An Object Lesson in the Pulpit.

Manawatu Herald, 16 February 1892, Page 3

An Object Lesson in the Pulpit.

ELECTRIFYING A CONGREGATION. 4 The New York correspondent of tha Manchester Examiner writes :— Judging by what I saw and heard at the Broome street Tabernacle one Sunday morning lately, I should say that the tendency of pulpit orators in the United States is distinctly towards realism. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr Tyndall, and it was, certainly the most extraordinary one that it has ever been my . lot to hear and witness. The text was the role played by the serpent in the Garden of Eden, and snakes constituted the main feature of the entire discourse. When commenting on the snake which Aaron produced by casting his staff upon the ground in Pharaoh's presence, the reverend doctor threw down on the platform a big black thorn, and then, stooping down, rose again with a serpent about five feet long dangling from his fingers. It appeared alive and squirming, but it was merely an imi* tation one. The sensation which it created among the congregation, composed of tf.e very lowest classe.of the city, was electrical. Then leaving Biblical snakes, the clergy man grappled wi(jh hideous imaginary serpents produced by intemperance. Portraying a man in the throes of delirium tremens, and who was convinced that be had snakes in his shoes, "he. would reach down like this," and the clergyman suited the 2 action tojiis words, "arid then, y straighteipfg^himself he would wave an imaginary snake about his head with a maniac's yell of triumph." As Dr Tyndall eaid this, he graved with a wild shriek about his own head another imitation serpent which ho had pulled from, his shoe. The effect on the audience was again very marked, and two men who had evidently enjoyed personal experiences of delirium tremens hastily rose and attempted to leave the church; but, much to their dismay, found that by the doctor's orders, the doors were • locked " The glasses in the liquor, saloons you frequent, my bretheren, continued the preacher, may be of cut glass]or crystal, with a cheery sound when they clink together, but there is an invisible snake at the bottom of everyone of them." As he uttered thdse words in the most dramatic tones, the reverend gentle" man placed upon the pulpit a glass, apparently filled with wine ; while the congregation watched breathlessly, he struck a match on his leg, put a light to the contents of the glass (which were chemicals specially prepared for the sermon), and suddenly a hideous, writhing snakelike thing, several feet long, arose out of the glass, and squirmed over its edge into the pulpit. As this was going on, Dr Tyndall stood on one side, and pointing to the snake, , cried, " The next time you feel like getting drunk ; think of that !" He then pronounced the Benediction, and the faces of the majority of his congregation were blanched and terror-stricken as they bent to re ceive it. After the close of the service, I made a point of introducing myself to Dr Tyndall, who informed me that he delivers what he calls " object sermons ', once a month, and that he finds that they do a great deal to impress upon the minds of his ignorant congregation the truth of the lesson taught in his sermon;