The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-05-25
I Write of a Great Native Pulpit
Orator
Orator
By DIR. T. B. KINGSBTRY.

poetry, although presented III IL 1923
pictorial garb of prose, but such prose.
In his most felicitous and absolutely
fascinating inspiration, when he gave
ont his l~oftiest conceptions in the most
exquisite English you listened enraV-
ished. In his greatest efforts OF the
imagination he gave free rein TO ms
cOuriers as they swept the heavens OF
invention.
I have thought or claimed | list
ened to the rarest tones as he pre-
scented to his enthralled hearers the
most wonderful descriptions, surpass-
ing ! thought those of any other
speaker had ever heard, that he was
never equalled by more than one
speaker I was ever SO fOrtunate as
to hear. He delighted in describing
the rest of Heaven, n the beatltudes
of the redeemed in glory. He some
times by way of contrast, presented
a fearful picture Of a lost SOUL, put
his heart was tender and sympathetic,
and his magination was too refined
and gentle, to delight in such heart
narrowing scenes. He loved the sun
light and the flowers, and his eye was
ever having provisions Of the heavenly
home, with it's jasper paVementS ana
crystal streams and eternal sympO-
MES.
His English was really quite mar
velOus-pure, simple, correct, leX1ble
graceful, elegant. Without the bene-
fits Of higher education, and with only
a moderate familiarity with q few Of
the best writer's of his language, he
spoke perhaps the best English OF n
man of his day in our favored South
land. Said the able and accom-
plished editor of the New York Chris
tan Age" one to this writer, DO
you know who is master Of the best
English I ave known on two CONT
ents." A negative being given, DR..
Deems continues: 1T is Thomas q.
Lowe, the only man l have ever known
who never Numbered in the pulpit, nor
ever in the arclessness of familiar
talk
His taste was generally fine. He
rarely offended the severest taste by
either the elegance and grandeur of
his descriptions, or the affluence Of his
diction when his theme required the
bOldest treatment. He was highly
gifted, and he devoted the
of his rich and brilliant imagination
to the service Of his Redeemer, lend
ing all the charms Of beauty to set
forth the sanctity Of TRUTH" but with
out Asiatic opulence of ornament OF
the excessive gardens of quotation"
that often was the otherwise exqui
site productions of the English Crusos-
tone-Bishop Jeremy Taylor, other
wise the most richly, profusely furn-
ished of all Bishop divines who some
times ran riot in sweet metaphors"
and yet was most original. Possibly
a severe critical judgment might
pronounce that there was an
excess Of Ornament-tOo many
sweet metaphors-even too much
splendor Of language; tina the
garment had too much of frinaing Of
geld and Was too bright vita excess
of light. And yet one could defy yau
to point to a misapplied word, to find
one flaw, an adjective too many. or to
detect a figure of speech not admira-
ply chosen. Doubtless you would be
swift as you were probably never be-
fore in all Your hearing upon the very
flood Of descriptions, doubtless you
would hear passages perhaps of Won
drous splendor and beauty; doubtless
you would hear metaphors as striking
as those Of parts presented in the mos
winsome and luscious garniture of
words; doubtless you would drink
such strains Of heavenly ~eloquence as
o never heard before, compelling
f~orgetfulness. Of self and the world
around yOu being conscious that you
We're under the control Of a mighty
orator whose lamentations charmed
and fascinated you, bringing to your
ears the alleluiahs and triumphant
choruses Of Heaven as they were ac-
companied by the richly sounding
harpS of gold.
That Thomas G. Lowe was the great
est natural orator ever born in North
oarOllna am much inclined
to believe I hin Of him in the
sense that Patrick Henry is cele-
as the foremost natural orator
Of Virginia. ] Know it is claiming
little to assert that Lowe was first
IN the ranks of natural orators for
State is by no means barren in !
TINS particular. Among its gifted
speakers OF the past have been such !
very able men as Thomas Hart Bur
ton, William CASTOR, George e.
Badger, T.. B.. Vance, George Davis,
Daniel l.. Fowle and others among
lawyers, and among preachers have