Wit, Humor, Reason, Rhetoric, Prose, Poetry and Story Woven into Eight Popular Lectures

ve you a kind of platform analysis, to tell you what I know about lecturing

et comparatively few persons know the history of the platform. Many have an idea that free speech, like free air, ha

sting place for boxes and barrels. A religious service was simply a routine of ritual, while such a thing as a public man addressing the masses was unknown. Sir William Pitt, one of England's greatest statesman

tol, England, George Whitefield laid the foundation of the modern platform." From Rose Hill his audiences grew until on Kensington Commons thirty thousand people tried to get within

d state, and when the platform attempted to enter the arena of politics, Parliament decided the "public clamor

icly criticise the constitution." To this the platform made reply: "From such as we the Master selected those who were to sow the seed of living bread in the wilds of Galilee." The bill passed by an overw

s by women, who desire to reach the platfor

tumbled, was picked up by circumsta

s. He failed to reach the grove on time, and I was prevailed upon to act as time-killer until his arr

other invitations to address temperance meetings, and before I knew what had happened, the platform was under my feet, calls were numerous and my life work was e

perience and very little education, but I have a very strong voice and am sure I could be heard by a large audience. I have been working in a horse-barn but am now out of a job. If I had a lecture, I think I could make a living; besides I would get to see the country. If you will

, who can no more become popular platform speakers, than could the young man, who was rea

never yet learned the art of lecturing. If you have ever

ue to life and pleasing to the eye, is the hand of an artist, why is not the tongue tha

r the use of this art. When President Cleveland wrote his Venezuela message in which he threatened war with England, the th

of Canada. The hall was packed. It seemed to me I could see frost

not acquainted with the merits of the question. I suppose, however, the message of our President is one of the arts of diplomacy. But I do know I speak the sentiment of

and Jonat

anger's wo

think of an

of nations t

and Jonath

ends, o'er

at purpose, the

rth, goodwi

and cheered until all sen

et go. This is a qualification some have not acquired. I followed a very distinguished man several yea

ut his best thoughts into a thirty-minute package. The day was, when people would sit on backless board benches

s, he halted and said: "I have a young dog at my house that is given to chewing paper. I find he has mutilated my manuscript, which is my excuse for

executation; energy means success. If you can't put

me; but when she came to her defense before the court, I realized as never before the power of speech and action. She had given one-fourth of t

e and movement of body was an appeal to the stern tribunal. In the trembling, murmuring voice that ran like a strain of sad, sweet music t

of the orator actress. Never was there a sob of the sea more mournful, than the voice of Sarah Bernhardt as she played upon the harp strings of pity; and never did words rush

e of the stage could be transferred to the pulpit greater audiences and greater rewards would follow. If you doubt this, go read the sermons of George

t address remains with me to this day and now and then I find myself reaching out after the

hen introduced there was only one inch between my shoe soles and zero, while a cold wind from a broken window

amping my feet to keep up circulation. I put all the intensity, act

me a number of times said: "I congratulate you; you get you

I was trying to keep

go on the platform every

y said: "Hold up, Charles, and let's learn how to preach. See how these women put earnestness and even eloquence into their street

orm, Fox and Burke became later on to the political platform. They saw the pl

orrupted assembly." Going back into Parliament he said: "Let's put an end to a policy that separates us from the people. Le

to that time. When he appeared in Parliament next evening a leader of the government took occasion to denounce the platform as a disturber of public peace, directing h

ed that in face of its growing popularity when Henry Hunt attempted to address an audience in a grove in England, a regiment of cavalry charged the grove. Eleven w

Bright said: "When I consider these meetings of the people, so sublime in their vastness and resol

pression of opinion, the platform is not without its hindrances; and some of these will never be cured, while babies cry, architects sacrifice acoustics to style,

ve your hat. The lady may want to see the speaker's face, and he may need the inspiration of her countenance, while you are interfering with both. "A hint to the wise is sufficient." This hint may not be in accord with the advice of Paul,

es. The flitting of a blind bat over a church audience on a summer evening,

and trained her, was asked if Nancy would ever lower that record. He replied: "Well, if the time comes that the track is just right, the atmosphere j

r of the audience, and the speaker's own mental and physical condition. Many a good s

London, when want of ventilation affected speaker and audience. Mr. Spur

ft," replied

nd I'll pay the bill to

grandstand crowded and every condition favorable, as the great trotting wonder reached the first quarter pole, some on

the opening exercises have given sufficient time for all to be present; when the text is announced and the preacher is reaching out after the attention and sympathy of his audience some one enters the door, walks nearly the full length of the aisle; then another and t

or you, but the creaking of the new boots of that brothe

Because of conditions. The great auditorium seats ten thousand, the atmosphere is invigorated by salt sea breezes; a choir

eed the most successful and satisfactory address I ever made was to an audience of one. If I c

ore than the whole audience beside; while time and again have I been helped to do m

reat audience, I was invited by the superintendent of the State Reformatory to address the inmates of the prison. At the cl

the grey walls of that prison I was reaching down to the very depths, endeavoring to lift up human beings,

uld not go to the church by way of the mansions of the rich where children, shod in satin slippers dance

ight 'mid the

e faces tha

a book whos

of woe and wa

f sorrow and

tory of blig

s further than

a sermon you

, heart and conscience, no matter whether his purpose is to convince by reasoning, convert by appe

n logic, while the orator simply starts his tongue to ru

gifted man gave as much time and thought to his famous word painting of the Chicago fire, as

, and leave words to the inspiration of the occasion." But suppose when t

bird of thought, yet as the leaf of the mulberry tree must go through the stomach of a silk-worm, before it ca

William Jennings Bryan's famous Chicago convention speech. He said: "What would a young woman think of her lover who would say 'My darling, the crown of thorns shall never be pressed

by one burst of eloquence capture the convention, secure the nomination for the presidency, and then with the press and the leaders of his party

fifteen thousand dollars, while the original mule sold for one dollar and thirty cents. If the painting of Schriner made in the price of t

Blaine at the memorial service of our martyr President Garfield. With

ld James A. Garfield was a happy man that July morning. One moment strong, erect with promi

his sun slowly sinking, the plans and purposes of his life

he center of a nation's love, and enshrin

ned. The White House palace of power became a hospital of pain

eeze, he looked wistfully out upon the changing wonders of the ocean; its far-off sails white in the morning light; its restless waves rolling shoreward

; that he heard the waves of the ebbing tide of life breaking on the far-off shore,

magnetic manner of the "Plumed Knight" of the p

id argument. In the country school I attended, there was a debating society. Parents as well as their sons were admitted to the society and the publ

represent the negative and I the affirmative. My father was a good speaker but so fond of facts he had no use for rhetoric.

woman who lived in a country home very near the schoolhouse, and was then in the audience. In closing the debate I referred to father's address in a complimentary manner, and then asked the judge to be seated in imagination on a knoll nearby. On one side of that knoll I placed all my father had claimed for art, withholding not

bout and

a blosso

there a l

nd there a

ttle nearer the heart of the judge. Opening the door art had made to shu

d in by hawthorn and hyacinth to the water's brink. Here I gave her a cushion of blue-grass, and with the rising moon pouring its shimmering sheen upon the ripples at her feet,

t of nature were dipping in the limpid stream. I said, "Judge, the question is, which is the more attractive, the works of nature or the works of art? With my father's picture of steam engines, stage coaches, reapers, binders, mowing machines and every known tri

the remark said, "Yes, a picture of a red-headed girl washing her feet in a goose branch." I may add, I wa

tform. While logic sounds the depths of thought, humor ripples its surface with laughing wavelet

fully used all the arts of the platform, from the comic that drew the very rabble of the streets, to flights of eloquence that captured college culture. It has been well said: "While Gough was a great preacher of righteousness, he was a whol

baited the platform with slang, satire and humor. Sunday afternoon an hour before time for his lecture the people were hurrying to the auditorium. When presented to the great a

sed quaint humor to draw the people, and pow

ading a "gay life." Ocean Grove with its quiet, moral atmosphere was a dull place for this young man. He happened to read the subject for the lecture on the bulletin board, and thinking it suggestive of humor he went to hear the lecture. He had what he went for, as the lecture did deal with the fountain of laughter, but it also dealt with the fountain of tears. It swung the red lantern of danger at

grew upon me. I could see how I had grieved my mother, and the past came rolling up like the waves of the ocean. I shuddered as they broke on my awakened conscience and quickened memory. Behind me was an unhallowed past, and before me the brink of an awful eternity. There and then I resolved to change

with God under the stars by the ocean deep, there to decide to le

d to use the arts that entertain I have ch

ted for humanity. Have you ever considered h

e output of entertainment. The platform now is a picture gallery where is to

with splashing of spray as real as if seen from the dock. To those who enjoy music it furnishes band conc

tainment. It has scoured field and forest, trained bi

leader of the great chautauqua movement, it cordially welcomes the priest, the Jew, the Chin

ical festival, a zoological garden, an art institute,

metimes from the platform come voices without the ring of sincerity, entertainments without uplifting influence and anecdotes without respect to public decency. When attendin

e do you find the most

alth. A lad sat by her side. My subject was, "The Safe Side of Life for Young Men." It was a temperance address and the thought came to me; that lady is a wine drinker and she is disappointed that I am to talk temperance. She did not cheer with the audience, nor did she give any expression of face that woul

hotel found she had given me a twenty dollar

t do you recall as the best

han a million of dollars in wealth, the insurance ran out on his great "Jumbo Mills" in Akron. The insurance company raised the rate and while he was dickering with the company, the great plant was swept away in a midnight fire. Mr. Schumacher was a very earnest temperance man and w

friends. But the mill vot vos burned vos made of stone and vood and nails and paint. We come to talk to you about a fire vot is burning up the homes, the hopes, the peace of vime

erd Schumachers desiring to come to America, may He who rules winds and waves, fill with harmle

o has a lovely home and rarely leaves it said to me: "I envy you your life-work. You get to see the country, visit the great

outside meant adjacent. Arriving at Woonsocket in a blizzard I found Wessington seventeen miles away. Wrapped in robes I made the drive, arriving about six o'clock in the evening. On arrival I was informed that small

y do you ask t

said: "Excuse me, please. I must get ready for my lecture," and I left the room. One hour later I stood before a va

minutes for lunch at sandwich counter, eight months of the year away from home-the only heaven

o sow seed, the fruit of which will be gathered by angels when he has gone to his reward. One so long on the pl

a miserable road. I did not reach the village until nine o'clock. Without supper and chilled by the ride, I threw off my wraps and wearily made my way through the lecture. A little later in my room at the hote

come home, but he was sowing his wild oats and ashamed to face his mother. That evening you made an earnest appeal to young men in the name of home and mother. The arrow went to the heart of the wild young fellow. On returning to the hotel he said to his companions: 'Come up to my room, let's have a talk.' On entering the room he closed th

you call it in public. He is a Christian philanthropist, and has never broken his pledge. The second boy holds the highest offi

in turning those three young men to a righteous life, than to w

iles and Bishop Robert McIntyre to tell me my lectures helped to s

hen in old age he lay dying, a wild storm on the sea seemed to revive him by its association with

he hurricane into great billows of foam. Sinking back upon his pillows his last words were: "Thank God, I have been a lighthouse build

e than that of an humble lighthouse builder, who here and there from the shore-points of l