Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-07-11
DIR. RHETORIC s co.

DIR. Rhetoric was always changing; he was
a man of disproportionate power with fine
person and thrilling voice he had passages
in his discourses which would almost start the
house from its foundation. But his taste was
incorrect ifhe often hit, he sometimes missed; !;
ond his great impediment was, that somehow
his very eloquence created craving he could
not satisfy he had, at last to compare himself
to Noah's dove, who left the ark to find no
rest for the sole OF her foot The Rev Mr. In
discreet was his pupil; / watched him from
the first, and never did preacher so disap-
point me. He began by initiating DIR. Rheto-
ric, and as DR.. johnson had clearly proved
that no man ever became great by imitation, l
set him down as failure. But no Indiscreet
survived his limitations, scared above them ;
had every quality for permanent preacher,
80 for as sermonizing is concerned but, alas
failed for want of common sense. He was al
ways moving Mr.. Finespun was remark
able example. Finespun had power, had abil-
ity initiated nobody, and was original to the
last degree. But his combinations were forced (;
his figures were brought from the ends of the
earth Nothing could be more curious than
his introductions; and when he named his
text, no hearer could divine what would be
the subject yet Finespum was man of real
power; and If, when he left his mathematics,
he could have remembered that straight line
was the nearest distance between two given
points, II would have been better for him He
always had use for his wings. Shotover had
short pastorates, and abundance Of them He
has left the world lesson which himself new
er would learn. Shotover was too polite he
played the politician about cabbages. He al
Ways had a plot, because he always imagined
acounterplot against him. If he had the sim
plest measure to carry in his church, his friends
must meet there must bea caucus; " we may
have opponents we must be ready for them,
etc, till finally, he had use for all the machine
~ he had prepared aud what was very sad
Shotoyer could see the last need of his ma
chinery. but never could see the origin of the
evil Wigfan / always sincerely pitied ior he
had short settlements without any great cause
Somehow or other, he always had made the
impression that he was great man, and In a
few years thepeople always found out that he
was not so great man as they thought him.
They were Indignant and rose at once 20 re-
yenge their own mistake on their fugitive vic
tim. He went to another vineyard, to make
the same impression and 70 find the same treat
ment Sensitive was killed by gossips, busy
bodies, aud talebearers. o ii he could have
put on the shield of indifference-but he did
not wholly make himself
Wantwin tried TO please everybody, and
ended in pleasing none, not even himself
Rev Mr.. Flash had most pleasing and pa
thetic voice and might have spoken for years
with effect, If he could have found anything
10 say but he died pastoral death, smother
ed IN his own previous popularity. Wrong
head had short career, because he never could
put two ideas together. His sermons general
iy consisted Of one idea, which he would re-
peat over about seven thousand times, with
astonishing variety Of language. He would
endeayor TO make the bantling pass for a new
baby by putting on new slip but when the
audlence found II out they dismissed him and
has bantling together. But the most melan-
cboly example the temporary was my dear
friend Mr.. Prim. Prim was a good scholarl
man Of common sense, diligent worker and a
true Christian and yet he was slow TO And a
settlement and never could keep what he had
slowly found What was the matter2 DIR
Franklin makes poor Richard say A little
neglect may breed great mischief for want Of
4 nail, the shOe was lost and Cor want of 4
shoe, the horse was lost and for want of a