I met Tom, the editor                                 and his publisher,                                      Randy Deason, of the                                  Bluefield Daily                                        Telegraph, prior to my speech to the Bluefield, West Virginia, Rotary Club. The personable, former Rotary District Governor, John Beckett, introduced me.

After my presentation, Tom and I talked about speeches and what makes them good. He called to my attention some of the historic speeches he had read and heard. Public speaking sometimes appears to be a lost art. Everybody is talking, but nobody is listening. Some of those who talk the longest and loudest never say anything anybody can remember.

I could have learned a lot from this astute editor about public speaking. Thomas Robertson called speech “The index and mirror of the soul.” Speech has to do with verbalization, expression, articulation, elocution and conversation. One recent week was filled with just that.

On March 8th, 2009, I went to the First Baptist Church, in Hurricane, and listened to Tim Lee, a Marine who lost both of his legs when he stepped on a land mine in Viet Nam. I heard him on Monday and Wednesday nights. He has a tremendous voice, a strong upper body and speaks with conviction.

This battle-tested Marine spoke of the Old Testament prophet, Habakkuk, and his prayer for the salvation of God’s people. Surrounded by evil he cried out, “O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years!”  (Habakkuk 3:2).

Lee said, “No political party is going to revive America.” He warned, “The biggest concern I have for America are the judges who have said for years we do not need God.” I wish every person in America could hear this powerful preacher. His message is needed in our land.  Read about Lee at: www.TimLee.org.

On Tuesday night, March 10th, Kitty and I went to the beautiful Clay Center, in Charleston, to hear Walter Isaacson in the “Festival of Ideas” presented jointly by West Virginia University and The Charleston Gazette. Isaacson is a New York Times best-selling author who studies the great leaders of history. He was the managing editor of Time and the chairman and CEO of CNN.

Walter Isaacson spoke on “The Evolution of Mass Communication”, a keen interest of mine for many years. He reminded us that “civil discourse can bring us together as a nation.”  He said Benjamin Franklin was a strong advocate of “an independent press.”

Isaacson stated “I am against the Fairness Doctrine. I’m not in favor of any restrictions.  There is a market for straightforward, unbiased news.” His comment on radio and television, “If I didn’t like it, I would change the channel and not try to get the government to change it.” I listened to my pastor, Dr. Melissa Pratt, at the Teays Valley Church of God, in Scott Depot, on March 15th. She reminded us that: “Cross carrying Christians engage in conflict. They embrace the cost of discipleship and exhibit a commitment to live life upside down.” She concluded with the words of Jesus, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35).

How often do you have a week in which you hear powerful messages from effective communicators? If we have ears that hear, we should us them to hear the best and not waste them foolish drivel. Agreed?

© 2009 Wm. C. Ellis
All Rights Reserved

Bill Ellis
Award Winning Syndicated Columnist
P. O. Box 345
Scott Depot, WV 25560
Phone: 304-757-6089
www.BillEllis.net