South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865 · scan page 99

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MINISTRY    OF    REV.    MR.    CARROLL.  89
11  is  sermons  are  full  of  thought,  legitimately  derived
from  his  texts,  though  often  not  lying  on  the  surface,
yet  when  suggested,  so  obviously  comprehended  with-
in the  scope  of  the  passage,  that  the  hearer  wonders
he  never  caught  the  idea  before.  There  is  withal  a
terseness  and  point  to  his  discourses,  and  a  beauty  of
language  and  imagery,  which  render  it  impossible  to
forget  them.  His  descriptions  of  scenes  and  incidents
are  exceedingly  graphic.  His  "  Scripture  characters,"
as  presented  in  the  Chapel  on  Sunday  evenings  for
many  months  in  succession,  until  superseded  lately
by  the  "  Fulton  street  Prayer  Meetings,"  we  have
never  heard  surpassed  ;  so  life-like,  and  so  full
of  instruction.  The  attendance  upon  them  was
very  large.  To  those  who  never  heard  Mr.  Carroll
preach,  we  may  remark,  that  one  half  of  the  power  of
his  discourses  consists  in  the  delivery.  Sometimes
they  are  written  out  in  full,  but  more  generally  not ;
and  in  either  case  he  is  entirely  independent  of  his
manuscript,  seldom  even  looking  at  it,  but  holding-
constant  communication  with  his  hearers,  not  onlv
by  his  voice,  but  by  his  expressive  features  and  ap-
propriate action.  His  enunciation  is  remarkably
distinct,  his  voice  soft  and  clear,  and  his  command  of
the  audience  such,  that  amidst  the  profound  stillness
of  the  house,  he  is  heard  in  every  portion  of  it,  even
when  speaking  not  much  above  the  tone  of  common
conversation.  This  is  i)artly  owing  to  the  admirable
construction  of  the  audience-room,  in  which  the  laws
of  acoustics  are  better  consulted   than   in  any  other

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Silent Grounds Collective, Church Burial & Death Records, CH-P004-0099. South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865, printed page not verified, PDF page 99. Hallock, Gerard, 1800-1866; digitized copy contributed by University of California Libraries https://archive.org/details/historyofsouthco00hall/page/n103/mode/1up Accessed September 8, 2026.

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