The Wilmingtonian., 1885-05-09
SATURDAY, MAY ., 1855.
A PLEA FOR THE LISTENER

the assertion "the voice of the scientist or
: of the preacher is not required to empha-
size the fact that an intense desire for
amusement marks the present age"
Now this is hardly properly descriptive of
things as they exist. The plain assertion
that humanity demands amusement is true,
and always has been at all times. But an
inference drawn from the above is that of a
certain nature ofamusement, an idle one
that is to say of kind in contrast to what
is usually afforded upon the platform by eli
ther scientist or clergyman, or that is looked
for by the usual church audience.
The man or the woman of the present dav
is not an entity stamped with the character
ization of levity. A Wilmington audience
of to-day can be easily obtained who will sit
down patiently before any speaker worthy
to be listened to, and they will open their
hearts and minds and seriously consider his
message. We are like the Greeks of old in
the agora, asking what new thing there is.
1t is not true either that we have etching
ears" empty minds, unoriginal speakers
those who improperly claim the forum,
make that accusation against the audiences
of to-day.
Let any bold original thinker or orator
mount the platform, then watch his audi
ence, as the ears and eyes of their minds fol-
low each turn of his argument, each illus
tration!
Levity, emptiness, supereciality cannot be
flung in our faces as an accusation. The
people Of to-day do not deserve such criti.
cism. 1t is quite probable however that
very large number of those who assume to
be teachers, markedly among the preachers,
are entirely unsuited for the role they have
had the hardihood to take upon themselves.
That possibly Is the greatest vice in this
connection. The need of to-day is of better
habiltated preachers, mentally speaking and
of less technical scientists.
One class taught down or popularIzed and
the other class, the preachers, improved
every way. What the present age wants is
neither the mathematical categories of the
scientist, his excessive multitudiqous mar.
ii. -
vels, Tor they are more, usually, than ske
can digest at one meal-nor on the othkr
hand can the present age, in simple honestM
subsist longer on the shallow commonplacess
the low mental grade, the narrowness of the
present ancient type of pGlpit orator. Tho
first is as tiresomely brilliant as the otheh
is drearily vapid. There is clear INSULT
cheney of humanity in either. Neithet
talks to his audience as philosopher
Christ was philosopher, neither a scien-
tist nor reproducer of other mems ideas,
Yet lie "spake as never man did" His
very simplicity was his greatest pawer. Yet
our modern teachers of to day boggle and
hOuhdCA III thc IhlusI Vi Juelr own verbose
evolutions.
The lack of breadth of information in the
scientist his limitation TO one single branch
Of technical knowledge constitutes him al
most as much out of place upon the general
pulpit platform as does the inoriginality OF
him who ventures to discuss the divine mys.
teries before nineteenth century church
audience with no other special preparation
than the self-supposition that he is ''called. "
The preacher of to-day cries out loudly
against the GOODNESS of his audience Tho
silent pity of those sitting before him and
martyr-like enduring 70 his wearisome rlat;-
tudes would be the best rebuke to him were
he an honest man. But, naturally, like the
rest of weak humanity, he judges the oppo-
site side. We're he gifted with the powers
of Asmodeous, glimpse into their hearts
might do him some advantage.