Lectures to my students - Charles Spurgeon - IX - Chapter 8 (On the voice)

Required reading
Lectures to my students by Charles Spurgeon (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 8 (On the voice).

My summary
This week Spurgeon gives us his thoughts about the preacher's voice.

Spurgeon advises us:
(i) not to think too much about our voice;
(ii) not to think too little about your voice ;
(iii) not to fall into the habitual and common affectations of the present day;
(iv) to correct any idiosyncrasies of speech;
(v) to speak so as to be heard;
(vi) not to exert our voice to the utmost;
(vii) to vary the force of our voice;
(viii) to modulate our tones;
(ix) to suit our voice to our matter;
(x) to educate our voice;
(xi) to take care of our throats;
(xii) to never wrap up our throats too tightly.

What grabbed me
I really like this chapter as it is a subject preachers should consider but rarely do so.

As someone who doesn't like wearing a tie, I particularly enjoyed this comment: 'When you have done preaching take care of your throat by never wrapping it up tightly. From personal experience I venture with some diffidence to give this piece of advice. If any of you possess delightfully warm woolen comforters, with which there may be associated the most tender remembrances of mother or sister, treasure them — treasure them in the bottom of your trunk, but do not expose them to any vulgar use by wrapping them round your necks. If any brother wants to die of influenza let him wear a warm scarf round his neck, and then one of these nights he will forget it, and catch such a cold as will last him the rest of his natural life. You seldom see a sailor wrap his neck up. No, he always keeps it bare and exposed, and has a turn-down collar, and if he has a tie at all, it is but a small one loosely tied, so that the wind can blow all round his neck. In this philosophy I am a firm believer, having never deviated from it for these fourteen years, and having before that time been frequently troubled with colds, but very seldom since. '

I always find ties constrictive of my throat and so would rather preach without one if I can get away with it.  Nice to have Spurgeon on my side.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 9 (Attention).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.