Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-05-13
Calnnage
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaee, d. d.

sermon the preacher. while appreciat-
ing ut their true value the higher
flights Of oratory and the famous tri-
umphs Of great speakers. shows how
even the humblest may be effective in
the eloquence of Christian conversa-
ton and example. The text is John
vii. ~. "Never man spake like this
man"
What is true oratory? Mere conjura-
ton. bewitchery. enchantment. mysti-
ism, a mere transitory magic spell
with which a great public speaker is
able TO hypnotic an audience for an
evening or for a night alone? Is 1t a
few poetic garlands made up of pretty
wax flowers which never grew in u
garden. which never caught the in
cense laden breath OF the soil. which
cannot stand the light OF the day and
which. like the moon flowers. melt
away as soon as the morning sun has
touched their painted cheeks? Is 1t a
mere galyanic shock which can make
while and even lift hand or shake a
head and yet a current which can new
er bring the dead body back to life?
Is II mere magnetic needle which
will mOmentarily move an iron heart,
as many magnetic needles can make
heads for few seconds and then fall
back cold. motionless screws and nails
as soon as their lifting touch is taken
away! oh. no: true oratory is more
than that.
True Oratory Is one of the most po-
tent gifts. II not the most potent gift,
with which God has endowed man. 1t is
mighty for good or mighty for evil. It
Is social factor which creates and
molds and upbuilds or it is social
factor which undermines and destroys
and wrecks. If 1t were possible for
me to believe in the doctrine of the
transmigration of souls, then l would
believe in this doctrine I'm reference
to oratory. With mere words a skill
full orator can have his spirit incar-
mated In the minds and the hearts Of
his hearers. With mere words not
only can the true orator compel his
fellow countrymen to think as he
thinks. but to do as he would have
them do and as he himself wants to
do.
The gift Of true oratory Is second In
power to no other human gift. An
t..ty
Andrew Fletcher. the great English
dramatist and poet, once said, Il be-
lieve IL n man We're permitted to make
all the ballads of country he need
not care who should make its laws"
A true orator has all the power OF
the sweet singer of the fields. He has
more than that. In his own realm he
has the power of personal touch. He
has the influence of the flashing eye.
Of the quivering lip. Of the power which
comes from a soul on fire. which reach
es forth and as whirlwind drives OPP
position before him or consumes them
as In a mighty confiagration. If the
pen be mightier than the sword, then
the orators scepter is greater than
that of the warriors or the writer's.
The Demosthenean tongue compelled
mems ears 20 hear what his pen could
not compel his auditors eyes to read.
Great is the eloquent tongue of silver
speech.
Beecher's Services as Orator.
Great il not the greatest of all gifts
with which God has endowed man is
oratory. Who but one like Henry
Ward Beecher could have conquered
England during the dark days of 1863
Then the British factories had their
cotton supply cut off by northern ships
blockading the southern ports. British
capitalists were calling out. 1.-The
American war must stop or British
employees must starve and the British
merchants will have no goods to sell"
Not only that, but the peerage or the
landowners almost to a man hated our
republican form of government. They
believed the American congress was a
perpetual menace to British interests.
Beecher accomplished with his tongue
what an invading army of 100000
men could not have accomplished with
bayonets. Alone he faced audience aft
er audience. bitter In their hatred to-
ward him and his people. lie faced
enemies. He left friends. He faced
his country's censors. He left behind
him his country's applauders. Henry
Ward Beecher won this victory for his
country by the tongue. and the tongue
alone.
Great is the power of oratory and
orators! But II it is great in the pres
ent age how much greater must II
have been I'm the times OF the ancients!
Then the modern printing press had
not yet been born. and the human mind
could only appeal to the human mind
through the influence of the human
tongue. But. though the generations
preceding Christ sat at the feet OF
some of the greatest orators who ever
lived. though Pericles and Lysias and
Lycurgus and .Eschines had won their
marvellous trlumphs in old Athens
though the mighty Roman orators had
lived and. like Marcus Tullius Cicero
had hurled their verbal thunderbolts
yet when Jesus began to speak every