The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-12-28
Expression in the Pulpit.
EVOLUTIONARY sERIEs.-II.

l1UOU llUNAhI DbRl1O'- Ii
$50 they read in the book in the
law of God distinctly; but did not
give the sense"
Such should be the modification of
the ancient chronicle to suit nine
teenth century conditions. 1t is the
very rare exception, in these days,
when minister is not heard distinct
ly, both in reading and preaching.
He quickly discovers that the world,
or rather the church, has no use for
speaker whose articulation is indis-
tinct; SO he feels that "by hook or by
crook" he must make himself under
stood. Occasionally, however, he falls
into unpleasant mannerisms in his
efforts to enunciate clearly, 80 that
the attention of the hearer is called to
the use of the vocal organs, and one
gets the impression of watching a
machine, SO neatly and carefully are
the words ground out. Sometimes
they are so sweetly moulded with the
tip of the tongue in the very front of
the mouth, as to rob the speaker of
all appearance of manly energy. Many
speakers in their struggle for distinct
ness pronounce obscure vowels as
though they are short or broad; for
instance, the Sc" in the following
words, different" "essence," "gov-
ernment," ''newness," is given the
short sound where it should be OBJ
scure. "Direct," is given "direct"
and the last 20" in such words as COR
ator" is given an exact, instead of an
obscure vowel. Another fault, pro-
ceeding from the desire to be heard,
is the measuring off of the words
separating each from the other with
appalling distinctness of utterance.
Words in speech should not be like
coins, so many perfectly formed and
separate utterances each entirely de-
tached, but there should be musical
blending of the sounds, as colors
change and play in sunrise-every
part beautifully clear, but nothing so
marked as to call attention to itself.
1t is something to be thankful for
that in spite of faults the pulpit ut
terance of the present time is marked
by distinctness. 1t is something to
regret that the speaker does not al
ways give the "sense."
Many speakers have set style or
habit of delivery, and whatever is said
takes this same form of expression.
An imprecatory psalm is read with
the same tone and manner as the
fourteenth chapter of st. John. The
Revelation glories could not, judging
from tone and facial expression be
distinguished from the Lamentations
of jeremiah. Why is thiss There are
two principal reasons. One is that
the body and the voice are not made
delicately responsive by proper train
ing. The other reason is that there
is lack of vivid mental perception of
the thought, followed by physical
reaction or response, at the instant of
speaking. This is largely the work
of the Imagination. Few speakers
hold the thought with sufficient men
tai vigor to produce result in the
physical agents. 1t must also be re-
membered that only the vital, we'll
trained, sensitive physique can res
pond, under ordinary circumstances,
to mental activity. When one says,
"The battle is the Lord's," he should
feel the physical reaction to his very
finger-tips.
| asked a minister of considerable
repute here in New England to name
a fault prominent in those of his pro-
fession and he mentioned this that l
have just named and said:
"The trouble is, we are unwilling to
practice verbal enunciation of what is
to be given publicly" Henry Ward
Beecher said:"I owe much of my sue
cess in life to the fact that for thirty
years l spent part of each day in
elocutionary practice" A minister
would scarcely tolerate an organist
who practiced only on Sabbath and in
public; nor would he expect plan
ist or a violinist to play concord of
sweet sounds if he only tuned up be-
fore public audience; and yet this
is the method, or rather the lack of
method of the preacher l am be-
liver in nineteenth century miracles,
but have yet to discover that such
neglect of ones resources is likely to
result in eloquent speech, or to de-
velop that vaster use of ones ability
that can come only from daily train
ing. am like the woman in "Still