The spiritual life

(Martin Jones) #1

SpiritualLifefortheManoftheWorld. 11


to a more magnificent oratorical effort within


those walls. Bui that was a comparatively


smallmatter-what of the truthitself? They


hadbeen hstenmg tothe utterances of a great


preacher,and what hadbeen said carriedcon-


victionwithit. Sofarfromtheministerorthe


officers of the church being m any way com-


promised by Mrs. Besant's presence in the


pulpithehopedshewouldnotfeelcompromised


by her presence in the pulpit. "Thefact is


that we al the CityTemple have learned to


disregard these things; it is no use troubling


aboutwhatcompromisesyouorwhatdoes not.


Speakingformyself,Icansay Iam onlyproud


to have had sucha great preacherenunciating


great truths standing side by side with me in


thishistoric pulpit,and I want toassure Mrs.


Besant on your behalf that she will be a

welcome guest at any future time when her


busylifepermitshertorevisittheCityTemple."


(Loudapplause.)


Mrs. Besant: Friends, when a person has


somethingto say,orthinks that she has,fora


numberofpeopletolistentothesayingisalways


thegreatest of kindnesses,and I always think


thatmaquestion of speakerand audiencethe


voteofthanksshouldbegivenbythespeakerto


the hearers, and not by the hearers to the


D 2

Free download pdf