Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-03-11
The Pulpit and the Bar.

| correspondent OF the LOHuOn OH[isIian W
server, under the signature OF "A barrlster,
gives the following reasons why less interest II
commonly taken in sermons than in speeches a.
the Bar:
"One obvious reason is, think, to be found
in the nature and circumstances in the two pro-
fessions. Every clergyman must preach, but
only few barristers have to speak; so that you
compare the picked men of one profession with
the rank and file of the other. There are, per-
haps, twenty Thousand preaching clergymen IN
England. do not think that there are nve nun
dred barristers who ever open their mouths in
any court, civil or criminal and OF those nve
hundred, perhaps fifty monopoize all the busl,
ness which requires any considerable power,
do not think you will find anything more dis,
may tiresome than the speaking OF the third ano
fourth-rate members of the bar. have heard,
am sorry to say, many dull sermons, but
hardly ever heard sermons as dull and poor as
the speeches to which have listened at Quarter
Sessions. l remember once hearing man say
s'you know" fifty-seven times in the latter hall
Of short speech in some petty prosscutl9n-
The popular notion Of the eloquencs vi barrls'
ters is founded upon their occasional and excep-
tional efforts, which are no doubt sometimes Oh
very high order But then to compare them
with the general average of sermons IS obvious
ly unfair. They should be compared with the
best sermons of the best preachers. l admit,
however, that if this comparison were made, the
speeches of the lawyers would still be found 10
interest more than the sermons of the cergymen
and, in large number of cases. might oe re-
membered much longer. And the reasons for
this are, as l think, manifold.
Then again, the instruments which may be
L. ~ +ba f,po 11rnfpcciOnS
different. Some of the elements of forensic elo-
ouence would be wholly out of place in the pull
pit. A man could not be witty there, nor sar-
castle, nor familiar, without shocking his audi
ence. In these cases in which the restraint
which custom imposes on the clergy of the Es'
tablished Church are thrown aside, very great
effect of particular kind. at least, is often pro-
duced say nothing of the expediency or OF
the consequences of such innovations, but that
their introduction produces as much emotion as
anything which is said at the bar, there can be
no sort of doubt.
81 should say, however, that aps1t from the
greater latitude in the style OF the address which
is allowed to barristers than to clergymen, the
nature of the subject matter of lawyers speech
gives him great advantage, as to direct person
al interest, over the clergyman. He is talking
of things with which his audience are thorough.
ly familiar; and upon which he makes himself
Ineligible without an effort Every one has
clear notion of what is meant by buying and
selling, engaging servants, hiring houses stealing
sheep. forging bank notes, and the like; but the
clergyman is constantly speaking OF matters,
which are hardly susceptible of strict definition,
and from which o large part of his audience are
far from attaching distinct, definite meaning.
Now, barrister has almost always to deal with
particulars, ard clergyman with generalitles.
When barrister has to deal with generalltles
he is, to unprofes,ional persons, duller than the
dullest preacher. If any one doubts it, let him
90 into Court of Equity, and hear an argu-
ment on the construction of will, or let him
listen to arguments on demurrers in the Courts
of Common Law.
Enthusiastically, however, the strongest OF
all reasons for the disparity of which the cause
is sought, is to be found in the different circum.
stances under which sermons are preached ana
speeches made. There is no counsel on the 9TH
er side in church. There is no judge, there Is
no Jury. Each of these three circumstances has
direct tendency to increase the interest OF
trial. Besides the personal rivalry which may
exist between particular men, barrlster SPEAKS
with the consciousness that he is being watched,
and will be answered This keeps man from
giving way to the temptation to evade or SKIM
over the difficulties of case. He speaks sub
iect to the correction of the judge, who will not
fail to expose and reprove him, often very
sharply indeed, if he fails in his duty and above
all, he speaks to : jury who have to give dem
mite answer 10 definite question He is speak
ins on definite matter of business, tending to
an immediate practical result. A clergyman
has no such advantage as this"