The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-27
SERMONIZING.
Peculiar Difficulties Experienced by
Some Preachers.
A. c. Benson in Murray S Magazine.


a. q be"son IN Murray $ Magazine
l have been told by famous preacher
that during an extempore sermon, by some
strange lanse in the continuity of memory
s.,,, ,,,4,,,;.,.,I 1,,-,-;,, - a., Ill, 20
'DA'-o -4'0 a. 40N "a '''0 y.
'houent' Tue entire suoJec'--ueAU' d suiiieilo
and deSlgn-vanlshed from his mind as II
they had never been--he could not even re-
member the end OF bis last sentence; his
mind was like newly Sponged slate. He
| spent, as he thought, several moments OF
| agony, when the train came suddenly oack
ana he was enabled to proceed. one OF the
| congregation, whom he Questioned alter
! ward, had noticed nothing more than an
impressive pause; but tie shock was sogieat
thaV ne resolved never again TO enter the
pulpit without manuscript
Even more grotesque cataStropheS have
been known to take place. The la 9 Arch
| bishop OF Canterbury, wnen preaching at
st. PauI's, had the notes of bis sermon, con
tanning some important statistics, ON half
sheet OF note paper before him on the pulpit
cushion. During the hymn sudden gust
OF WIND whrled the little paper among the
audience and waited 1t into the face OF
| cltlzen at some distance from the pulpit.
| Inc ArchOlshCp expected IL TO be brought
back; the man looked over the scrlboed
| paper and sudden look OF bright lntelll-
| gence stole into his face; he closed ms Oook,
folded up the paper, placed 1t III his breast
| pocket and hurrledIy LETT the church, con
| graduating himself upon having secured 50
| undouoted all autograph under SUCH eNcep-
| tlonally interesting and unique cream
stances. lhe Keen sense or huhlor so char-
! acterlstlc OF Or. lalt came TO ms relief; ana
1t is strong testimony TO the lmperturoa-
bic serenity OF the man that he was able
to preach his sermon as II nothing had nap
! pened
|
stance Of perfect cOmpoSure of mind under
agltating circumstances. The following
authentic anecdote may rival, think, tue
last as an instance of this: lie was to preach
al the opening OF school chapel at winch
I a royal party was expected. AS was MS
won't, he dawdled about ON his arrival.
| coming as ne dld only rev minutes before
the service was announced to begin, and
asked lnnumerable questions ON general
| SUBJECTS IN that particularly lelsurely man
| ner which he delighted TO display when
every one else was fused nearly to deSper-
alton. AT last he was induced to put his
robes on, and on arriving at the roblng
room, where half hundred clergy were
| bustllng about ana adornlng themselves,
asked for ink and a pen and char, and
coolly produced from his pocket an untln-
lshed manuscript. In VAN they told him
that the royal party haG taken their places
with an lmpenetrable smile he wrote III a
slow stately hand several pages OF the SER
mon, blotted 1t with the utmost deliberation
and then announced that he was ready to
start. The head master had imagined that
at least there would be some traces OF CON
fusion and hurry IN their composition when
! these penultlmate pages came TO be dellv-
cred, but no. one after another the great
| periods untolded themselves. The most
delicate subjects were touched and handled
not only In a finished but IN deeply emo
| al ma n 70
that the sermon had not been laborlously
and sedately composed IN the solemn quiet
OF Cuddesdon.
! 1t Is not only the greater preachers who
| nave need OF seI-possesSlOn. Inc writer OF
these pages was sitting one summer evening
in quiet church In remote country dis
trict, hearing moderate sermon run It's
| course in thoroughly unceptlonabe man
ner The day had clouded over and 1t be
came obvious that the manuscript was be-
coming momentarlly more dlfflcult to
declpher; there We're no lights IN the pulpit.
| Suddenly tall inquire start d up In the
squlre's pew. calvert" 1t said, III sol
dlerly tone, you cant see" Inc clergy
man quietly suspended ms mlnlstratlons.
Indeed, Sir John, can" mo, you can't,
you can't, indeed; 1t has become quite dark.
Il shall do very well, Sir John, thank you"
| mo, no, no; you must have hight James
! ito one OF the tootmen IN back seat where
is my ladys lantern" I'm the porch, Sir
John" ''Get it at once and light it"
long pause ensued; the footman left the
church and the painful striking OF safety
matches was heard outside In the deathly
stiffness. To my intense relief no one pres
ent seemed even to feel that the scene had
had its ludicrous side at all. Presently he
emerged bearing lantern. Give it to
Mr.. Calvert" The footman went up the
pulpit stairs and the lantern was adjusted
close to the manuscript. Now think we
shall do" said John, sinking back with the
air of man that has done his duty.
'Thank you very much, Sir John; 1t is a