| Show simplicity IN PUBLIC SPEECH THE lively and pointed correspondence of annius bunius Jn in relation to the stlouis St Louls convention is as is usual with his contributions plethoric with profitable suggestions in this respect his allusions to the quality of the speeches may be reflected upon with profit those delivered by P F A collins and daniel dougherty Doug berty are described as models while those of some of the other delegates are alluded to with some degree of contempt the cause of the preference was the existence of two eie elements ments of power in selenah speech directness and simplicity there bar e was no straining for effect clearness being the leading consideration junius is anthis on this subject in unison with a growing spirit ot of the times a tide haying having set in against highfalutin in public utterances written or spoken this is a community of preachers the genius of the body religious being such as to create the latter in unusual numbers the high duty devolves upon the church to flood the world with truth the most direct route to the attainment of that object is the most profitable because it admits of the largest amount of work being done in the briefest practicable time the dearest clearest and simplest methods of presenting it must be the most satisfactory it enables truth to reach with the least impediment the understanding and the heart delivered in simplicity by the power of the spirit of truth it reaches hes its mark with the precision I 1 n atvea aeed of a well directed bullet from a earm in good repair when truth is clothed in elaborate habiliments the comprehension and affection of uie the hearer are deprived of their legitimate part by the temptation to gaze with mazy admiration at the intricate and fine spun garments thus the effect of truth is diminished by its being partially arti ally obscured from immediate afew afew the area of the comprehension of truth should not be narrowed down or limited by the manner in which it is presented the simpler process of expressing it insures the largest practicable receptacle while there are many capable of understanding correct principles when tendered in high sounding phrases of speech there are greater numbers who are incapable of grasping it in that form of presentation from this standpoint the duty of a public teacher is clear on the principle of doing the greatest good to the largest number this is of singular force in its application to the preacher of the gospel condensation combined with simplicity is a growing 0 wing demand of the age in speaking J ag to and writing for the public and we should say that our young men in going into the world to make the gospel proclamation should aim at presenting the message of which they are the bearers in the simplest eat and most effective manner I 1 to them when rhetorical figures are used they should be of that character that will enable the auditor the more readily to comprehend the central thought conveyed in this respect the saviors utterances have never been approached while his sermon on the mount to is a paramount model of condensa condensation tionA there was with him no effort to produce an effect on the minds of those to whom he s spoke oke that he was a great orator we he was essentially a teacher of truth the very simplicity of his utterances constituted their chief beauty and was in them an element of power it is an essential aim to steak speak correctly but not diff diffusively alively the he latter feature should be guarded against agai that the facts en enunciated may not be so en shrouded in words wards and metaphor as to require an unusual effort to discover them the genuine orator is he be who stirs the intellect and the heart to the tee highest degree of activity to produce this effect both must be subjected to a direct appeal A simple earnest intelligent tell igent presentation of truth constitutes the means |
