NAUTICAL ELOQUENCE.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1120, 3 December 1883, Page 3

NAUTICAL ELOQUENCE.

A speaker who attempts to use nautical metaphors should be thoroughly familiar with the sea and the working of a ship, or he will strand his speech. A clergyman was once supplying a pulpit by the seaside. Thinking to impress the truth more distinctly upon the- congregation, many of whom were seamen, he drew the figure of a ship trying to enter a harbour against, a head wind.

Unfortunately for the success of his metaphor, he knew little of seamanship. After putting the ship into several singular positions, he cried in a tone intended to bo emphatic “What shall we do next ?” “ The Lord only knows,” exclaimed a disgusted old tar, “unless you let her drift starnforemost!” That Prince of sailor-preachers, Father Taylor, was once silenced by a compliment to his eloquence. 110 had depicted the impendent sinner under the figure of a storm-tossed ship, with her sails split, and driven by the gale toward the rock bound coast of Cape Ann. “ Oh, how,” bo exclaimed, in .tones of despair, “shall this poor sin-tossed sinner bo saved ?”

Instantly an old salt in the gallery, who had listened with open mouth and straining eyes to the preacher, jumped to his feet, and in a voice that would have sounded above a hurricane, shouted—

“Lot him put bis holm hard down, and bear away for Squam !” —Central Christian Advocate.