The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-06
MISUSE OF ADJECTIvES.
A Bishop Tells How Americans Use
Words of Great Length and sound.


Words of Great Length and sound.
Kansas City Star.
Bishop ID. A. Goodsell preached an elo-
quent sermon at the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Church yesterday morning from the text.
Christ in you, the hope of glory" He took
occasion to deliver a scathing rebuke to
the prevalent misuse of such adjectives as
glorious and awful" which, he said.
would destroy all appreciation of those
words when properly applied.
The Rev. Matt s. Hughes pastor of the
church, In introducing the speaker, re-
marked on the fitness of Bishop Goodsells
preaching there. He said the bishop had
helped to dedicate the church and that he
had received his first conference appoint
ment as a minister from the hands of Bish-
op Goodsell Bishop Goodsell said:
Americans have habit of using the big
gest words Of their language for the littlest
scribed dreadfully' hot when very hot
would answer as well. And awful Is APP
plind to small uses. Who has not heard
sweet and beautiful girl described as 'aw-
fully pretty"
The congregation laughed at the public
utterance of these common phrases.
1T Is not for the sake of the laugh that
say these things, but for the sake of the
lesson. The use of a steam hammer to drive
tacks Is a ridiculous contrast between the
means employed and the object to be gained.
Il saw once a man staggering on the
street. A bystander remarked. Isn't he
gloriously drunk? The word glory was ap-
piled to drunken man. II We would UNI
derstand Gods words we must rid our
selves OF these imperfect notions Of the use
of adjectives'
word glory" which had described a mag
nificent sunrise He continued:
How can we take q word like that and
drag it down to the contemplate uses of
modern life? can't see the movement Of
locomotive without calling IL glorious.
was on the Etruria on one occasion when IL
bored its way 240 miles In twenty-four hours
In the face of a mighty hurricane, and
that was glorious. / saw once locomotive
that had fallen into the Hudson river lifted
out with derrick. 1t hung from the end
was contemplate. The locomotive in the
ditch, the ship on the beach is contemplate.
Humanity wasn't made for the ditch, and
when ditched by its own pride 1t is con-
temptible. When it is pressing forward
and upward to high things 1t Is glorious"
Bishop Goodsell remarked that the ability
mark of genius He referred, as illustra-
tions, to President Lincoln and President
Cleveland, and said that no man is so
quotable as st. Paul, the author of the
epistle to the Colossians, from which the
text was taken. 1t is possible, he said to
express every phase of Christian life in
words. He explained the meaning OF the
word mystery" as used in the Bible,
| which. he said, referred to revelation of
the truth of Christ, which had long been
hidden. He reclted that history of Christ,
as given in the Bible, and in traditions
which. he said, were undoubtedly founded
on fact. He continued:
"All the words of Christ could be printed
| on four or five sheets of paper, and they
contain all the greatest thoughts that ever
| occupied the minds of men. Some of His
| deeds were so unusual as to be called mir
aculous. They were not a mere bait
| thrown out for human curiosity but to il
| lustrate His power in spiritual AFFAIRS
Bishop Goodsell spoke of heredity as an
| illustration of the phase I'm the text, Christ
| In you" He said that the inheritance of
| spiritual characteristics, tenderness and
| gentleness was the dearest form of recog-
milton. He said:
~ rejoice In the modern fashion of bringing
old furniture out of the dust of the attics.
| 1t connects our lives with the great past
| don't delight In the modern gimcracks Of
| furniture. When make the old days a
| part of our existence, We become touched
| with their ideals. and We lead larger and
| broader lives. What is necessary with us
| is that the great truths of Christ come out
| of the garrets of our minds"
Bishop Goodsell became a bishop In 1888
when only forty-seven years Of age.