of a speaker's discourse on his hearers. Such is the connexion between truth and virtue, that an enemy to the latter is esteemed no real friend of the former, and, therefore, insincere in its advocation; and if he openly despises his own announcements, they will not, at least as coming from him, command much respect from others. Is he a man of great powers of mind? His practical disbelief is, on that account, a greater disparagement of the truths he enforces with his tongue. Are his arguments strong, and his exhortations vehement? But they are more than neutralized by the reflection, that if he be truly in earnest, he is but the more loudly declaring his own shame, the more zealously making his own destruction sure. Hence, how well is it, that "unto the wicked, God saith, what hast thou to do, to declare my statutes? or that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth?" If such a man will speak, let him speak for falsehood, not for truth; for the father of lies, not for the Holy One. What a tendency, on the other hand, has a good name, to secure a speaker attention, and give effect to what he says? How does his pure character, his well known love and practice of moral excellence, his bright example, point the sentences of wisdom which so well befit his lips, and fasten them in men's understandings, "as nails fastened by the masters of assem blies." Pre-eminently is this so, when the speaker is a holy man of God, and the things spoken by him are the everlasting truths of the Gospel. But I need not stay to show, how fitness here, between character and vocation, gives power and efficiency and success to the latter. It is illustrated by examples in the knowledge of every one: it is what we all understand by experience.

But it is not only by having popular confidence and respect, that a speaker finds advantage from moral purity in himself. He is assisted by that purity, both in furnishing himself for his work, and in the actual discharge of it. As truth is in order to virtue, so virtue is the best lover and the most exact discerner of truth. None, indeed, but a virtuous mind can well understand truth. Hence, moral evil, in Scripture, is every where called darkness, ignorance, folly, madness; and understanding is identified with holiness. No scribe, therefore, is well instructed unto the kingdom of God, in whom the spirit of holiness, the only true spirit of illumination, does not dwell. It is not the deep-searching and far-reaching processes of natural intellect, but spirituality of purpose, and heavenliness of feeling, which attain to just views of the beauty, and excellency, and greatness of divine things. And the preacher who best understands his appropriate subjects of discourse, is he, who, while he

applies all the energies of his being in the meditation of those subjects, keeps himself in the glowing exercise of love to God, and is constantly crying out in spirit, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."

But we have seen how important is manner in public speaking. Now, a just manner, especially in preaching, is not to be acquired from teachers of elocution, who, by all their rules of art, can only give a cold negative correctness. It is the mighty workings of an inward life, that produce good action, the expression of those deep workings. These are the true parent of natural utterance and gesticulation. The preacher who comes into an assembly, with all the powers of his nature pervaded and filled by the theme on which he is to address them, and with pure and burning affection for their souls, and under a sense of a present God who sustains his mind in holy composure by the influences of the Spirit, and lifts it up above the fear of man and all selfish aims and respects-he it is, other things being equal, who best exemplifies the principles of a just elocution, and gives the truest specimen of the eloquence of manner. But it is not a knowledge of rhetorical rules; it is heavenliness of mind, and communion with God, and very holy living, in addition to fit discipline and constitutional properties; which thus furnish him for powerful action in the pulpit. Those preachers who have exerted the best sort of power in the pulpit, and in the highest degrees, were among the most virtuous and holy and spiritual of mankind.

These are what appear to me to constitute the chief elements of power in public speaking. They are not all indispensable to considerable degrees of power; nor have they all been exemplified by but very few speakers in any or every age. A speaker, exemplifying them all in a high degree, becomes the wonder of the times, and holds a prominent place in the memory, and regard, and admiration of all men. They were never exemplified perfectly by more than one individual, of whom it is written, that "never man spake like that man." He stands alone among all public speakers, shining them all out of view, as the sun does the lesser lights of heaven. But though there may be powerful speaking in the absence of some of those things which have been enumerated as essential to the highest degree of power, or where some of them exist very defec tively; and though no one may hope for absolute perfection in this great gift, more than in any thing else; yet as we ought to aspire to perfection even here, and should account ourselves bound to make progress until we attain to it; it may be useful to have as clear and vivid impressions as possible of the scale and the standard of perfection in public speaking.

I conclude with three remarks.

The faculty of speaking in public is improvable by culture. I do not suppose that all men are capable of becoming, by any culture, efficient public speakers. Some appear to want the physical elements of a speaker; and improvement is impracticable, where there is nothing to be improved. A distinction has been made, as to the way of their production, between an orator and a poet; the one it has been said is formed by art, the other is born; but the truth is, that both the orator and the poet can attain to high eminence in their respective kinds of excellence, only by the concurrence of birth and art. No man becomes a powerful speaker by mere culture, independently of native advantages; but where these advantages are not wanting, the influence of culture on public speaking is decisive, and proportionate, ordinarily, to the degree in which it is bestowed.

To what particulars attention should be directed, or how occupied, it were venturous to state without deep reflection, and much care, and specific reference to different cases and circumstances. But let any one consider the things which tend to power in speaking, and he will find that there is not one of those things in which advancement may not be hoped for by the faithful use of appropriate means.

Indeed, not only may advantages be improved, but obstacles may be overcome. One of the most eloquent tongues that ever thrilled the ear of man, was that of a stammerer, who, besides his constitutional impediment, had to encounter the disadvantages of a very neglected and imperfect education. He contended against these great difficulties. His application was unwearied, and how splendid was his success? By the use of his tongue, he rose to the highest eminence of civil power, became the glory of his country and his age, and is, at this day, the admiration of the civilized world.

The business of a successful public speaker is exceedingly laborious. This clearly follows from the view which has been taken of our subject. Power in speaking, according to that view, is not the result of mere natural animation, or natural genius, however great. A genius for eloquence gives mighty advantages to a speaker, but it does not supersede the necessity of great and continued exertion. The business of choosing, adapting, and analyzing subjects of discourse; of arranging, composing, cementing, and applying discourse itself; and of so living, and so disciplining the mind and heart, as to keep one's self in the necessary mood and tone of mind, if I may so speak, for the just enunciation and delivery of discourse--this is work to be no otherwise done by any man, than by laborious and in

defatigable application. And genius will prove hurtful, in proportion to the degree in which it is possessed, if in indolent reliance on itself, it despises application, as needed only by persons of inferior gifts. Let no one suppose that any thing will ever make it idle work to speak well in public. Occasions and circumstances may rouse the mind into mighty action, and the result may be surprising displays of eloquence, without much specific effort at preparation; but life is not made up of occa sions of extraordinary excitement. Let all persons who design to be public speakers, and to be efficient and successful ones, bid adieu to sensual indulgence, resist all temptations to mental sloth, and make a covenant with Labor, as their portion and supreme pleasure under the sun.

Finally, it seems quite obvious, from what has been said, that instruction and discipline, employed to strengthen and improve the faculty of public speaking, in candidates for the sacred office, should constitute no unimportant part of their previous education. Public speaking we justly account the chief business of men, who, by vocation, are preachers. There are, indeed, in the ministry, men of high attainments, great force of character, and extensive usefulness, who, in their own persons, do comparatively little, by means of public speaking; but let not the examples of these men, however illustrious, on some accounts, lead us to a mis-judgment, or abate our sense of the paramount excellence, dignity, and influence, of the more appropriate work of the ministers of Jesus Christ. That work, if Scripture has not misled us, is unquestionably public speaking. This, as I have before said, is the grand means appointed by God, for the maintenance and advancement of his glorious cause in this world. And there is wisdom in the appointment. Speech is one of the noblest of human gifts-an engine of greater power than any other which mortals have ever exercised.

Is this gift improvable by culture? The small share of attention which is usually given to it, leaves room, it should seem, for the raising of this question, but the true answer to it is, no human faculty is more improvable. The conclusion is irresistible, that no faculty should be more assiduously and perseveringly cultivated in candidates for the ministry. Time, treasure, ease, all earthly delights, should be counted by them nothing, as the price of their learning to speak in an efficient and successful manner.

I feel, my respected friends, GUARDIANS AND PROFESSORS OF THIS SACRED INSTITUTION, that it becomes me to say these things tremblingly on the present occasion. The department

which I have been called to occupy here, I deem, as my remarks imply, of great importance. I am wholly inexperienced in the business of it, and, while I attempt to teach, must myself be a learner. I cannot, of course, boldly commit myself, in this untried sort of labor, without either a measure of self-confidence which would promise unhappy results; or an humble reliance on the gracious presence and assistance of God. With such reliance, if I am not deceived, I have ventured to engage in the important work which has been assigned to me in this place.

I know, my revered friends, that I shall greatly need your indulgence. But you do not forget, either, that I am a frail and sinful man; or what my manner of life, and my engrossing concern in other work, have heretofore been. You will, of course, regard me as a learner; and if you see me willing and industrious to learn, I cannot doubt, but that you will bear with many imperfections, and wait for progress, and encourage endeavor, and for Zion's sake and this Institution's sake, make affectionate mention of me at the throne of heavenly mercy.

MY YOUNGER BRETHREN, whose pursuits in this province of sacred learning I am to endeavor to assist, let me earnestly solicit of you, also, a constant remembrance of me in prayer. I wish you to bear it in mind, that I am entering on an untried sphere of effort, and that if I render you valuable assistance, it must be by means of an application of mind and heart, on my part, not less diligent than will be needful on yours. I am, in respect to self-indulgence, to have no advantage I want none-over you. I am rejoiced, not distressed, at the recollection that necessity is laid upon me to make vigorous exertion. Pray for me, dear brethren, that my strength may not fail, and that I may have no confidence in an arm of flesh.

Meanwhile, forget not that prayer and labor are your sole means of success. You have an object in view which deserves exertion, and which also demands it. Whatever facilities you may have for acquiring the ability to speak with power, you cannot reasonably hope to acquire it, without much and continued application. Such application you will not, you cannot withhold, if you keep two things in mind; that the tongue of man is his chief engine of power; and that you are to exercise your tongues for no earthly purposes, but for objects as far above the greatest things of earth, as the soul is more important than the body; the bliss of eternity than that of a moment; or the glory of God than the meanest sensual gratification.