The daily sentinel., 1903-11-16
The Lecture.


was the subject of Dewitt Miller's
lecture at the Park Saturday night
Notwithstanding the night was one
upon which it is rare that an audience
can be secured. it being the last busi-
ness night of the week. the Park was
crowded with splendid audience,
Mr.. Miller having won his way TO a
high deere9 of popularity by his lec-
ture last year as a member of the Ly.
ceum course. At that time he deliv-
cred probably his greatest lecture
1.-The Self Sufficiency of the Repub-
lie" " The theme being national
one it reached the hearts of every body
and his lecture at that time was con-
sidered the best in the course of lee
lures and entertainments. Therefore
there was great desire to hear him
again ON subject that was less pa
triotic but is considered throughout
the country as masterpiece in public
address.
If there was a single one that was
disappointed it was not made appar-
eut, as Mr. Miller was frequently in
terrupted by applause and frequently
he would have been given applause,
had he been like most lecturers. lead
up to climax and then await the ap-
plause it was expected would come.
Mr.. Miller is such rapid speaker,
his wit so incisive that he gives little
or no opportunity for an audience to
applaud anything which is striking.
The fact is. that the mind of
person must be constantly ON the
alert to catch all the great and good
things constantly flowing from the
lips of the distinguished speaker.
Love, Court ship and Matrimonie is
subject from which the lecturer
found much to say. Much that was
good and wholesome. 1t would be an
impossibility to follow the Thought
of the lecturer through his subject.
He gave numerous ridiculous. pathet-
ic, humorous examples of the charac-
ter of love. i5s attack upon persons.
from mother love to the love that
overshadows all. the love of good
woman for the man of her choice. He
took opportunity to give bachelors a
hard dig and at the same time elevat-
ed the maiden who had not succumbed
have had to keep, upon pedestal.
For the woman who earned her own
living and refused anything that came
along. simply because it was named
man and wore pants was high type.
He gave numerous examples, told
stories that were irresistibly funny.
convulsing the audience with laugh
ter. So quickly did these sallies of
wit follow each other that it was nee
essary to maintain broad and expan-
sive smile all the time, the speaker
was on the platform.
But aside from the measures of
wit. the torrent of anecdote illustra-
tive of the point the speaker desired
to make there was vein of thought
and high character teaching follow
ing through the lecture, which at all
times was most apparent and from the
thread of which Mr.. Miller digressed
little. There were enough things to
take home and ponder upon, in the
duties of life. amply sufficient for a
half dozen lectures. He rose at times
to splendid thought, carried away by
the emotions brought up through a re-
view of the character of the home
life, which carried the audience by
storm.
Mr.. Miller is at all times earnest.
never foolish. He is man of such
forceful character and intellect that
his personality is thrown into every
feature of his face and movement of
his body. Such fund of informtion
is possessed by few men on tho public
platform and as lady remarkd to the
writer at the conclusion of the lec-
ture Saturday night, there was left
clean taste in the mouth Mothers
were better for having heard him,
fathers were prouder of being tender
to mothers and wives, lovers felt that
they should strive to be what women
and higher power intended them to
be in cleanliness and purity of person
and character. as they offered them
selves to the women of their choice.
He gave his dictum that love could
not be foolish, albeit many attempted
to proclaim it such.
The lec.ure was masterpiece. 1t
was helpful. those who heard it are
better men and women for having
heard it. There were many who per-
haps would have preferred to have
heard Mr.. Miller ON a national sub
iect. as he doubtless rises to greater
heinhts of oratorY in snch Lectures