Milford chronicle., 1905-05-12

gospel orator not only plead to save
men for themselves, but to save men
for the sake Of the divine Fathers
forgiving love!
The Power of the Holy Spirit.
Thus, while the sublime Oratory Of
the gospel speaker may be awakened
by many different Inspirations, its
mightiest 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 intuitively felt
there was a 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 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 1 truly give
myself up to the Holy Spirit, can be-
come a great speaker and address great
audiences? Why, l have not the voice.
have not the physical strength. In
one sense have not the education. 1
could not stand before a multitude OF
people if l tried" No not that. do
not believe God will ever call you to be
a Spurgeon, a Guthrie, a Beecher or a
Mason. Not that. 1 do not believe, week
in and week out, you will be called up
on to fill an auditorium with a 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 a big scale?
The other day l was talking to an
old man who used to be a 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 sonte-
thing to say, just tell it to us as you
would If 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 truth? By
he law Of Christian oratOry you may
never be called upon to address a large
audience at once, but you can address
-wO or three hearers for Christ at the
breakfast table. You can address a
ieighbor for Christ in the street car
soing down to business, You can
peak for Christ in the prayer meeting
md in the Sunday school. You can be-
ONE an exponent Of the sublimest or
tory Of the world. the gospel oratory,
" which the Holy Spirit works in
'ou and through you in conversation.
VIII you consecrate an eloquent tongue
o the divine Master?
"Just tell it," says DR.. Mott. If you
ave anything to say for Christ by the
Ioly Spirit power, will you not just
I'll it? Ny father once told me that the
rst great orator he ever heard was
heodore Frelinghuysen Of New Jer-
ey. He was an intellectual giant-sen-
tor, chancellor of the University Of
'ew York, Whig candidate for the vice
in 1914 and president Of
utgers college. His fame was nation
and international. My father said:
Of course 1 expected to see and to
ear a perfect whirlwind of oratOry,
ut great was my surprise when Theo-
ore Frelinghuysen quietly arose in
lat New Jersey courtroom. He placed
IS foot upon the rung Of the chair.
hen he commenced to talk to the jury
a simple, earnest way, as you or
light talk in a private parlor But he j.,
on his case 1t was the finest piece Of y
liet oratory to which ever listened.
e had something to say, and he said NJ
- Yes you may not be a speaker to D
900 auditors, but you can have an au-
ence of two, three, five, ten, twelve =,
,arers. You can have as great an au- NJ
ence for Christ as Theodore Freling-