible effect on, the
startled masses, forcing them to cry
aloud and crowd together, with uplifted
arms as though for shelter from an i'm.
pending avalanche. His eloquence shook
sin from its citadcls and dragged vice and
fashion from their "pride Of place" Tho
sensation he produced was tremendous.
Multitudes followed his footsteps. AS a
field preacher he lowered alongside of
Whitetield !; but he soon went down to
the grave, consumed by his own Gre, and
called to higher sphere for some inscru-
table purpose.
1t is related Of Bossuet that when he
pronounced the funeral sermon Of the
Princess Henrietta and described her dy.
ing agonies, tho whole audience arose
from their seats, with terror in every
countenance.
When Massilon assembled the pulpit, on
the death Of Louis XIV, he contemplated
for a moment the impressive spectacle
the chapel draped in black-the magniti.
cent mausoleum raised over the bier-tho
dim but vast apartment filed with the
trophies of the glory Of tho monarch, and
with the most illustrious persons in the
kingdom. He looked down on the por.
geous scene beneath, then raised his arms
to heaven and said. in solemn subdued
tone, Mes feres Dieu ssul est grand !'-
"God only is great" With one impulse,
all the audience arose, turned TO the altar,
and reverentIy bowed.
When Dr.. Hussey preached at WRter-
ford, on the small number OF the elect, he
asked whether, the arch Of Heaven were
to open. and the Son Of Man should ap.
pear TO judge his hearers, it were quito
certain that three-that may, trem.
bling for myself as well as for you. Is il
certain that one Of u.s. bc exclaimed in
voice Of thunder, q would be saved 2"
During the whole of this npostrophc, the
audience was agonized. At tho ultimate
Interrogation. there was a general shrek,
and some fell to the ground.
NJ. Bridaine a French missionary, and
the peer Of the MIST renowned orators of
that eloquent nation, preached sermon
at BagnoIe. At the end Of il he lifted up
his arms and thrice cried in loud voice.
o Eternity! AZ the third repetition Of
this awful cry, the whole. party fell on
their knees. During three days. conSter.
nation prevailed the town. In the public
places, young and old were heard crying
aloud, Meycy! on Lord, MeyyA