The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-11-05
Recent Publications.
system OF Christian Rhetoric for the use
OF Preachers and other Speakers, by
George Winfrcd IEervey. VI. A.

A system OF Christian Rhetoric for the use
Of Preachers and other Speakers, by
George Winfrcd Eervey. VI. A.
The title of this book provokes a protest
from the reader until he has discovered his
authors special theory of his subject.
Christian Rhetoric" lit seems as barbar-
Gus as 1t would be to speak of Christian
arithmetic, OF Christian geology. But after
learning theauthor's design the inference is
that, in naming his book, he intentionally de-
parts from existing usage; in the title he an
nounces and illustrates his own peculiar
theory; as if he said, l shall maintain that
the rhetoric ofdscourse on religious themes
may be systematized apart from rhetoric in
general
BY this main design Of the work it is
adapted to the use of preachers; but the full
tilment of this plan involves some treatment
of rhetoric, in the common sense OF the word;
and so this work is adapted also to the use of
''other speakers In regard TO the service
| thus rendered to the "secuar speaker the
author says, with due amount of confidence;
'1n reconstructing general rhetoric, task
| the wIiter Judged unavoidable, he has COLI
rected some errors that have been misleading
| authors and readers ever since the days of
Cicero, while he has placed in new lights
and aspects many precept and maxim of
| The old classical rhetors.''
The theory announced in this volume ia
that the sermon should derive its form and
expression sfrom the Scriptures; preachers
should model their discourses after certain
selected Biblical writings, especially the dis.
courses of the prophets. 'The public adj
dresses of Moses and the other Hebrew proph-
cts, the sermons of our Divine Master, the
sacred speeches of Peter, Stephen and Paul,
and the inspired biographers of these
together with the Scripture precepts on
preaching, are the quarries to which we are
beholden for the most solid, as well as the
most polished parts of our work."
The manner in which the author vindicatcs
the reasonableness of his general plan is
shown in this passage: 'How tie omnscient
God must have foreknown that not only his
ministers, but his people in many ages and
nations would gradually and unwittingly, if
not purposely, learn to conceive and express
religious ideas according to the example of
holy prophets, with whose religious writings
they would be familiar. And he alone could
comprehend the vast Importance of making
his communications to mankind in such a
style as would assist them to form right
habits of conception and expression" If any
should object to this easy conclusion, for
them he has an extineuishing reply; at is
sometimes averred that the Bible was not de-
signed to teach us rhetoric any more than it
was designed to teach US metaphysics or as
tronomy. But this is backstroke of our
enemy's sword which threatens to behead
his royal friend; in asserting this of rheto ric
as science, does he not unawares assert as
much of theology as a science?"
If preacher could be made by rule per--
uzrI7S 5ue volume would be elective to that
end,-provided that any man could remenl-
Der and observe this multitudinous and most
intricate precepts here laid down. But, after
all, it remains true that preaching is not a
trade. The preacher impresses his own pc
cuiiar self upon his spoken word. Unless he
| is of wooden build he cannot be builded by
rule; rather is it true that the ideal preacher
affords models from which rhetorical precepts
may be drawn. This is unconsciously i'm
piled in the authors own premises. He says
the prophets and Others were plenariy in
spired, and therefore their discourse is the
true example for preaching. He says also
That the real preacher of every age is par
tally inspired. ITO true propners or preach
| ers in all ages the Divine Spirit has been
| promised and granted" What should follow
| from that?
l If the prophets could speak without rule
because fully inspired, the same must be at
least partially true of those who are partial.
ly inspired. Indeed, under the authors the
ory of inspiration his putting preachers to
the study of his sacred rhetoric seems very
much like an attempt to instruct Omniscence.
| For partial inspiration, though it sis widely
| and obviously different from that rhetorical
affiatus of some god or demon under which
many ancient orators were, it was believed,
moved to speak with superhuman eloquence,
/ it is less easily distinguished from that pleri-
ary inspiration which was given to the proph-
cts and apostles"
1t is not however to be seriously maintain
ed, upon any theory of inspiration, or of en-
dowment, that the judicious study of 1hetor-
ic is useless to the preacher. If the poet may
subject himself to rules of syntax and prose-
dy without abatement of his ''fine frenzy,''
the preacher, more plantigrade, may work in
even heavier harness.
To all who would read an interesting and
in many ways instructive work on this sub
ject, we would recommend the volume under
consideration. For, whatever may be thought
| of our authors general undertaking, or OF
the measure Of success which has attended
it, it is unquestionable that he has brought to
his task qualities and attainments which en-
sure to his work marked utility of one kind
or another, and considerable success even if
not in the direction of his intent. If
he is very confident it is because he is
very much in earnest; and this must be con-
ceded to his main idea, that it has proved
to be at least sufficient to possess and master
very scholarly and disciplined mind. The
amount of reading on which he draws for
text or illustration is very great, so that the
work is valuable even as a treasury of quota
tions. The reader will here find, together
With little dogmatism, aud some theorizlng
which he may or may not accept, a vast
amount of the learning that belongs to the
subject and very many reflections and sugges-
tions which will engage his close attention. In
short, it is precisely the work which rich
parishioner may properly offer to his minister
and which lawyers and other speakers may
wisely purchase for themselves.
For sale by Loring Short &c Harmon.
ZeIrs Descriptive Hand Atlas of the
| World.
An attempt is made in this atlas to incor-
porate into one work the features of a ga
zetteer and a geography. The attempt has
been success. The maps, which are con-
structed on large scale, are remarkable for
their style of engraving, for their cearness
of execution and for the facilities which thew
| afford for ease aud rapidity of reference