Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-01-10
The Lecture Platform,

platform will not be without point.
The lectures system is growing
into ar established institution in
the cities and larger towns of
our country. Central agencies
are formed in the large cities,
while lecture associations, which are
local in their character, are formed
throughout the country.
The system meets real want on
the part of the people. 1t enables a.
enterprising town to hear the leaders
in literature, politics, reform, relig-
ion, education, art, at very mode
rate charge. The men who excel in
some one department of study are
thus enabled to present the results of
their labor to the whole country.
The Temperance lecturer, John B.
Cough, is heard b. hundreds of thou
sands of people as he goes through
the land at home and in foreign parts.
The system encourages definite
study in some one direction. until, to
use Pennsylvania metaphor, the
speaker strikes oil.
The lecture platform is the layman's
opportunity. AS one of our citizens
remarked, The clergy are all the time
talking. They have every facility
for the presentation Of their ideas to
the public. But not so with the lay
man. He usually does not 90 into
the pulpit. The Lyceum is a kind of
peoples church where all have an
equal chance to obtain q hearing, and
where all kinds Of themes may be dis
cussed.
There are in our town q number Of
individuals whom the public would
be glad to hear speak and one of the
thoughts, of some at least who are in
terested in the prospective course, is
that they should be induced to make
an appearance. In many places
where the employment Of paid lectur-
ers at large prices is deemed imprac-
ticable, home speakers are set to work
with good results. This was done at
Concord and perhaps this was the
germ from which the Lecture Bureau
sprung.
The lecture system furnishes q
purcr kind Of entertainment than the
public gets from strolling players,
minstrel troupes, and comic clowns
which attract such full houses.
There are many people who 60 to
these low performances who would be
glad Of something better. The man
who has tasted maple honey does not
straightway desire West India molas-
SEES. The pure and instructive
amusements will he more attractive
to large portion of the community
if not to the whole.
A great merit of the lecture plat
form, is the fact that it is q non-sec-
tartan institution. The tendency Of
our church life is to bring men and
women together IN sectarian circles.
Unless this is counteracted in some
way it leads directly to bigotry, mar
rowness, envy, malice, hatred, and
all uncharitableness." We like the
prayer which asks Of the good Lord
deliverance from these passions.
We need more centcrs around
which all can gather and forget to
what church, what sect, what family,
and political party they belong. If
the lecture association emanate s as
it should from the whole people it
furnishes such a center. 1t is like a
public library to which everybody
may go upon equal terms, like It to&n
meeting where all can stand side by
side each the peer Of every other.
We ought to cultivate the republican
sociability which such a gathering i'm
plies. The Lecture Association ought
to form one such bond of union.
The new arrangement Of our bust
ness men which closes their shops,
after the first day Of Jan, at s o'clock
in the evening will favor the move
ment for lectures. The business men
released from duty behind the counters
will be free to attend such worth y
evening entertainments as may be
provided. Let us hope that the new
rule will be adhered to, and save al
least a portion Of the evening for rest
instruction, and home enjoyment
1t is now to late for us to expect
the best results of the movement
during the coming winter. Tho
lecture organization should, like
, bees, lay up their store in the sum