The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-11-07
OF REV. II. G
PEARSON.
BY w. II. Henry.

Paul,
Were he OIL earth, would hear, approve
Paul should himself direct me. l would
trace
His master strokes, and draw from his de-
sign,
1 would express him simple, grave, sim
cere;
In doctrine uncorrupt; in language plain,
And plain in manner; decent, solemn,
chaste,
And natural in gesture, much impressed
Himself, as conscious of his awful charge,
And anxious mainly that the flock he feeds
MAY feel it too affectiOnate in look
And tender in address, as we'll becomes
A messenger of grace to guilty men"
HENDERSON, n. c., Oct. 81, 1889.
EDITOR GOLD Leaf went to hear
the great Evangelist Rev. Robert CANA
liel Pearson last night.
l had heard much of his personal APP
pearance, his discourses, delivery, and
thorough knowledge of the Bible.
Some had said that he was awkward,
and others that his delivery was I'M
pleasant.
Mr.. Pearson, it must be admitted,
could not pose successfully as an Apollo
Belvidere, nor as an AdOnis, nor could
Alexander H. Stevens, John Randolph,
John c. Calhoun and many of the great
est men whose names illuminate the
pages of history and whose deeds, like his,
will shine like stars through remotest ages.
Mr. Pearson to me, seems far from awk-
ward, but if he is, the atmosphere OF in
tense holiness, beautiful conservation,
purity and brotherly love that ever sur
rounds him should render him in the eyes
of all, as graceful as a Grecian gladiator
or as a flower kissed by the South wind.
Iexpected to find his voice strident and
unpleasant, but while it is rather pecu-
| liar at first, it grows upon one, and is ex-
ceedingly clear, and beyond doubt the
sOftest and most persuasive voice that
| ever heard.
am sure that it is to it's winning soft
ness, intense pleading, and the deep
pathos that runs through it and thrills
along every chord, that he owes much OF
his wonderful success. When he address
es his audience and says, "POor dying
man." "Sinner," his voice sounds like
some sad melody in the distance that ii
/ so plaintive and mournfully sweet that
it forces one to draw near and still
nearer, to catch its last wailing cadences
had been informed that Mr.. Pearson
was not eloquent. When | heard him,
| sad TO mySeI1-nOt pfOquenI! why
could liseen to this man for hours ant
never grow weary. He deals but little il
/ figures and the ornaments Of rhetoric
but when he does Use them, they ar
beautiful and wonderfully simple and ap
propriate.
What is eloquence? 1t is the power t.
put another mind and heart in perfec
accord with your own. This may b
: always accomplished by a combination
of learning, logic, simplicity and earnest
ness. Mr.. Pearson possesses to an eInl
nent degree all of these characteristics
. He is eloquent in the same way tina
many of the greatest orators OF the worl
have been elOquent-men who dictate
the policies OF nations, and played upo
the heart strings of millions. He is elc
auent because he presents the Truth, an
the Truth is always eloquent, whether III
: tered by a weakling or a colossus
whether we see it in the pebble that lie
at our feet, or imaged by the Alpine pea
J that lifts its snow covered brow towar
the God who made it whether we see
mirrored i'm the rain drop, or hear it
8 the awful roar of the ocean, as it beat
upon the shore; whether it comes to Z
from the tiny throat of the golden breas
5 ed warbler on the twig, or comes rushin,
: and signing, and laughing with joy, froI