Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-04-16
A SERMON ON THE WORD "MALT. .
PREACHED By THE REV. MR. DoDD,
IN A HOLLOW TREE.

IN HOLLOW TREE.
ifia e.rts-e - h-T r-
The following was preached more
than thirty years ago, and we believe
such sentiments should have resur-
rection. at least once in thirty years,
we now give it publicity again for the
benefit Of those who cannot be reached
BY more formal preaching. 'a =.
The Rev. Mr.. Dodd, q very worthy
minister, who lived q few miles from
Cambridg, had rendered himself OBJ
noxious to many of the cantabs by fire.
quently preaching against drunkenness;
several of whom meeting him on a
journey, they determined to make him
preach in a hollow tree, which was
near the roadside. Accordingly, ad-
dressing him with great apparent
politeness, then asked him if he had
not lately preached on the subject Of
drunkenness. On his replying 10 the
affirmative, they insisted that he
should now preach from text of their
own choosing. In vain did he remon-
strate on the unreasonableness Of ex.
pecting him to give them a discourse
without study, and in such a place;
but they were determined to take no
denial and the word "Malt" was given
to him by way Of text; on which he
Immediately delivered himself as fol-
lows: .-s
beloved, let me crave your atten-
tion. 1 am q little man to come at a
short warning, to preach short SER
mon from small subject, in an un-
worthy pulpit, to a slender congrega-
ton. Beloved, my text is "Malt;" l
cannot divide it into words, it being
but one; nor into syllables, it being but
one; 1 must therefore. of necessity, d.
vide it into letters, which l find to be
these four, MALT. NJ, my beloved,
is moral, A, is alegorical, L. literal. T,
theological. The moral is set forth
to teach you drunksrds good manners;
then NJ, masters, A, all of you, L, lis
ten, T, to my text. The allegorical is
when one thing is spoken of and
another thing is meant. The thing
spoken is malt; the thing meant is the
juice of malt which you csntabs make,
NJ, your master, A, your apparel, L,
your liberty, t, your trust. The lit
eral is, according to the letter NJ,
much, A, ale, L, little, T, trust. The
theological is according to the effects
that it works; and these 1 find two
kinds; first in this world, secondly, in
the world to come. The effects that it
works in this world are, in some, NJ,
murder, in others A, adultery, in all,
L, loosness of life. in some T, treason.
The effects that it works in the world
to come, are NJ, misery, A, anguish, L,
lamentation, and T, torment. And
so much for this time aad text. l
shall improve this: first by extortion,
NJ, masters, A, all of you, L, leave off,
T, tippling; or, secondly. by way Of ex-
communication, NJ, masters, A, all Of
you, L, look for, T, torment; thirdly.
by way of caution, take this: drunk
ard is the annoyance of modesty, the
spoil Of civility, the destruction of rea'
son, the brewers agent, the ale-house
benefactor, his Wife's sorrow, his chill
drens trouble, his own shame. bis
neighbors' scoff. walking swill-bowl,
the picture Of beast, and monster
Of man." 'rs
He concluded in the usual form; and
the young men pleased with bis in-
genuily, not only sincerely thanked
him. but absolutely profted more By
his short and whimsical sermon, than
by any serious discourse they ever
heard. a ~