(Scripture Reading Exercise.) THE STATE OF THE WORLD AT MESSIAH'S ADVENT.

(A Discourse^[A])

[Footnote A: This is a subject usually treated at great length in nearly all Ecclesiastical Histories; so that information is abundant. See "Mosheim, Ecclesiastical Institutes": also the same author's "History of Christianity in the First Three Centuries;" Schaff's "History of the Apostolic Church"; Neander's "History of the Christian Religion" Vol. I; Milman "History of Christianity" Vol. 1; Edersheisn's "Life and Times of the Messiah"; Vol. I, Introduction and Book I, Dr. Smith's "New Testament History," Book I, especially Appendix to Book I. Robert's "Outlines of Ecclesiastical History," Sec. II and notes.]

NOTES.

1. Suggestions to the Teacher: This subject could to advantage be divided and assigned to two or even three speakers. Say I, The Political state of the World: II, The Political Status of the Jews at Messiah's Birth: III, The Religious state of heathen nations and of the Jews at Messiah's Birth. Members should be urged to give something of completeness to their treatis upon these and all subjects assigned to them as lectures, or discourses.

2. Suggestions to the Speaker: On the Importance of a Plan: On the subject of constructing a plan for a discourse, Mr. Pittinger who was quoted so frequently in our first Seventy's Year Book, says:

"No part of a speaker's work is more important than that of constructing a good plan. If this is not well done the fullest success is impossible. In speech all thoughts are expressed by the slow process of successive words. If these are badly chosen and so arranged as to carry forward the current of thought in the wrong direction, almost endless hindrance and distraction may follow. And as these words, in extempore speech, are given forth on the spur of the moment, it becomes necessary to make such an arrangement that the proper idea to be dissolved into words shall always be presented to the mind at the proper time. In some cases this disposition of parts is very easy. A course indicated by the very nature of the subject will sometimes spring into view and relieve us of all further embarrassment. * * * * * But more frequently this portion of the speaker's task will both require and repay severe thought." ("Extempore Speech," p. 166.)

Do not forget our old formula in the matter of plans—an Introduction, a Discussion, a Conclusion.

Of the Different Kinds of Plans: Our author, speaking of those plan he considers of practical importance, says:

(a). The first of these may be called the narrative method. It is most frequently used when the recital of some history forms the principal part of the discourse. Certain leading events, either grouped together according to their nature or following the order of time, furnish the primary divisions. This kind of a discourse follows the same laws, in the arrangement of the different parts, as histories, romances, and narrative poems. The order of time is the most obvious method of constructing it, but this order should not be adhered to when the story can be better and more dramatically told by varying from it. Both introduction and conclusion should be very carefully selected—the former to arouse attention and direct it in the right course; the latter to leave the strongest impression and the one most in harmony with the object of the speaker.

(b). The second method is the textual, and is especially though not exclusively adapted to sermons. In it a verse from the Bible, a motto, a sentence used by an opponent, or some definite form of very significant words, affords a basis for each part of the discourse. The order of the discourse may, however, be different from that of the words in the text, any change being allowable which secures more of the advantages of the narrative or logical methods. When the text is itself well known, a plan based upon it has an obvious advantage in assisting the memory both of speaker and hearer, by suggesting each part of the discourse at the proper time. When any lecture or oration has a formal motto which sums up and fairly expresses the subject discussed, the textual plan will be as well adapted to it as to a sermon.

(c). The logical or mathematical method is the third and probably the most symmetrical form the plan may assume. A topic is taken, and after the introduction, which may be the mere statement of the subject, or of the relations of the speaker or of the audience to it, that subject is unfolded with all the precision of a proposition in geometry. Each thought is preliminary to that which follows, and the whole ends in the demonstration of some great truth and the deduction of its legitimate corollaries. This method is the best possible in those cases adapted to it—particularly those in which some abstruse subject is to be unfolded and proved.

(d). The last method we will describe proceeds by divisions and subdivisions. It is the military method, for in it the discourse is organized like an army, into corps, brigades, and regiments; or it is like a tree, which divides into two or three principal branches, and these again subdivide until the finest twigs are reached. All the detached items that have been selected are brought into related groups each governed by a central thought, and these again are held in strict subordination to the supreme idea. A subject will many times arrange itself almost spontaneously into several different parts, which thus form the proper divisions, and these again may be easily analyzed into their proper subdivisions. Even when this is not the case, we will see, as we examine the jottings we have made while gathering our materials, that a few of the ideas stand out in special prominence, and with a little close study of relations and affinities all the others may be made to group themselves around these. The individual ideas we put down on the first study of the subject usually form the subdivisions, and some generalization of them. It is not well to make the branches of a subject too numerous or they will introduce confusion and fail to be remembered. From two to four divisions with two or three subdivisions under each, are in a majority of cases better than a large number. The tendency to multiply them to a great extent, and then to name them in the moment of delivery, in their order of firstly, secondly, etc., is in a great measure responsible for the popular estimate of the dryness of sermons, where this kind of plan prevails more than anywhere else." (Extempore Speech, pp. 167-9.)

(e). Of the several kinds of discourses here alluded to no better examples may be formed of the historical discourse than that of the Christian martyr Stephen, Acts, vii; of the logical or argumentative discourse Peter's Discourse on the Day of Pentecost. The nearest approach to the Discourses based upon a text in the New Testament is Paul's speech in Mars Hill, at Athens, Acts xvii:22-31.

Clearness in Speeches: This subject has been referred to in Lesson VI, XIII, XVI, and what is there said should here be reviewed not only by those assigned especially to this lesson, but by the whole class. One of the chief faults opposed to clearness is ambiguity. This is defined as follows: "The term 'ambiguity' comes from the Latin ambiguos, which means "wavering" or "uncertain," and an ambiguous sentence is one containing a word, a phrase, or a clause, capable of two or more interpretations." (Composition and Rhetoric, Herrick and Damon, p. 302.)

As example of ambiguity the authority just quoted gives the following:

Example: 1. We hold a grand raffle Friday for the benefit of William Miller who lost his foot for a fine clock last week.

Corrected: We hold a grand raffle Friday for a fine clock, for the benefit of William Miller who lost his foot last week.

Example: 2. Then he came into the room talking about the relations between Smith and Johnson, and he said that if he didn't stop that sort of thing very soon, he was sure to get into trouble.

Corrected: Then he came into the room talking about the relations between Smith and Johnson, and said that if the former didn't stop irritating Smith very soon, he was sure to get into trouble.

Example: 3. I only thought that he wouldn't go unless I bought him off, not that he wouldn't go at all.

Corrected: I thought only that he wouldn't go unless I bought him off, not that he wouldn't go at all.

Example: 4. The banker, though he trusted the teller, as is apt to be the case with men of his sort, yet felt that the loss occurred at his desk.

Corrected: Though the banker, as is apt to be the case with men of his sort, trusted the teller, yet he felt that the loss had occurred at the latter's desk.

Commenting on the above our author says: "The first sentence seems to say that Miller gave his foot in exchange for a fine clock. Sentence two leaves in doubt whether the one who is to get into trouble is the speaker, Smith, or Johnson. In three, "I only" might be taken to mean "I alone." In four, it is uncertain whether such men as the banker commonly trust all tellers, or whether this teller is the sort of man whom most people trust."

It will be observed that the ambiguity of the above sentences are chiefly the result of a bad arrangement of words or clauses rather than the wrong use of words. The effort of the speaker, therefore, should be to make such an arrangement of words and clauses in his sentences as to clearly express his meaning.