The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-18
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| livered from the pulpit. are called sermon tasters."
 Now, l have had quite a bit of ex- perience in sitting under some of the worlds famous divines, but at pres ent l am not going to qualify as sermon taster," but will make claim to being a real, sure-enough expert l Commencement rounder." for in my days I have sat through many clos ing exercises in the collegiate world.
 There are commencement orators of every shade and hue of thought, of every manner and method of de- livery, but I haven't time or space to either catalogue them here or make an analysis of their varying style or length or brevity, as it would take big book to do them justice.
 l am familiar with the tribe, for l am one of them. Each year 1 am called upon to deliver quite a few commencement sermons and bacca- laureate addresses. l know of only one preacher in the state who pushes me in the number delivered, and that Is my good friend, Dr. George Lang, who has no pastorate, but is the spir- itual wet nurse" at the University of Alabama.
 not only take part in the com m e nar tS hut x.-ba T chance to preach or talk l sit with pen in hand to write them up, and therefore l am not flattering myself unduly when I claim to be an expert monic material and literary output which each year flows from the va rious seats of learning within the Bounds of this good old common wealth.
 Let no man think it is an easy mat ter to preach a commencement ser mon or deliver a baccalaureate ad- dress, for those who have tried both realize that it is an acid test of ones ability as a preacher and as a speak CT. I do not know just wherein the difficulty is to be located, but there is something in the very atmosphere which becomes either an inspiration or a wet blanket and there is no way to test it out until one faces the audience.
 It is really hard thing to find a subject which is not hackneyed, and still harder to present it with fresh ness. Only professionals are con scious of the great part which the audience plays in making a sermon, address or play success. There Is subtle something which is too elu sive to bear description, and yet as real to every pulpiteer, platform man or actor as the Rock of Gibraltar is to the passing sailor. If the crowd pulls with him the sailing is easy, but if there is ground swell, watch l out for the rocks.
 I have often heard Auditors com plain because some speakers have given what they think too much time in the opening to telling stories in- stead of going straight ahead with tt cir message. It is but the attempt | of the speaker to create between | himself and his hearers some kind l of an understanding, for until the contact is made the orator is con soious that he is, to phrase it, i speaking against brick wall which | is but way of admitting failure.
 
 Take so great preacher as Dwight L. Moody. with all his repu tation as successful worldwide | evangelist, and in spite of the fact ! that his meetings were held in cities | which had been prepared for his com i ing for weeks. and the people were | all keyed up about the services, yet | particularly at his night services, | when the drive was to be made for | penitents to come out and confess | Christ, he would never begin his ser mon until Sankey had gotten the | audience mellow and ready for it. through the song service.
 It is just the lack of such prepara ton that makes commencement oc- casions real test of a mans ability | to win his hearers. There has been no warming up. The selection of the orchestra, while pleasing as music, | gives no pitch for the message. The | speeches of the salutatorian and the | valedictorian in most cases are per functory affairs, and without warm ing power on the audience Every | one is dressed up and the orator arises to speak on "cold collar" so far as he is concerned and to re- spectful but refrigerated audience.
 
 1 am setting out these facts for, the benefit of the trade of commence ment performers who each year have | to stand the strain of the closing ex- ercises in the schools and colleges i throughout the land in the hope that | those who sit under them will give ! them glad hand and make their task easier | caoalElMMA1apstxu
 
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