Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1895-07-26
Pulpit Orators as Factors In the
Worlds Progress.

ment, and in educating and developing
the masses is becoming more and more
important each year. This grows out OF
the fact that the preacher is not so much
calling down to the masses to come up
as formerly, but rather that he is with
them lifting them up. His life should be
pure, but his work aud the manner
thereofis not too sacred to be inspected
while he lives.
Running down the worlds history, es.
perially since the sixteenth century, is a
line OF pulpit orators, those Of each age
having some general characteristics
which distinguish them from those of
every other period, while the history of
each individual discovers traits which
easily distinguish him from the Others.
Eminent men are constantly following
each other down the ages in schools.
And this is so whether the term is APP
piled in the sense of groups or that of
men having acommon doctrine or phil
osophy peculiar to the times in which
they live. This is suggested in the outer
world by the lives of such men as Web
ster, Clay, Calhoun, and their contem-
porares, and in the religious by the
memory of such men as BOssuet, Fenelon,
and their contemporaries. 1t seems almost
Generous to presume to assert or declare
what the design of the Creator was in
creating any part OF the universe as it is,
but whether designed SO or not it is evil
dent that it WAS essential to have men OF
wide differences in the religious world to
develop the different elements in the
Christian system and to apply them to
different types Of men. But on account
of ban on the discussion of men while
they live, suggested and enforced by a
prudery which seems affected and fas-
tidious, men are not freely discussed while
they live; and thus much useful discus
sion of the merits and dement's of the
work of men is prevented while they live
and while they can be condemned, recon-
mended or encouraged, while there is OPP
portunity for amendment and while the
profitable features of the work can be
suggested for more general use or APP
preparation, and also while their infu-
ence, lives and memory can be more ac-
curately preserved to posterity. So men,
while they live are seldom discussed ex-
cept when attacked by party venom or
defended by partisan ZEAL neither of
which give to the world truthful i'm
pressions but both of which display to
posterity false and distorted views of
men and their times. 1t would certainly
seem that the contemplation of the
actions of live men would be far more
interesting than those of dead ones. Now
that he and his friends are gone one
feels free and unembarrassed as he runs
reflections along the fine lines of intellect,
grace, refinement, modesty, and the deli
cate, yet startling and thrilling eloquence
of a Fenelon, and even feels free to
crticlse in unmeasured terms the deli
cate and almost elegant passion by
which he sometimes disturbed the har-
mony of his life and language. No one
would feel reluctant to laud the wonder
full exhibitions of Bossuet or to freely
say that he was too extravagant and
emotional to contribute as much as he
otherwise would to the permanent pros.
perity of the cause of christendom, and
that his work often glowed in the inten-
sity of the occasion and then passed off
with it.
Every one feels free to call to mind the
bright, CHEEKY side of the life of Phillips
Brooks and the almost sacred impulses
o his heart, or the wide diffusion of his
sentiments and the many noble impulses
awaked i'll Others by his pres ence in the
world, but men who really feel so are
timid in the presence of his friends about
discussing his work in respect to form,
ceremonies or substance, or even as much
as to suggest that his style of speaking
was at times SO forceful impetuous and
torrent like as to disturb the harmony
OF those benign sentiments with which he
came richly laden to the hearts Of the
multitude.
Notwithstanding all this feeling of
reticence, along this random train of
reflections comes among us a character
IN pulpit oratory whose leadership is
fast being recognized -one whom no one
would mistake for a Talmage. He has
little of that which the world calls bril-
llancy, elegance Of style, or flashing wit,
and no attractive devices to surprise or
captivate, His style is rich, scholarly,
accurate and substantial, bearing the
same relation to oratory that the doric
order does to architecture. He has a
wonderful strength and virility which
move and control men, and although in
comparatively new field it everywhere
exhibits marked indications of his fire.
auent visltations. His platform efforts
are interestingly peculiar. He tormuates
his premises out of the commonest
thoughts of everyday lite. He states
them so clearly in the abstract that his
audience is not inclined to consider
whether they are in accord with any
creed or not. He clothes them with
language BETTING philosophy so that
they may seem to have the Importance
which they really merit and possess. He
talks OF religion not as thing of con-
lecture, doubt or mystery, but as of real
conditions in the very na+r-e of ,,o., hi.