SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE.

(SPECIAL LESSON—TWO SUBJECTS.) Note. I.

SPECIAL TEXT: "Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.—SOLOMON.

NOTES.

1. Extempore Speech: We are again arrived at our exercise which requires extemporaneous speaking—the method enjoined upon us by the word of the Lord. For he says "neither take ye thought before hand what ye shall say"—he adds in the very same paragraph, however—"treasure up in your mind continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion which shall be meted to every man." (Doc. & Cov. Sec. lxxxiv: 85). If this counsel is followed the teaching ministry of the church (as it does) will employ the method of extempore speech. But that method does not mean that materials shall not be gathered from the fields of knowledge, and hived with the studious years, to be used "in the very hour" that one has need to use it. Extempore speech does not mean speech without thought, without knowledge, of the matter to be presented. It may even be said that it requires more thorough knowledge of a subject than the written method or the memorized method of speech. Extemporaneous speech to be successful must be speech from a fullness of knowledge of the subject. And as connected with the teaching of the Gospel must be speech arising out of having "treasured up continually the words of life." The true extemporaneous method of speech is not the lazy man's method, on the contrary it requires that those who follow it, shall have their knowledge of things most carefully digested, and their intellectual powers most carefully trained.

2. St. Augustine's Advice to the Preacher: Comparing the advantages of extempore speech with other forms, Mr. Pittenger, in his work already quoted several times, relates the following of the great Christian teacher of the sixth century:

"Augustine, the great Christian writer and preacher, has not left us in ignorance as to which mode of address he preferred. He enjoins the "Christian teacher" to make his hearers comprehend what he says—"to read in the eyes and countenances of his auditors whether they understand him or not, and to repeat the same thing, by giving it different terms, until he perceives it is understood, an advantage those cannot have who, by a servile dependence upon their memories, learn their sermons by heart and repeat them as so many lessons. Let not the preacher," he continues, "become the servant of words; rather let words be servants to the preacher." (Extempore Speech, p. 34-5.)

3. W. E. Gladstone on Methods of Preparation: Mr. Pittenger, our author above quoted, asked the late Mr. W. E. Gladstone for a statement of his method of preparation for public speaking, and in a very courteous letter that gentleman replied, from which I quote the following, which is all he says on the subject of preparation:

"I venture to remark, first, that your countrymen, so far as a very limited intercourse and experience can enable me to judge, stand very little in need of instruction or advice as to public speaking from this side of the water. * * * * Suppose, however, I was to make the attempt, I should certainly found myself mainly on a double basis, compounded as follows: First, of a wide and thorough general education, which I think gives a suppleness and readiness as well as firmness of tissue to the mind not easily to be had without this form of discipline. Second, of the habit of constant and searching reflection on the subject of any proposed discourse. Such reflection will naturally clothe itself in words, and of the phrases it supplies many will spontaneously rise to the lips. I will not say that no other forms of preparation can be useful, but I know little of them, and it is on those, beyond all doubt, that I should advise the young principally to rely." (Extempore Speech, p. 42.)