Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-05-15
Rev. John Nswland MaAitt.

Pulpit Orator We copy lrOIn TIE AODMe Ae-
yisfer:
For twenty FIVE ycaTs--ycaTs fruitful in adj
venture, vicsSitude and gIOTy-thc celebrated
Inam whose name heads this article was the
Whitfield Of the American pulpit. From the
Pcrubscot to the Colorado, from Galena to the
pillars Of the Capitol, the iaHIc and the victor
les of the orator oscillatcd like the Indian
ocean the cbb aud flow Of which resembles
IIabylons Of England. Scarcely in the papal
CITY did one man exercise q more potent in
Hucncc than, in his mnd career, did John New
lnnl Mailitt. Wherever he went, whether III
the crowded metropolis or the huShcd wilder
TIC S,-whcthcr the religious atmosphere was
hot or cold-it was one continued scene Of al
most miraculous triumph. Friendship was
converted into feeling akin to alteration, and
cncini' ) were inetam0rphoSed into fricndS
lie had but one hobby-it was that Of the
cross and, as if the vision Of Constantine waS
ever before his eyes, the preacher held in the
heaven Of his soul the august and hallOwcd
emblem. Like the Roman Emperor he bchcld
inscribed upon it, in letters Of incifablc beauty,
In this conquer"
Men recognized him everywhere MAN, and
in that man the inspiration Of an apostle. He
accomplished among "evcry nation, kindred,
tongue and people" 1t is idle to Sny that n
radically corrupt being, a cheat and hypOcrite,
knavc clothed in saccrdOtal habi!imtnts,
could have met with such unbrokcn triumphs
the moment his feet touched the portico Of the
church. Frailtcs he unqucStiOnably had, but
who had greater temptations laid to ensnarc
and entrap him: Calumny rose up like n
mountain in his path-pcoplc Of infinite tur.
pitudc-cncriicS q Thousand fold moro veno-
nous than vipcrs, kissing with poisonous and
forkcd mngS; but he trOd upon and tralnpled
them down, and stood as erect and cOmplacent
az cvcr Berrcycr thunder ell down the mur-
murs around the French Tribunc-thiS man,
rcbuked, withcretl, excoFiatcd-bUt tt was III
the language Of the Sermon on the Mount,
when the Divine Nazarenc checked the iUsO
lencc Of the Scribcs and Pharisccs!
At length, far away in the land of Bicnville,
hunted down, with faded reputation, stricken
and i'll, but with unblanching spirit and una
Latcd fire, the orator Of quarter of a century
lay down to die The malaria Of death was
in his noStrilS and the last inevitable hour had
come. Would he swing loose without hope
of mmortalityy Would nc dash headong
into the vast ocean Of eternity, when the bO-
som of the great deep was swelling, distorting,
bursting in the agony Of tho storm? Or,
chivary which always chnrActrrizcs the Chris
tian w0rshippery Silence! Genius il upon
the rack
With his dying breath he declared himself
calumnatcd man. Thou slanderer think of
that lie said that during his pastoral life lac
had been guilty of many frivolous, but no
criminal acts-fOrgavc his enemies, expressed
all unaltcrablc trust in the bcnificcnt Maker of
the Stars, and did not doubt but that all would
be WELL.
Thus passed away John Newland MAffitt /;
and if the reader will visit Toulminville, from
whence can bc seen the spires Of Mobile, in an
unobtrusivc grave in that tranquil village, his
eyes will rest upon the spot where lies the
most splendid Public Orator likely to be Secn
| in half century to come. The star which
arose in the Fast, over tho bright waters Of
the deep and silent Shannon, eliminated in the
American Heavens, and went down in the
West.
Upon a pOst-mortem examination, the left
wall of the heart was found to bc worn to the
consistcncc Of thin paper. The physician,
skilled in the subtleties Of his art, would give
the condition Of the heart n term known in
medical science; but we have a much less
technical name for disaster like this, happen
ing under the circumstances to the great cen
tral organ Of life. Sensitive feelings in deli
cate organization, long and powerfully workcsl
upon, struggling against Islander and vitupcra-
tion, which, creating emotions Of anguish al
most unutterable, and sending the crimson tide
with sccthing violence along, might break the
heart and "lOOScn the silver cord"
| With few words about Mr. MafIitt's power
Of oratory, and we have done. lie was pre-
cminently al orator. 1t was faction, action,
action I" that made him "vital in every part
in tho pulpit He has been accused Of theat-
rical gesture, tonS and attitude. GrAnted.-
Where do we look for accomplished dcclann-
ton, fhultess attitude, n geSticulation and
pleasing vocal Infections, but to the actor and
the theatre!
| One may be eloquent, but yet no orator.
Dcmosthcncsc, Chatham, and Patrick Henry
were orators, and Mafiitt modelled after the
masters. lie spoke Of the inspiration Of ISI-
ah; and all emotions, all tho passions were
painted before the eye, as upon the intensified
canvas.
lie had not, like BascOmb, world-wid,
range Of thought-a power like that Of old
giants who threw mountains at the gOds--nOi
had he II voice like him deep, SOnorouS and
uprising as u Handel anthem, rolling its organ
thunder
"Thro' the long drawn aisle and frettcd vault"
until he reached the sublimity Of cloqucncC
and stood before the assembled audience the
breathing, pOlpitating messenger, sent hithcl
aS
"Thc wrath. the delegated voice Of God"
Less terrible and less powerful than this
gifted divine, Mr.. MafHtt was, beyond cOntrO
vcrsy, more elegant and finished elocutiOn'
st.- the most poctically gifted Of the twain
We do not say that MatIitt had not power
his wonderful sway over the minds Of men-
innunerablc cAptivcs which he bound to the
victorious chariot Of christianity y-preclUd'
such conclusion.
Rapid, yet distinct in articulation; suitinI
the word to the action and the action to th'
word; at one moment, by liquidity Of vOSa
inOnNtiOn sweet aS the music Of n summer
scrcnadc, he soflcned down the asperities .
human nature, subducd tho heart and melt>,C
into tenderness.
There was no bestriding the White HorsI
Of the apocalypse TO ride AlcxAnder.liko int
the mysteries, crudities and inCxplicable doc
trines OF theological lore /; the orator, settleC
in the conviction that the auditory took upOr