The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-07-05
THE TRIUMPHS
OF EL0QUENCE
From Beginning of Time No Factor
Has Been More Effeetua' Than
Power of Eioquence.
ELoouENcE & LIBERTY LINKED
Even An Eloquence in Silence Some
times More Convincing Than
That Of Words.
Triumphs of Eloquence.

and read by young lady graduate.
whose home is in Denison. 1t speaks
for itself and shows the ability of the
writer:
Mems minds and hearts are sWayed
by many different objective influences,
but from the beginning of time no fac
tor has been more effectual in con-
trolling human affairs than the con-
vincing power of eloquence. Without
it, reason and justice are not sure OF
conquering; with it, error and false
hood are too often triumphant. It may
be defined as the lofty, passionate eX'
preston of truths profoundly realized
or of emotions intensely felt; it does
not belong exclusively to any race OF
time, nor to any condition OF social
or intellectual culture. The lonely
fsherwoman who from the door OF her
cottage on the Britain coast, threat
ened with clenched hand the sea that
had engulfed her loved ones, and babe
it cease its snarling. was no less elo-
quent than Demosthenes laundering
from the Acropolis his philippics
against the Macedonian; the words of
an American savage to his foes:
white men, you are stronger than
we, but the Great Spirit will one day
punish you as you deserve" antici-
pated the thought of Patrick Henry
in his famous speech that became a
powerful force in moulding public
opinion--"There is just God who
presides over the destinies of nations .
History attests that eloquence and
liberty go hand in hand; for the true
orator possesses that Unborn gift OF
light by which he sees the future with
clearer vision than his cOntemporar
les; his motive is not that which is
easy, pleasant and profitable, but
that which honor and duty demand;
he stirs the hearts and souls of his
hearers to emotions of love or hatred,
of repentance or patriotism, and thus
they enter upon warfare, be it moral
or political. by which liberty and
peace are regained. And as we look
back through the long series of events
that have brought the world to its
present standard of enlightenment and
knowledge, we perceive that certain
eloQuence of tongue or pen character
is linked with all that is best and
noblest in life,
There is even an eloquence of
silence that is sometimes more con-
vincing than words; for what are half
the Orations and speeches of the world
but voices raised to screaming, partly
from irritation at a sense of impot-
ence, and partly to counterfeit
strength by noise? Apparent weak
ness and a quiet non-resistance both
in the physical and moral order, mark
the very strongest forces of which
we have any knowledge, and are elo-
quent in their silence. This silent
control may be called the first triumph
of eloquence. How forcefully has the
silence of our Blessed Redeemer be-
fore the Court of King Herod taught
it's sublime lessons! How eloquent
~ it has thrilled through the ages!
In studying the underlying charac-
teristics that give universally and
permanence to the worlds great mas
terpieces of oratory, we can discern
one attribute common to all; there is
a singular absence of detail. Great
principles are laid down which each
one has to work out individually; a
suggestion is spoken which opens up
vast areas of thought, and sets the
mind of the listener to devising new
theories which may lead to the dis
covery of important truths. Milton
understood we'll the value of this sug-
gestive quality. On the lips of the lost
Archangel he places three tremendous
words that open a whole world of spec
ulation and imagination. This pecul-
lar force of eloquence was known by
st. Paul. who from the very platform
of Demosthenes preached to the men
of Athens the new divine creed that
was destined to revolutionize the world.
The power to thus awaken creative
thought is one of the greatest triumphs
of eloquence, for when once a great
truth is conceived and uttered, it en-
tiers into mems minds and becomes
humanity's heritage.
Besides the silver eloquence of
speech and the golden eloquence of
silence there is. another conquering