When rhetoric and logic clasp hands the standard of triumph is fairly certain to be planted above the stubborn heart.  We must, however, remember that the arts of rhetoric are subordinate to the reasoning, and must be brought forward only for the purpose of driving the reasoning home.  But since man’s faculties are not divided into watertight compartments, neither should the sermon intended to influence him.

Our reason is not independent of our passions; our feelings so influence our judgment that even in our greatest actions it is hard to disentangle and say so much is the product of one and so much of the other.  The sermon should be constructed to fit the man; argument and emotion should not stand apart, but dovetail and interlace.

[Side note:  Sheil]

In the art of entwining the garlands of rhetoric around the framework of argument, Sheil stands conspicuous.  Lecky says of him—­“His speeches seem exactly to fulfil Burke’s description of perfect oratory—­half poetry, half prose.  Two very high excellencies he possessed to the most wonderful degree—­the power of combining extreme preparation with the greatest passion and of blending argument with declamation.

“We know scarcely any speaker from whom it would be possible to cite so many passages with all the sustained rhythm and flow of declamation, yet consisting wholly of the most elaborate arguments.  He always prepared the language as well as the substance of his speeches.  He seems to have followed the example of Cicero in studying the case of his opponent as well as his own, and was thus enabled to anticipate with great accuracy.”

The hint contained in the last paragraph is invaluable to the man who proves or expounds doctrine.  It sometimes happens that there is an objection so natural that it seems to grow out of the reasoning.  Perhaps, while the preacher is speaking, it is taking shape on the minds of the hearers; at least sooner or later it is certain to recur.

How is it to be dealt with?  Let it pass, and the audience carry away the argument with a cloud of doubt hanging around that goes far to destroy its force.  Or it may be that when he opens the morning paper it confronts him, set forth in the most convincing shape, with the advantage of having, at least, twenty-four hours to rest on the public mind before he can touch it.  Therefore, let no such objection pass, but grapple with it here and now, and tear it to shreds.  Here you are master of the situation, and can present the objection in a shape most accessible to your own knife.  By anticipating an antagonist you break his sword and render your own position unassailable.

Before our preacher goes into the pulpit just one word in his ear—­Beware of two very common defects—­(I) Rapidity of speech and (2) Want of proper articulation.  A people who think warmly, as we Irish do, speak rapidly.  Thought is rushed upon thought and sentence telescoped into sentence.  Before sending forth an idea, take care that its predecessor has got time to settle on the minds of your hearers.  In articulation try to earn the eulogy passed on Wendell Philips:  “He sent each sentence from his lips as bright and clear cut as a new made sovereign from the mint.”