Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-04-21
SAM JONES AS HE Is.
A Graphic Sketch of the Great Revival
list In Mack and White.

list In Hack and WINE.
Chicago Tribune.
Sam Jones, If questioned about the
secret of his influence upon the masses
Of the people who throng in thousands
to hear him every night, might say
with modesty and with some truth
what Marc Antony said with subtlety:
I am no orator as Btutus is,
But as you know me all, plain, blunt
man.
He makes queer impression upon one|
who looks at him over a long stretch
of masses of heads and tries to estimate
his qualities as speaker. But the first
idea il, what magnificent audience.
The big, low rooted hall is packed
with people, and banks of spectators
slope up TO the ceiling on all sides.
The form that rises upon a platform
almost in the centre has the eyes and
ears of all that vast assemblage. There
is no greater opportunity for eloquence,
for the speaker has an audience that
bushes It's chattering curiosity 10 catch
his every word, and he has a theme
above all ether themes that have called
forth human eloquence.
The figure is mot an impressive one
in its quiet conventionality. The
speaker in q cutawsy coat, showing his
watch chain, might be taken for
well -to-do clerk or engineer. The frs
popularity is noticed when he lifts hi
hands. The lanky, cufiiess wrists con
trast strangely with the Whitley col
Jared neck. But Mr.. Jones has no
overlooked an article Of his dress
When he lifts his arms in apostroph'
or prayer, that stretch OF bare wris
has Its proper dramatic effect. He is
man who Is appealing to the people
and he does not wish TO have any NOR
starch about him than is necessary
The voice has plaintive as well as
penetrating quality; it rises and falls
slowly, drawlingly, and with ever
phase tipped with rising infectio
and twang. 1t is not wearisome;
is soothing II is the voice of one WI
has never been in much of hurr,
and it might have taken its melal
choly color from the loneliness OF Il
. mountains. 1t is homely, but not rud
The sermon begins, and one wol
ders at the speakers fuency. h
, takes an idea and he spreads it out
thinly as they spread the butter on Il
) bread at charity school. He is new
at a loss for an idea, for he keeI
, ringing the changes on the old one
|. something else occurs to him. Wit
he feels for something fresh he pass
his hand slowly over his head, ru
d ming his fingers lightly through !
hair. He seems TO have the asst
r ance of innocence itself; though
painting for utterance do not stunt
=. or crush each other at his lips;
2 never suffers from the rush OF ideas
the brain. Other men may tremble
q flush with the message that Is in thu
a. and is struggling for deliverance,
~ Sam Jones has a calm consciousn'
o. o. power that would well become
9, power that was greater.
IN He soou makes joke. There is
Is, ripple of applause and great gratif
AZ cackling. The fringe of spectat
~ near the doors who have been sitt
or and staring at one another with the
10 difference of sightseers suddenly crf
Ia. their necks and cackle with the n
ed That is undoubtedly what some
nd them have been waiting for 1t Is
nd that Americans are flippant. Sol
ira indeed, speak OF their fiippancy
IN perseverance. But there are others '
,ty hold that humor, even if it someti
all runs away from the apron string:
a.. taste. is a healthy child, and will 6
he up rugged and manly. MIR Jone
oil would hardly be original to say,
IN. humorist. 1t may be questlC
Inv whether the Tragedy of life has
pressed him deeply; but it is Gel
T. that the comedy has touched
. acutely.. But stop. He strikes
thctic chord. He speaks OF mate
love.
The tone is true but not overwh
ing. An orator would have sw
that vast audience, and for a singl
slant perhaps have fused all souls
single flame OF feeling. Mr.. )
is not the master of his hearers. 1
is something wanting in him TO
him absolute control. The EXPIRE
OF difference returns to some faces
smiles of amusement to others,
the loose, flowing sentences
lazily through the air. Now
then, when a point is 10 be made
speaker stoops low, and, lifting
self high while swinging his
gives forcefui utterance to some
grammatic thought. This is
breaks the monotony at inte
Once an imaginative flight is
alicO tempted-the description OF ca
It in the desert sending the cry of 7"
found from one voice to an
toward the rear. The figure is |
one, the smile as It is applied is
but before the effect of what is
eloquent is obtained the sp
branches off on trivial story.
s>-~~-