The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-07-10
LAY ! ADVICE 70 PREACHERS
Oratory as it Has Been and as It
Should Be.
From Mondays Daily.

|. TAon Mouudy DdlIy.
milwaukee Evening Wisconsin,
Yesterdays meeting of the Milwaukee
Ministers association was one of un
usual interest, due to the fact that lay
, men were present by invitation to max
suggestions for increasing the infuenc
; OF the pulpit. Two lines of thought wer
developed, each of which is worthy of at
.tention. John Johnston argued that i
Is mistake for ministers to forsak
the doctrinal field, in which they posses
the advantage of special training, an,
to devote their time to the discussion o
current secular topics concerning which
they are only partially informed P
W. Drew, a member of the Grand Ave
niue M. E. church, argued in favor of tn
conventional tone in preaching, and de
cried explosive oratory. He told an anus
ing story of man who, when passing
ichurch where the preacher was praying
with such eloquent force that every wore
could be heard on the street, observed tt
a companion: "The Lord must be out o.
town."
There has been for many years 6
growing sentiment against the style Of
public speaking, in the pulpit or out of it
which puts sound in place of sense, OIL
which, when sense is not lacking, aims
at winning conviction by shouting. The
citadel of the understanding is not sue,
cessfully assaulted in that way.
Among the most effective orators who
ever fourished in Wisconsin was the late
James R. Doolittle. On of the exercises
at the recent meeting of the Phantom
, club consisted of Statement by each
member regarding the most impressive
speech he had ever heard. Dewitt Davis
who was unable to attend, sent letter
in which he said the most impressive
speech he ever listened to was made by
Senator Doolittle in the Republican ma
; tional convention which met at Chicago
ir 1864, the most striking passage in it
being, 81 believe in God, and, after Him,
in Abraham Lincoln" Senator Doolittle
had voice of low pitch, but marvellous
carrying power. He spoke deliberately
and precisely-not drawlingly-with an
effect of solemnity and absolute sincerity
which was far more influential than ora
| tory of the dynamic school.
An important step toward inspiring
conviction in the minds of an audience
has been taken by every speaker who has
succeeded in making his hearers believe
| implicitly in his sincerity. This effect is
much more readily produced, as rule,
| by speaking in low, earnest tones, than
by laundering; for the laundering is
tapt to seem theatrical and to ring hol-
; low" Moreover, the orator who hab-
titually shouts, suffers the disadvantage
of all who abuse the superlative by en-
ploying it Unfortunately instead of
reserving it for grand occasions. When
the chronic shouter arrives at passages in
his address where emphasis is required
he is at loss, for he has squandered his
Iemphasis by paying it out when it was
not needed.
Even the "barkers" for sideshows are
learning to avoid the vice of over-em-
phasis. At the last great circus which ex-
hibited in Milwaukee, the man with a
lmegaphone who sat in front of the tent
(which attracted the largest number OF
tyisitors did not shout, but said in gen
tie penetrating voice which affected each
member of the passing crowd like
a whisper intended for his private ear
81 say, have you seen Estella?"
In many student contests in oratory
of late the prizes have been borne off by
the "so-eds" instead of by the boys
Sometimes these decisions have astonish-
ed the student body, who could not un-
derstand how young man who had
mastered all the rules of defamation and
gesture as taught in the schools could be
overlooked in favor of young girl whose
method was easy, natural, straightfor-
ward and simple. If these perplexed
youngsters had heard Seth Lows address
at the West Side Turn hall during the
last Mckinley campaign, they would
probably have rated him incomparably
| inferior in oratory to their "senior
wrangler." As they improve in taste,
they will change their minds. Culture
approves of 'sfIamlet's" advice to the
Iplayers. On the stump as well as in the
pulpit, "spfead-eagelsm' has had its day.
The Mare Anthony style. of orator, "a
plain, blunt man, who only speaks right
on" will change more votes if he speaks
| ON the stump, and win more souls to
Righteousness if he labors in the pull
| pit, than the deafening ranter or the ar
tifciaI orator of any class.
As to clerical oratory, what Cooper
said holds good for all time:
In man or woman, but far most in man,
And most of all in man that ministers
And serves the altar, in my soul [ loathe
All affectation IT'S my perfect scorn;
Object of my implacable disgust.