The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-03-10
THE POWER OF oRAroRx.
EioqueBce by Which Popular Speakers
Held Their Audiences speiIbound.


DR.. Guthrie, the Scottish Isocrstes, dur
ing his long connection with the ministry.
often demonstrated that the influence Of
speech is as potent as that of art. On one
occasion, in a sermon full of vivid word
painting, he pictured the awful scenes of
shipwreck, and riyeted the attention of every
one present by an imaginative narrative Of
intense interest. A young midshipman was
seated with his mother in one of the pews,
and when the orator had described the
launching OF the lifeboat to rescue the im-
periiled crew, he concluded an outburst of
surprising eloquence by shouting Who
will go to rescue them ~ upon which the
young sailor rose in his pew, threw off his
coat, and responded, " / will go, sir!s
A somewhat similar instance is related Of
George Whitefeld, of whom Garrick said
ne would give hundred guineas if be could
say "oh!" in the way this remarkable
preacher did Addressing number Of
seafaring men in New York, he described
In thrilling terms the periIs of ship caught
IN Pacific squall and thrown on her beam
ends, and, at his cry, What next ?" the
audience rose to their feet as one man. ex-
thinning, in their excitement, 1.-THE long
ooat--take to the long boat!p
Benjamin franklin relates that on one
occasion he listened to Whitefeld deter
mined togiye nothing, but at the conclusion
OF an address, full Of deepest thought and
mastery feeling, he placed every cent he
possessed in the aims bag.
hufus Choate and Daniel Webster were
the envy and admiration of the American
bar, while Sheridan--styled by Lord Ma
cauley the English Hyperides filled West
Minister Hall to Llfocation, and induced
persons of rank to pay fifty guineas for q
seat, on the occasion of his remarkable adj.
dress at the trial of Warren Hastings.
A modern Irish preacher exercised his
powers OF persuasion to such successful
extent that his congregation dare not take
more than small sum of money to church.
At a charity festival he depicted the hor-
rors of poverty so wildly that when the
plate went round the women threw in all
the silver coins they possessed and the
jewelry round their necks, while the men
placed their watches on the plate in lieu of
money.
There is u story told of Frensh cure
who, on n certain Sunday, acclaimed with
such startling power that the people went
home, closed their shops and gave them
selves mp to despair.
Another Scotch divine, DIR. Chalmers. may
be instanced as possessing the gift OF speech
to an enthralling degree. Preaching in
Rowland Hills Chapel in London, before
critical audience, DR.. Chalmers had no
sooner commenced his expressive Doric be-
fore the audience manifested signs of dis
appreciation, bnt at one stroke every heart
was overcome and the eyes Of men and wo-
men were sufrused with tears. Rowland
Hill, who had feared the result of tho ora
lion, jumrea up in the gallery, overcome
with emotion, and, striking the bench with
his fist, roared out, Well done, Chal.
mers!"
Patrick Henry threw his audience iuto a
state of sympathetic intoxication, aud when
he had finished and the spell had ceased to
work they asked one another what he had
been saving.