The daily sentinel., 1902-12-15

When body of people of the intel
| ligence of those who composed the
audience at the Christian church Sat
urday night unanimously agree that
the lecture of Dewitt Miller was far
too short although he talked full
hour and three quarters, it is certain
ly complete evidence that the lecture
was a splendid success and worth
hearing.
The night was beastly one, as
such nights are looked ON in this
county, but, nevertheless. the church
was well filled by most intelligent
and appreciative audience. which
mony that they never got better
moneys worth than they did from
that lecture.
Mr.. Miller selected his own subject.
1t was thought he would talk on one
of two of his very popular lectures,
either Love. Courtship and Mar
riage.' or 1.-The Uses of Ugliness. -
Both these lectures are famous all
over the country and have been heard
by delighted thousands But Mr..
Miller believed that his last lecture,
"The Self-Sufficiency of the Repub-
lic,' would more nearly please the
majority of his hearers and for that
reason that subject was selected and
there was no one sorry of the choice.
The lecturer in his own way intro.
l. -,
not original in everything that he
does and says This is not studied
popularity for effect, hut is just as
natural to him as anything else
which he does. To many who have
had the pleasure of seeing and hear
ing IT. Dewitt Talmage. the striking
resemblance of Miller to that eminent
divine was most noticeable. He ap-
pears tall when he comes on the plat
form. If he would straighten up be-
ing slightly stopped he would mea-
sure full six feet and one or two
inches. He wears sideburns and his
dress is most unconventional. He
appeared in Prince Albert coat,
and there was no attempt to dress in
the style of the modern platform orator
is as stiff as the new bonnet coming
from the traditional band box.
| In voice as sweet and as gentle as
a woman's, the lecturer began. For a
period then of nearly two hours he
swayed his audience at his will. He
l IL.
seriously thinking of the pearls of
thought. rich. ripe pertinent to the
conditions of our common country
every hour.
1t required the strictest attention
| to follow the speaker. He talked
verv rapidly. That simile, that
| words flowed from his mouth. was
certainly most pertinent in the de-
| scription of the manner in which his
words issued without stint or hesita-
tion from his lips. His language
was dignified. rich in imagry and his
vocabulary beyond that of any other
speaker the writer has ever heard. 1t
was in fact marvellous. His word
combinations were something wonder
full and kept his audience at tension
to follow him.
He would hurl joke at his audi
ence and if it was trifle slow in
catching on. he would crack at them
with some sarcastic remark made in
the best of humor A joke would
hardly be digested and the fit of con-
vulsive laughter finished before
another joke equally as humorous
would follow in its wake.
No mere pen description could give
adequate measure to the excellence
of the lecture. 1t would be impos-
sible. 1t is questionable if even the
most expert stenographer could have
followed and taken verbatum report
of what the speaker said.
The subject was treated in man
ner which was convincing to his
hearers that this great republic was
able to and would readily meet every
responsibility laid upon it. He rap
idly reviewed the settlement of the
country. the nations which were re-
sponsible. gave a graphic account Of
their history and brought the matter
down to the time when the people