The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1879-02-06
ElOcutiOB.

Theological seminaries, where men
are educated for the ministry, ought TO
have professor of elOcutiuI. This is
one part of the education of ministers
that is sadly neglected. Yet next to
the composition of 4 sermon, its de-
livery is of importance. The impOr-
tance of elOcutiOn is fully recognized
by the sage. If actors or actresses
were as careless in this respect rs
preachers are, their talent in other re-
CARDS would not save them from fail
uTe. No one las a right to address an
audience who Is careless or deficient in
the matter of delivery. The voice can
be cultivated with rs much facility
and with greater ease. generally, than
the intellect, and when the former is
neglected the effect of the latter is
seriously impaired. Good sermons are
often spoiled in their delivery. The
audience is often bored when the mat
ter, if properly spoken, would instruct
and interest.
Good men and talented men waste
their lives and fail in the pulpit be-
cause of their inability To cOlnmuni-
cate, with reasonable effect, the ideas
they have labOred to put upon paper.
By reason of this defect, the speaker is
not heard. or heard only in part, and it
is not possible to interest an audience
that can not hear what is said. The
acoustic properties of the house are
often charged with this defect, when
the deficiency rests wholly or largely
with the speaker.
Men with naturally fine voices fail
because they do not know how to Use
their organs, and do not try to learn.
The sound may he loud enough To be
heard over a two acre lot, but not un-
drrstOOd thirty feet from the speaker.
Ministers too often affect style or a
tone that is diSagrepable and damag-
ing. This runs often into what may
he called a SanctimOniOuS whine
ANYTHING that is unnatural Is unpleas-
ant. The more natural a speaker can
appear before an audience the hetter
Few ministers read ar try To read Il
! chapter of the Bible prqperly, They
I spoil bGsh. They rattle of scripture,
/ hymns and sermons in Il whining
mOnOtOnoas style, rs if their business
WAS to get through and make their eS-
cape from the pulpit to the dining
room. In the latter place they talk
more naturally than in the pulpit.
The Bible readings of James r
Murdoch are very interesting. Why
Simply because he knows how to read
[ He masters the subject first, and then
reads. His voice is trained, tO1. lie
/ does not humble rs if his mouth were
full OF hot mush, but speaks 10 he
heard, aid speaks sQ Us to express in
words the ideas of the author. He
learned that on the stage. He could
not have been on the stage if he had
not learned il. But Murdoch is an
elOcutiOnist, and everybody can not be
an elocutiOmist. True; but there is 4
great deal that everybody qualified Ia
prepare to address an audience cal
learn. Besides, church audience has
rs much right to protest against being
bored by bad delivery as theatrical
: audience
No one has q right, either in a
| theater or q church, to appear before
an aUdie~ce in a professional capacity
who is too lazy to make, or has not the
ability to make, proper preparations a
to matter and manner.
! Theological seminaries, We repeat
ought to give attention to el0cutiOn.-
I Gin. Gazette.