BISHOP ATTICUS G. HAYGOOD. 135
Were they not even these, large sympathy, large hu¬
manity, large faith, and undoubted sincerity ? Men
who disagreed with him still respected him for his
sincerity. It was this quality indeed that gave to his
utterances the force and weight of prophecy. It was
felt in all his words, seen in all his actions. Though
not an orator in the usually accepted sense of that
term, men listened to him writh fixed and undivided
attention, and the phrase " hanging upon one's lips "
had, in the case of Bishop Haygood, more than figur¬
ative force. Simple and natural on the platform as
on the street, a man of few gestures, utterly devoid
of that disgusting mannerism so characteristic of those
who would supply in attitudes what they lack in
thought, he spoke with directness and force to human
hearts and human consciences, and men inclined their
ear to catch the smallest word. His very language was
an indication of his sinceriy. A terse, simple, vigorus,
pure English style, such as was his, and has been the
property of but few besides himself and Lincoln in
this century, is ill adapted to the concealment of
sophistries. Once more, then, let us thank God for
Bishop Atticus G. Haygood, and let us endeavor to
emulate his royal virtues.
Permalink: http://pid.emory.edu/ark:/25593/n3bwg