Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1905-05-13

Thus. while the sublime oratory of
the gospel speaker may be awakened
by many different Inspirations, its
mlghtiest factor is due to the power or
the Holy Spirit himself. When Jesus
Christ stood up before the Jewish peo-
pie to speak, his hearers intuitiyely felt
there was strange, a superhuman and
a divine power about him. When the
true Christian orator arises to speak,
then also this strange influence Is felt.
The same divine influence that Christ
had over an audience you and l may
have in degree If we will only let the
Holy Spirit work in us and through us,
for Christ distinctly says that the very
works he did we may do If we will
only let the Holy Spirit live in us.
"a Christian orator." some one says
what does that mean? If truly give
myself up to the Holy Spirit, can | be-
come a great speaker and address great
audiences? Why, have not the voice.
l have not the physical strength. In
one sense l have not the education.
could not stand before multitude OF
people If / tried" No, not that l do
not believe God will ever call you to be
Spurgeon, a Guthrie, Beecher or
Mason. Not that. do not believe, week
in and week out, you will be called up
on to fill an auditorium with formal
sermon. But you can be a great orator
for Christ nevertheless. Did you ever
stop to think that public speaking Is only
public conversation on big scale?
The other day | was talking to an
old man who used to be student OF
the great DR.. Eliphalet Mott Of Union
college. One day in the oratOrial
class a student arose to speak. He
began to let out his voice in rotund
style. He dramatically lifted his arms
and twitched his eyebrows when DR..
Mott stopped him and said: MY son,
that is not oratory. If you have some
thing to say, Just tell it to us as you
would II there were only three Of US
alone in a room. Public speaking is
only public conversation on a big
scale" Don't you grasp the truthf BY
the law OF Christian oratOry you may
never be called upon to address a large
audience at once, but you can address
two or three hearers for Christ at the
breakfast table. You can address
peighbor for Christ in the street car
going down to business. You can
speak for Christ in the prayer meeting
and in the Sunday school. You can be-
come an exponent Of the sublimest or
atory of the world, the gospel oratory,
by which the Holy Spirit works In
you and through you in conversation.
VIII you consecrate an eloquent tongue
to the divine Master?
"Just tell It," says DR.. Mott II you
have anything to say for Christ by the
Holy Spirit power, will you not just
tell it? My father once told me that the
first great orator he ever heard was
Theodore Frelinghuysen of New Jer-
sey. He was an intellectual giant-sen-
ator, chancellor Of the University or
New York, Whig candidate for the Vice
presidency in 1874 and president OF
Rutgers college. His fame was nation
al and international. My father said;
"Of course | expected to see and to
hear a perfect whirlwind of oratory,
but great was my surprise when Theo-
dore Frelinghuysen quietly arose In
that New Jersey courtroom. He placed
his foot upon the rung Of the chair.
Then he commenced to talk to the jury
in a simple, earnest way, as you or
might talk in private parlor. But he
won his case. 1t was the finest piece or
quiet oratory to which / ever listened.
He had something to say, and he said
it." Yes, you may not be speaker to
5000 auditors, but you can have an au-
dience Of two three, five, ten, twelve
hearers. You can have as great an au-
dicnce for Christ as Theodore freling
huysen had in that New Jersey jury
box for his client If you have any
thing to say for Christ, will you say it,
Will you speak It for Christ by the
power of the Holy Spirit working in
you and through you in sublime gos-
pei oratory?
copyright, 1905. by Louis Klopsch.l