Mexico weekly ledger., 1905-08-17
Three Great Preachers, Kavanaugh,
Marvin and Caples.

OOhANANAN0 H@
Marvin and Caples we're native Mis-
sourians and pulpit orators OF the
highest order. They had their res
pectiye admirers, and it was often In
dispute which was the greater Of the
two.
At this conference the contention
was sharp, and the friends OF each
great preacher we're almost ready 70
bet on their man. The two men were IN
marked contrast in many respects, in
physique, as well as in style of thought
and speech. Each was great In his
way. Caples was a physical giant,
ponderous in thought, and delivery,
but OF an implusive temperament
that rendered him uncertain OF sue
cess at times.
Marvin was OF rather frail physical
structure, tall and slender, and OF a
temperament that gave him complete
self control in thought and speech,
He was a close student, a careful ser
monlzer, aud rarely eve failed to
preach a great sermon. On this occa-
sion Caples was put up first, early in
the conference, and from some un-
known cause, was not at himself,
got badly 10 the brush, and made a
complete failure, much to the ehagrln
and modification Of his friends. Mar
vim following the next evening, ana
was at his best. Clear and logical In
thought, chaste and beautiful in Ian
guage, melodlous In voice, and a grace
fulness Of manne and gesture that
captured and charmed the great aud
fence who we're listening in wrapt
attention. The Marvin men, OF course
we're happy, and jubilant, and the
Caples men down in the mouth, and
most OF them disposed to give up the
contest. A determined few OF them
however rallied, got around the COM
mittee and prevailed on them to give
Caples another trial. This time Ca
pies was himself again, and like al
strong eagle, preliminary to flight
slowly Tapping his wings,and making a
few small circles to try their strength,
he scared away into m~id-heaven, and
with untiring wing, for more than an
hour, SUSTAINED himself In that
empyreal region, with an energy in
v~lgorated, rather than weakened oy
the effort" The shout of victory was
now on the side OF the Caples men.
But by impartial, and unpreludiced
men, it was decided to be a drawn con-
test, with neither party entitled to
the prize of victory; and to this day it
is a disputed point as to who was the
greatest preacher Enoch Marvin, or
William Caples. 1t is impossible tol
compare two such men; you could
only judge them by contrast.
As great as were both these men,
and as great as were both these ser
mons, after the sermon on Sunday at
the same conference, little was said
about their sermons, The sermon Of
Bishop Kavanaugh on that occasion
was the highest possible reach Of pull
pit oratory. 1t could not be reported
or adequately, described. 1t was a
composite reproduction Of the sermons
of Marvin and Caples, but reaching
beyond both of them in the peculiar
and excelling features of each, beauty
and strength.
With the eagle, or engine strength
of Caples, with slow and ponderous
stroke he moved magestically along
carrying everything before him, until
he reached a point that resembled
rather a mighty mountain torrent,
rushing headlong, roaring and dashing
to pieces every obstruction. Then
with a voice as clear as a silver bell,
and a name and attitude as grace
full as Marvin, he became the gently
flowing stream, gradually swelling
into the mighty river that lost itself
in the ocean Of Gods love. Or taking
wing again, this time a S the sweet
singing skylark, in ever widening cir
Giles, singing, as he rose, up, up, to the
skies till clear out Of sight, the sweet
strains came warbling back to the
earth as the singer seemed to be pass
ing through the pearly gates of Heav-
en-. Witnessed from the gallery Of
that packed church that day vas a
scene that can never be erased from
memory, a privilege and experience
that can be enjoyed but once in a life
time. 1t is doubtful, when at his
best, as he was on this occasion, II any
man in America eve surpassed II. H..
Kavanaugh IN pulpit oratory. No
such results are witnessed in modern
times. Men we're swayed as by a
mighty tempest, and many Of the
preachers were on their feet in excite
ment.
The picture OF I'll. A. Bourland, then
a young man just through college,
stands out prominent on memory's
tablet. He was climbing the pulpit
steps to get hold Of the Bishop, and
an old preacher was trying to pull him
down by the coat tall About all that
Bro. Bourland remembers Of that SER
mon is the text.
No utterance from human lips could
surpass the thrilling effect Of some Of
the imprisoned sentences, that he
threw of in these inspired moments.
The greatest thoughts, he said, that
ever came to him, came in the act Of
preaching. 1t was worth a trip Of a
hundred miles, any time, simply TO
hear his shout Of "hallelujah.n With
low 1eshy form, feet firmly set, both
arms extended to full length towards
the floor he would gradually bring
them In graceful curve till his hands
touched each other over his head, the
sllyery tones OF his voice meanwhile
seeming to vlbrate In every fiber as IL
electrified and then with a counter
sweep Of bis arms to their full of hori-
zontal length, the electrified halle
lujah!" would seem TO leap from his
finger tips and go ringing and echoing
I