The Portland daily press., 1884-12-18
CBEsTN sEREET CHURCH.
An Address ON Orators anh Orarory.


A very enjoyable entertainment was given
Notwithstanding the storm the church was
we'll filed, including among others many
well-known members of the learned profess
sions.
Prior to the address charming organ solo
was played by Mrs. George o. Gosse, and
delight concert !of six numbers rendered by
Mrs. Goudy, Miss Brown, Mrs Turner,
Messrs. Will Stock bridge, Watts and
Houghton. There was lovely quartette,
"The Bridal Chorus,' rendered by Miss
Brown, Mrs. Turner, Messrs Watts and
Houghton, the song, eye Merry Birds" BY
Will Stockbridge, the d duet, EDEN Land - by
Mrs. Goudy and Will Stockbridge, the song,
"SoDg OF May" by Mrs. Goudy, aud the air.
"Friend OF the Brave" BY Mr.. VISITS. The
concert was just long enough. 1t served to
show the singers voices TO great advantage.
which were beautifully accompanied by Mrs.
Gcsse.
DR.. Bashford then delivered his address on
Orators and Oratory," of which the followi pg
is an abstract:
We speak tonight upon orators and oratory
or mcrs briefly upon eloqusuce. At first
thought the snbject might seem to be OF inter-
est only to professional speakers bat you all
read daily. 1t is certa My worth an hours at.
teDtion to learn the principles by which YOU
may pass an intelligent Judgment on what YOU
ne ar and read. Again, not lawyers and mig
istefs only but All OF you, parents, ch'lereD,
teachers, men OF trades,-n your daily con
tact with others are both the authors and
subjects Of eloquence Eiequtu nee in it's literal
and ith deepest meaning is the speaking out
of that which is within one. Emerson names
cur topic ltiueBce rather than eloquence
a il dQr tlan fnr.
looking at its end-the flowing in of ones
thoughts and emotions upon others rather
than the flowing out Of these forces from orr
selves. El qaence may be defined as the art
ct spiritual exchange. Ii is the art of con-
veying the purposes which you have into some
other souls True eloquence indeed lies
denper than this. 1t ia not simply
tue art OF conveying your thoughts to an-
other soul and leaving them at its door II Ia
rather the art of making your purposes enter
into and become the purposes of that other
soul. 1t Is the art OF spiritual production as
OF spiritual exchange. In this broader sense
each is not only the author and subject of elo-
queGce, bat eloquence is the only important
art Ia life. We are here but for day. The
two real questions Of life are: What we shall
carry out of life ourselves, aud what we can
give TO others to carry ont Of life. Only as by
some divine chemistry we transform the influ-
encss which pour ia upon us into character do
we 90 out OF life enriched. Oniy as by some
olvlne Chemistry W. transmnte our WOrcs aud
acts Into character III others do we send them
out of lie enriched. Eioquence is therefore
the supreme art III life. The deepest Iacs in
the universe is the eioguence of God-tae en,-
bodiment of the physical forces that flow OUT of
Him iD the visible universe, the expression of
His thought 10 His Word, the incarnation of
His purpose in His Son, aud the Incoming OF
Hin into our lives as the Holy Spirit
The speaker then aUalszsd eloqaence more
fully ard declared the three elements to be
truth, art and personality. These he illns,
trated by quotations drawn from al literatur
anG by stofies which convulsed the audIs,ce
with lsugher. 1t was the freshest, brosdes
richest presentation OF tue theme We eser
heard. We trust Mr.. Bashiord will be indue-
cd to publish his thoughts upon this subject,
for they certainly cover the ground more iuily
than aEy text book III existence.
The abstract fails to give proper idea of
this most admirably written and admirably de-
livefed production.