An Original Dissertation On Public Speaking.

fortify them against Popery ( happily we in this great Empire in these clays of religious toleration are now more liberal , and allow our nei ghbour to worship the Almighty in the way which he thinks best without fear of persecutionbe he JewCatholic

, , , Parsee , Mahommedan or Nonconformist ) ; but even laymen who were scholars were employed for that purpose . AVith the presentleadingto wards Infidelity and Materialism which is openly preached by men of science and unquestioned

attainments like Professors Tyndal , Darwin and Huxley , who shall say that lay-preachersmen educated iu all the mysteries of modern science , and not onl y learned in the Greek Poets—but who yet put revelation side by sideif not before reason—and who are

, more fitted perhaps than their clerical friends to cope with the master minds of science—are not needed in these days ? I say that lay-preachers are as much

required now , both inside and outside the Church , as in the clays of the good Boy-King , Edward VI . Besides lay-preachers I would have clerical preachers , men specially chosen on account of their elocutionary ability —

and who should be exempted from parochial work—for which such men are mostly unfitted . Both lay aud clerical preachers would , of course , be specially licensed by the Bishop of the Dioceseand of course would travel

, wherever their services were required , and where they would be most useful . A mongst the Roman Catholics , as doubtless you know , there are the Preaching Friars , and among the Jesuits , bodies of men carefully trained as preachers . These men

go about from place to place holding missions and creating revivals of religion ( let us hope they are lasting ) , such as the pen alone , without the tongue could never achieve .

Amongst ourselves , I have often thought , that if the sermon were made a separate service , and people were allowed to leave the Church previous to the delivery of that oft-times great affliction , manyof our clergy would preach to empty pews and benches , and so the reformation would work itself

out , for only good preachers would be listened to , and oh ! blessed thought , the poor preachers would preach no more . The fact is , preachers very often preach

over the heads of their congregation , which reminds me of a story told of Dr . Chalmers , who , after delivering a most learned discourse—some one asked an old woman who had heard the sermon , if she knew what it was about , and was met by the naive rejoinder "Wad I hae the presumption ? " Some of us are inclined to think there

was much cogency in the question proposed in one of the comic papers some time since , and especially the answer : " AVhat should a clergyman preach about ? About fifteen minutes . "

AVhilst on the subject it may not be deemed out of place to recur to the subject . of Reading as considered in relation to Public Speaking . AVe all know how frequently murdered Shakespere , Milton , Tennyson and other

unoffending poets are at our Penny Readings , and on the contrary , how many young aud graceful interpreters of those great authors have been found to instruct and amuse us at those popular entertainments , which I understand were first set

on foot by a gentleman of Ipswich , Mr . Charles Sulley , himself a talented elocutionist and splendid reader—and perhaps it would be well to introduce in your local debating society ( if you have one , and if not , why not f ) , occasional evenings to

be devoted to the reading of our great authors , when the freest criticism may be allowed in discussing the merits of the performer and the selection he has made . Nothing teaches and corrects so well as a little good-natured satire , and the young man who reads first before the members of

his college , his school fellows , his society or debating club , and undergoes the fire of their criticism , will only acquit himself the better when he ascends the public platform and reads or recites to an appreciative and often critical though probably good-natured audience .

The Bible , apart from its sacred and inspired character— -I speak with all due reverence—is the grandest reading in the world . How often is it murdered in our places of worship ! Passages which ought to rouse our indignationchill us with fear

, , melt us into tears or overcome us with awe—how are they given oftentimes , and how do they effect us ? Slovenly is a poor term to apply to the