The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-05-02
REV. PHILLIPS BROOKS.
The Most Rapid Orator That Ever Stood In
the American Pulpit.

the American Pulpit.
Phillips Brooks is physically and men
tally an immense man. He is several
inches taller than six feet, and the rest
of his body is large in proportion. He
has certain definite ideas of his own
about preaching, which he has put into
print. In work which he published
on this subject he said that ''in every
sermon must be the truth, but the truth
uttered through personality. This in
dicates better than any one else could
put it the mans own method. His per-
sonality determines the character of his
preaching. He is a perfect reservoir Of
physical and mental energy, and he dis
penses his energy in overwhelming vol
umes. He is Niagara of oratory, a cata-
ract, plunging flood. His flow of ideas
and words is simply immense. The most
expert stenographers find it extremely
difficult on the most favorable occa-
sions, and frequently absolutely impos-
sible, to report his sermons in entirety.
He makes very few pauses, even rush
ing ahead in his speech when the sense
of his discourse demands stop. Even
in his most solemn prayers and invoca-
tions he talks at a rate which keeps the
most nimble reportorial fingers on the
jump, without intermission of any kind.
He is the terror of reporters, many Of
whom would rather face the dangers Of
pitched battle than to be assigned to
"take" Phillips Brooks. He never dis
plays any oratorical grace or art. He is
not an elocutionist and employs none Of
the articles of rhetoric. He is impet-
uous at all times. Usually he breaches
one sermon every Sunday from manu-
script, and one without written notes Of
any kind.
His manuscript is unusually clear. It
is written in beautiful hand, and has
hardly ever an erasure or an interlinea-
ton. He can talk with equal facility
With or without notes. On Sunday in
going into the pulpit to deliver sermon
from manuscript he discovered that he
had placed in his pocket the wrong roll
of paper. Without moments pause he
delived an original sermon to the vast
audience that he always has, and nobody
ever knew that every word of it WASH t
contained IN the pile of loose sheets
that lay before him. Phillips Brooks is
always intense, and nearly always
painfully so. 1t is difficult to fol-
low him in his mad rush onward
without experiencing mental discom-
fort. His voice when he begins is usu.
ally low, but it soon swells in volume
and becomes frequently thunderous. He
doesn't modulate or infect, and never
uses his powerful voice for effect. Some
one said of him once: s'He is like an
emery wheel, constantly whirling and
throwing off an eternal stream of
sparks" Although rapid, he is not diff
fuse; neither is he epigrammatic, how
ever, but he is always suggestive. He is
powerful as preacher rather than as
ateacher. He has habit of throwing his
head up from his manuscript and pour
ing out his words. He rarely creates a
smile, uses no wit or pathos and scorns
oratorical devices. He dislikes to have
pictures taken of him.-Boston Herald.
d. E. Brockett during the recent Pres
idential campaign rolled monster ball
through thirteen States-a distance of
5000 miles. His long journey ended i'll
General Harrison's front yard at Indian
apolis. Mr.. Brockett is now a trench
digger in Washington. He spent all his
money on that unlncky ball.
Secretary Rusk recently had lively
argument with Postmaster-G General Wan
amsker regarding the game OF poker.
Rusk is clever manipulation of pairs and
fushes, while Wanamaker calls the great
American rastime most immoral insti-
tuition. Those who heard the discussion