New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-05
MARKET VALUE OF TALK.

Silence Is golden. says the prOyerb. Talk Is
golden thought the Prcsby terrain Board OF Home
Missions, and accordingly. 1t assembled the
other night ut Carnegie Hall a galaxy Of volu-
bty to charm the golden streams from the
pockets Of the church people 1t set out to make
an attraction and give TO the audience their
moneys worth OF cloqucnce In return for con-
tributons to the entirely commcndable work Of
the home missionaries. The managers wanted
10 raise 100000 nj the meeting. They felt sure
of $4,000. and they had a right to expect II.
They deserved TO get 1t through the free gifts
Of Christians 10 the cause without having to
hypnotic their adherents. But they Judged the
best way 10 get II by rally 10 which
they invited the President OF the United States.
whose lifelong interest in missionary and church
work * well known; the Rev. 7. De Witt Tai
mage. whose fruitful labors in Brooklyn. which
made his congregation there 80 conspicuous for
spreading abroad the light of the Gospel, are
still remembered. AMI three other speakers Of
less note hut not Of loss fuency.
The five orators came and 1850 hearers gath
cred 10 be charmed into parting with their
money over 10000 tickets had been sent ont to
the churches In response To the demands Of peo-
pie filed with missionary zeal. and as many
would admit The representatives of families
cam. there with The family purses. and The en-
,hnslasm NJ the start was great. The cheering
when the Rev DR.. John Hall advanced To intro
,lucc the President would have warranted n
prediction Of SIS as the average contribution.
which would have made Il fund II more than
$1,000 Surely II was worth 81 To hear MI
Cleveland describe his lifelong missionary yea!
~ ttst. m 81
mage as a lecturer might not always command
that sum, but on nm extraordinary occasion.
when generosity was In the air, II was not too
much TO hope for 81 contributions on The strength
Of his appeals. To have said that the other
sneakers were not collectively worth 81 would
have been TO reflect the judgment Of those
who invited their cloqucnce. Altogether the
prospects were excellent. The cause was good,
the speakers distinguished. the audience large
and full Of fervor and gathered for the purpose
Of giving.
Why. then, was the result so disappointing?
Only $500 went into the colection-a little
more than 81 30 head. 1t is perfectly evident
tina: nobody would deliberately appraise the
eloullencc Of the President OF the United States
AZ the runous rate Of 30 cents Il hearer when
men have been known 10 pay 81 and even SO
for the privilege OF hearing Senator Morgan
make an aftcr-dinner speech and go home salts
fled before the speech was halfhnished. There
must have been some strong Influence at work
To change The mood OF this meeting from over
flowing liberaliiy To stinginess We cannot help
thinking il was the operation Of some natural
law analogous in its mathcmat ties 10 that OF
grayitation. We have heard OF men who in
church put quarter In the plate II the sermon
was twenty minutes long and II cents II it occu
pied half an hour II appears that the audi
cnce at the rally" felt that way. During each
speech the number Of persons present to con
tribute decreased and but for the action Of the
moderator in stopping one address the positive
amount drawn forth by the coquencc might have
been offset entirely by the deductions for length
We imagine that the law governing appeals for
money might be stated as follows: The amount
given increases inversey as the square OF the
time consumed In the appeal This theory har
monies well with the warnings Of Scripture
against the use OF the tongue, and confirms the
students Of folklore in their belief that proverbs
huye solid foundation. silence. II the experience
Of the Mission Board IL 10 be trusted. Is golden
Ry implication that fixes pretty definitely the
market value Of talk.