A Rural Lesson In Rhetoric
Don't fire too high.Speak to men in language they understand.Ministers should remember not to fire over people's heads.Truth must be put in simple language，and illustra tedby metaphors familiar to all. Call the sun a sun，―not a luminary. Don't call the sky“an azure vault”；call it the sky.Don't talk of the“economy of grace，” for your plainer hearers will at once revert to the kitchen. Here is“A Rural Lesson inRhetoric，”which shows the importance of not firing toohigh：―
Brown was invited to visit a town in the extreme rural districts，for the purpose of lecturing the people on temperance.He arrived at his destination late in the evening，and was invited to the cottage of a farmer to partake of supper，previous tothe display of his eloquence.
The farmer had two sons， twenty to twenty five years ofage， and to them a temperance lecturer appeared something more than an ordinary man.Brown had great difficulty in drawing them into conversation， but at length the ice was broken， and the following colloquy was the result：
“I suppose you've both affixed your names to the pledge long ago？”
“Which？”
“I presume you are both temperance men，and have pledged yourselves to abstain from the use of everything thatint oxicates？”
“The which， stranger？
“You do not get the idea clearly.I was expressing thehope that you do not indulge in intoxicating beverages.”
“Eh？”
“That you do not indulge in the inebriating cup.”
“Sir？”
“Do either of you drink liquor？ That's what I'm trying toget at.”
“Waal， stranger！I did n't know but ye was atalkin French jabber.Why did n't ye ax the thing right eout？Samand me don't drink no liquor to speak on，'cept hayin’a ndharvist， and then we drink right smart.So does fayther andevery body'round here.Ef ye talk French stuff in yer lecture，stranger，’t won't du much good， I tell ye，for nobody won'tknow a word what yer means in this yer neck o'timber， sartinand sure”
Brown declares this to be the best lesson in rhetoric he ever received，and he made an unusual effort to adapt his word tothe comprehension of his hearers in that“neck o'timber.”O(jiān)ther speakers may profit by the hint.
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