The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-03-30
Pulpit Eloquence.
From the Easton, Nd, Ledger.

written by Amelia B. Coppuck, who was born IN
st. Michaels, Talbot county, February B. 1873, ana
died in Louisville. Kentucky, May 8, 1852 The
poem was first published in George D. Prentices
Louisville Journal. Miss Coppuck removed, win
her parents to Louisville when young girl. and
in 1898 married George B. welby, merchant of that
city. She began authorship in 1887. writing under
the name of Amelia" Her poems were highly
praised by Edgar Allan Poe, Rufus Griswold Geo.
d. Prentice and other literary critics of that time.
Pulpit Eloquence" was not written in st. Michaels,
but in Louisville. The incident on which IT was
based. however, occurred in St. Michaels-
The preacher who charmed the young poets fancy
was the Rev. Thomas Hewlings Stockton, one of
the founders of the Methodist Protestant Church IN
Maryland. He was born in Mount Holly, New Jer
sey June 4. 1905, and died in Philadelphia october
9, 1863 He was doctor in medicine as well as
preacher. He attained great reputation as pull
pit orator and during his career was twice chaplain
of the United states House of Representatives and
once the Senate. His half brother is well-known
writer, Frank R. stockton Francis Richard) author
of "Rudder Grange" 1.-THE Lady or the Tiger?" and
many other much read tales.
The founder of the family in America was Richard
stockton, who came from England before 1910 ana
bought 400 acres of land in New Jersey, OF when
Princeton is now nearly the centre Among the
descendants of Richard Stockton are signer OF the
Declaration of Independence whose statue New Jer-
sey has pa ed in the capitol at Washington, Repre-
sentatives and Senators in Congress. Commodores
in the United States Navy and fighting soldiers in
the United States army.
One of them was valuable soldier on the Con-
federate side in the between the States. The
Stocktons and the Trenchards came into the prov
ince of New Jersey, not together but almost stimuli
taneously; and the ogdens were with the original
colony Stockton, the sgner, studied law with
David Ogden, in Newark, New Jersey, in 1854. The
Trenchards, the Stocktons, and the Ogdens inter
married
The day was declining-the breeze in its glee
Had left the fair blossoms to sing on the sea,
AS the sun in its gorgeousness. radiant and still,
Dropped down Ikea gem from the brow of the HILL
One tremulous star in the glory of June
Came out with a smile and sat down by the moon,
AS she graced her blue throne with the pride of a
queen,
The smiles of her loneliness gladdened the scene
The scene was enchanting in distance away
Rolled the foam crested waves of the Chesapeake
bay,
While bathing in moonlight the village was seen
With the church in the distance that stood OH the
green,
The soft-sleeping meadows lay brightly enrolled,
With their mantels of yerdure and blossoms of gold
And the earth in her beauty, forgetting to grieve
Lay asleep in her bloom on the bosom of eve.
A light-hearted child, had wandered away
From the spot where my footsteps had gamboled
all day;
And free us birds the song of my SOUL
AS heard the wild waters exultingly roll;
While tightening my heart as l sported along
With bursts of low laughter and snatches of song
| struck in the pathway half worn DER the sod
By the feet that went up TO the worship of God
AS traced its green windings, murmur of prayer
With the hymn of the worshippers rose on the ar
And drawn by the links of its sweetness along,
I stood unobserved in the midst of the throng.
For awhile my young spirit still wandered about
With the BIRDS and the winds, that were singing
without;
But BIRDS waves and zephyrs, were quickly forgot
In one ange-like being that frightened the spot
In stature majestic. apart from the throng,
He stood in his beauty, the theme of my song
His cheek pale with feryor-the blue orbs above
Lit up with the splendors of youth and OF love-
Yet the heart-g glowing rapture that beamed from
those eyes,
Seemed saldened by sorrow and chastened by signs,
AS if the young heart in its bloom had grown cold
With its loves unrequited, its sorrows untold
Such language as his may never recal',
But his theme was INSTRUMENTATION to all
And the souls of a thousand in ecstasy hung
On the na-like sweetness that dropped from his
tongue
Not alone on the ear his wild eloquence stole;
Enforced by each gesture, it sunk to the soul.
Till it seemed that angel had frightened the SOD,
And brought TO each bosom message from God
He spoke of the Saviour--what pictures he drew
The scenes of his suferlngs rose clear on my view
The cross-the rude cross, where he suffered and
died;
The eush of bright crimson that flowed from his
side;
The cup OF his sorrows-the NORWOOD and gall;
The darkness that mantled the earth as pail;
The garland of thorns and the demon-like crews
VINO knelt as they scoffed him, Hail, King of the
Jewsr'
He spoke, aud it seemed that his statue-like form
Expanded and glowed. as his spirit grew warm;
His tone so impassioned-so melting his air,
As touched with compassion he ended in prayer
His hands clasped above him-his blue oros up
thrown,
Still pleading for sins that were never his own,
While the mouth where such sweetness inefably
chung,
Still spoke, though expression had died on his ton
que.
o God what emotions the speaker awoke
mortal he seemed-yet Deity spoke;
A man-yet so far from humanity riven;
On earth-yet so closely connected with heaven!
How oft in my fancy I've pictured him there
As he stood in that triumph of passion and prayer,
With his ewes closed in rapture-their transient
eclipse
Made bright by the smiles that illumined his lips
There's charm in deivery-a magical art
That thrills like kiss, from the lip to the heart
TITS the glance-the expression-the well-chosen
word,
By whose magic the depths of the spirit stirred
The smile-the mute gesture-the soul-startiing
pause,
The eyes sweet expression, that melts while 1t
awes-
The lips soft persuasion, its musical tone;
o such was the charm of that eloquent one
The time is long past-y ct how clearly defined
That bay, church. and village, foatup on my mind;
1 see amid azure the moon in her PRIDE
With the sweet little trembler that sat by her side
hear the blue waves, as she wanders along,
Leap in their gadness and sing her song,
And tread in the pathway half worn DER the sod
By the feet that went up to the worship of God
The time is long past-yet what visions see!
The past the dim past is the present to me-
am standing once more mid that heart-stricken
throng.
vision floats up-'tis the theme of my song
All glorious and bright II spirit of air.
The light, like a halo encircling his hair,
AS catch the same accents of sweetness and love.
He whispers of Jesus, and points us above.
How sweet to my heart is the picture have traced!
Its chain of bright fancies seems almost eflhced,
Till Memory the fond one that sits in the soul.
Took up the frai links, and collected the whole
AS the dew to the blossom-the bud to the bee
AS the scent to the those memories to me.
Round the cords of my heart they have tremblingly
chung,
And the echo it gives is the song have sung.