The Seventy's Course in Theology, Second Year: Outline History of the Dispensations of the GospelRoberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
The Seventy's Course in Theology, Second Year: Outline History of the Dispensations of the Gospel
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines
the moment of delivery, in their order of firstly, secondly, etc., is
in a great measure responsible for the popular estimate of the dryness
of sermons, where this kind of plan prevails more than anywhere else."
(Extempore Speech, pp. 167-9.)
(e). Of the several kinds of discourses here alluded to no better
examples may be formed of the historical discourse than that of the
Christian martyr Stephen, Acts, vii; of the logical or argumentative
discourse Peter's Discourse on the Day of Pentecost. The nearest
approach to the Discourses based upon a text in the New Testament is
Paul's speech in Mars Hill, at Athens, Acts xvii:22-31.
_Clearness in Speeches:_ This subject has been referred to in
Lesson VI, XIII, XVI, and what is there said should here be reviewed
not only by those assigned especially to this lesson, but by the whole
class. One of the chief faults opposed to clearness is ambiguity. This
is defined as follows: "The term 'ambiguity' comes from the Latin
ambiguos, which means "wavering" or "uncertain," and an ambiguous
sentence is one containing a word, a phrase, or a clause, capable of
two or more interpretations." (Composition and Rhetoric, Herrick and
Damon, p. 302.)
As example of ambiguity the authority just quoted gives the following:
_Example:_ 1. We hold a grand raffle Friday for the benefit of
William Miller who lost his foot for a fine clock last week.
_Corrected:_ We hold a grand raffle Friday for a fine clock, for
the benefit of William Miller who lost his foot last week.
_Example:_ 2. Then he came into the room talking about the
relations between Smith and Johnson, and he said that if he didn't stop
that sort of thing very soon, he was sure to get into trouble.
_Corrected:_ Then he came into the room talking about the
relations between Smith and Johnson, and said that if the former didn't
stop irritating Smith very soon, he was sure to get into trouble.
_Example:_ 3. I only thought that he wouldn't go unless I bought
him off, not that he wouldn't go at all.
_Corrected:_ I thought only that he wouldn't go unless I bought
him off, not that he wouldn't go at all.
_Example:_ 4. The banker, though he trusted the teller, as is apt
to be the case with men of his sort, yet felt that the loss occurred at
his desk.
_Corrected:_ Though the banker, as is apt to be the case with men
of his sort, trusted the teller, yet he felt that the loss had occurred
at the latter's desk.
Commenting on the above our author says: "The first sentence seems to
say that Miller gave his foot in exchange for a fine clock. Sentence
two leaves in doubt whether the one who is to get into trouble is the
speaker, Smith, or Johnson. In three, "I only" might be taken to mean
"I alone." In four, it is uncertain whether such men as the banker
commonly trust all tellers, or whether this teller is the sort of man
whom most people trust."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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