Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1875-03-27
Lecture OF Rev. Thomas Guard.

To those who were present on Friday eve
ming Of last week at 'C'ucert Hall It is IN
necessary 10 speak. To these who were net
what shall we say. VIA, can we say, that will
Give the rcmo,cst idea Of tbeeGort-at once OF
learning. intellect and cenjUs exhibited there
bv this extraordinarily gifted gentleman -
Ne confess orr utter Inability. We were sur
prised. delighted, eurap,urei As Mr.. Guard
saws. " we know that life Is; but chat it Is 90
man knows so, we are conscious Of our te-
light. but admit our inability TO describe H. or
the apparently inspired process Cor which We
are indebted for il On leaving the hail. we
felt as if we ha1 been sgl;coly awakened FROM
dream Of bewildgrirg beauty. We had been
enchanted. but srdleuIy tie encbauier had
vanished. The sun had indeed set. we were
srieved, but yet still ba,bei in the grandeur
Of its departing rays. So hr as these remarks
60, they express the universal sentiment Of
those present..
rs Tor description, it is on: Of the question.
Any efiJr, of ours % portray Nr. Guarl-bjs
variety Of learuius, aud the c1rrectn,ss Of IL;
his numberless illustratiors-lrom history.
from science. from poetry from philosophy,
from the nature Of msn, FROM physical nature;
and the aTtuess and beauty Of them. and ai,
uninterrupted flow Of vigorous AMI lervii elo-
ouence.-wouI give about the same idea OF
the original As a pebble picked up from the
Sidewalk would Of the pendant jciclos that
crown the brow Of Niagara when shnue on by
a winter SUM- " Don't tel me, said one
Southern soldier % another, while sitting At a
Campfire during The war " don { tell me that
ihero is no God There Is Master Bob Who
else than a God could have made him " Our
readers can make the application. Iuowori,
the eloqueuce of Mr. Guard not only surpasses
that Of any man we ever heard. bu, until we
heard him we hal no idea that any uuinspirei
man was 50 gifted. Man and lis po>sibili-
ties IS hctheme Of one Of M Guards lectures.
and surely. there could be uo ap,er iIlustra-
,icn than himself Of The subject.
The enjoyment of Friday evening ill mt
cease with The Termination Of the lecture. o.
returning TO onr homes the lecturer seemed To-
return with us, AMI as DC stood there. again,
a panorama Of noble thoughts m1-riicsnt
reasoning. interc,tju. illustration. AMI an
clothed 20 language Of inlcscrihlb'e beauty
AMI presented with match'ess srace-passel
before MS. \ comparison has roen suggested
between Mr. Guard arl Mr. Grngh None
such is possible. We admire tie acting of
NJ Cough: W, laugh at his stories; we weep
a, ms strokes Of r,,bo> these things axe
specifics with him Listening g. Mr.. Guard
we 30 mo-, lauEh-we d. ras weep; bu; puri-
fed. lifted M erl1r y beyond ool above our
selves. we are s,ljenej ty tculercst memories
animated by nob'est hopes determined with a
srrt e divine energy on glorious resolutions
We are, 10 a word. spell-brn0l by the words.
the thoughts, the fervor Of ,bc Gifted Orator
In Mr.. Guard may De recognized the close
rea,a1in. and classic correctness Of Cicero
The humanity anl beu,incss e Fox; anil the
rich imagery Of Cboate. In fact. Sd far as We
ore able % Judge there IS combined in lin
every excellence % Ou.'ry
During The month of May Mr. Guard will
deliver lecture or me benefit of the Metho-
list Episcopal Church, South. Of this town.