SIMPLICITY | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 30, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 50.

SIMPLICITY.

ONE of the endearing charms, and much of the power, of Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," lies in its short words. Canon Fleming, writing upon simplicity in speaking, says: "Some of the sublimest truths uttered by Him 'who spake as never man spake,' were in words of one syllable—'I am the way, the truth, and the life;' 'I am the light of the world;' 'I am the bread of life.'" The Canon says that he first had his attention drawn to this fact by Mrs. Sewell, the well-known Christian ballad writer, whose "Our Father's Care" has reached a circulation of 776,000, and her "Mother's Last Words," the enormous issue of 1,088,000. This lady said that her practice in composing was to write first as it came to her mind.

"I then put the manuscript away for two or three days, and go over it carefully, cutting out all words that seem to me at all difficult, and I put it away. Then I take it out again, and try to substitute words of two syllables for words of three; and afterwards words of one syllable, if possible, for words of two."—Selected.