PULPIT ELOCUTION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 781, 2 April 1910, Page 9

PULPIT ELOCUTION.

DR. GARVIE ON THE TRAINING • , OF MINISTERS. '~ ■ Tho question, of the intelligent, delivery oi sermons and the intelligible reading of. the Scriptures in places ,of worship hasiibeen-iraised in ; a letter to "The I'ime.s"-signed' .by."£hree Church of' England clergymen.iii the West iihd' of Lojidon.and at Ealing. They state thalt at scarcely any of the theological colleges is attention paid to equipping intending candidates properly for this important part of their work. They further complain, of the monotony of reading,the Lessons, which is. irritating to the intelligent laymen, and .urgo the universities , and theological . colleges to take this matter in hand sea ously. ." . ... ■ . '

In an interview yesterday with a "Daily News" representative, Dr. A. E. Garvie, Principal of the New College, South Hampstead, ono of the. leading Congregational training' colleges, was inclined to think that the complaint: was aimed more directly at ,the clergy of the Church of England than. at ;tho Nonconformists.

, "In our own two-colleges we .have trained- teachers" in- .voice, production and elocution, and every student dur'ing his course has about twenty-seven to thirty lessons and exercises on this .subject, in addition to preaching and reading the Scriptures. A Nonconformist cannot afford to neglect- this part of his training. He must learn to preach 'and read with expression, else he will empty his church. . "I may eay that- in our colleges we have special prizes for. elocution. Students are taught,the art of voice' production and breathing, and how to overcome.their own physical peculiarities." ■ It is interesting, to recall Sir Squire Bancroft's views on "Elocution in Reading and Preaching" which lie expressed at the Church Congress at Yarmouth. The reason why so many sermons were forgotte-n, he said, was that they were so'badly delivered, and he urged that every curate ought to undergo an examination in practical preaching before ho was allowed to mount a pulpit.