New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-10-23
By j. NJ q c d omald Oxley

good counsel, the ApOStl'
lanes Although he meant his words to apply to
serious matters than mere verbal slips and stumbes
they less aprOpOs of those which often give public
speakers trouble the following incidents illustrate.
reverend and eloquent minister, the occasion
OF his entering upon new charge, IN responding to
the address of welcome warned his congregation
against awkward trick he had of getting sentences
mixed up in bewidering fashion, and proceeded to
make his meaning clear by relating some instances.
Thus, in giving out hymn he had again and again
set the congregation smiling by saying: Il will sing
the first verse, and then you will read the hymn
through without lining" OF course he meant pre-
csely the opposite But the suggestion of his starting
the singing with solo from the pulpit could fail
to appeal to the rsbilities of those who heard him.
In one of the churches where he had been pastor
woman of uncertain age whose loneliness upon
that point surpassed only by her zeal in good
works. Calling up the minister by telephone
morning she began the conversation by giving her
name. and her feelings may be imagined when the
seemingly impairment inquiry promptly came back:
ooh. yes, Miss b. How old are your?
OF still more ludcrous transpositon he was re-
minded in a way that could fail to make a per-
manent impression on his memory.
One Sunday evening after service a stranger
costed him, saying: L glad to hear you again,
Dr. ID. shall forget the first time heard YOU
Naturally the statement pleased the doctor, and
smiling he responded: Indeed? When was that?"
"Oh about five years ago in b.
YES? What my subject"
that | remember we'll -
MOI" said the Doctor in a more subdued tone.
well, you see, replied the man. chucking over the
reminiscence, you gave out the hymn which begins:
Where round about Jerusalem billy buwarks rise
and you led off this way:
. Where round about Jerusalem the bully
Then you pulled up looked confused and your lips
moved if you saying the words over to your
self Presently you started again but stuck the
second line until at last in desperation you
bravely with
The bully hil-works rise
and told the people sing the hymn through without
further reading. 1t the funniest thing | ever
in church, and whenever I'm in a place where
you're preaching like to be hand in case you
should get off something good
Now this not fattering the reverend doctor;
but he kept his counsel and in parting from the
stranger expressed the hope that he might yet be
able to obtain from his preaching something of more
permanent benefit
In concluding his experience, the preacher humor-
Ousy said: My mother must have had some Fremont
ton of how it was to be with me, for she named me
after the wisest man in human history and greatly
regret that the restraining influence of that has
not been stronger"
Seeing how constantly they are giving tongue"
takes should be credited to c1ergymen Thus it was
that small and insignificant transportation of letter
spoiled what intended to be the impressive utter
ance of a preacher who, in warning his audience
against idOlatry bade them: Bow thine eve to a
needle
In the same way the young clergyman in giving out
the hymn "COnquering Kings merely stumbled over