In South Cabolixa. 337 



upon his public performances. The rich treasures 

 which he gathered from various quarters were all sub- 

 jected to the crucible. He gave them no currency 

 until they were recoined and acknowledged the im- 

 press of his own intellectual sovereignty. I have often 

 heard the example of Russell alleged in support of 

 the opinion that extensive learning is not only unnec- 

 essary to a Christian minister, but is really a draw- 

 back upon his usefulness. This doctrine, taken in the 

 gross, is eminently false. It is a heresy in religious 

 metaphysics which has blighted the fair prospects of 

 many young preachers. But if the assertion means 

 only that learned words and puzzling criticisms are 

 egregiously out of place in the pulpit, its correctness 

 is established by a multitude of examples, living and 

 dead, which prove clearly that a man may be at once 

 a very great theologian and a very worthless preacher. 

 What business have any except scholars with classical 

 allusions and well-balanced antitheses ? The common 

 mind is keen-sighted to discern the truth, and mighty 

 to digest the matter of an argument. But its reason- 

 ing processes are short, abrupt, and inartificial, and it 

 has neither patience nor skill to comprehend the 

 elaborate niceties with which many divines continue 

 to fetter the energies of the gospel and to veil its sim- 

 ple luster. What has been said of Mr. Russell's lan- 

 guage is equally applicable to his illustrations. He 

 abounded in metaphors, and no man made a better 

 use of them. His object was always to illustrate 

 and enforce his sentiments, never to bedizzen them with 

 finery. Nothing could exceed the efficiency or the 

 simplicity of his rhetorical machinery. His manner 

 was to conduct his hearers into the midst of scenes 

 with which they were daily conversant, and then to 



