The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1894-09-07
QMD.rmutraf-StW
A Question Of Ntyle.

not exactly fair and reasonable in
their methods. They establish an
arbitrary standard OF propriety and
excellence fer him, and then blame
him because he does not live up To it,
when as a matter Of fact the true test
lies in the adaptability of his means
TO the ends that he seeks. lie is a
preacher to the common people. and
it is undeniable that the common
people hear him gladly. The sermons
which lie delivers are such as enlist
the attention and influence the
thoughts and feelings Of the classes
To whom they are addressed: and
they arc not to be condemned because
they may be distasteful to other
classes. ''If you will furnish me with
Il lirSt-claSS audience" he says, IL
will preach as fine a sermon in rhet-
Oric, grammar, logic and style as you
ever heard in your life; but what in
the world would you do with the
tirst-class sermon here tonight?" He
does not believe in what he calls
smooth preaching to the masses,
for the simple reason that it does not
interest them, and SO does not render
them any practical and useful service,
According to his view, it is better to
get down to their intellectual level,
and thus make a definite impression
upon them, than to remain at a dig
nitled AMI pcdantic distance from
them, and thereby put them to sleep
or drive them away. We may dcplore
the necessity for such a course, but
the fact remains that it is necessary,
if these people are to be reached; and
Judging Mr.. Jones from that point of
view, it must be acknowledged that
he stands justified by his success.
There is a great deal to be said in
favor Of that style Of public speaking
which presents any important topic
to the average understanding in Il
simple, direct and pleasing manner.
The age of stilted and monutonous
oratory has passed away. There is a
general demand for plain language,
familiar illustrations and crisp and
decisive statements. The models of
the past are not suited to present
conditions. Even the educated classes
like to be talked to in an easy, colo
quail style, with an infusion of those
popular terms and phrases which are
apt to be more expressive than the
most elegant and aristocratic forms of
speech. We are fond of protesting a
great admiration for what we call
classic orations and essays, but the
sober truth is that we find them tire.
somcly elaborate, artificial and over
loaded with scholastic frippery. They
do not appeal to us in any positive
and intimate way. We read them,
when we read them at all, with a con-
seriousness of their remotcncSS from
the ordinary mental processes of man
kind. They are magnificent, we may
say, but they are not entertaining,
and we put them aside to take up the
later examples which reflect everyday
circumstances and minglc Il little cur
rent slang with their seriousness.
This does not imply that we are fry
olous or superficial, but only that we
prefer the kind of English that goes
to the mark with the least p~rctense
and circumlocution.
1t does not follow that every
preacher should be a Sam Jones: but
there is good reason to say that any
man who expects to be listened to in
these days on any subject must con-
ccde something to the public prefer
ence for simplicity and straightfor-
wardness. The time has gone by for
stilted and laborious oratory, so far
as the people are concerned, and it is
an advantage rather than a detriment
to have the faculty of taking in the
dialect Of the crowd. When Lord
Roseberry said the other day, "No
statesman who is worth his weight in
salt will be hampered by tradition
he stated a significant fact in a
slangy way, the same as if he had
said that such a statesman is mot in
it, He could put the same idea in
more cultured and fastidious terms,
for he knows his English perfectly;
but he took the short cut and spoke
in the common %vernacular, and lie is
to be praised for it. That IS what
Sam Jones does in his interpretations
OF Scripture and his assaults upon the
sins of society. Perhaps he allows
himself too much latitude in thai
respect now and then, but these occa
sional eXccsscs do not change the fact
that his style as a style is wonderful,
effective. lie understands human
nature, and knows how to vibratc Til,
elementary springs that control ii
manifestations. 1t is easy to crit
icise him and other public speaker.
like him; but il is also easy to sc,
that such o%ratOry has it's beneficial
uses, and that VIC cannot afford Il
spare it out of our system OF genera
instruction and development.
The newspaper goes right into TIL,