The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-11-30

Band box, suggests something
exquisite, almost too exquisite for
daily use and common need.
Gage" The soul looks out on all
sides, but can't get out the helpless
appearing speaker.
"Mug"-a dish with one handle.
The man who makes all his gestures
and does the most of his talking to
one side.
"Lumber-room"-plenty of mate
rial; much of it rusty and dusty
through non-use.
Tub" needs no explanation. Here
comes preacher who Gifts the coat
to himself and says, "Well, I'm
tub by nature. | was born So" Yes,
and you were born with soul faults
which you have labored, none but
you and God know how hard, to over
come. He has helped you, and you
have helped yourself. Do you dare
to limit his power or your own be-
cause the fault is bodily rather than
spiritual? Work as hard on body
culture as you have on soul culture,
and the result will be quite as graft
flying. The first effect that the min
lister has upon his congregation, in
expression, is made as he stands or
sits before he has uttered word. A
man with habitually depressed chest,
weak, irregular gait, and head craned
forward, cannot express with his
body nobility, courage, or moral
poise.
When the minister speaks, there
are pitiful failures in the art of ex-
preston while there is lack of that
response which the physical agents
should make, following and conse-
quent upon the change in the thought.
This responsive condition is possible
only in cultivated body. Depend
ent upon this physical response, are
the changes in the voice to suit diff
ferent states of feeling.
| remember, at one time, entering
the vestibule of a church near the
close of the sermon. The tone of the
speakers voice, as it came to me out
side was rough, gutteral, and at times
suggested angry vehemence. l step
ped in where could hear the words.
Imagine my surprise to find that he
was speaking of the sweet love of
Christ and the beauty of his service.
The minister's body should carry
sufficient physical energy to allow
the sermon and the entire service to
grow in vital power to the close. He
should have some strength left after
he is through with his sermon. |
know young minister who has been
preaching for year or two, who is so
weak after the morning service that
he cannot converse with his family,
and yet he has no illness. He is one
of the rarest and sweetest souls l
know, but he has very poor chance
to accomplish much, except to preach
physical weakness.
Even the small moment that the
preacher stands before the people in
the attitude of benediction, should
shower upon them immediate bless
ings of health, not spiritual alone, but
physical. To see one before us with
the whole physical being wrought to
the benign attitude of giving is, in
the physical attitude alone, health
inspiring. The uncultured body can
not attain this benignant expression.
Something more is necessary than
simply to extend the arms palm down
wards.
am sure ministers do not give as
much time and systematic attention
to the culture and care of the body as
they ought. AS rule they grudge
all time so expended. There are,
however, rare exceptions. l heard of
a minister who spent several hours on
bodily preparation in order to address
one of the great Christian Endeavor
Conventions, where an audience of
1900 was to be present. and in an
auditorium where but few of the
speakers could make themselves
heard. The day preceding the even
ing on which he was to speak, hespent
the forenoon listening to the other
speakers, noting how they faced when
they were heard, and picking up
whatever he could of suggestions and
points.
In the afternoon, he went to his
room and practiced the Emerson
Physical Culture exercises for an
hour, after which he said he felt "like
a rubber ball." Then he went to bed
and slept two and one-half hours,
got up, took bath and went through
the physical culture exercises AGAIN