Famous Speeches from Queer Platforms.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIII, Issue XVII, 22 October 1904, Page 27

Famous Speeches from Queer Platforms.

An officer of the Salvation Irmy hareeently preached a sermon from the interior of his own collin. It was brought on to the platform, ami the zealous captain forthwith entered it. In that remarkable position he delivered an ad dress on the uncertainty of life to a huge congregation. The idea is not new. for a few years ago a member of Dr. Dowie’s Zionist band delivered an address from his coffin. and the Rev. James Walker, the popular American evange list, took a collin. as well as a large hourglass. with him on a great revival tour. At Elam is an immense rock, from the pinnacle of which a sermon was regularlv preached by a travelling evangelist to thousands of persons who assembled on the ground, nearly one hundred and twenty-five feet below. The late 1 ord Russell once delivered a speech in defence of a prisoner from the outside seat of a stage coach and the ease was then and there adjudicated upon. One of the strangest places from which audiences have been addressed has Leen on ordinal V metal bath. This wns placed on a platform in a great hall in Salt Lake City, the centre of Mormonism, and the Roy. ,T. C. illiams entered the water, and preached a sermon for half an hour on “Purity.”

From the ton of n load of bar. the late Sir Frank Lockwood addressed n political gathering. TTe was assisting in a ccntest in Mid-Devon. which happened to fall m the busiest days of hav harvesting. A meeting arranged to be held in the village school was poorly attended, amt. with his usual resourcefulness the genml counsel suggested an adjournment ‘ the fields. A better audience was then soon rod.

Hundreds of audiences have been addressed from railway trucks; but Dr Parker once had the unique experience of preaching a sermon from the footplate of an engine. Xnarb . two n)fn were gathered around him. and he has boon hoard to sav that that was tho most interesting episode in his life.

From a hnlloon-car anchored in nir Severn! feet from the ground the late Rev. Herbert Walshnw preached on two occasions. The balloons wore being used to advertise a famous patent medicine, nnd tbo reverend "ontleman thought it would be a. good idea tn utilise them on the followin' l ' Sunday for onen-air services.. Aooordinolv instead of using 'ho beautiful chancl in tho district, the mornmg nnd evening services wore held in the broad field, and the car was tho prenehor’c nulnif. Sii "Edward Clarke. when bp first confpsfpd an election at Plvmoiith. delivered an address from a pile of crabpots. The meetin" was hold on tbo fish wharves immediat olv after tbo fish in<y fleet left, port, and on tho snur of the moment a nlafform of these pinions wicker “nots” wa« imnrowsod. On another occasion ho snnlo on in,nu. n «> crowd from ihe dock of p I'Fnhnnf \ nlatform comno .nd nf nrcworVc; wn < used once bv tho late ’\fr. I'lnlsjlonn. \ beautiful disnlnv bad been a r ranged in his house, and in tho midst <»f a fine set-niece was formed a unique rostrum, which, when the whole was lit. stood ont like a construction of fire. ATr Chamberlain has stood in the enr of a steam-crane to address an immense Ihron" of quarrvmen. No other plat form or structnre was handv. so tbo happy idea was conceived of raisin" the car a little distance from the "round, and thus formin" an excellent vanl.i"p"round for the eminent statesmen. A curious pulpit was that used bv Bishop Bickersteth. who once occupied the* lantern space of a lighthouse in which to deliver a short address to a small "atherin" of visitors and the lighthouse mon themselves. On another occasion the saintlv old man preached in the operating theatre of a hospital to i con"relation of patients.