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there is no subject on which its advocates, proportionately to their learning, ability, and room for effect, do actually exert so little influence.

2. One of the remarkable characteristics of the Bible, is its extreme silence in relation to small or unimportant things. No matter how warmly men were attached to the trifles of those ages in which the scriptures were written, the sacred pages scarcely allude to them. And as we are accustomed to appeal to the "law and testimony," for authority in all important religious concerns, it may be well to reflect, that the Holy Spirit, who moved the sacred writers to record for us only the things of importance, has not passed the subject of elocution in silence. So far from this, several important specimens of the manner in which the prophets, apostles, and the blessed Savior spoke to men suited to different circumstances and occasions, are given for our instruction and improvement. How then can a

minister of the gospel excuse himself, in neglecting to search the scriptures for the purpose of understanding and reducing to practice the unerring principles which the great God has taught with regard to the manner of delivering his truth?

3. Moses, though free from the vanity of ostentation, considered the fact of his being 'slow of speech,' a sufficient fault to exclude him from the office of a public speaker ; and though the Lord reproved his unbelief in supposing that He who sent him would not either remove or counter. balance this defect, yet he seems to have approved of Moses' opinion that slowness of speech was a serious fault, by saying to him : "Aaron, I know can speak well, and he shall be thy spokesman, and he shall be to thee instead of a mouth." The Holy Ghost on a certain occasion, also gave particular directions to Isaiah in relation to the compass of fullness of his voice, saying: "Cry aloud, spare not, life up thy voice like a trumpet." Again he said to Ezekiel: "Cry and howl, smite with thy hand, and stamp ́ with thy foot."

4. When David was pressed down with sorrow, instead of praying to God to attend to his supplications, he besought him to attend to the VOICE of his supplications;

as though the pressure of grief had so changed the char. acter of his tones, that their peculiar plaintive expressions would tell more of the fervency of his petitions, than his language possibly could. The prophet Jeremiah, while speaking of the invasion of Egypt by the Chaldeans, said: "The voice of Egypt should go forth like a serpent;" by which we are taught that the guilt and confusion of Egypt, were such that they would not have the boldness to use pure speech, but would make a kind of muttering which would approach the hissing of a serpent. This teaches us, that if one would successfully persuade men, he should not mumble his words as though the cause was wrapped up in confusion, but he should speak plainly.

5. Again, the prophet speaks of the voice of those Jews, who escaped from Babylonian captivity, as though, when they gave thanks to God, their animation and joy were exhibited in some peculiar tones of speech. Among several very severe complaints which God made against Israel in the 23d chapter of Ezekiel, one was, that "The voice of a multitude at ease was in her." If this means an indif. ferent, unanimated, formal manner, then God accounted the declaration of his truth in this style, a crime, and reproves it in the same sentence that he does idolatry. In the book of Daniel, the peculiar tones of prince Darius, when he came to the lion's den, are noticed in this passage: "And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice," &c. Jonah said he would "sacrifice with a voice of thanksgiving."

6. From these and many other passages, it is evident that the inspired writers gave particular attention to the variations in the tones of the human voice, and distinctly noticed such as conveyed ideas of innocence and guilt, joy and sorrow, zeal and stupidity, thankfulness and ingratitude.

7. Nor is the New Testament silent with regard to the manner in which He addressed men, "who spake as never man spake." In a number of instances, it is written of him, that he " lifted up his voice and cried aloud." And when he met vast multitudes in a mountain, it is said that "he opened his mouth and taught them." Though this expression has been ridiculed by unlearned infidels, it is

perfectly understood and approved by the critical elocutionist. The eloquent Whitfield, in a sermon which he preached in this country, remarked that there had lately been a great stir in one of the chaples of England, under the preaching of a certain bishop: but, said he, it was not on account of the power of his preaching, but because he spoke so low that the people could not hear what he said, and the stir was a movement toward the pulpit, in order to understand what was spoken. Said Whitfield: "He did not open his mouth."

8. But it must be acknowledged that we are very liable to mistake the meaning of these and similar scriptures. Truth is not to be attained on any subject, without labor and diligent search. Even the inspired prophets who wrote of the coming of Christ, had to search to ascertain what or what manner of time the spirit which was in them did testify, that Christ should come. And for want of similar precaution and examination, many of the principles of the Bible have been misapplied. Among others, the directions and examples in relation to the management of the voice in public speaking, have been misunderstood. Some, in their mistaken zeal, have accustomed themselves to speaking on so high a key, without due attention to the demands of nature, as to ruin their health, and atone for their mistake by a premature death. Others, in view of this error, have inclined to the opposite extreme, and adopted so low, dull, and unanimated style of delivery, as to render the truths they declare, perfectly powerless.

9. Nothing is more certain, than that the effect of an address depends generally as much upon the manner as upon the matter. However good the ideas may be, unless the manner of presenting them is true to nature, judicious and unaffected, it is not in the power of human nature to avoid feeling such a suspicion of deception, as shall prevent the natural response of the heart. A little reflection must convince every intelligent person, that a continued loud tone of voice was not the elocution of the inspired ancients; for such a method of speaking is contrary to nature, ruinous to health, and generally painful to the hear ers, having a tendency to awaken such sympathies on the

one hand, or disgust on the other, as must divert the attention from the design of the discourse. Those who adopt a low, monotonous, formal method of delivery, are equally guilty of disregarding the instructions of nature and the Bible.

10. Hence it is highly necessary, that public speakers who would be useful and successful in persuading men, should understand the management of the human voice, and make elocution as much a subject of study, as any other science. The idea that the Holy Ghost will teach spir. itual ministers how to manage their voices, has as little foundation in truth as has the idea that he will teach us any thing else, in order to save us the drudgery of study.

11. When Paul told the Corinthians that he came not to them with excellency of speech, declaring unto them the counsel of God, he does not mean that he did not address them with "words filty spoken," nor with truly excellent speech; but simply, that he did not move upon their passions and blind their eyes by those figures and arts of oratory, which among the Greeks and Romans, often pleased the imagination, while the judgment was unin. formed, and the heart untouched. If, by eloquence, is meant the art of persuading, it is certainly an art which every minister of the gospel should cultivate in the best possible manner.

12. The Greeks and Romans paid great attention to this branch of science, and this merely to obtain the glory of posthumous fame. Demosthenes is said to have paid his teacher the sum of $3,000 just for instruction in the art of elocution. And to overcome his impediments, cultivate his voice, and strengthen his powers of articulation, he would speak with pebbles in his mouth, on a high key, in solitary places, amid the roaring of the waves of the

sea.

13. It is perfectly astonishing to the careful observer, to notice the extent of improvement of which our capabili ties are susceptible. All our faculties and powers both of body and mind, may be increased by cultivation almost be yond limits. For example, a preacher who has so feeble a voice that he can never make a large assembly under.

stand him, and can hardly preach three sermons in a week, may, by suitable and persevering practice, so cultivate his powers of speech, as to create a voice almost entirely new, by which he would be able to preach daily with perfect ease. This may seem incredible, but it has been practically proved in numerous instances.-D. Marks.

This excellent article on the "Elocution of Divinely Inspired Speakers," was written by Elder David Marks, one of the editors of the Morning Star."

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PATIENCE, UNDER PROVOCATIONS, OUR INTEREST, AS WELL AS DUTY.

1. The wide circle of human society, is diversified by an endless variety of characters, dispositions, and passions. Uniformity is in no respect, the genius of the world. Every man is marked by some peculiarity, which distinguishes him from another; and no where can two individuals be found who are exactly, and in all respects, alike. Where so much diversity obtains, it cannot but happen, that in the intercourse which men are obliged to maintain, their tempers will often be ill adjusted to that intercourse; will jar, and interfere with each other.

2. Hence, in every station, the highest as well as the lowest, and in every condition of life, public, private, and domestic, occasions of irritation frequently arise. We are provoked, sometimes, by the folly and levity of those with whom we are connected; sometimes by their indifference or neglect, by the incivility of a friend, the haughtiness of a superior, or the insolent behavior of one in a lower station. Hardly a day passes, without somewhat or other occurring, which serves to ruffle the man of impatient spirit.

3. Of course, such a man lives in a continual storm. He knows not what it is to enjoy a train of good humor. Servants, neighbors, friends, spouse, and children, all, through the unrestrained violence of his temper, become sources of disturbance and vexation to him. In vain is

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