A B S T R A C T

A STUDI OF THE LVAHQZLISIIC
METECDCLCCI AKD PEEACHIK§ CF
EDWARD EARL CLflVELAND

By
E.

Ernest Rogers

.Q
“S 9..

The purpose of this study was to describe, analyze,
and evaluate the evangelistic methods and preaching of
Evangelist Edward Earl Cleveland in relationship to the
Classical rhetorical tradition and to the findings of Dr.
Lawrence Lacour, who studied "Revivalism and Evangelism as
a Method."

This study sought to accomplish the following
objectives: (1) To discover the factors in Cleveland's
early life and environment which influenced his interest in
evangelism; (2) To determine the purpose of his evangelistic
endeavors; (3) To determine the principles which govern his
evangelistic techniques; (4) To determine the nature of his
method in relation to Lacour's study; (5) To analyze and
evaluate his preaching within the framework of the Classical
rhetorical tradition: (6) To determine the consequences of

his using Specific methods of evangelism and preaching.

Chapter I traces the life of Evangelist Cleveland
from his birth to the present, pointing out those environ-
mental factors which shaped his life for the ministry, and
his accomplishments in his chosen field.

Chapter II deals with the events in the political,
social, and religious world that contributed to make it an
age of conflict, and Cleveland's influence upon the peOple
of this period.

Chapter III shows the purpose of Cleveland's evange-
lism.

Chapter IV examines the nature of Cleveland's ethical
practices.

Chapter V considers the principles underlying
Cleveland's methods.

Chapter VI analyzes Cleveland's method on the basis
of the ”Lacour model."

Chapter VII examines the preaching of Cleveland,
using the tepics and criteria of Classical rhetoric as guide-
lines.

Chapter VIII considers Cleveland's delivery.

Chapter IX analyzes the results of Cleveland's use
of Specific methods and preaching.

Chapter X consists of Summary and Conclusions.

This study of Cleveland's evangelistic methods and

cfi'hiSjpreaching suggests the following conclusions regarding:

1. Purpose: a guide-line to measure the progress of
pre-set weekly goals.

2. Ethics: moral integrity and truth without deceit
were strongly emphasized.

3. Principles: the centrality of Christ, the Bible--
God's authentic revelation to man, and the Holy Spirit--the
bringer of conviction, conversion, and the reality of God
to human experience dominated the Spiritual aSpect; attention,
motivation, suggestion, and audience adaptation, the psycho-
logical aSpect.

4. The Lacour model: the ten components formed the
core of his method.

5. Invention: the application of identification
richly enhanced his ethical proofs; his logical proofs in-
cluded causal reasoning, examples, Sign, comparison and con-
trast; his pathetic proofs were attached to the Speaker's
prOpositions to produce action.

6. (Arrangement: his organization includes: intro-
ductimn,‘bodg and conclusion with suthpics, supporting evi-
dence, and restatements.

7. Style: clarity is attained through simple lan-
EMage, force through repetition, and beauty through figures
0f Speech.

8. :Delivery: his voice is strong, his preaching

extemporaneous, and his gestures Spontaneous.

9. Results: his methodological system has been
practiced on three continents and 42 countries around the
world; it has revolutionized the methods of many who have
attended his workshOps, and greatly augmented their baptisms;
his methods are taught at Andrews University and Cckwood
College, and the innovations he has introduced to the art
of evangelism designed to attract and hold the attention of
an audience and secure decisions for Church membership are

practiced by ministers throughout the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

EDWARD EARL CLEVELAND

A STUDY or THE EVAKGELISTIC
NE"HCDOLCGY AND PREACHING

OF EDWARD EARL CLEVELAND

BY

q ..' 3.2:.
.__ fl L)“ l
lrnest m. Rogers

A DISSERTATION

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirement
for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of Speech

1967

Copyright by
Emmsr E . ROGERS

1967

 

Mn...“ -..__n . r-“

...4-—

ACKN OWLEDG.‘ ’2 .‘TI

Special recognition is due Evangelist Cleveland for
taking time in the midst of his busy activities to arrange
schedules for interviews and provide syllabi, evangelistic
sermons, and a rich background of evangelistic experience
which has made this study possible.

I am greatly indebted to Dr. Kenneth G. Rance, my
major professor and committee chairman, for the substantial
assistance he has given me in every phase of the preparation
and develOpment of this study. His helpful counsel and
scholarly guidance have b33121constant source of encourage-
ment and inspiration to me.

Grateful acknowledgments are due Drs. David 3. Lal h,
Gordon L. Thomas, Fred Alexander, and Francis Donahue, for
the rich background of rhetorical, historical, psychological,
and religious insights acquired from them during my course
work at Michigan State University which have proved invalu-
able to this study.

Recognition is extended to Elder C. T. Richards,
Chairman of the Department of Religion at Oakwood College,
for reducing my teaching load in order that I might devote
more time to writing, to Miss L. Henrietta Emanuel for read-
ing and correcting the manuscript, and to Mesdames Vern

Joyner and Robert Andrews for typing the manuscript.

ii

I wish to extend my appreciation to my wife, Kildred
Rogers, and two sons, Ernest and Shermon,for the privations
they sustained without complaint during the writing of this

paper.

111

LIST OF

LIST OF

exp

TAELI.‘ OF 301 IT'CZI "‘S

P J I’ve

. I

._ .- \
V

C C 1:11 3:17.? S c o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o a o 1 v

leL—JS C O O O O O O O I O O O O O O O O O O 0 Vi

ILL ISTFLAT I CI

0)

APPENDICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Ii‘IIRODUCTIOBJ o 0 O O o o o o o o O o 0 O o o o o o o 0 ix

Chapter

II.

III.

IV.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

EDI-'IARD EAR CLEVELAEI : THE [CAN AND HIS HERITAGE? l
EDE‘IAL‘ID LAFL CLE" .‘IL.".l"-D AIID HIS TILE: ”RE 2 '13:: OF
CONFLICT...................55
TAB PLEPOSE OF CLEVICLAIID'S III/ALI}- SLISI‘IC iETHODS 91
CLEVELAI‘ID' S P LACIICES II RZMLI‘IOI'I ‘I‘O 2W1 IO AL
STAI‘IDARDS..................lll
THE PRINCIPLES UIDER‘ YING CIuSVELx-LI‘ID'..1~ETHODS 12
CIF LVELLI'D S USE OF TI‘I‘E COIIPOII EI‘I mS OF THE T’EVIVAL

I m‘: D BASED O.’I THE "LACOUR MODEL" . . 170

E CELA ID S TVAIIC} :LISTIC PAT? ACE. EIC.‘ IITV'IEISITIOI'T a
‘thL. ‘ FL:T:3 3: :1: ’ STYLE 0 O O I O O O O O O O O O O 224

CLEVELAL‘ID ' S EVANS ELIS'I‘IC PFCIACIIITIG DTLIVEDTL’ 270

3'5?“ * P1 , , 1v--1 1 , ' r‘ m H 'fi
EALSULTD OF GILL-JLLAIID S USN. OF SPLCIFIC I-.'.;TH DDS

CF s~.a ItnLIS a: fizqc~IIa . . . . . . . . . 985

iv

BOO

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DIDL fl/I'T'R 7.13; 0Q
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'7
o o o o o o o o /’19

.‘ALPPJS.:DI C1333 o o o o o o o o o

Table

Table of Bible Texts Referred to in Cleveland's

Sermon O O O O O I O O O O O O O 0

Annual Tabulation of Harold Cleveland}s

Evangelistic Record . . . . . . .

Summary of Long Campaigns Conducted by Evangelist

Edward Earl Cleveland . . . . . .

Summary of Short Campaigns Conducted by

Evangelist Edward Earl Cleveland .

vi

Page

[‘0
F .3
O)

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F4

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297

Figures

2.

3.
4.

‘ ILLUSTfiATIONS

Page
Edward Earl Cleveland . . . . . . . . . FrontiSpiece
Cleveland‘s Baptism at the Age of Eleven . . . 320
Valedictorian Receives Certificate . . . . . . . 521
NewSpaper Clipping Illustrating Cleveland's Use
of Left Hand Gestures . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Cleveland's Use of Index Finger . . . . . . . . 323
Cleveland's Use of Right Hand Gestures . . . . . 3?4

Cleveland has Preached the Gospel in 42 Countries
Around the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

vii

LIST OF APPENDICTS

Appendix

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

Illustrations:

A. Cleveland's Baptism at age of Eleven .

B. Valedictorian Qeceives Certificate

Use of Left-Hind Gesture . . . . .

D. Cleveland's Use of Index Finger .

[*3

’13

Countries Around the World . . . .

Cleveland's Sermon "A Question of Authority"

Questionnaire: Concerning Cleveland 18
Speaker 0 O O O O O 0 0 O O O 0 O O O
Questionnaire: Conference Presidents

Questionnaire: Ministers . . . . . .

viii

. Cleveland's Use of Right-Hand Gesture

Cleveland Has Preached the GOSpel in 42

, Newspaper Clipping Illustrating Cleveland's

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lhu ydrjeso of this :tudy will be to describe, un;ly:u,
snd evaludte the eVnngelistic preaching end methods of
Evangelist Edward Earl Cleveland in relatiozship to the clos-
sicsl rhetorical tradition find the findings of Dr. Lawrence
Iwcour, who studied ”Revivnlism and Evangelism as a hethod”.

This study will seek to accomplish the following
objectives: (1) To discover the factors in his early life
end environment which influenced his interest in evangelism;
(C) To determine the purpose of his eV2ngelistic endeavors;
(3) To determine the principles which govern his evangelistic
techniques; (4) To determine the nature of Cleveland's method
in relation to Lacour's study; (5) To analyze and evelu'te
his preaching within the frnmework of the classical rhetorical
tradition; (6) To determine the consequence of his using Spe—

cific methods of evangelism and preaching.

I El II: E linms
1. For the purpose of this study the term r :e S;
is used to denote that branch of discourse which attempts
'“kush the use of "all avcildble means" with (emphasis on the
Bible) to influence changes in human conduct, belief, and

fmflJHSS toward Christian principles as a better way of life.

ix

Since evangelism seeks to effect ch nges in behavior,
it must take into consideration: (a) the messenger, (b) the
audience whose attitude he seeks to change, and (c) the mes-
sage he employs to influence this change. These three quali-
ties have long been recognized as potent factors in influenc-
ing the decision of man. i

(a) Perhaps one of the greatest single factors of the
three is the messenger.1 Long before the time of Aristotle,
Hen.have looked upon a good speaker as being first of all a
"good man." This same idea was repeated by Cicero and
Quintilian. In fact, Quintilian said that an orator "cannot
exist unless as a good man."2

When an individual attends an evangelistic meeting,
he does more than listen to a sermon;he expects the evange-
11st to reflect in his demeanor and personality the best of
the society in which he lives; he eXpects him to exemplify
the concepts and standards of the Christian religion admired
and accepted by the Christian world. When these factors are
Observed in the evangelist, an individual is influenced as
much by the personality of the messenger as by what he is
8aYing. Therefore an evangelist who is known for his (1)
competence, (2) honesty, and (3) good will can influence as
much through his character as through his words.

\

A, lAristotle, Bhetgrig, trans. Lane COOper (New York:
p91%0n-c:entury. 1932). p. 9.

U1 2Lester Thonssen and A. Craig Baird, 522§£h_£ziticism
.ew York: The Ronald Press Company, 1948), p. 92.

X

(b) The message as adapted to an audience situation
hss always played an important role in persuasion. The
speaker's goal is to move an audience to accept his pronosnls
by Showing the relationship of his prOp sals to meet their
needs. This is best done through emotional and motivational
appeals; for in such apnea s, the evangelist, as Thomas Hobbs
affirms:

. . . must consider man a creature moved by many dif-
ferent Springs, and must act upon them all. He must
address himself to the passions; he must point to the
fancy, and touch the heart. . . .

This is not to say, however, thst an evangelist
Should attempt to gain acceptance of his prOpositions by
swaying the emotions of his audience before establishing
reasons for their acceptance. It does say, however, that
nmn has an emotional attachment to those things which appear
important to him; and being emotionally involved with those
Objects of interest, he will reSpond emotionally to them.2

(c) The message which includes both the argumentative
08 well as the explanatory asbects of evangelism is strongly
emphasized as an essential factor of persuasion.3 It is
concerned with the integrity of the evangelist's arguments
and uses logical proofs to attempt the establishment of its

credibility and acceptance by an audience.

 

x

lAristotle, Qp, QJL,’ p, 9,

TThonssen and Baird, on. 911., p. 375,

7
, JRobert T. Oliver, The Esyghglggy Q: Bengnasjyg
amafifihfii’ezrl’ork: David McKay Company, Inc., 1903), p- 249-

up
d.-

 

3n the basis of this analysis, the relationship be-
tween evangelism and rhetoric is explicit. Both rely on
psychological principles for their effectiveness. For ex-
ample: the rhetorical principles used by a politician seek-
ing to influence voters to put him in office are the same
principles used by the evangelist to influence individuals
to accept his interpretation as the ideal concept of the
Christian way of life. The difference is one of application
rather than kind; for both make use of the principles of
audience adaptation, tOpics, emotional and motive appeals,
and the various proofs to support their prOpositions.

Since rhetoric has no specific subject, and its
chief function is to "discover all the available means of

persuasion"1

in any subject, whether it be religious or
secular, we may conclude that evangelism is a form of preach-
ing which employs rhetorical principles to persuade men to
accept the concepts of Christianity as the summum_bgnum of
life.

2. Local Conference is a term used in the Seventh-
d޴.Adventist organization to denote a united body of churches
located in a state or local territory. For example: the
&nnh.Central Conference, located in Nashville, Tennessee,
comDPises the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi:

and Alab cams, .

X

l, .
aristotle, QQL_21L, p. 7.

xii

‘
Q

2. Cnion Conference - denotes a united body of
Conferences, within a larger territorv,
4. Ceneral Conference - denotes the generil body

,

emsracin; he chur‘h in all the world.

 

Since the beginnix; of his ministry in 194:,

Evangelist Cleveland has conducted 03mpClJHS and uorksho:s
on four continents; Africa, Asia, ZurOpe, and America. Con-
sidering the vast are? which his campaigns have covered, and
ther complications such as language barriers, this study
will be limited to his campaigns in the United States.
Furthermore, this study will make no attempt to consider his
Speaking and methodology outside the realm of evangelistic

campaigns and workshOps.

 

church. Whenever the spirit of evan elism begins to wane

in any religious organization, it is only a matter of tine
before that organization will perish-

The preaching and evangelistic methodology of
Ezanfielist Cleveland have served as a stimulus to enh nce
the Spirit of eVangelism in his church and to Lee; it alive.
Beihflflxughis ministry in 1949, in the city of Fayettevillc,

‘

:mrth Carolina, he has developed an influence which as

(D

h Iv“) — 6 a V ‘ ‘ . . .
.nre d far oeyond tne boundary of this small Southern City.

:ciii

1e has influenced the style of preaching in many cities

of the world. he has jPO“ChOd in The :elgifn Congo,

Communist Poland, Finland, and many other countries. he has
delivered more than 3:00 sermons in his 22 years of formal

preaching. (This does not include the many short campaigns
which he has develOped and conducted.)

His persuasive ma ner of speaking has been instru-
mental in enlarging the membership of his church; and his
evangelistic methods provide a fresh approach to evangelism,
designed to meet the changing iders of his age. he hes con-
ducted uorhsloys in the Union of South Africa; and is reputed
to be the only preacher of Color to address an EurOpean audi-
ence in the city of Cape Town, South Africa.

Considering the effectiveness of his preaching in
the United States, which has netted thousands of converts to
The church, and the influence of his evangelistic methods,
'hich are being practiced by many clergvmen not only in the
United States, but also in Asia, SurOpe, and Africa, it is

believed that a detailed study of his work will make

1
C
H
C;
,_J
p-
P
I

icaat contribution in the field of public address.
DistincfliifinQSQ-"This is the first attempt to study
Evangelist Cleveland as a Speaker and a methodologist. In
addition, this study differs from those prepared on Dwight
L.Lbody, Billy Sunday, and Billy Graham in that it treats
nOt'Only of the spiritual, social, and economic aspect of

tweldfe of man, but goes beyond and considers, also, the

xiv

nhysicnl ssnect of men. Wherers these other evslfielists
were concerned with the spiritual nnd mentcl life of man,
Cleveland is interested in the stiritucl , mentcl, ;nd phy-
sical sspect of the humHn being. Furthermore, this study is
unique from the point of View that it attempts to show the

effectiveness of s Hegro evangelist upon a mixed audience.

SQBtQQS
m o d v : With Edward E. Cleveland, his
staff of workers, Conference presidents under whom he hes
worked, his family, ministers Who have assisted him in his
cn.psigns, neighbors, classmates, and teachers.

fig 5 (3 V? 01 n o

H

Articles in the Kinistry Msgnzine, of which he is
Associate Editor.

Five syllsbi on Ev ngelism.

Articles in tile Feyiew and herald.

Articles in the 7 s .e

Articles in ‘W

Articles in the 1 In

The K.V. Kit. *

Kesrbooks.

School papers.

NeWSpdper articles.
Church journals.
Yearbooks.

. Registrar's records.

 

KO 004 GUI J—‘u r.)

bk»! [0 H

 

Recordings of Speeches and Sermons.
Zecordings of 3ockground «sterisls of Tvnngelistic
Csmpcigns and workshors

I“) i-J

 

q

This st‘hy cmnloys the historic l and critic l nethos

-

of, or dpproach to, rese rch.

‘

The organisation of materiel procemss in he follow-
in; order:

". r3
ch '

F}.

Chapter I: Biogrtphicel UTtGPiTlS tracing the

of Lvangelist Cleveland from his birth to the present, point-
ing out those environmental factors which shaped his life

for the ministry, end his accomplishments in his hosen
field.

Chrpter II: Enterinls pertcining to events in the
political, social, 3nd religious world thst contributed to
Lnke it an r30 of conflict, and Cleveland's influence upon
the peOplc of this period.

Chapter III: twterials pertaining to the purpose
0f Cleveland's evangelism.

Chapter IV: Esterials pertaining to the nature of
Cleveland's ethical prectice.

Chapter V: Iatericls pertaining to the principles
Lmderlying Cleveland's methods.

Chspter VI: Kstcrisls pertaining to Clevelsnd's
Hwthods'bqsed upon the ”Lscour Kodel."

Chatter VII: Hetericls nertainin; to the evengc-
listic preaching of Cleveland using the tOpics and criteria
OfClassical rhetoric vs guide-lines.

xvi

Ch.pcer VIII: Esterirls rertsinin; to Cleveltr”'s

h Aid,

'F“ 1 V

uninter A: Interidls rerteinin; to th' results of

-.

,.
\L’

Cleveland's use of naccific methods of evsngelisr end trench-

ing.

Chsrter C: Summhry and Conclusions.

xvii

CHAPTER I
EDWARD EARL CLEVELAND: THE RAK AND HIS HLRITAGm

The purpose of this chapter is to trace the sequence
of events in the life of Evangelist Cleveland with Special
emphasis on these personal factors Which influenced him to
accept evangelism as his life's work, and elevated him to
a position of prominence as a spokesman for his church.

His ability to eXpress great concepts in simple
language has won for him the recognition of W. w. Fordham
as a man who has:

. . . the unique ability to articulate, perhaps more
clearly and more vividly, the unique facets and purpose
of our message than any of his contemporaries . . . and
has done more than any other man in the past two deca-
des to give momentum to global evangelism than any
other Seventh-Day Adventist evangel.

In order to discover those active forces in his en-
vironment which stimulated his desire for speechcraft, we
have divided his life into the fellowing chronological

periods:

1-) Early childhood and parental influence: 1921~
1933
From birth to his first elected office in the
church at the age of twelve.

1Interview with w. W. Fordham, Associate Secretary
gr the Regional Department of the General Conference of
event'h‘Day Adventist, June 20, 1966.

f0

2.) Formal educational background and preparation:
1927-1941
Beginning with his pre-school training
through Junior College.
3.) Days of anxiety and strain: His Toledo EXperi-
ence: 1941-1942
From graduation to his first pastoral assign-
ment.

4.) Ministry in the Carolinas 1942-1950
From Pastor evangelist to Conference evangelist.

5.) Enlarging his evangelistic horizon: 1950-1954
From Conference evangelist to Union evangelist.

6.) World evangelist: 1954

From Union Evangelist to Associate Secretary of
the General Conference.

Early Childhood and Parential Influence:

Edward Earl Cleveland was born in Huntsville,
Alabama, a small city in Madison County in the State of
Alabama, March 11, 1921. He was the son of William C.
Cleveland, a dedicated lay preacher, who for thirty-nine
years served as pastor of the Chattanooga, Tennessee,
Seventh-Day Adventist Church.1 His mother, Eunice Clifford
Cleveland, was a devout woman, respected not only for her
quiet consistency and faithfulness to the church, and her
c’Denheartedness to those in need, but also for her

\

Ch 1Interview with Mrs. Franklin Hill, a member of the
cnfitan°°$a: Tennessee, church during Elder W. C.
eveland.s administration, June 16, 1966.

\JJ

intellectual vigor and great imaginative power.1 To this
union three sons were born: William, Edward, and Harold.
Each became a minister of recognition and influence in the
Adventist Church.

When Edward was two years of age, his father moved
from Huntsville, Alabama, to Chattanooga, Tennessee, a move
occasioned by his father's sensitivity to the racial problem
in Alabama. Cf course, life for Negroes in any part of the
South back in 1923,was nothing to be desired at its best.
But life in Tennessee, even with its "Jim Crowism”, was much
more desired than life in Alabama. The Ku Klux Klan was
very active in Huntsville during the 20's, and just to men-
tion that name created a psychological disturbance in the
nmntal processes of Negroes whose community was involved.2

Edward's father realized that any attempt to rear
his children in such an atmosphere, polluted with racial
hatred and tendencies to violence would only cripple their
Cmtlook on life. It could bruise them to the point that
they would become either haters of white men or impaired

Vufih an inferiority complex which would render them impotent

—_

 

1Interview with Mrs. Annie Williams, a member of the

$825011 and close friend to the Cleveland family, June 18,

2Interview with William Cleveland, brother of

Evangelist Cleveland, June 25, 1966.

and ineffectual as contributing citizens to the betterment
of society. Desiring neither for his children, he, there-
fore, settled his family in Chattanooga to provide them with
an environment conducive to creativity of thought, to remove
them from scenes of violence and injustice, and to try to
lift the cloud of fear that enve10ped the negro communities
of Alabama.

In his attempt to shield his sons from the evils of
”Jim Crowism", Edward's father would not permit them the
comfort and convenience of the city's public transit system.
The law required separate seating of the races, whites sit-
ting toward the front and Negroes in the rear. To him this
was an unjust practice;1waconsidered the walk from the front
0f the bus to the back seat a parade of folly, designed to
keep the Negro in a state of humiliation, and rob him of his
heritage of manhood. Being a firm believer in the father-
hOOd of God and the dignity of man, he considered this prac-
tice a violation of the principles of God, as well as the
I‘isht of the Negro to the dignity of manhood.l

In his endeavor to create a sense of worth and high
ideals of achievement, Edward's father organized the neigh-
‘Mnhood boys and directed them in Sports and other activi-
tdes designed to instill in them the principles of good cit-
izenghtp. His concern for the youth and his leadership in
\

1Interview with E. E. Cleveland, March 22, 1966.

planned activities for the community did much to curb the
juvenile deliquency problem which was even then rampant.l

The principles of race relations instilled in Edward
by his father before he entered school shaped his future
outlook on the race question. The Afro-American newspaper
introduced him to its reading public as a "fighter for human
rights". Elder Silas McLamb, the first associate evangelist
to work with him in a public campaign, states that even be-
fore the Supreme Court ruled on Segregation, Evangelist
Cleveland never made any distinction in the seating pattern
Of his audience. While cautioned several times by the po-
lice, he never segregated his audience, and was never ar-
raigned in court for his action.2

Perhaps his reatest pronouncement on the question

I l

0f human rights was made in the land of apartheid, bef re an
integrated audience of 8,000 peOple who packed the city hall
in Cape Town, South Africa, where the official policy of po-
litical, social, and economic discrimination and segregation
is forced against non-whites. The_Cane_Timea quoted him 88
aSling:

 

of H llnterview with Laurence Britten, a boyhood playmate
Lvangelist Cleveland, June 25, 1966.

2Interview with Silas McLamb, May 28, 1966.

O\

u—

the sea like fish, wien will they 1e rn to w lk the
earth like brothers.

hen have learned to fly the air 111m birds and aw!»

His father's attempt to pass on to him a Godly and
healthy outlook on life during his formative years, as well
as his faithfulness to the church and the work of the minis-
try did much, Edward said:

To shape my own life in the direction I have chosen
. . . I have always coveted his fine example of
Christian living.

Not only did he have the example of his father to
inspire him, but also did he benefit from the guiding influ-
ence of his mother, who instructed him in matters of
Christian living and the social graces so necessary to one
in public life.

His mother was a quiet, retiring, introspective type
0f woman. She possessed no yen for public appearances and
if She was requested to perform at a public gathering, it
was an invitation for her to be absent. Although she had no
particular liking for public Speaking, she was a master of
the.English language. 3 Her contribution to Edws rd was the
effective use of language. She taught him the importance of
“fichy phrases, and the value of narrative and descriptive
“Wtaphors. She knew how to turn a phrase in written.

\

lLetter from s. 3. Cleveland, April 27, 1965.

2E. 3. Cleveland lgg‘_git.

3Laurence, Britten, ngL_gLL.

composittmu and her letters to her first born, William, even
though she had no training in literary composition, mani~
fested all the skill of a finish writer.

Eva gelist Cleveland first became aware of a desire
to write at an early age when he wrote poetry for the sheer

joy of writing. Later on when he was made associate editor
of the M1n15tzy_flagazine, there was thrust upon him a neces-
Sity to produce written material which he later discovered
in his travel evoked quite a reSponse among the professional
men for whom he wrote.

Elder C. E. Mosely, his Bible teacher at Oakwood
3 ollege, said:

. . . It is amazing how well he can write also. His
writing is just as apt, and folksy, and gifted, and
entertaining as his public address, and he is a master
at both.

Several of his articles have appeared in National
Journals.2 He is complimented by readers of the Hinlinnl
Hflaazlne around the world for his contributions and counsel
Clea-ling with evangelistic problems through its pages. His
little short, pithy paragraphs dealing with real issues of
evangelistic problems and life situations have gained for

K

1Interview with C. E. Mosely Jr., Field Secretary

igéghe General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventist, July 27,

J 2Interview with E. E. Cleveland, Washington, D. C.,
uly 25, 1966.

0)

him a degree of notoriety among his professional associ-
ates.l

His inspiration to write was received from his
Hmther; his ability to extemporize was the training of his
father. His mother was a gifted writer; his fa her a tal-
ented Speaker. In addition to abundant inepiration regard-
ing the subject matter of discourse, his mother taught him
how to phrase his words, his father how to eXpress them ef-
fectively. His mother taught him how to reach those who
were influenced by the richness of eXpression and descrip-
tive beauty; his father taught him how to reach the practi-
cal, common man of the street. His mother as a writer im-
parted freshness to common place expressions, vividness to
prose, and beauty to language. His father as a speaker
knew how to capture and delight an audience and move it em-
otionally. The synthesis of both provided him with a back-
around of knowledge sufficient to meet the needs of many of
his listeners.

C. E. Mosely, Jr., Speaking of his ability as a

Speaker, said:

Cleveland was born with the yen for public suasion.

The ability to persuade the masses is a natural for
him. He doesn't have to study for it; he doesn't have
to think about it; he does it as if he was made for the
purpose . . . He is folksy, he seems to know the lan-
8Uage that catches the ear and interest of the peOple,

\

1

Interview with M. M. Young, Pastor of the
10, 1956 .

8a, Tennessee, Seventh-Day Adventist Church, march

\o

and he knows how to capitalize grilt . . . I h vs elo-
quent moments in mixed audiercus when he had to speak
to intellectuals. The amazing thing :bout him is, he
seems to know his way around on any level in public
address. Among intellectuals he can be profoundly in-
tellectual; among the unsophisticated he has the com-
mon touch, and all of this is natural withou any ap-
parent sign that he had planned it that way.

He was under his mother's supervision more than his
father's. His fa+ her departed in the morning for work be-
fore Edward was out of bed, and Edward never saw his father
any more until the end of the day. However, between sun-
down and 10 P.H. his father took time to box, wrestle, and
tell his sons stories until out of sheer weariness he re-
tired for the night.3

During Edward's formative years, his father imparted
to him a rich background of fidelity to religious princi-
ples which he has never forgotten. An examination of the
sermons he preached during his thirty evangelistic campaigns
reveals the influence of his father's courage and faithful-
ness to the principles of his faith, under the threat of
death.

As early as Edward can remember, his father would

tell him of his eXperience of being marched out to an Open

‘

H 1The term' 'mixed audience" in this context means
tmixed in relationship to intelligence, educational oppor-
Unities, and racial background.

20. E. dosely Jr., lgg._cit.
3Interview with William Cleveland, July 20, 1966.

 

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grave pit accompanied by six men with rifles, all of whom
pon command from the commanding officer were to seal with
death his witness for the principles he loved more than life.
At the edge of the grave pit, he was given a shovel and com-
nmnded to work or die. Throwing the shovel down with a thud,
he braced his body to receive tae bullets that would bring
his present existence to an end. At the pit of death, he
made his stand and this establisned for all time his right
as an individual for Sabbath observance in the Army.
Reflecting on his boyhood days as he sa and lis-
tened to his ather relate stories pertaining to his Army
experience, Edward said:
My mind wrapped itself around every word which fell
from his lips, and they have been to me, throughout my
whole life, an ever increasing source of inepiration.
My father was a wise teacher; for in relating these
stories to me, he was indirectly fortifying my young
mind with courage and conviction which were to prosper
me in my work in later years.1
Religious subjects occupied a prominent place in his
home. His father read the Bible to his family daily; and
bOth in the morning and the evening, the family altar was
exalted. It was here in the dawning years of his awakening
exPerience to the consciousness of the existence of God that
his Parents instilled in him a sense of dependency upon God

I 01‘ 9.11 things .

\ “h

llhid.

2William Cleveland, lan‘_nit.

ll

Edward's father carried him and his brothers to
church everytime there was a service. he was in church four
days out of every week. Sunday evening was the regular
evangelistic service, especially itn° non-church members.
Wednes'ay evening was dedicated to the mid-week prayer ser-
vice and Sabbath school teachers' meeting. Friday evening
rms set aside for choir practice. He recalled with vivid
remembrance sitting on a front row pew swinging his legs as
he observed his father training the choir for the regular
church service. The family was in church all day Saturday
for Sabbath service: Sabbath school in the morning, the
mid-morning worship service from 11 a. m. until noon, and
the young peOple's meeting in the afternoon. "Their lives”
he said "were built around the church and its program".1

As far back as he an remem er, he has possessed an
ardent desire for the ministry and eSpecially evangelism; and
all his family influences have tended to strengthen this
chOice of his life's work. The insights he received from
Observing his father, and the personal help he received from
him in the prepa ation, organization, and delivery of his
Sermons as a boy preacher, are some of the contributing
fWhore of his unusual success as an evangelist.

His public appearance as a boy preacher began at
en early age. His earliest recollection of preaching was
\

1E. 2. Cleveland, lggl_git.

12

the age of seven when he was widely known in the city of
Chs ttsnooge as a boy preacher.l He presched.et the
Congregational Church once a year, at the AKE church on 6th
Street, and in numerous Beptist Churches in the city.“

During the do ye of his childhood ministry, his father
ins the guiding influence in his life. He not only assisted
Edward with the preparation of his material, but also taught
him how to deliver it. This type of training continued until
he was graduated from high school. The influence of his
father's early training of using the most eXpressive ty e of
gesture to emphasize the points he wished to have stand out
in his sermons is implicit in hsi delivery to-dsy.3

At the age of seven, he was instrumental in led.in;
one of his playmates, Laurence Britten, into a dynamic, per-
sonal relationship witl C d. 4 Unlike the other boys of his
neighborhood, Edward found great satisfaction in arguments-
tion. Even though he entered into the childhood play of his
nethorhood, and endeavored to out-perform all his play-

mates, nevertheless, he would never depart for home without

1Letter from E. 3. Cleveland, April 27, 1965.
2m, 0

3Interview with Herold Clevelend, younger brother of
:Nanselist Cleveland, July 26, 1966.

4Laurence Britten, lgg‘_git,

13

attempting to engage someone in debate.

Mrs. Annie Williams thought he was a rather unusual
child; for whenever he went out to play, instead of talking
about the usual things that interest children of his age, he
would teach the children the Sabbath School lesson his
mother had taught him earlier. It was through his effort to
teach the lesson that he himself had learned from his mother
first Laurence Britten was induced to follow his Lord in the
experience of conversion during his childhood.2'

Between the ages of seven to eleven, his concept of
Cmi was determined by the attitude he held toward his par-
ents. Since they were kind, loving, and considerate, he
Omiceived God to be a Father who was.slwnys interested in
thewell-being of His children. At the age of eleven, all
theConviction of his former years crystslized into personel
desirwa for formal baptism and membership in the church.
When.11e expressed to his mother his desire for church mem-
mflTfllip;gne directed some searching questions to him to test
the depth of his conviction. After satisfying; herself of
sinceqrity, she consented for his baptism.3 A picture taken

0f hiss baptism in 1933 reveals that he was the only child

___‘~___¥
1mm.
’3
(‘Annie Williams, lgg‘_gi1.

3d,” ‘ 32.12m. 12:. D.’Story, wife of the minister who baptized
qu, July 10, 19o6.

14

among a group of adults who were baptized at that time.1

In recalling this<st*dciyxw5 he said:

I knew what I was doing, I wanted to be a child of God,
and I wanted the world to know it, and baptism was to
me a public testimony of that fact. And yet, it was
more than that, it was burning the bridges behind me;
it was setting out on a course from which there could
be no return,2and in a war from which there could be
no discharge.

One year after his baptism, he was elected to the
office of Sabbath School Superintendent of the Chattanooga
Church. He was a ready Speaker, and even at that early age
Showed great promise of leadership. No doubt it was with the
thought of Shaping him for his profession, that the members
Of the Chattanooga Church selected him, a boy of twelve, to
one of the most influential positions of leadership in the
church. If this was not the motive, it at least served that
purpose. For instance, the constant pressure, with patience,
Of course, by William Watkins, a deacon of the Church, for
the Sabbath School to begin on time helped Edward to develOp
the trait of promptness.3 Edward said that the incessant
public prodding of Deacon Watkins imbedded into his con-
sciousness the necessity of meeting his appointments on
time; "rid.

today he has not forgotten the lesson he learned

as a boy leader of that Sabbath School. It is a known fact

\

1See appendix.

"3
t.

E. E. Cleveland, M1.
3Interview with William Watkins, July 10, 1965.

l"
"\
./

m

,mong those who have worked with him that all his confer-
ences and campaigns began on time, and he is usually the
first person at the meeting.

This appointment not only helped him to adjust him-
self to promptness, but it also materially reduced his fear
of an audience. It gave him the opportUnity to eXpress himr
self in public, and to persuade an audience to chrry out his
wishes and desires. It also taught him how to conduct a
business meeting, which led to the mastery of parliamentary
procedures at an early ago. Another benefit he derived from
this early leadership venture was a sense of reSponsibility
for his conduct. He was placed in office during wast he
called "that young c azy period of my experience”. Being in
1 DOSition of Spiritual leadership, he knew that he could
not endorse some of the activities in which young peOple
engaged. Considering these advantages which accrued from
this early venture in the role as Sabbath School Superin-
tendent, we may say that it had a definite molding influence

hithe defelopment of his life for future leadership respon-

Bibilities.

Period of Educational Prenaration

Before Edward entered school, he was taught by his

be . - .

. r‘ents at home. his parents, thougn not blessed with i

c .. ,.
Olleoe education, possessed a mental acumen far beyond the
alley?

~38 for people in their educational status of life.

Even thou; 1 his f3 ther and mother were only high school
graduates, they kept up with the latest develonments in the
fields of Religion and English.
They desired their children to be ministers of the
goSpel, and all heir efforts were bent toward this goal.
Edward's father refused to accept an invitation fr m
the Loos 11 Conference Comziittee to assume full pastoral re-
nsibilities as a rofessional preacher. he felt that the
H1 ery'was too small to enable him to educate his three sons.
1R3 preferred to serve as a local pastor and dedicate Lis
thrwee sons to the gospel ministry. In that way, he thought
he ifould be able to e xert a wider influence than if he self-
imily'took advantage of this offer for himself, and jeep-
IWii? ed.t11e education of his sons. Both his father and
momaez~lived to see him and his older brother, William,
cmflsuined to the gospel ministry. his mother died in 1943,
:dmnl Earold, his younger brother, was fifteen years old.
Befornelhis father died in 1956, leer J. H. a.vner, the
PresSlident of the South Atlantic Conference came to his bed-
sfide zxnd told him his third son had earned ordination and
attku3 coming campmeeting he *Jould re cceive denominational
endors'Eament. So before his death, the father's early dream
0 Che his three sons to the ministry 2.2.3 realised.l

\

lh'srold Cleveland, lggL_git.

17

In their desire to instill in them principles that
should be reflected in the life of ministers, they read
literature on child growth and develOpment, and sought to
develop in their children high principles of respect for

others and a sense of worth and value of themselves. They

a,» (h‘

aught them to strive to be the best it was possible for
thenlto become, give honor to all men, and OXpect the some

fron them in return.1

The Bible, the standard textbook of the family,

IHHS read daily; and its moulding influence, no doubt, did

IMMfil to call forth the high moral standards and noble prin-
01EJJ3s so ardentl‘ advocated by ddward and his brothers.

T‘ o 1" -
lflmfll a cursory examination of deord's sermons will reveal

nis (dependence on it for his source of moral tea hing and

ethixlal sta‘dords. Dr. Edward C. Banks of Andrews

Univeanty, commenting on his preaching, said:

fie uses his Bible quite frequently, turning from text
to text and quoting other texts.q The Bible is a very
Zyrominent part of his preaching.“

An interview with Harold Cleveland pointed to the
firitingxscfl'flllen G. White as one of the main sources used

‘7 - a ‘ . . o n 3
1% Madnlrd's parents in the pre-scnool education 01 their

\
lWilliam Cleveland, lQQfi—an'

f‘

Interview with deard C. hanks, Professor of

An : .. ..
~p13al Tneoloc , Andrews University, June 9, 1956-

l,_l
CC)

children. When they learned how a quiet, gentle manner ef-
fected the develOpment of children, they created an atmos-
phere of pleasantness and trust in the family circle. When
they read of the effect of kindness and affection, they
dealt with their children kindly, tenderly, and lovingly.
When it was suggested that they tell their children that Cod
wanted them trained to labor for lost humanity, they trained
their children during their childhood for the work of the

ministry.1

Like most children of his time, Edward began his
formal education at the age of six, at the Seventh-day

Adventist parochial school, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. To

-— 1r

reach the school from his home, he had to waln five mile

C
u.

If.” fl . O Q

LWS city bus would nave made it more readily accessible and
Prdbekfly more enjoyable, but his father's determined desire
toProtect him from "Jim Crowism” and the bruising effects

it miight have on his develOping personality kept his youth-

*UI f¥3et pounding the asphalt of the city streets to school.
Edward recalled with a gleam of radiant delight his
intI‘C‘duction to the world of thought end culture. H's first

UL)

tie? «— .-. - - o N. 0 fl ‘.
~Ch110, hiss Tielma Jinston, possessed a dignity OI bearing,

f‘

1:, Sy- ‘ . .- _ 4:. .
’eethiess of diSpOSition, a;d a professional competence
the .- ,_ --
'L thde learning an enjoyable experience. her natural

s (as

(1

lOVe
ifol? children united with her deSire for succe

\
lHarold Cleveland, QQ+_QiL,

(0

 

10

this was her first teachin; assirnnent after rraduatinv from

\/ K; k.’

‘1

'akwood College)l enabled her to touch the chords of re-
sponse in her pupils.

He attended the Adventist parochial school for five
years from 1927-1932. It was his parents' desire for him to

m; but the

(I)

complete his education in the church's school syst
marriage of hiss Emma Wilson, his second teacher, in the
middle of the school year of 1932, shattered that dream.

She: decided to become a dedicated housewife; and in conse-
;nundce, the school closed, leaving his parents with no alter-
native but to place him in public school.

He entered public school in the fifth grade and re-
ained in the public school system until he was graduated
from Howard High School in 1939, a period of se*en years.
its first public school he attended was the Last Fifth

Street Junior High School; the principal was Professor Henry,
and his first homeroom teacher was hiss leore.2

his introduction to his homeroom teacher was some-

what interesting. As the pupils gathered on the school
around awaiting the bell to signal the time for them to

enter their homeroom, the school ground bully selected him

1

“'3

Interview with Mrs. Thelma Winston Kibble, June _ ,

“3. 3. Cleveland, lQQL_QlL.

r‘) 0

rs his initial target for the school year. "Edward was not

J

* ~ ~ H vs a w --
a boy to pick a fight raid yr nkiin L111, one of his clhss-

s, ”neither was he one to run away from a fight",1 so

(+-

1' i} T”.
-

he 2nd the school ground bully were joined in a pugiliitic

contest. Thov had fourht to i stulemate when hiss Elmore

V

.L

looked out of the window and saw two of her pupils fighting,
:uLd his introduction to her was by way of the chsstening rod.

During the years between eleven and eighteen, he was
saxnewhst shy and withdrawn. he did not have many clos
fimiends among his classmates, because he never mingled too
fimeely with them. he had a peculiar personality that was
often mistaken as insulting by some who did not know him
well. he wds very sensitive and reacted readily to anyone
who played a practical joke on him.2

he was sickly as a youth, and had a cough that
caused many to think he needed to be hOSpitelized. The com-
'mn cold was a constant companion with hi“. His lean, lanky
frame and round shoulders shaking violently at times when
he coughed was s Spectacle to excite pity.5

Throughout this period of develOpment, he was re-

ferred to as a model for the youth of his community to

lFrChklin 1—1111, 1M.
2m.
3m.

follow. he was resrectful to adults snd friendly to those

" ..
flz‘SlleS

L‘J

of his own age level; However, when he was an ere

V 9

of heated passion revealing a loss of his usu; 1 es mu ninity
and calmness were clearly discernible. Throughout his youth
no charge of profs Haitr was ever lodged cg inst him, and

1‘

scandalous gos ssip ageinst him could lind no listening ears.

He was not too much interested in young ladies dur-
hrt this period. Laurence Britten, one of his classmates,
brew of two beautiful young ladies, both from reSpectsble
humilies with excellent educ stionsl o ckgrounds, who 2w de
no rrttempt to conceal their desire for his friendship, but
he this imyressed neither by their befiuty nor the social
13%H5tige he might have accrued by accepting the friendship
or either one of tl’lem.

His greatest interest during this period was speech
maijlg. fiverything else 1.:tis secondo ry . he thought only of
‘WVTt he was going to say in his sermons, and the most ef-
fectiye way to say it. He tossessed a creative mind and "es
conBtsntly seeking methods of catching the attention of his
listeners.

He attended every public debate and soeaking engage-
next involving prominent Negro speakers of the city of
Chattfiusoogs, that it wss possible for him to attend. Much
of tle Sp~dking was of 3 political nature Sponsored by the
XGCPO ‘Voters' Lean Que, which was headed by Walter iobinson,

.‘l

Jiilted spesher, reputed to es s silver-tongued orator by

-— e n — ~~ -+‘ -.— -‘ ~ 0 J4: 4,
many oi the broiessionel men oi the city.

F‘ s0 '1‘ “ ‘\ I“ I O 4 0‘ r‘ . ~‘ ‘ r‘ '7 r ‘ . '
L eiiecting on those days oi ringing rater, gnu. ner-
. -“ v fi-sf‘ ‘ r 1 ‘ V". . ‘V ’1 V 4“. i N v . ‘0 " 1‘
suasite sieecnes and ermons by some of the meet Mllttd
1..— .1‘ -‘.~ -, " r
speaners oi the city, he said:

I was in political meetings quite frequently as a boy,
listenixg to the ebb and flow of oratory. I have also
heard every kind of preacher you can name. In those
days I attended every Negro church in Chattanooga. I
went any place where Speaking was going on. It thrill-
ed :ma to see men burning with enthusiasm in their zeal
to persuade men to accept their point of View. I lis-
tened for catchy phrases and moving illustrations.
Hothizg delighted me more than to see an audience

moved through the power of words.1

His parents had instilled in him from early child-
hood the dignity of labor. Te had heard his father repeat
over and over that there was ”no substitute for hard work ;
and his mother had a slogan, ”Ninety percent of scnius is
hard work".2 Believing these statements to be true, he
Seoured a job as a janitor's helper during his high school

years,3 his work was characterised by diligence and ther-

ouShness; however, quite frequent y, it was interrupted by
4

V
n

his favorite pastime, argumentation.

\

1E. 3. Cleveland, leg‘_git.
3Ann1e Will isms , m.
‘qLaurence Britten, leg. git.

Franklin Hill, one of his plsymates, commenting on
. 1
his ability as a ”cool out" salesman, said:

He was a salesman of no mean ability. He possessed

the ability to take on all competition from other
sellers of ”cool outs" and justify the superiority

of his product with great zeal. Nany times he made the
"cool out" stand his pulpit, and from it many of the
sermons he preached in the churches hroughout the city
of Chattanooga, during his high school days, had their
origin at the "cool out" stand.‘

Laurence Britten said that Edward carried the book,

q

a q" ‘ with him whenever he went

"cool

out to the neighborhoods and parks on Sunday to sell
outs". Whenever business fell off, he studied the doctrines
of his church and ways and means to sisplify them.3

He was interested in all types of sports during his
high school days. He played on the basketball teah of his
hiflh school, cnd.spent most of his Spare time perfecting his
ability to make field goals. During the baseball season,
he was a regular on the neighborhood's sand-lot team. While
he realized he would never become a professional, he gave

H"

the Same the very best he had. One observer said, he put

his‘fiNDle heart into whatever he was a part of, and always

 

no 1According; to Mrs. Annie williams "cool outs" or
Llargowballs" were unknown to the residents of Chattanooga,
n 11 they were introduced by :‘dn-zard's father, William C.

’3
lFranklin Hill, lQQ‘_QlL,

7

'JLaurence Britten, logi_git.

{“7

played to win”.1

is 9 student, he was very studious. He took his

"-

clessworh seriously, always allottin; time enough to do 9
thorough job on each assigzment. Whenever he found a word
he did not know, he wrote it down and studied it until it
became a pert of his working vocabulary. Cn controversial
criestions, if he did not concur with the explanation offered
ir1 the classroom, he would do research on it until his point
of‘ view was either justified or proved to be in error.2
fihile he was not a brillsnt student per_se, his
clxiss record reveals that he was a diligent, hard working
stdident fired with ambition to succeed and unwilling to he
sxnsond.best to anyone. His high school transcript shows he
never'nmde a grade lower than a 3.3 Science, English,
Latirn and.mnthematics were among his best subjects.4

It was in Senior High that he received his formel

training in Speech under Professor Julian C. Brown, the

1m.

I.) o \p 'u D
, “Interview with Walter A. starks, classmate oi
“award, June 20, 1966.

H , 3Certificate of Secondary School Credits from
Guard High School, May 26, 1939.

4112.111-

2‘5

English teacher at Howard High School.1 No other teacher
during;his high school preparation influenced his life more

ympathetic, but in-

U)

sigxlificently than he. He was kind and
sistued on proficency, and refused to pass anything that did
not zneet the standards of excellence established at the be-
ginning of the school year.
The occasion that gave rise to the introduction of
Speech at Howard High was due to a pet project of the prin-
°1pefil, W. J. Davenport, to have every senior appear before
the estudent body for a three-to five-minute Speech. Realiz-
3UES‘bhe principsl's interest in the speech develOpment of
the EStudents of Howard High, Professor Brown said:
‘When I began to teach the senior English class, it oc-
cured to me that we should make something rewarding
out of this project. Therefore we took six weeks out
of the regular English literature class to form a pub-
lic Speaking class. I prepared the syllabus from my
experience and course work at the University of
Cincinnati. The culminating activity of this course
in public Speaking was to prepare a Speech for five
nunutes to be delivered before the student body.‘
Under his tutelage, Edward learned the fundamentals
Of SBeech. Professor Bret-In guided him through what he con-
sidelfied the most significant Speech that he had delivered
during his educational career, "The Commencement Address
°frmy own graduating class".3

\

S 1 1Professor Brown is presently Principal of Joseph E.
m th School on East 10th Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

1966 2Interview with Professor Julian C. Brown, April 16,

3s. 3. Cleveland, 100. cit.

F.)
C\

It was the custom of the school to invite a guest
speaker of some note to address the graduating class, but
that year Edward was selected as the faculty valedictorian
'to deliver the Commencement Address to his class.1

The term "faculty valedictorian" was used at Howard
High to describe a student who had reached a certain per-
centage point above ninety. Although Edward was selected
tc> deliver the commencement address in his class, and was
ixnieed a faculty valedictorian, Booker T. Lyons had the

highest average . 2
Principal Brown in comparing the two tOp students

lil'the faculty valedictory category said:

Lyons was brilliant. He had a photographic memory, but
never did too much thinking. Although Edward made A's
and B's, he never impressed me as being brilliant.

He was studious, thorough, and methodical. Lyons was
very ineXpressive and retiring. Edward was a ready
speaker with an abundance of natural ability, and not
afraid of a crowd. Lyons had a better memory, and
perhaps, a better storehouse of knowledge because of
his memory, but when it came to analyzing a problem,
Edward was superior. He got his real training back in
his early days, and deve10ped the ability to stick to
something and really develOp it so that it would blos-
som out into something rewarding.

When Edward was selected as faculty representative,
Principal Brown Sponsored him in making the Commencement
AddreSs. Commenting on that eXperience, Edward said:
\

lJulian C. Brown, lgc._cit.

2lh1d-

31m.

 

 

He took me in hand and tried to make a Speaker out of

me. We became personal friends, and of all Ehe teach-

ers I have had he stands out in my tninl:in;,.

In the assistance which Principal Brown gave to
Edward in the preparation of his speech, he outlined the
basic course of training; he taught his class in fundamentals
of Speech. The students were required to go through the
basic procedure of getting an approved subject which could
be an original idea, some event of national or international
significance, or any outstanding; person worthy of a real
biographical report. The next step was to make a sentence
Outline. The basic three-part outline of Introduction, Body,
and Conclusion was the method employed by Professor Brown:
The Introduction was to contain material that would command
the attention of the audience and create interest in the
Subfject; the Body was to contain at least four, and not more
than five points to be deve10ped; the Conclusion could be a
SWary, recapitulation, or final appeal in support of the
Propositions presented in the Speech. The next step after
the approval of the outline was to select data from the
Various sources of materials in the library to support the
four- or five major parts of the speech.
After the Speech had been approved, the students

read them for expression. They were to mark places in the

Speech where the voice was to rise and fall and they were

\

112. 2. Cleveland, M.

to underscore statements they wished to used to emphas as
different points. After the speech had been read in class
for two or three times with the aid of the manuscript, they
xwere encouraged to read it five times each evening. After
El week's drill hey were requested to read it again. After
tJrat reading they were ready to say as much as they could
xxithbut reading, but having the manuscript with them at all
times to aid them should they forget. I-Iemorization of the
Speech was discourage .

After this process in the classroom, the class was
movexi to the auditorium, where each member of the class had
to (address his classmate. When this process was completed,
eaChL student was assigned a Specific time to deliver his
Speecfi12fi.a.regular school assembly each day until the
SeniLcar class lad compledted its roster.l

O
The students were graded on the following points:‘

1. Emphasis

2. Pronunciation

3. Enunciation

4. Emotional eXpression

5. Organization

5 DeveIOpment of important points so as to make them

stand out in the minds of the students addressed
7. Originality of thought
8. Clarity
9. Audience appeal
10. :ve contact
11- Force
12- Vividness

Professor Brown's basic desire was to bring out the

best possible Speech potential in each student whether or

not he had Speech impediments. There was a planned attempt
to eliminate doubt, fear, and hesitation in thinking, so
that there would be no psychological reason for poor eXpres-
Sionn To encourage confidence, Professor Brown would stOp
them in the midst of a speech during practice period and
serui them back to let us say, paragraph five or six, and ask
theun to begin from that point. By the time the practice
Imrfiiod.was completed, they could pick the Speech apart from
nmuuary and place it in prOper sequence. This type of train-
inEL‘Was continued until they could Speak with emphasis based
uDOrl sure confidence.

These basic principles Edward learned under Principal

Brohni are still discernible in his sermons to-day. For in-
Staxnse, it is rare phenomenon to see him enter the pulpit
wit-h:notes because he has so thoroughly mastered his material
that 'they are not necessary. This one factor alone is reward-
ing; (1) It has gained him the reSpect of many Who are acad-
emicafilly his superior; (2) It offers a better Opportunity

fOP creativity; (3) It supplies him with a confidence that
begets reSpect from his audience, (4) It affords better eye
°°nta0t, therefore, making it possible to observe the reaction
of the audience better; (5) It enhances the power of suggest-
ibility through his apparent familiarity with the subject

under discussion.

30

After graduating frm high school in 1939, he entered
Cskwood Junior College, September 12, 1939.1 His ability as
a Speaker gained for him every position sought by ambitious
Students with a craving for leadership Opportunities. He
was president of the seminar,2 Editor-in chief of the Aggzn,3
treasurer of the Junior Class, Sabbath school teacher, Leader
of the Excelsior Society,4 Junior Deacon of the College
Church, and president of the Senior Class of 1941.5
In College, Edward was unable to take any course
words entitled "speech," because in the place of "Speech," the
coljlege offered "homiletics" for ministerial students.
Thcndgh Edward did not take s specific course labeled Speech
anéiamentsls during his college preparation, he did not
ceexae to strengthen the principles of speech which he had
leagfined during his high school days. This was not unusual
because ”speech" and homiletics belong to the same family,
hmliletics being that branch of Speech fundamentals which
ooncermm,itself with the structure of Christian discourse,
-—.__i

8 1Certificate of College Record, Oakwood Jr. College,
eptember 12, 1939.

Th 2A campus club organization for ministerial students.
1 is club regulates the religious activities of the minister-
a1 StUdents on.the campus.

3The student's campus neWSpaper.

4The college men's dormitory club.

x 5Davrye L. Moore, (Ed.) "Senior offers", The menpgz
§§EE%MEK.(Huntsville, Ala.; Oakwood Junior College publisher,

31

whereas public address is that branch of speech fundamentals
which deals with, what we may call, the "lay" aSpect of
Speech.

The term "homiletics” as explained on the first page
0f the textbook Edward used in college, reads:

The word "homiletics" is derived from the Greek word
hgmilia and signifies either a mutual talk and con-
versation or a set discourse. The preachers in the
early church were in the habit of calling their pub-
lic discourse "talks", thus making it prOper to Speak
of what is in the present day in some quarters called
a gOSpel talk.

We derive our English word "homiletics" from this
3Pe€fli term which embraces in its sc0pe all the fundamental
Prirlciples which are inherent in the art of communication.c

A comparison of the techniques of Speech which Earl
Studied in his Speech class under Principal Brown and the
principles governing the structure of sermons from the text-
book: in homiletics he used at Oakwood should Show the close-
nesE; of the relationship between the principles governing
SpeGCh techniques and homiletical principles.

For the purpose of comparison, we shall refer to the
SpeeH3htechniques taught by Principal Brown as ”Brown" and
““3 Ilomiletical principles set forth in Evans' book as

n...

¢Vans . ll
\
Mom lwiil iam Evans , .. on (Chicago:

y'IPress, 1904), p. ll.

2John H. Broadus, a
M (New York: Armstrong, 1898), p. 16.

Brown:

Brown:

Evans 3

Brown:

Evans:

m
m

stresses the importance of the introduction.
It should command the attention of the audience
and create interest in the subject.

places emphases on the subject. "It should
awake interest in theme” , and "Prepare the audi-
ence for what is to follow" .

stresses the procedure of securing an approved
subject: This subject may be from any phase of
human interest in the area of secular achieve-
ment: an original idea, national or interna-
tional news or reports, or materials of bio-

{a

graphical si gnificance.4

stresses the procedure of securing a subjm

based upon the choice of an apprOpriate pa ssdge
aken from the scripture called 't e text. "3

The term "something woven or Spun." Thus the

subwject of a homiletical discourse is woven"
spun" or derived from the text.

stresses the importance of outline after the
approvalcnf t‘ subject selected by the students.
They were ta tught to think in terms of four or
five approaches to the su‘oject using sentence
outlines.5

stresses "that there should be no question as
to the great importance of , prOper arrangement
of sermon material."6 This factor often deter-
mines the success or failure of a sermon. He
likewise stresses the division Of a sermon for
the purpose of elaborating and amplifying the

1William nEvons, QD*_QLLL, p. 65.

5Julian C. Brown, lch_QiL.
6Evan59 My 13- 58-

Brown:

Brown:

Evans:

33

subject,1 then proceeds to divide the body of
the sermon into four basic questions to be an-
sweredg ”What"?, "fihy"? "How”?, and "What
then"?‘

After the approval of the outline, the students
were to gather materials to justify the ideas
set forth in the outline.)

In his chapter on gathering material, chapter
6, Evans sets forth the following questions
that should guide the studentigxselection ma-
terial for his sermon: "What have I ever read
on this subject?” "What have I observed that
will throw light on this subject?" What have I
ever thought on this subjezt?" What have I
gathered on this subject?"

taught that the conclusion could be summary, re-
capitulation, or an appeal in support of the
prepositions presented in the Speech.

taught that the conclusion may take the form of
recapitulation to leave the thought of complete-
ness in the thinking of a congregation, or it
may be a goem, illustration, or a striking
sentence.

In the above comparisons, we have attempted to show

some cxf the relationships between the Speech techniques

Edward_-Wa3 taught in high school and the principles of Speech

employeui by Evans in his book on homiletics from which Edward

Studied _ It

\

is apparent that there are more similarities

1mm. :2. 75.

Ihidw. pp. 75, 78. 84-
BI‘OWH, M.

than contrasts. Both follow the same basic principles to
solve the problem peculiar to its emphasis. Both take into
consideration the necessity of clarity of details through the
organization of material to accomplish their desired goals of
communication clearly and understandingly to the peOple whom
they are seeking to persuade or instruct. Both believe that
mainlind is worthwhile and possesses the capacity to under-
Struid the issues presented and react favorably on the basis
of“the material presented. Both are convinced that human
perwsonality can be clanged, and they suggest the use of
BPIHFOpPiatG materials to effect the desired change.

The basic difference between the two appears to lie
irl'the goals each attempts to reach and the ends each hOpes
t0 srttain. The preacher through the use of homiletics is
CODfiHBPned with issues of eternal value; his emphasis is on
the leetterment of man through a right relationship with God.
The lsublic Speaker uses he principles of Speech for the
attaidxment of some desired personal or social goal; his goal
is SiJnilar but is the "secular" realm.

Both were important factors in the develOpment of

3 iv Cup (1 '1

kw

s a Speaker; both have lent their influence to mould
him into a fearless, dynamic advocate for truth as it relates
to the Kingdom of God and man's relationship to its King.

Because of certain concepts held by E ward concern-
ing exegesis and organization, he and his Bible teacher,

Elder c. :3, :.;ose1y, Jr., often clashed with each other.

 

 

{3

Reflecting on his experience in his exegesis cl sses, he

said:

When I came to Oskwood, I had been Spoonfed the Bible
from early childhood, and there was not, really, any-
thing new a Bible teacher could teach me. Because of
this attitude, I made my Bible teacher miserable. I
didn't recognize it then, but I did not have a clear
concept of a student in a Bible class. In other sub-
jects yes, but in Bible, I felt I knew he Bible, and
my clashes with my superior spirited teacher were some-
times the tslk of the campus.

On the day of his graduation, his Bible teacher had
decxided that with his present attitude, it would be impos-
sitfiie for him to succeed as a minister. Therefore, before
denzrd left the campus, he was celled in for a conference.
.kfter~givin3 him counsel, the teacher added: "The ministry
iiS'too small for you, and I am afraid you will never get
intC) it; indeed, you will never make a preacher".2
n

Reflecting on those words,which he calls his parting

blessing", he said:

I did not know what he meant, and to be perfectly honest
I don't think he did either. I think it was a frustra-
‘ted pronouncement. I think he was saying; I did not
accomplish with you what I intended, and I am afraid
:rou are not going to make it. He did not know how true
liis statement was. It was only after my Toledo eXperi-
Once that I fully understood the import of his words.

\k

13. 2. Cleveland, lgcl_cit.

ward was never satisfied with stereotyped answers

He

m

E
and exp anations on great religious themes of the Bible.
would sacrifice time which he should have been putting on

classroom assignments to clear up anv misunderstanding that

was in his mind. After it was clear in his thinking, he

sought ways and means of simplifying and enriching it.
Using the question and answer approach, he would

visit the most gifted Bible students on the campus, raising

questions on the doctrines of salvation, predestination, and

other themes. After he had received their thinking on these

themes, he visited the average students to detect their

thinking on the same themes. From his synthesis of the

answers which he received from both groups he formed his

explanation.1

He was constantly seeking ways and means to improve

inmmuslf, Simplification of great ideas was to him the pur-

pose «of the ministry. While technical words and complicated

thouéfllt patterns may have their place in the discipline of
the Cilassroom, he said, they are not the tools of an evange-
list Eseeking to attract men to Christ: and any word or
thoufifint pattern that the average man cannot Brasp With ease
Should be abandoned .

\

Oak» 1Interview with M. J. Harvey, Professor of History,
rock: 0011989: Huntsville, Alabama, February 16. 1966.

 

One of the great triumphs of his aoility as a student
leader was the publication of he first yearbook in the his-
tory of the college financed by a senior class. Up to 1941,
the memory of graduating classes and school activities dur-
ing the year was preserved in the Acorn, the campus journal,
which offered varied outlets for those interested in journal-
istic pursuits. Edward thought that a publication dedicated
to the sole purpose of recapturing the most memorable events
of campus life should replace the Aggrn pamphlet. His pro-
;oosal for the project vas discouraged by the President, J.L.
Lharan, who looked upon the project as foolhardy; and to save
Eklward from the embarrassment he thought was sure to come
1;? an attempt were made to carry out such a project, he re-
fiised to give his consent for its publication. However,
EkiWard knew how to sell his idea; and when the administra-
tiJIn turned him down, he carried his project to the senior
Clxlss. They accepted his plan and organized the student
'boébr, and the project that was doomed for failure entered
thf? pages of the history of the college as a successful
venture.l

Edward's interest in young ladies came alive during
hifiS senior year at Oakwood. Some of the factors that helped

t4) activate this dormant state of detachment were: (1) The

1Witnessed by the writer, who was treasurer of the
Sehixn'class when the Yearbook Campaign was launched.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII:;_____________________________________ ___ ___—_uilIIIIIIIIIIIJI

 

altering of his standards to meet the qualification of human
beings rather than angels. In a sermon preached at Oakwood
College he said: ”When I stepped looking for an angel, and
started looking for a human being, I found an angel.”1 His
love and affection were for Miss Celi: R. Abney, the lady who
is now his wife. hiss Abney was the daughter of an American
Missionary, Elder B. W. Abnev, who served his organization

as a minister for 45 years before retiring. She went with
.her father to the Union of South Africa in 1931, and returned
to America in 1938, to enroll as a student in the Cakwood
Acxademy.2 Edward met her at Oakwood when he entered the
ccfillege in 1939. The effect of that meeting is reflected

111 the following statement:

I loved her at first sight, and had to wait for her a
year and a half before I had the Opportunity to make
an approach because she was friendly with another
gentleman. The moment that friendship was dissolved,
I made no delay in securing my claim for her affec-
tion, and before7I departed from the campus my engage-

ment was secure.)

Some of the secondary factors that entered into the
Selfiaction of Miss Abney as his "help meet" were revealed in
his tsonversation during our interview: (1) She possessed
all-‘t.he qualities that he desired to complement his eXperi-

\

l? E. Cleveland, Sermon preached at Oakwood College,

‘0

February 17 , 1951.

2Interview with Mrs. E. E. Cleveland, July 26, 1966.

3E. E. Cleveland, lggl_git.

U1
\0

ence as a minister; (2) Her deportment on the campus was ex-

emplary of Christian womanhood; (3) She was very talented,

and an excellent pianist; (4) Her father's experience as an

evangelist had created the appetite for traveling and cam-
paigning; (5) She possessed an excellent personality for the

type of man she was marrying. Twenty-two years of married

life together have amply Justified his judgment. She has
assisted him in all his public campaigns in North America,
as his pianist, social worker, teacher for his children's
hour, and choir leader for youth's choir, besides providing

for the personal needs of him and his son.

After Edward was graduated from Oakwood Junior Col-
1988 in 1941, he eXperienced a period of anxiety and hard-
ship. This experience was occasioned by his decision to {50
North instead of remaining in the South. Although he had
received several recommendations for service in the South,
Cleveland's youthful ambition to begin his ministry in the
North led him to accept an invitation to assist Elder w. R.
Robinson in an evangelistic campaign for three months in

the State of Ohio.
It was under the guiding hands of Elder W. R.
RObinSOH that he received his first training in public evan-

Belism during the summer of 1941, in Columbus, Ohio.

40

At the conclusion of the campaign, his drea of re-
ceiving an official call to the ministry did not materialize.
This meant that he was hundreds of miles away from home with-
out a job and with very little money left to support himself.

In recalling this eXperience, he said:

I lived in Elder Robinson's home during the greater
portion of those turbulent months of indecision with
reference to my future. He was a lover of young peOple,

and I believe had I been in other hands during that
period of waiting for an official all it would have

been fatal to my hepes and dreams.

Edward was never one to admit defeat, yet he could
not «escape the reality of unemployment. He could not accept
chaxfiity from the Robinsons, and he did not wish to return
hoax; a failure. He had two choices: (1) to return home and
3981: support from his parents, or (2) enter the ministry as
a sexlf-supporting worker. Since his pride would not permit
the-:former, he chose the latter; for the ministry was more
t119-11 a vocation to him, it was his calling, and the goal
towalni which his whole life's eXperience had been directed.

After discussing his problem with Elder Robinson,
Edwfirki was given the leadership of one of the small churches

under. his jurisdiction in Toledo, Ohio.2 Of his stay in

Toledo, Edward said:
X“

1E. E. Cleveland, loc._cit.
2Interview with W. R. Robinson, June 24, 1966.

 

'1‘!

A .
.4“

‘0‘.

d y.‘

la

'v

 

41

I was brought face to face with many of the hard facts
of life . . . I believe my five months there were the

most valuable five months of my preparation for the
gOSpel ministry. Here I received an education in pov-

erty . . . during these times it was as though these
things were happening to someone else and I was a wit-
ness to it, and yet, somehow, involved in it. I think
this state of sentiment detaihment had a lot to do with

my ability to go through it.
For eleven weeks, he eXperienced the frustration of

securing and losing Jobs. Each week reduced him lower than

the week before on the economic scale, until finally he

ended up on the N.Y.A. making fifteen dollars per month.

Cancerning this eXperience he said:

This I consider to be the low water mark of my transi-
tional period from college to the ministry . . . I be-
came so destitute that many days all I had go eat was
a sack of potato chips, and water to drink.

This eXperience was not, however, a wasted interlude

hillis life; for it taught him lessons that success and ease

c011.1c‘l. never have done. Commenting on this phase of his ex-

perience, he said:

lJuring the last part of my eXperience, it began to
(lawn upon me the change that was taking place in my
ILife. Even nature became appealing to me. I studied
tune flowers, and noted the beauty of their color, and
tdie perfume of their fragrance. Even the moon in its
borrowed array of brightness, flooding the earth with
3Jbs soft beams of light did not escape my gaze. I was
SO busy planning to move the world while in school that
sOme of these things escaped my attention. For the

1‘ irst time in my experience, I had begun to doubt my-
8elf. I was not the same self-confident debater of the

 

\
1E. E. Cleveland, lgc‘_nit.

2mm.

Oakwood Bible Classroom. My "cocksureness" was gone.
I had cime to the point where I could even appreciate
nature.

So desperate had he become to fulfill the mission
whdxih he felt he had been born to perform that during his
prixnate devotion one winter evening he prayed for God to
brdxmg his life to an end if it was not in His plan for him
to zaroclaim the gOSpel to dying men.2 He staged his private
"sit in", vowing in his prayer that he would neither eat nor
driaik until he had heard from someone authorizing and en-
dorsing him as a preacher.3

This period of waiting was short; for the following
moraiing at approximately 3:00 A.M., he received a telegram
fPCun the Carolina Conference bearing the news of an appoint-
meni; to the gOSpel ministry as an intern, and desiring to
knour if he was interested.4 He wired a one word telegram
back, "Interested."5

A period of three months elaSped between the time he
r'eceived the invitation to join the Carolina's staff of
wOrkers and his appointment to his first church. He called
this .1nterlude "a period of adjustment." He Spent these

\

1E. E. Cleveland, log._git.

t"'I.

43

three months with his older brother, William, who was the

pastor of the Paducah, Kentucky, church. During his stay in

Paducah, he taugh school--grades one through three-~to occupy

his time and keep his mind active. His pastor brother did

much to help him adjust his views in the area of human re-
lations and the minister's relationship to organization and

conference policy. Many of the cobwebs that had accumulated

in his thinking during his period of isolation in Toledo

were thus cleared away.

an June 1. 1942. Edward

b98811 his ministerial duties in the city of High Point,
Nortri Carolina,2 his first assignment being to assist Elder

H. D. Singleton in an evangelistic campaign.

In recalling his experience with Edward at the begin-

ning (of his ministry, Elder Singleton said:

IEt was obvious to me immediately that Edward was an
Innusual prospect for the ministry . . . I have had the
IIPivilege of having a number of men working with me,
that none that showed the obvious talent and dedication
3&3 Edward Earl Cleveland . . . . He took COpious notes
Gui everything that tranSpired during the meeting:
Ekarmon outline, sermon sequence, organization of the
)Fisiting force and manner of appeal. iany nights, he
fleldme up to mid-night talking and asking questions
I‘elative to evangelism . . .as the campaign progressed
was discovered that he was unusual as a Speaker and

es3pecially gifted in the mastery of an audience.

\
llhid.

tary 0 2Interview with Elder H. D. Singleton, Field Secre-
f"the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,

July 37 . 1966
31min.

 

A~v

 

42+

Speaking of his eXperience with Elder Singleton,

I consider my training under him as being of inestima-
ble value. He taught me the ABC's of evangelism. He
was a consistent soul winner and master at inspiring

young men.
It was evident from the outset of his ministry that
his love for evangelism overshadowed his pastoral duties.
At the conclusion of the High Point Campaign, he went to the
anall town of Ashboro, North Carolina, and without financial
assistance from the Conference, began a six weeks' campaign

in. the auditorium of the public school. From this campaign

fiJTEeen converts were added to the church.:2

From Elder Singleton, Edward learned not only the
tectudiques of evangelism but also how to interpret his mes-
sa$€H3 in the framework of present-day happenings. He cre-
atedl a scientific approach to evangelism from what he
leeruied from observing his methods, and became more profi-
cieni; in the art of persuasion.

His first authorized campaign was conducted in

Ffiyeirteville, North Carolina, in the summer of 1943- Th0

neMbeqes of his evangelistic team were his wife, and two con-
Se '3 -( v
Olav-ted laymen: Silas heLamb, who gave up his Job in a

hosielTY mill to assist him in his campaign, and Willie White,

 

\
13. E. Cleveland, lQQL_QiL.

‘ I
C.
I

fl retired colporteur.l Kisfortune plagued his first cem-
psign. His tent was blown down twice; and on the Opening
night a driving, blowing rain reduced his audience to four-
teen persons. While he was disappointed, no one was able
to detect it. From this experience, he learned a law that
Operates with public meetings bet he has never forgotten:
If one's audience is small and he preaches a weak sermon,

{_3 m ’5‘"

the nex night it will diminish further. But if h pr, one

(0

2%: if he were speaking to a capacity crowd, his audience will

’3
increasefi‘

Pessimism has never been a strong force in his out-
1001: on life; Optimi m is his characteristic forte.
disaqppointing experience instead of weakening his cou age
Servwsd only to streng hen his faith. In place of panic, it
prodiiced hOpe. In place of despair, it inepired confidence.
In Eilsce of failure, it produced success. He put himself

into Iiis message; and the next night, the audience increased
and IUBpt increasing to the end of the campaign. He baptized
eiSthf-four peeple from this campaign.3

he moved from Fayetteville, Nor h Carolina, to

“3191(31, North Carolina, in.19h% where his evangelistic tent

 

\
1Interview with Silas Mchnb, Hovemher 20, 1965.

(“___ G
e,. L. Cleveland, loc‘_git.

-4

tiéed. 9Up to this time twenty-five or fifty persons b99-

conferfflrom an evangelistic campaign was consldered by the

first ‘ance officials as a successful meeting. Cleveland 3
Caithorized campaign changed the standard.

 

 

'fi‘i

 

was pitched next to Shaw University. This uniyci
sides being a co-edu07tional, liberal arts school, trains

young men for the ministrv. Ma y of the ministerial stu-

npressed with the mainer in

(1:1.

dents of the university were i

which Cleveland conducted his campaign and became regular

members of his audience for the durition of the crusade.
From Raleigh he moved to Durham, North Carolina,

hi the summer of 1945, where his first failure is recorded

in liis 105. From this campaign, only thirteen persons were

fi-sh-l

mkiod.to the church.1

C this experience he he said hat although the

H3

Ihudiarzcampaign was a failure in terms of souls added to the

churuih, it proved to be the foundation for his later su -
cess:. Some of the valuable lessons learned from his Durham
experience were: (1) that the work of God is not accomplished

by "might" or "power" but by the Spirit of God; (2) as

Pefiscni for his failure he said:
I had begun to feel I had a sure fire procedure and
ties depending less and less on prayer, and more and
Inore on method. But this experience sent me back on
Uni knees, and I have not gotten very far from it since.

(3) EN3 learned how to relate himself to individuals who find

C ‘. fi no (‘1
oopel:3tion difficult to execute.‘~

 

_.__~____A
l? E. Cleveland's evangelistic log on the Durhs

J—J.

CO“ 11:, ‘ r ’1 r"
~‘1ic21, summer of 1949.

. Cleveland, Interview, lgg‘_git.

(_7? 7
.LJ 0 La

In quick succession the campaigns followed. He
moved from Durham, to Greensboro, North Carolina, and in two
campaigns more than 227 members were added to the church.1
he was ordained to the gospel ministry in Atlanta,
Georgia, July 13, 1946; and the conference committee during
the same year, elected him Local Conference evangelist.2

As Local Conference evangelist, he was relieved from
his pastoral responsibilities, and his activities were no
loruger confined to the Carolines. His Sphere of activity
imfl expanded to include the states of Florida, Georgia,
Nortfii Carolina, and South Carolina.3 He remained in this
offixee for four years--l946-l950; and looks back on those

Xesrw3--living in a house trailer while preaching the gospel

from: city to city as "exciting years".

n ,- w T n e -- In 1960,
Clevefiland was elected to the office of Union Evangelist under
the exiministration of Elder V. G. Anderson; and his ministry
ins tdius expanded to eight states: Florida, Georgia, North
End Scngth Carolina, {entucky, Tennessee, H ssissippi and
Alsham:L . 4
\

Au lLetter from w. s. Banfield, President of South ,
‘ 9“131% Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, May 5, 1960.

2Conference record file, South Atlantic Conference,

Atln h
«nt —"~ : Ge orgia .

Beowt '4Conference record file, Southern Union Conference,
a rue, Georgia, Key, 1966.

“his appointment was the beginning of a new phase of

_hil
his ministerial activities. his ministerial institute, which
had been conducted primarily for Negro ministers, took on a

broader base of worker representation. he now began to work

among predominantly white ministers and Bible workers. his
first institute involving all white persons instead of degroes

was in 1951, at a lodge csmpout in Panama City, Florida.

Elder V. G. Anderson, being a liberal, so far as race rela-
ticnns were concerned, was very careful to provide equal ac-
conunodations for him. The meeting was thoroughly integrated~~

for: that time a definite historical marker for race relations
in the South.

His most successful campaign as Union Evangelist xas
conducted in Montgomery, Alabama, in the summer of 1951.
Bron: this campaign four hundred and eight persons were added

to the church.1

H2211_E13n££llfil "‘ In 1954, Cleveland was elected

Assocziste Secretary of the Ministerial Department of General
confezrence. This appointment made his service available to
the church located in 2.11 parts of the world.

In 1955, one yea after his appointment to the
Genelfial Conference, he conducted a series of ministerial

institutes in the Southern Union for Elder Don Rees, its

 

\

Nash. lConference record file, South Central Conference,
W ‘Fille, Tennessee, Kay, 1966.

49

president. These institutes carried him to the states of

Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, and Carolina. He con-
ducted a ministerial workship in Meridian, Hississippi, for
three days, teaching the principles of evangelism for six

and one half hours each day. A similar program was carried

to the workers of the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference gathered
for that purpose at the Montgomery Bell State Park in
Bhashville, Tennessee. His next institute was held in

Ckilando, Florida, and from Orlando, to Charlotte, North

Cancelina. As a result of this experience, invitations began

to :flow into his office from other white conferences; so that

toéhay, 70% of his work is done among white ministers.l

lder N. C. Wilson, president of the Michigan

”I
'1

4.4
Conference of Seventh- ay Adventists, has said:

I have known Elder E. E. Cleveland for many years and

I hold him in the highest esteem as a Christian gentle-
He stands shoulder to

Inmn and a most capable preacher.
shoulder with such men as H. M. S. Richards, w. A.
IFagal, G. E. Vanderman, C. E. Mosely and others. he
lias Spoken at our large conventions in Michigan, where
‘we have ten thousand or more in attendance and his
xnessages have always been well received. In fact at
'the present time we have a request lodged with the
(leneral Conference for Elder Cleveland to be with us at
Our Annual Convention as a guest Speaker in late July.“

N
1E. E. Cleveland, lggl_cit.

Lich_ 2Letter from Elder N. C. Wilson, President of the
‘ 183mm Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, June 14, 1966.

Elder R. A. Anderson, Secretary of the General
Conference, in a report to the General Conference in 1962,

said:

Elder Cleveland's work both in America and in over seas
divisions has been outstanding. He conducted a large
evangelistic campaign and field school last summer in
Los Angeles. Thirty-five ministers comprised the field
school. The practical instruction they received from
the field school as well as the inSpiration from the
meeting gave a real impetus to evangelism . . .

In a ministerial institute held for 480 ministers in
t?ue South Western Union, Evangelist Cleveland carried the
purincipal part of the instructional work pertaining to
szxngelism. This institute was held for three dais in the
City of San Antonio, Texas.

When asked concerning the reaction of men who were
not. accustomed to being taught by a Negro, his TCylj was:

I have never eXperienced any abnormal reaction. There
was an eagerness to get into the sessions, take notes,
and to raise questions. During the intermission, the
fellowship was normal. One would have thought it was 0
an activity that had been going on for a hundred years.“

When asked if he had changed his approach to meet
the ipsychological difference due to racial background, he

said;

I have never altered my approach because of racial
'background. The sameness of approach has characterized
Iny ministry from my first public meeting and ministerial
KiorkshOp to the present. Back in the 40's when it was

\

l
R. A. Anderson A Re ort to the General Conference
Slimmer, 1962. ! p ‘V i

23. 2. Cleveland, lac. git.

51

unpOpular to talk about racial questions, I was Speak-
ing about it in the Southern cities, pleading for a re-
turn to sanity from the Biblical point of view, and my
audience in those days was mixed. Consequently, when

I was placed in a position requiring interracial as-
sociation ther trxmznot the natural inhibitions that
accompany isolation.

His interracial exper ence in nerica prepared him
for what he was to meet abroad, where he has preached the
gOSpel and conducted workshops for ministers in 42 coun-
tries around the world.“

He conducted evangelistic workshOps and campaigns
thasoughout Finland, from Helsinki in the South to the Arctic

Cizscle, the primary purpose heirs to instruct Finnish minis-
ter‘s in.the art of evsigelism. These institutes were both
inertructional and practical in nature. Instructional clas-
was in evangelism were conducted during the day, and public
03mgaai3ns were held at night to demonstrate the principles
Ckhgiit during the morning classes. The night meeting took
the .0 -. n N . w, .. A

:form oi evanbelistic campaigns for peeple JHO were not
aéfiiliated with his denominational persuasion. A similar
prOCEPam was conducted for the Polisi ministers behind the

'7

\

Iron Curtain. ,

 

\
1m-
f) V
.n LPhili-p lilo Jcnl{ins’ "W a 1 91 m1 E RIOIH‘ASSD‘J | In!“
The " ", a paper presented to the Department of Applied
- 01435., Andrews University on Evangelist Cleveland's New

I - . .
ADEL-<3rusade and Field School, Berrien Springs, hichi; n,
“9‘13 31, 1965.

'ix..A. Anderson. lguh_4ztt.

Evangelist Sleveland has represented his or

z-- - *xfi

4"“—

i\ -..;.LLI.‘

'sJ

tion in E‘rOpe, Africa, Asia, and America. his pissionate

;

earnestness end his dra.itic genius have done much

to

COD."

tribute to racial understanding within the denomination.

He is reSpected throughout the world for his honest

ity, simplicity, and Spirit of brotherhood.

w
J,

humil-

 

’1

CHAPTER II

EDWARD E. CLEVELAND AND HIS TIRES:

249 Age of Conflict

Every age in history has certain characteristics
that distinguish it from every age that has preceded it.
The age of humanism, for instance, gave the world those per-
manent and lasting values: human rights, human liberities,
and. freedom for all men. Idem not only became the center of
all systems of thought, but also the yardstick by which all
things were measured during that period.1

The period including the life Span of Evangelist
Cleveland from 1921 to the present is no exception. Chambers,
Harris, and Bayley in depicting the period between 1920 to

"2 This

the present, have labeled it as "an age of conflict.
is a. period dominated by wars, revolutions, and crises of
momentous concern not only to the peOple of the United States,
1311*» also to the nations of the world. " It is an age that
has brought more change and tragedy than any other Span in

‘

 

lMatthew Spinka Christisn_Ihnnsnts_Ennm;Enssmns_LQ
gfimslaax (Englewood Clii‘fs, N. J.: Prentice Hall Inc., 1962),

2Frank P. Chambers, Christina Phelps Harris, and

Siarles 0- Bayley. Ihis.Ass.Q£_Csn£lici.(New York: Harcourt,
a“) and Company. 1950).

\A W
.5-

recorded time."1

It is not the purpose of this chapter to reproduce
a miniature history of the deveIOpments in America after
Horld War I, but rather to show: (1) how the prevailing
factors at work in the political, social, and religious
world influenced the ideas, beliefs, and every day habits of
Cleveland and the persons to whom he was speaking and (2)
how“ in general, Cleveland reacted and adOpted to these
prevailing factors.

Kan, for the most part, is a product of the age in
‘Mdich he lives; and his thoughts, Opinions, and actions are
determined by the influence of his surroundings.

What were the forces at work in the political,

Socixal, and religious world from 1921 to the present that

mmnlined their influence to make it an ”Age of Conflict?"

The Eerie: Qfl Ins 99's
The politics of the 20's may be characterized by
hhfil tariffs and the belief that big business should be
left {Llone, Americans were not interested in statemanship,

they Vflznted a president who would preserve the status quo.

Into this political milieu Cleveland was born March 11, 1921,

o ' ‘ ’ ‘

nly seven days after $13.1“an C2. herdiné‘fis tile advocate Of
.vormacy", had taken office.
\

llkii.

,—.,.-

"1

America sought to isolate herself from European en-
tanglements during this period. She did this by strict im-
migration laws and high tariffs. These policies, however,
led to harmful consequences. They greatly affected the
political and economic affairs of EurOpe, and contributed
to the rise of Hitler in Germany and Hussolini in Italy,
adiose lust for world conquest added substantially to the
conflict which characterized this period and significantly
ialfluenced the preaching of Cleveland during the 40's.

Perhaps the greatest achievement of the Harding ad-
ministration was the Washington Conference of November 12,
1921, a conference which did much to relieve the tension
CHRi threat of war due to the rapid build up of naval strength
1Xi’lingland, Japan, and the United States. Japan's occupa-
tviOn of the Shantung peninsula strained her relations with
the limited States; for it violated America's Open door po-

licy- to preserve her Chinese territorial and administrative

integrity, 1

The Washington Conference and Kellogg-Briand pact
Sponsored by the American government reflect the attitude
or thf? government to prevent war, but the structure of war
Clouds Xmas clearly visible in the distance. Japan's in-

vasion.<of China was a signal of conflict which burst into

a full EBCale war in the 40's. The conflict in the Pacific

\
:lBaldwin, Qn‘_211., p. 51.

and the destruction of life and prOperty by the atomic bomb
which fell on the Japanese cities of Heroshims and Nagasaki
became headline tepics for Cleveland's sermons during the 40's.

A review of Cleveland's evangelistic log for the week
of July 7, 1946, reveals the influence that the conflict be-
tween Japan and the United States had on his preaching by the
sermon t0pics he advertised for presentation during that
week” Among the tepics listed are the following:

"Will The World Be Destroyed By the Atomic Bomb?"

"Armageddon: The World's Last War, Will The Darker
Races Rule the World?"

"God's Flying Fortresses -- Who are They and Where
are They?"1

The social thinking of the peOple during the 20's
may lee summarized as a reaction from progressivism to nativ-
ism, the favoring of native born persons over those born in
foreign countries, and the deve10pment of new social trends
and arttitudes influenced by the new technological emphasis
0f the 20's.

The first of these factors, the favoring of native
born.1xersons over those born in foreign countries was cre-
ated.tur the "red hysteria' based upon the premise that a con-
spiracyexisted in the nation to overthrow the government.
During 13113 period the fear of an overthrow of the govern-
ment by':foreigners dominated the frightened thinking of many
\

IE. E. Cleveland, Log, lQQL—£11°

 

Americans. This anti-EurOpean feeling possessed by Americans
inspired the Immigration Act of 1921. In their desire for a
"pure Americanism", they sought to restrict immigration and
tightening both social and legal restrictions on Negroes,
Jews, and Catholics. The peeple were seized by fear and in-
tolerance, and liberals were regarded as reds. Negroes,
Jews, and Catholics were mistreated and persecuted on the
Inasis that they were different from the rest of the society
of that day.

The term "Red" was adepted to represent all subver-
sives. It was a catchall term for Anarchists, Socialists,
(hummunists, labor unions, conscientious objectors,l and all
advocates of public ownership.

The Ku Klux Klan during the 20's grew with tremen-
dous strides, becoming what Baldwin called it, one of the
NSI‘ea.1:.est promotional rackets of the twenties".2 The time
was 1?1pe for an organization like the Klan, and it became
the peddler of prejudice. These hooded protectors of "pure
Amerixxmnism” as they styled themselves made life for Negroes

in the South Almost worthless. Negroes were flogged, their

 

 

1Evangelist Cleveland's father was not only a con-
scientious objector, but also a Negro. This might have ac-
°°unted for the grueling and harassing eXperience he was
subjected to during World War I which Evangelist Cleveland
never tires of repeating.

a 7
“Leland D. Baldwin, Regen; American history (New

York: American Book Company, 1954), p. 65.

homes were burned, and many were killed, not always for
crimes they had committed, but because they were considered
as undesireable.

Life became so unbearable for Negroes in Cleveland's
.home town in Huntsville, Alabama, during the 20's that his
father moved his family from Huntsville, Alabama, to
cniattanooga, Tennessee, to Spare his son some of the abuses
tfliat were taking place in some of the Alabama communities,
vdiere the Klan organization was very active.

The influence of the"Ku Klex Klan'and later "Jim
Crnawism" upon Cleveland's attitude toward the race question
luive been pointed out in chapter one. It is mentioned at
thdgs time only to show how the ideas and beliefs of the
Decujle of his age are reflected in his evangelistic tech-
n1an3 and sermons. In speaking of some of his boyhood ser-
mons in Chattanooga, Cleveland said:

My early Speeches, as I recall them, concerned them-
selves mainly with the progress of the race and its
future. Most oratory on the part of Negroes was re—
lated to some extent to this central theme.

Another factor which influenced the thinking of the
people during the 20's was the deveIOpment of new social
trendta and attitudes which were inseparably connected with
the nenv technological emphasis of this period. The indus-
trial INEVOlution of the 20's inapired by Henry Ford's new
assenmxky line method of manufacturing automobiles, new ma-

Al
a .
“ ines, and new sources of power for running these machines

combined their forces to bring a prosperity to Americans un-
known in its previous history.

The prosperity of the 20's and Ford's new system of
manufacturing cars made it possible for practically everyone
to own a car. The automobile became a necessity for every
family. It was used for tranSportation to and from work,
pleasure and transporting the farmers produce to market.
:Jany parents gave their children free use of the family car,
:nid observers of the moral standards of the 20's point to
the automobile and tourist cabins which Sprang up over the

ation as a result of travel as contributing factors in re-
laxing the established moral code of the nation.

In order to increase the family income, women left
Uneir homes to work in factories and offices, and in many
honmes the children were deprived of family discipline.
Puristanical restrictions became less stringent, and young
fiiles Spoke Openly about libido to the surprise of their
EmPents.

Another factor to be taken into consideration in
relationship to the social character of the 20's is the
labor'isaving machines, home appliances and farm equipment,
Which.;3ave more time for play and recreation. Sports be-
Game 211 obsession to many, and the introduction of radio

'3

aszzinsw medium of communication brought entertainment into

th
e living rooms of many Americans.

1“

The social patterns of the 20's made an indelible
impression upon Cleveland. Recalling some of the efforts
of his father in the late 20's and early 30's to help the
children of the neighborhood who were deprived of parental
guidance due to their work program or other causes Cleveland
said:
He (his father) took all of the neighborhood boys
under his wings and directed them in Sports and other
activities designed to curb the juvenile deliquency
problem which was even then rampant.l
In the religious world during the 20's, statistics
Efliow that the growth in church membership kept pace with
'tlue growth in pOpulation, and the wealth of the church grew
nuxre rapidly still.2 However, such men as Walter Lippmann
31nd the Reverend Charles Stelzle observed a decline in the
flJifluence of the church largely because those who were
identified with it did not believe in it.5

Then, toq science was becoming a more dominant in-
fluence in the thinking of the people than religion. Dr.
fisrry Emerson Fosdick summarizing the effect of science

upon the churchmen at the end of the 20's said:

 

 

13. 2. Cleveland, Interview, lQQL—Qilo

2Frederick Lewis Allen, only Yesterday (New York:
Banton Books, 1959), p. 138.

31123.1, p. 139.

I‘—

v4

The men of faith might claim for their position ancient
tradition, practical usefulness, and.spiritual desira-
bility, but one query could prick all such bubbles: Is
it scientific? That question has searched religion for
contraband goods, stripped it of old superstitions,
forced it to change its categories of thought and methods
of work and in general has so cowed and scared religion
that many modern minded belivers . . . instinctively l
throw up their hand at the mere whisper of it . . . .
Throughout the 20's conflict raged in the religious
world among Fundamentalists, Modernists, and skeptics. This
conflict reached its climax in the Scopes trial of 1925, in
Dayton, Tennessee, between Fundamentalism and twentieth cen-
tury skepticism (assisted by Modernism).2
The effect of the religious thinking of the 20's is
clearly reflected in Cleveland's sermons today. He pointed
out in his sermon "Adam's Mother's Birthday” that God did
Iiot take million of years to create the world. "The world
vnzs created in seven literal days", he said, "and the Sabbath
Stands as a memorial of His creative works."3
In an interview with the writer concerning the in-
fluence of the theory of evolution on his ministry, Cleveland
related the struggle he had to retain his faith in the Bibli-
cal account of Creation during his study of biology in high
School, and how his faith in the Biblical record of Creation,

x

lAllen, gn._gin., p. 141.
211215..
32. E. Cleveland, "Adam‘s Mother's Birthday."

the fall of man, and man's need of a Savior was strengthened

through the guidance of his father.1

 

From.the inaugurathnnof Franklin D. Roosevelt to the
end of World War II, the most important event of the 30's in
the political arena, no doubt, was Roosevelt's overwhelming
victory and the inaugural which followed. When Roosevelt
made his inaugural address, Larch 4,1933, approximately
fourteen million people were unemployed. To allay the psy-
chological fear t1 at gripped the peODle and inspire Optimim
and confidence, the newly elected president told the American
peOple: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

Roosevelt's approach to the problem of the Depression
was purely experimental, but the experiment he was testing
p01nted.the nation awn y from economic individualism to tlat
of a.planned economy.3

It was during Roosevelt's first year in office that
Cleveland was elected to the office of Sabbath School Super-
intei‘ndent of the Chattanooga, Tennessee, Ciurch at the age of

welvte. This appointment was an eXperience that ras as ex-

13. 3. Cleveland, Interview, lgg‘_git.

1-1 a -.

(_. .. ‘ L"(311911.11 £91313: ‘ H
“en shark: The Bobbs-L1errill Company, Inc., 1963). p- 3-91+

3Geoffrey Bruum, n “ ' ‘

(hostOHJ D. 0, Heath and Compa.*, 1957), p. 249-

perimental with him in the role of lesdershi p as the "H

<9.

Deal" experiment was to Roosevelt in his leadership of the

f"

nation. 39 ch was seeking for a workable solution to satis
he problem at the time. Each made use of the best policies
and practices of their predecessors and geared them to the
existing problems, and both emerged from the eXperiment re-
spected leaders in their respective fields of endeavor.

The New Deal as outlined by the President provided
for: (1) Relief for the unemployed; (2) Recov ry of agricul-
ture, industry, commerce, labor, banking, building, and

transportation; (3) Reform measures for the security of

citizens.1

The recovery curve during 1933 indicated that the pro-
gres s of the nation was very unstable, but it continued up-
Ivard; however, in 1937 and the first half of 1938, a
"recession" as the administration called it, brought a slow-
downin production and unemploynient on a rise. Unemployment
r'0.‘nged around.the ten million mark, and only the war changed
the situation.2

By 1939 when Congress was cutting apprOpriations for
the liew Deal program and Hitler was beginning to exercise

his fiuthority in Europe, Cleveland was graduating from high

E3011001, and was honored with the distinction of delivering

trms nest Significant speech of his career up to this time,
true delivery of the Commencement Address to his own class.

During the Operation of the few Deal, Evangelist
(Ilevelend was working as a janitor's helper in a school for
{Sirls located in Chattanooga, during the week days, and sell-
iJig "cool cuts" or ”snowballs" on Sundays. Later on, he was
thenefited by the National Youth Administration (UTA) of the
Knew Deal during his days of trial and anxiety in Toledo,
Cflaio, while awaiting a call to the EOSpel ministry.

On the N.Y.A., Cleveland worked in a furniture fac-
1Lory. While working to hold body and soul together as a
Inshorer, he never lost sight of his objective to preach.1
lifter working hours, he visited libraries and kept himself
Cfbresst of the time, and the information he compiled during
'thds period served as source material for the sermons he
ZDreeched at the beginning of his ministry as a conference
\rorker in 1942.

The ration system imposed upon civilian consumers
<1urin3 this period greatly handicapped Cleveland's evangel-
31Stic work. The ban placed upon the purchase of new cars
'by the government forced Cleveland to purchase a used car.
This car gave him very little service; for a similar ban on
the purchase of automobile tires made it impossible for him

t0 secure tires for his car. He was in constant trouble

 

 

IE. 3. Cleveland, lQ£‘_£lL-

ciiflier getting his car started or repairing blown out tires
tufter it was started. he encountered so much difficulty with
Iris car during the war years that he ended up making his
<3ven5elistic visits on a bicycle.

The influence of this period is clearly reflected in
1113 preaching. A casual glance a his subject titles during
tfiiis period will reveal how involved he was in what was hap-
3senin5 in the world and what he did during those war-weary
ywsars to inspire trust in God. For example when the mighty
Inechanised wheels of Hitler's tanks were rumbling through
Eherpe, crushing out the life of thousands who stood between
111m and world domination, Cleveland advertised the subject:
"ifill hitler Rule The World?"; And from the scriptures, cs-
iDecially Daniel, Chapter two, proved to the satisfaction of
Inarv in his audience tha any attempt on the part of earth y
Ihilers to dominate the world will meet with disaster.

His ability to apply current events which dominate
‘the headlines of the newSpapers to his topics in order to
Inake Christ meaningful to his audience is seen in an illus-
tration taken from his sermon on Dcniel Chapter two. ifter
Showing the futility of earthly rulers to form another uni-
'Versel kingdom, Cleveland emphasized the fact that the act
of war an the part of the Axis and Democratic powers points
to the Coming of Christ. Placing the names of the principal

leaders of the war in an acrostic form, such as:

Slimschill . .
uitler.....
Roosevelt..
ll Duce....
Stalin.....

Tojo.......

(Sleveland Spelled the name C

HRIST!

.England
.Germany
.United States
.Italy

.Russia

.Japan
1

One of the prominent practices of Cleveland's method-

<Dlosical s‘stem is to make Christ first, and best, and last
L)

in.every aspect of human endeavor. He seeks to interpret

'the political issues of his day in the light of Bible preph-

ecy in order to bring hOpe to the people who live in an Age

Of Conflict.

ln_Lh£_fiQQial_HQ£ld, the impact of the Depression
'brought many changes in the American way of life during the

n.
flew Deal" era. Perhaps, the most noticeable change favor-

able to Cleveland's evangelistic endeavors was 3 serious

Ontlook on life (eSpecially among Negroes) which rendered the

SOCiety of that period more susceptible to the preachin; oi

fl

the gospel. Some of the factors which contributed to this

neW'seriousness may be summarized as follows: (1) the soup

lines and apple venders so familiar to many Americans through-

out the nation; (2) the problem of unemployment which saw 14

\

12. E. Cleveland, ”Will Hitler Rule The World?”

million Americans without jobs ct the beginning of the "New

Deal” era; (3) the struggle between Capital and Labor; (4)
and the Negroes' fight for civil rights.

The first of these factors, sou; lines and apple
venders, was replaced by the "New Deal's" work relief pro-
grams. Cleveland's eXperience as a relief worker on the
N.Y.A. which "hardly provided enough money to keep body and
soul together" reveals the psychological effect of the de-
‘ression on him. Commenting on his experience, he said:

During those days, I learned the meaning of hardship
and privation, and only my pride and refusal to live
on my peOple kept me going. I learned experimentally
the meaning of hunger, and my belief that god had
alled me to do a Specific work for His cause is one
of the primary factors that gave me hOpe for a better
tomorrow and kept me from giving up n despair.

The unemployment problem which affected 14 million
Americans provided Cleveland with an understanding of human
nature that has enabled him to reach many in his audience.
His personal eXperience with poverty, his fight to retain
belief in himself and his mission to the world, and his
Sbility to cepe with the feeling of being "personally un-

9
Wanted and socially superfluous"“ formed the basis of his

“Ppeal to inspire hepe to those fighting to retain their

8elf-reSpect in an "Age of Conflict."

\

~ --‘

Interview witn h. E. Cleveland, February lo, 1967.

Y 2Gordon Greenwood. Ihs_Mndsnn_flnzld. Vol. I (New
°Pk: Frederick A. Praeger, Publishers, 1965), p. 376.

I
o

The clash between capital and labor which became
wideSpread during the ”New Deal" period provided Cleveland
with ready material to impress upon his listeners the need
of social justice in society. Bising his doctrine of social
Justice on the passage of scripture in James 5:4, Cleveland
shows from this verse that the basis of labor strife stems
from covetousness, and points to the principle of love as
the only true remedy for peace on the labor question.1

The emphasis given to Civil rights for Negro citizens
during this period by influential individuals like Eleanor
Roosevelt, and by some Southern politicians associated with
the "New Deal"2 is clearly reflected in Cleveland's evangel-
istic methods and preaching. His method of dealing with the
problem of segregation in his meetings in the South was to
integrate the seating of his audience. Although he wa- ad-
Vised many times by Southern officials to conform to the
Southern custom of segregation, his belief in the Fatherhood
Of God and the spirit of the time which witnessed the social
acceptance of Negroes by President Roosevelt and other members
of his administrative staff encouraged Cleveland to continue
his practice of no -separation of the races in religious
meetings. His concern for social Justice and freedom from
1ntimidetion is delineated in such sermons as: ”The Negro
--___

1E. E. Cleveland, "Sign of Christ's Coming."
2Greenwood, Qp‘_nlfl., p. 379.

 

 

 

H

I A a y‘ e o ‘ ‘
in Bible Prephecy,“ and heli;ien and uses" in union no seeks

to apply Christian principles to the social problem of the

——\

time. In his sermon, "Race and Religion," Cleveland c: d:

Racial prejudice is neither a Southern, Northern,
Eastern, or Western question; it is a personal question.
If you have respect for persons, you sin. The doctrine
of brotherhood is the Cardinal doctrine of the Church,
but it has become so obscured and wounded by political
pronouncements and sociological s ares that many honest
hearted peOple do not understand it to-day.l

Then quoting a verse of a song from a Kegro Spiritual,
Cleveland sumharized his solution to the race problem with
this expression:

. . . Iou got to love everybody if you want to see
Jesus. You got to love everybody if you want to see
God. You need not mind about the faults of others,
Just treat all men like brothers. ou got to love
everybody if you want to be saved.“

W, one finds a definite

undercurrent of a revived interest in religion. Hermon C.

Weber, editor of W. said:

There has develOped a deeper earnestness in the atti-

tude and pie s of church leaders, a conspicuous intent-
ness toward religion on the part of youth and a renewed
emphasis on the supernatural in faith and preaching.

DJ

That this attitude dominated the methodology and
pmfiaehing of Cleveland during this period is evidenced by
\

1E. E. Cleveland, "Race and Religion.” \

‘lhiio
q 3Herman G. Weber, ”Protestant Denominational
53t1Vities," The American Yearbook, (ed.), Albert Bushnell
«erg (New York: The American Year Book Corporation, 1936),

D.

 

—!
0

the organization of youth choirs, radio singing groups, and
children's pregrams as a definite part of his program to win
the youth to Christ. An examination of his sermons shows

that his messages, while designed to increase the membership
of his church, sought also to bring hepe to a world stricken
with poverty and deepair. In his sermon, "The Devil Behind

the Church Door,’ Cleveland presents a strong appeal against

 

hypocrisy with the individual sins particularized. He em-
phasizes the need of supernatural power to assist man in his
struggle to overcome cultivated and inherited tendencies,
and shows the necessity of individual Christians becoming

followers of Christ.

With the death of President Roosevelt in 1945,
iixrry S. Truman became President of the United States. Fifty-
flfve days after Mr. Truman was in office, the Japanese con-
flinzt was brought to a close by the devastating blast of
atOmic bombs which destroyed nearly half of the pOpulation
of Iiiroshima, and virtually obliterated the city of Nagasaki.l
Thf? eXplosion of these bombs over Japan created in the minds
or Inen throughout the world a state of tension and fear of
810139.1 destruction. To those seeking security and peace in

\_

3,. 1John A. Krout. W (New york:
"Fries and Noble, Inc., 1960), p. 214.

P"

a world of confusion and fear, Cleveland offered the gospel

of Christ as the solution for the ills of the age.1
The petce which Americans sought at the end of World

War II was hardly realized before growing conflict between

the Unites States and Russia develOped over the Soviet's

aggressive move against weaker nations. To check the Spread

of Communism, the United States formulated a policy of

"Containment,” later known as the "Truman Doctrine.”“ The

proclamation of the "Truman Doctrine" along with the failure
of the Moscow Conference gave rise to the “Cold War."5 The
tension created by the cold war and later by Communist
aggression in the Middle East led to a "hot war" in Korea.

During this period, Cleveland placed great stress on

International issues in his evangelistic campaigns. Through

tile use of such tepics as "Blood and Bullets", "The World's

‘

lWhen President Truman took office in 1945, Evange-

liASt Cleveland was conducting his Durham, North Carolina,
Calmpaign. His ability to interpret the issues of his day in
thf? light of Bible prOphecy is seen in the association he
malbes between the fear that has gripped.the world and the
hiEfii mortality rate among men due to heart trouble. In.the
Liefint of Christ's prediction that in the ex there will
be 11:mm.the earth distress of nations with perplexity . . .
men! s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after
3.1036 things which are coming upon the earth . . . Luke 21:
"9‘?35fi and Jeremiah's description of the destruction of man:
Fr‘Om one end of the earth unto the other end of the

Ziffgll . . . they shall be as dung upon the ground." Jeremiah
fJ'CSS. "Such destruction described by these texts can find

ul'flillment", said Cleveland, "only in atomic warfare."

2John A. Krout, ohi_cit., p. 227.

a. 3Hans w. eetzke,
CUId.IJcNally and Company, 1961), p. 24.

0 (Chicago:

Last War," and "Will Russia Rule the World?", he sets forth
the fruitless search for international peace without taking
God into the plans. Commenting on international peace among
the nations, Cleveland said:
Peace pacts, the League of Nations, and now the United
Nations have not been able to secure the peace men have
sacrificed their lives to obtain. There can be no peace

when the Prince of Peace is not taken into account
around the peace tables.

International problems occupied only a part of the
concern of the American people during the Truman administra~
tion. Concern on the social front over internal security,
postwar inflation, and civil rights legislation created ten—
Sion and conflict on the home front. Cleveland's reaction
to the Communist conSpiracy is seen in a statement made to
E1 group of ministerial students, in which he said:

Communism is a pagan influence which seeks not only the
overthrow of the Americanfgcvernment, but also the de-
struction of Christianity:

Speaking of the prOSperity which accompanied the
DOsytwar inflation, Cleveland had this to say:

We have experienced more than profits through the ex-
pansion of big business, we have reaped the unhealthy
harvest of labor strikes, broken homes, and juvenile
delinquency created by man's desire to reach the tOp
of the ladder of financial success. Our working hours
have been reduced, yet our sleeping hours can be

\

L 1E' E' Cleveland, "Blood and Bullets-~the World‘s
Fist war. I:

‘E. E. Cleveland, Interview, lggl_nit.

 

accomplished only through the use of pills. Our chil-
dren have been given greater allowances but lesser
parental. guidance. How long shall we sacrifice the
God of heaven for the god of mammon?

Some of the observable trends in religion during
this period were: (1) the attainment of an all-time high
church membership; (2) an increase in new congregations in
previously unchurched areas; (3) a growing tendency toward
denominational mergers; (4) an earnest endeavor to find a
common denominator for faith and c00peration on both national
and international levels; (5) promotion of lay evangelism;
(6) an increase in evangelistic activities; (7) recommenda-

tions to end discrimenation and segregation in all areas of

human endeavor.2

An article in lime on the church growth revealed the

fact that:

If church membership is the criterion, the U.S. is

more interested in religion than it ever was before.
According to a survey by the National Council of
Churches, the 54 largest religious bodies (50,000 and
over) gained 51.6% in membership between 1926 and 1949.,
In the same period, the U.S. population grew about 30%.)

18. E. Cleveland, "Dancing Toward Sodom."
2Marcus Bach, "Protestantism", Ihfi_Am£nlnan_Annnal,
I(3‘53“1-5332John J. Smith (New York: American Corporation, 1951),

81 3"Growth of U.S. ChurcheS," lime, LVII (April, 1951)!

,7

g ’4

Since World War II, the only year that the church
failed to keep pace with the increase in pOpulation was 1958.
The yearbook of the National Council of Churches of America
shows that the churches of America rose 0.9% while pOpulation
rose to 1.7%. Last year the membership increase reached the
3% level. This was almost twice the size of the pOpulstion
increase.l

Perhaps the many crises of this period had some bear-
ing on the growth of the church; for in Spite of the trend
among some intellectuals to ignore the church, statistics
show a significant increase in membership. By the end of
1950, it was clearly discernible that America was enjoying
a nationwide revival. Reinhold Niebuhr gave validity to this
observation when he told the readers of the new_xgnk_11mes

Sunda1_Masazine.that one proof of this trend is seen by:

The evidence of mass conversions under the ministration
of pOpular evangelists who arouse the religious emotions
and elicit religious commitments with greater sugcess
than at any time since the days of Billy Sunday.

It was during this period that Evangelist Cleveland
com1‘u.cted one of the most successful campaigns of his evan-
3911i3tic career, the Montgomery, Alabama, campaign. In this
camtwiign, he baptised 408 persons into his organization.
___~___

1"Down Grade," lime, LXXI (September. 1958). p- 74-

2w1111am G. McLaughlin Jr.,

W
W (New York: The Ronald Press Company, 1960),

 

The spirit of unity and ecumenicity was conspicuous

during the 50's. The Baptists during their 150th
hassachusetts Convention heard two of their leaders, Edwin

T. Dahlberg and Herbert Gezard, plead to some 2,000 ministers

and lay delegates for a greater Protestant solidarity.

Dahlberg pointed out that Baptists can "in good conscience”
align themselves with such ecumenical bodies as the National
and World Council of Churches.1

That more attention has been given to race relations
by the religious thinkers of this period than ever before is
seen not only in the increased interest taken by the presence
of religious leaders in Civil Rights marches and the interest
taken by the National Council of Churches in human rights
and the abolition of segregation, but also by the elevation
Qf Negroes to posts of authority in various church organiza-

ticnis. BishOp Alexander Preston Shaw in 1950, ”became the

Illust Negro to presiie full time over a conference of white

I{ethoddsts . "2

In the Seventh-day Adventist organization, Edward
3' Ole"v'eland became the first Negro to be elected to the

post Cfif Union Conference Evangelist and granted the privilege

of trwlilling Southern white ministers in the art of evangelism.

 

\

""ake Ecumenical Plea to

'2

D
u Tpt
ists’.

p 51 2"Take on RGSponsiblities," um, LV (June, 1950),

1Nathanael M. Guptill, mt ,
' , LXIX (November, 1952), p 15¢

11“

-1

i \

Later in 1954, he was elected to the General Conference
Ministerial Association to train Adventist Ministers and

Bible Workers throughout the world.

In the political world during the Eisenhower adminis-
tration, the events which greatly increased the pressure and
tension of the 50's and contributed to make this period.an
epoch of conflict have been listed under two separate head-
ings, namely: national and international.

On the national scene, the two most explosive issues
of the time which divided the nation along sectional lines
and.struck terror in the hearts of many Americans were civil
iriehts for Negroes and "McCarthyism."

The court decision of 1954, Brown versus the Board
cxf Education of TOpeka,l shattered the hOpes of the segre-
Efirtionalists who held the old "separate but equal rule,”2
exui precipitated the decision of South Carolina to make good
t&H3 threat to amend its constitution requiring the state to
Operate tax supported schools,3 Virginia to close its public

1Krout, ML, 13. 234.
2mm.
3Henry G. Ruark, "Carolina To End Public Education?”,

WW, LXX (January, 1953). p. 28.

 

 

~1
-J

1

school system, and Eisenhower to send federal trOOps to

Little Rock to enforce the court order.2

 

1F. W. Burnell, ”Predicts Decay of Schools of

SesPesation Ends," The_Chrisiisn_flsntnr1, LXX (January,
1953). p- 28-

2Evangelist Cleveland was in Manila in the Philippine
Islands when the Little Rock school desegregation crisis
erupted. The American Magazines depicting four soldiers
with bayonettes escorting a Negro girl to school raised
many questions among the ministers and religious workers
he was instructing at that time. To the many inquiries
raised concerning the ”terrible injustice" suffered by
Negroes in America, Cleveland in defense of the government,
said:

The American government is on the side of the minority,
and conditions in America for my peeple are improving.
This picture is a clear indication of the government's
intention to establish equal rights for all of its
citizens even if it has to be accomplished by force.
Interview with E., E. Cleveland, July 9, 1967.

When Cleveland reached Taipe, Formosa, shortly
after the Little Rock crisis, he was told by some of the
Formosans that he needed to go back to America and preach
toighite Americans. In reply to this statement, Cleveland
sa :

When I am in America, I preach to white congregations
and they hear me gladly and with Christian courtesy
sand respect. Interview with E. 5. Cleveland, June 9,
1967.

to

McCarthyism, the practice of making public charges
of disloyalty to the United States based upon questionable
evidence, brought fear and consternation to me y Americans
who had to face the un-American activities committee headed
by Senator Joseph tharthy of Wisconsin. At the beginning
of the investigations, Cleveland was impressed with the work
of the committee to halt the spread of communism with its
atheistic principles and influence, but as he witnessed the
tactics employed.by the senator, Cleveland said: "I began
to look upon the un-American activities committee as un-
American itself."

The events connected with the international crisis:
the war in Korea, the Civil war in Indonesia, the Middle‘
East crisis, and trouble in Hungary, found expression in

Cleveland's sermons.l

1During this period Evangelist Cleveland's adver-

tisement headlined the current events of the time, such
topics as: ”Russia's Future in Bible Prophecy," "Will the
world Be Destroyed By the Hydrogen Bomb?" "The Last War,”
F1Ying Fortresses," indicated his desire to reach the peOple
through the thought, Opinions, and events that dominated the
thinking of the people of that period. He pointed out that
the Bible holds out no promising future for Russia or any
Other power who seeks world suzerainty over the nations of
“he world. "They shall not cleave one to another" (Daniel
¢°43) will forever destroy any attempt on the part of man

0 fornxancther universal kingdom.

ln_the_sgglgl world, social justice claimed the
attention of many Americans on every social level. In the
area of civil rights, equality of public treatment and
Educational Opportunities highlighted the domestic scene.

President Eisenhower thought it important enough to make it

1

a plank in his campaign, and both he and his cabinet members

sought to sell it to the public.
John Foster Dulles, in an address before the National
Council of Churches, said:

This National Council of Churches has not been indif-
ferent to the task and it has given encouraging leader-
ship . . . . But our Christian peOple have too long
seemed half-hearted in their determination to end un-
Christisn discrimination. They have too much tried to
shift the responsibility to government. The responsi-
bility is first of all a private one.4 If our religious
peOple will arouse themselves to a dramatic effort to
end racial discrimination, then they will again be put-
ting their freedom to an ennobling and satisfying
purpose.3

\ _‘

1"The Platform Republicans/Will Stand On," u¢5l_fleus
L-nd Worldfiepor , LXI (August. 1950). pp. 82*94-

2The leaders of the nation realize that neither
clert orders nor legislative mandates will change the think-
11ug of peOple. There must be a genuine sense of personal
cCurviction for moral excellence and fair play on the part of
mail toward his follow man before Christian virtue can be-
° ome Operat ive .

3John Foster Dulles, "Freedom and Its Purpose,"
“ C , LXIX (December 24, 1952), p. 1497.

 

The hontgomery Bus Boycott became one of the nation's

major tests on segregation. It was the beginning of a social

revolution, a continuous struggle of Negroes for full equal—

ity.1

The lawsuit brought against the Carolina Coach Com-

pany for $50,000 by J. B. Williams was ruled in his favor by

Judge Sterling Hutcheson. He ruled that "interstate laws

9
transcend the state rules".‘

Among the many voices raised for social justice and
Biblical morality were those of Evangelist Billy Graham and

Edward E. Cleveland. Evangelist Graham refused to speak in

Southern cities which would not permit mixed seating.3 Like

.Evangelist Graham, Evangelist Cleveland believes that we

Ileed civil rights legislation; however, he feels that only
tdie love of God in the hearts of men will make it workable
111 human society.4 Speaking on civil rights legislation at

9

w

workshOp conducted on the campus of Oakwood College,

,, 1"Alabama Bus Boycott, What's It All About?" n.3,
W, XL (August, 1956), p, 89,

f)
‘F. W. Burnham, "Holds Interstate Laws Transcend

I

State Rules", ”'bg thjgi‘jqn “guiding LXX. (January 21, 1953)!

p' 840

3McLaughlin Jr., QDL_Q1L., p. 92. The writer knows
of’zan incident in which he refused to address an audience in
Bilflningham, Alabama, because’of the city's segregation laws,
fNrt addressed an audience at the Red Stone Arsenal in

rimItsville, Ala., where mixed seating was permissable.
4E. 3. Cleveland, lgcl_git.

Lvangelist Cleveland said:

The desire for human dignity had and has as its in-
cubator the Christian ideal, the germ of equality
taught by both Judaism and Christanity. God is the
author of human freedom. One cannot divorce the emer—
gence of any group of peOple to freedom from the
Judeo-Christian ideal of the fatherhood of God and the
brotherhood of man. Equal treatment under law is the
right of every human being. The God who gave us life
gave us liberty . . . segregation is sinful. It is not
a question of politics; it is not a question of moral-
ity; it is a question of Christianity. The more
Christian we become, the more loving we become toward
our fellowman regardless to racial origin or back-
ground. Selfish tradition, and prejudice pollute the
soul. Men may possess hereditary and cultivated pre-
judices; but when the love of Jesus fills the heart
they become one with Christ, and thew will have the
same spirit He possesses. When these un-Christian
principles are broken down, man will be ready to work
for racial harmony.

Turning to the religious world during this period,
One finds that Christian leaders, fearful of the impact
fiscience had made through its technical conquest of nature,
fVBlt that for Christianity to survive and remain meaningful
tCD the peOple of this modern age, adjustments had to be made

a

iIl its world view to conform to the scientific thinking 0:
mOdern man.

In order to understand the influence thét the changes
adVocated by the theologians of this period and the Kennedy-
JOhnson administration had on the preaching of Cleveland, it
is Idecessary to consider the new theology, new morality, and
he,

J philos0phy set forth by the religious teachers of this

\

O 1Evangelist 3. E. Cleveland, Sermon preached at
43lQJOOd Collese Evangelistic fiorkshop, Huntsville, Alabama,
“"I‘Cfl 21, 1960.

period and Cleveland's reaction to them.

Among the many modern liberal theologians, perhaps
the three who have done more to mold the theological think-
ing of liberal theology and upset the basic framework of
traditional Christianity are Paul Tillich, BishOp John A. T.
Robinson, and Thomas J. J. Altizer.

Tillich was without doubt the leading molder of
twentieth-century theology in America. He attracted many
intellectuals who defied the concept of supernaturalism,
and appealed to many through his emphasis on the ultimate
unity of Biblical religion and philosOphy. He views Bibli-
cal theism as an anachronism, and divine personality sym-
bolic representations in his theology. Divine revelation
as taught in the scripture was repudiated and considered
harmful, and faith was equated as existential knowledge.

He substituted objective supernatural personal theism for
his impersonal unconditioned.

Cleveland's reaction to the new theolog‘ advocated
by liberal theologians can be detected in . sermon delivered
to a group of ministerial students at Oakwood College, in
which he said:

Today in a world in which QQdLs_flQnd is being dethroned

and maan_ideas are being exalted, it would serve us
well to heed the sure Word of PrOphecy given by inspir-

ation to guide man from sin to righteousness . . .
those who seek to depreciate the revealed will of God
through an unbiblical interpretation of the scriptures
and scuttle the doctrines given by the inspiration of
God for the redemption of man cannot be trusted as sure

guides to follow . . . God may be known through the
frame of reference by which He has revealed Himself
to humanity, the Word of God.

Cleveland holds a different view from the liberal
theologians; he sees a vital revelance of Biblical concepts
for the twentieth-century man. He preaches a transcendent
God who is interested in man individually and collectively
and intervenes in the affairs of human history. He teaches
that the concepts of Christian ethics as revealed in the
life of Christ and delineated in the Bible are the best pos-
sible to promote happiness and peace among men when practiced,
and necessary for followship with God in the future.

BishOp John A. T. Robinson is introduced because of
his influence as a secularistic theologian, and his advocacy
of the "new morality" which in the tradition of Evangelist
Cleveland is without Biblical authority.

In contradistinction to the Robinsonian morality
which teaches that the decaIOgue is outdated and needs to be
reinterpreted, Cleveland teaches that the decalogue is still
binding and furnishes the standard for the moral actions of
twerndeth century man. Unlike the Robinsonians who contend
that-it is ma who determines the right of sexual acts apart
fr‘Omthe law,2 Cleveland asserts that sex is a moral act and
\

p 1E. 3. Cleveland, Oakwood Ministerial Workshop,
* ebr‘uary 10, 1967.

2" . It
Love v'fithout Law, CW. IX (October.
1965), p. 320

comes under the province of the moral law.
'he Death of God movement finds its most ardent

advocate in Dr. Altizer of Emory University. He is the re-

cognized spokesman for the ”Godless Shristians,"l who h.ve

exhumed the remains of Agustes Comtes' positivism, and

Friedrick Nietzsche' s ethic of the superman, and are seeking

to lead Americans to the burial of God.
It is agreed that it is the function of the theolo-

gian to make the faith meaningful by translation and inter-

pretation, but Dr. Altizer has done more than translate the

faith in modern thought forms: he has changed both the form

and substance of the faith.2
To Altizer and his followers God has become meaning-

less to present day society. He no longer meets the needs

0f to day's world. He cannot be understood through Speech

Or explained through emperical process. Science holds the

key to the mystery of the universe; therefore, God is no

longer needed.

To meet the challenge of those who preach the demise
Of'<30d and the abolition of the decalog us as a standard of
moPal conduct, Cleveland, writing in the Ministry, a journal

defiiicated to the ministerial activities of his church, said:

\

T "l"Shadow of the Antichrist in the Decline of Jestern

hQ ism 'W, IX (December, 1965 )3 p' 22-
2"Whither Theology," Christianity Today, IX (Ikaeember,

1965), p. 2'2. *—

Men have for centuries rebelled against the existence,
power, and authority of God. At first this was the
work of Atheis cts, sinners, and disgruntled apostates.
Increasingly of late, these time :orn detractions
couched in theological terminology are being voiced

by highly vocal clergy . . . having accepted modified
form of evolution . . . some en in effect have denied
the power of God to create the world in six literal
days--as indeed He said He did.

Compounding this calamity, but a nat ml conseluence
thereof, comes tlm horrendous pre chment that the ten
commandments are no longer binding and th t$od11as
ruled this world since the cross with "1::less grace.
Having thus stripped love of all requirement they have
conditioned the world for the "new sit ational morality,
which does indeed ask, ”What does the love of God re-
quire of me in this situe tion?" but denies the right of
the Bible to answer. They insist that the Lnswer must
come from within, some source! And no: we are informed
by a group of learned professors that God is dead. ”The
darkness deepens." What an opportunity is ours to assert
for any and all to hear, that (l) God's power is abso-
lute; (2) His law is binding; and (3 ) He is alive now
and forever more! Amen.

 

On the political front, the issues which created
tension and commanded the attention of the government may
be summarized by pressures arising from the threat of atomic
deStruction during the Cuban crisis and war in Vietnat.
Lester Pearson, in describing the tens e scene that
placed the world on the brink of a atomic holocaust during
the Chiban crisis, said:
\

13. s. Cleveland,"Compounded Calamity," a v ~ w,

ERIK (my, 1966), p. as.

For a few :.vful d ys in the Autumn of 1967, the world
was on the brink of total nuclear war. imerican and
Russian power stood in more direct confrontation --
”eyeball to eyeball” -- than at anv other time in all
the tense history of the cold war.1

Durin3 these days of tension and concern, 3van3elist
Cleveland's sermons enph1 mi ed m1 n' s search for security

and entwio ity, not only security from want, but security

a3ainst th mnonuclear attacks. Even outer space probes in-
volve d more than man' s curosity; it is m..n seekin3 "out

there” the security he has failed to find here. In his
description of man during this period, Cleveland said:

It is ironic that man stands today at the apex of
scientific achievement and cultural eminence e, but
never was he more uncertain of the present or fearful
of the future . . . the ability of man to destroy the
earth with his benunbed fatalism. He is no lon3er fl
sure of his be3innin3, present bearin3, or direction.¢

The Vietnam conflict created problems both on the
home front and abroad. Antiwar :3it: tion such as (1) the
00n3ressional hearin3s conducted by Senator Fulbri3ht of
APR Ms s, on nationwide television programs; (2 ) demons tr1-

7
tions and draft card burnin3J by young people throu3h

lLes ter B. Pee arson, the 196 World Book Reviewin3
Events of 1962 Year Book (Chica3o : DField Enterprises
SdUCQtion-l Corporation, Publishers, 1903), p. 10.
n
‘3. E. Cleveland,'The Search for Security," Sermon
ched at 0-1: .v'OOd Colle3e ministerial '-.’iOr‘1-iShOp, liarch 16,

A

\vgs

pre
196

\‘J

3”TOp Authority Looks at Vietncm Jir

nd Its Future,
, LVI (February 0C1),

p. 41.

 
 

e nation; (3) criticism from men of national and inter-

national reputation, such as, Senator Robert Kennedy, who

advocated a coalition 3overnment which in: luded participa-

tion of the Viet Con; along with other non-C ommunis t groups;1

and (4) James H. Gavin, former paratrOOp Genera , who is

against escalation because he fears it could lead to nuclear

A
halocaust,“ have done much to eneoura3e he hepe of the

Viet Cong that continued pressure on the home front will

result in the withdrawal of American trOOps and give them
the victory

Turnin3 nor to the soci 1 front, th issues which

(D
d
*3
(D
(E
:3
(D

brought added tension to the American peepl

civil rights problen,p0pulation explosion, and juvenile

delinquency. Althou3h Cleveland addressed himself to each

or these problems, the one that claimed most of his atten-

‘tion.was the civil ri3hts issue.

inflicted upon Ie3roes durin3 the

'11: -. ,4. 4.4 .
inc ”croci ias

defenseless women, uh

niruningham demonstrations: Clubbin3
Ofisflainfi do:rs to attack demonstrators bombinv
1 L, J , Q
lnDIDCeit children during church worshif, became the focal

goirit: in Cleveland's plea for better understandin3 betxfien

 

   
 

l . Y7 .
"Sena tor E?ooert Kennedy 5x319 ins ris Position,
Kb
‘L Ltil (I‘:’ I‘CL'I 11+, 1.966) ’ :9. UV-

3 ‘ 2”The DiSputed v
1r "" , LXI (FL:

(x
»

c
the races. fieflectin; on the Birmingn m crisis, Sievel n;
S;ld:
Fhe Birmingham crisis did more then revehl the lib WI 1-
ity of men to h'e felloumsn; it brought into focus tie
courage ;nd de 'e1‘riinntion of the zxoder11 legro to sere
in the i edom guaranteed to sl Americsns. . . . Femr
which d min ted the negro of Lerner generations srs
been repl: ced by : notivstionfifor egu l orgortunities
which is stronf'r thin deethwL
fhe civil rights issue has teken s new turn in the
.Soutn since Birmingh-m. lHC OPS’LlZ”tlon celled tha bercons,
a militant Negro group, hes menif3sted their d3termin tion
to meet violence J tb violence to prot3ct t.on:clvc3 .nd
their families The Nerroes' hdtrcd for tie unitC man is
on the increase in the South. The feer they once held is
being replaced with hatred.“
Conrentin; on the riot in Watts, California,
vlevelsid seid:
'The slum dwellers are no long er con mt mt d to live with
rats and roaches. fhey desire to sh re the better life

decent housi
<sedgets.

r2

‘kl

They desire

and the convenience of
economic Opportuniti

right to first class citizenship .

limrm or even
‘the young
7nd recognition,
t DIWC t1, SELL“

death itself no longer
Negro of our time in his

iccns
as brothers they shall destroy each other like

now

AMV‘

end unless A

O
C

c O

0.)»;

scientific
and the
fear of bodily
eems to intimidate
rcli for security
lez1n to live

{30
vu,

A

\.

 

‘Def‘g 3.;
M
15. 3. Cleveland, Worksh0p, lgc._git.

A
CH:—

‘ "1 1 .

7
thid.

Jiolence or Nonviolence

in the
(September 15, 19

ms 5 Preston, xviting for the 191113199
T v l 1, 8211 that the host :1? to stem the tide of

violence is to improve the living conditions of the Segre
by providing better job Opportunities, better 1iousi 1n3 con-
ditions, free access to public facilities, :nd t11e nrivilere

of sharing in the nation's politic1l life without fear of

Let us now turn our attention to the “roblem of

pepuletion explosion which threetens the well-being of ne‘-

'

kind by adding yearly to the world 1 cepulation equal to

y

1’-

Frence, Belgium, and Holland together.4 In 1 de-

a.

that 01

votionel talk presented to the Sprinr Council of the Seventh-

dey Adventist Church, Clevel1nd, connentin; on the world's
xploding pepuletion, seid:

To the Sc vel1th-d3y Adventist Church, the ch llenne of
the 60' s is th t 01 reaping the exploding population
of the LO orld, t1 fit of converting an idle 111ty from an
enormous potc ential to an active, supreme blessing.

The challenge of le 60's is that of launching our
church pepulation upon the world pepuletion. It is
that of pressing this necessity upon our p: store and
lnity -- not as a spasmodic effort, but a sustained
and continuous thrust. The ch1llenge of the 60's is
that we Itive to lay L ctivity the priority of ezth and
texes;th1t we might know the outpouring of the holy
Spirit 1nd revival in our time.J

 

1James B. Preston,
4- 7‘

J « Chiceco: Field Enterprise Jduce-
bional Corporo tion, Publisher, 1963): P. 21

, “Bruce Barton, et 21-. 1W (lledu
iewfikorr: Pepuletion Policy P111el of the hush Moore Fund,

Q 33. 3. Cleveland, "The gas Words of DsViC," 7
4.
vvouionel talk given 1t the Spring Council in 1931.

¥

U

 

In regards to juvenile delinguency, Clevel1nd traces

the rising tide of lawlessness when; the youth of America to

the breakdown of the family alter in the home and the leek
of parental guidance. Commenting on the importance of the

family alter and parental guidance, Cleveland said:
When Christ is exalted in the home, His spirit '3 re-
flected in the lives of the children in their communi-
ties in acts of kindness and cononsideretion for their
playmates . . . but when the fsther works on the night
shift, and the mother on the dey shift, the children
are left to shift for themselves. Without preper guid-
ance, they contribute to the rising statistics of
juvenile crimes.

\ E —
13. 3. Cleveland, WorkshOp, ch, 91L.

Th3 PURPOSL or CLEVELAHD'S BVinstLISTIJ

niTHoss

When we think of the purpose of Lvengelist Clevelend's
methods, we think, of course, of the goals which he seeks to
achieve through the application of the principles of persua-
sion to change the thinking pattern of his audience to accept
his prepositions as the summnm,bonum of life.

A study of his methods reveals that at times his aim
is primarily to promote good will in order to create 1 favor-
able attitude in behalf of his program. At other times, his
aim is to produce Specific changes in the attitudes of his
audience through the subject material presented.

When he enters a city to begin 1 series of meetings,
he announces to his audience that there ere three reasons
for his presence in their city:

(1) to le1d sinners to the Cross;
(2) to lead backsliders back to God;
(3) to lead Christians closer to Christ.1

This statement of purpose at the beginning of the
“unpeign serves to allay the possible suSpicion that some
per‘Sons may have concerning the motives behind evangelistic
caHHDeigns. It offers an Opportunity for him.to gain the good
\_

13. E. Cleveland, Interview, lggi_git.
Tl

I)

will of the peOple by showing thet whet he odvocstes is ad-
vcntageous in the community, and that he has come not for
the purpose of exploitation but to exert himself in behqlf
of their welfare.

At the beginning of a campaign in a given area, he
assures the peOple to whom he is to minister, that: (l) the
policemen will have less work to do when he has completed
his work than before he began; (2) there will be a decrease
in the death rate; (3) his campaign will materially assist
hi curing the problem of juvenile delinquency; (4) his cam-
paign will cut down on slcholism; (5) there will be a guieter
neighborhood where his meetings are being held both during
and after his campaign is over; (6) his presence in their
neighborhood will benefit not only the hearts of men spirit-
ually, but also physically the empty stomachs of the hungry
in the neighborhood. He announces on the Opening night of
the csmpeign that a barrel will be placed at esch entrance
of the tent clearly marked "Love Thy Neighbor", and each
person present will be encouraged to bring non-perishable
articles to care for mothers who have children suffering
from hunger in the land of Opportunity nndplenty.l

Another practice that suggests the aim of creating
good will for the support of his campaign is that of telling
the audience on the Opening night that he will conduct his

\

111ml.

campaign for only one week it a time, the over-all length of
the campaign to be determined by them. If at the end of the
first week they are convinced he has done all the good he
can for their community, they will be able to indicate it
every Thursday night-~the night set aside as voting night
for the peOple to decide whether he is to continue for e-
nother week or move to another plmce.l
In addition to serving his personel aim of creating
good will, this procedure also serves several other pins:
(1) it not only informs the audience hat they are reSpon-
sible for the presence of the evcngelist in their community,

and the length of time he will remain among them, but also

suggests their reSponsibility to support him with their pre-

"2

sence and means. It is no longer he who is striving to get
them to attend his meetings, but it is they who are request-
ing him to continue among them. (2) It also serves as d
'berometer or feed-beck of his influence on the community;

61 vote of confidence to continue for another week indicates
thei.they are pleased with his endeavors among them (3) It
Serves to increase the attendance. The contrasting proce-
dure of some evangelists of announcing that they will be in
9 location for three weeks or more creates the effect of
permanency in the minds of the peOple. Further, it may
cause persons to say that since the evangelist will be here

N

13. ii Cleveland. Syllabus. ML. 13- 15.

for three weeks or more, ”He will stcy home tonight find go
to the meeting tomorrow ni.ht or next JGGZ; he will be with
us for, he hes it listed on his program.” Thus fittend nee
mfiy suffer; and once an evangelist ststes that he will he in
a locrle for a specific time, he has to remcin there whether
the peeple ettend or not. However, Cleveland's voting pro-
cedure involves the peeple. It gives them a part to plsy in
the continuance and welfare of the program; it lets them
know that to desert the evangelist is to close the cnmpsign;
therefore, he is by no stretch of the imagination s permanen
fixture in the city, and his stay is wholly determined by
their attendance. (4) Thi - ep1“ow ch re duce: the pressure on

;J-

the evengelist. ”0 no lon er has to worry about the peeple's

‘.v

interest nnd. support. Their vote etc: Thursdey night tells

II II

him of "feir we ther ahead” or of TB approaching storm for
which he mus preps e.1 (5) This approech offers still sn-
Other ddvzntege: it hee~:s the audience in suspense in re-
Csrds to the eVengelist's stay in n given locele; it pro-
hibits the audience from tsking the evangelist for grsnted,
and gives him ? degree of independence.

The end to which the voting leads is th t of estab-

lishing n.hsrd core of followers who will support the cem-

paign Lthil it is completed. After the seventh week, the

N

111211.

voting technique is discontinued if this hird core is de-

veloped.1 Lvsngelist Cleveland considers a sizable followinfi

”s a permanent croup being mothered under the influence of

v

his campaign. It becomes his bdptismql class and the nucleus

of the harvest of souls to be g rnered from his campaign.
Having considered some of Evangelist Clevelendds

personal aims to create a favorsble htmOSphere in order to
promote his general purposes of lending sinners to the Cross,
bscksliders to Sod, end Christiens to s closer walk with Cod,

q

let us note nis genera aims in the arrsn;ement of his ser-

mon to: es, and the specific purpose he strives to cttein
each week of a twelve-week campsign.

There are certain key subjects in every week that
form the pattern of doctrinal instruction and share the
Course of the Spiritual develOpment for everyone who sits
through one of his campsigns.2 For instance, in a twelve-

weeh csmpsign, he spreads out the most interesting subjects

.L

w

over 0 long period of time so as to keep the interest of the
peOple from waning and to keep them coming to the meetings.
Also, each week of the entire campaign is prepared in ad-

Vance nnd.seeks to accomplish Specific results: (1) The

first three-week period contains subjects designed to jaspjre

l. m ,
A. s. blevelmd, W, Wit.
‘IhLd.

1

his audience. To accomplish this objective, he makes us

of ideas, attitudes, end Opinions valued by his audience as
necesssry for Christian fellowship and develOpment: such
subjects as would insyire deeper faith in the inepirstion

of the Bible, the need of accepting Jesus Christ as the only
means of salvation, and the necessity of the new birth are
treated in such a fresh and unique manner that, hepefully,
the audience is moved to a higher level of Spiritual concern
and appreciation.

During this period points of disagreement are never
raised. The evangelist strives to create a favorable climnte
free from conflicting opinions in order to bring his audi-
ence into sympathy with the pPOpOS?lS of his messages. Sub-
jects which all Christians hold in common and are univer-
sally accepted as basic to Christian conduct and practice
Such as: The ieveletion of God; The Doctrine of God and
lush; The ministry of The Holy Spirit; The Doctrine of sin;
‘The ministry of Angels; subjects concerning the "Incarnation"
Q13 personsl ministry of Christ; The ministry of Reconcili-
ation, end subjects related to Christian growth are presented
to give new impetus to faith in the authority of the inspired
scriptures, to focus attention on the merits of Christ's
Sacrifice, and to emphcs se the common spiritual heritage of
Christians through the new birth eXperience.

\

lE..E. Cleveland, Syllabus, Qn+_git., p. 14.

, r-w
I

(2) Weeks four to seven ere given over completely to
doctrinsl instruction.1 The subjects oresented during these
weeks are designed to convince. He seeks to show h s :udi-
ence tlet the great doctrines of the Bible, rightly under-
stood end faithfully procticed, offer the best means of
securing the greatest benefits and happiness from the
Christian experience. His snecific :im during this neriod
is Lg_cze3te_bellei in his proposals by showing their revel-
oncy to the scriptures and to induce obedience on the bosis

of scriptual duthority.

As the first three-week period of his ccmpsign hos

F4)

for its eim the deepenin; o the “n r cl * e of the

peeple, this phase of the campaign seeks to chdnfe the
thinking of the :eOple. In the first period, he purposely
steered envy from controversial subjects in order to win the
confidence of the peeple. ike other evangelis s before
111m, he reclizes that the best means of rchieving his ob-

Jective is to create en etmoSphere of trust and confidence

(I)

idmrough sineer ty of purpose, logiccl arguments, decision

based on facts, 1nd 2 commending knowledge of his subject
m""Cleriwl presented in a mdnner designed to win the confidence
of his audience. however, during this aspect of the efmpsign
‘uWTUPoversiel subjects are tactfully introduced after the
emulézelist has prepared the audience for the change in
\

lIJ'i.

5 a l
attitude he seeks to cceomelisn.

(3) who build-up for the fourth week, whies initictes
t

the phese of doctrinal subjects designed to ehsnge the

J

‘1‘

ins pettern of his wudience, begins on the Opening
the csrpsign. Subjects which crecte curiosity end arouse
interest are constantly kept before he :udience from night

to night as coming sttrsetions which they csnnet sfford to
. "\
m1ss.¢
The first sermon presented during the fourth week is,

.7

"Adam's Kother's Birthday”,’ the specific purpose of which
is to change the belief of his cudience in favor of his pro-
posels. As steted eerlier, the ground work for this ch age
in belief begin three weeks earlier through questions, re—
lated to the subject, hinded in by interested individucls
making up his sudience. Thus at least three weeks before
Slur controversial subject is presented, he seeks to pave the
W95? for its favorable reception by answering ell of the ob-
Jecrtionable features about it before the subject itself is

DIVBSented. His candid answers to its objectionsble features

erBSumcbly do not break down his rapport with his audience,

1mm.

‘ 2Interview with Lucius s. Deniels, President of the
Iaioerden Mission of Seventh-Day Adventists,Liberis, West
ftfraist, at the General Conference session held in Detroit,
‘*1Ohigcn, June 24, 1966.

7
)3. 3. Cleveland, lxsnselistic_&ermens, 0- 110-

\f‘.
\i;

for he is merely answering questions se.t to him. Yet, ct
the same tine he is preparing the minds 0; many to receive
his po cint of vie" on the st estios under discussion.

"Ad m's tether's Birthdsy
"Witch Doctors, Ju-Ju-Powder Sprinklers, hnere Do

i ’ . . . l a .
get Their Information?" Th e purpose 0: this sermon

F] (.1.

it? (D

(D 0
K1 c+

 

is primcrily to inform by supplying inform"tion desired by
his ‘udience. He promises in his pronotion‘l ~nsounc~renus
thct when this sermon is preached, he will tell the: how c
tee ledf re'der reeds tee lesves, and where powder Sprink-
lers end chic 1;en herd hiders get their powder.2 Ey giving
nklings of its content from night to nith, he ere tes c
desire in his audience to hear the full content of the

sermon.
One may inguire, as did one of the Biole Workers
Ifllo was associated with imi during one of his campaigns in

s particuler sermon after ”Adem's

Po

Finlend, why he placed th
Iflsther's Eirthdey?" To this question Clevelfind inswered:
This is in horrony with the love of the mind. If you
;nger c pecson on Sundcy niQ: ht, PGI‘JC him on Tondcy . . .
You must remember you are dealing .ith hurcn beings,
and they ere both intellect ind emotionsl. Lou 11y
convince him end never move him . . . .“

lrbaa.

E. L. Cleveland, Interview, 19c. git.

Thus to reltx those who mith hsve been fingered by
the prepos ls he pre . ted the ni th before, find to creste
c f voreble impression bys Htis yin: c desire on the port of
his sudience, he hotes to ret in U ei r ceifidence with re-

spect to his endeovor and their continued support of his

0

cemesign.

The subject which follows "”itch Doctors-W is ”Sex
end the Single Sirl.” The Speciiic purpose of this sermon

° .0
J.

is to convince or induce belie . Clevel nd seeks in this

sermon: (l)+ o increcs e the resyect of younQ people fei
law and order; (2) to c drb juvenile delinguency; cnd.(3)
to enhence his e l s by exhibitinQ his desire to assist
parents in counselinQ heir children. The nith when Utis

q

11 oned Bible more lity stroany

C)

sermon is pre ched old f1:

precc; d. In " world where situ tion 1 morslity is residly

e
becouin; the order of the iii, 013 festioned Bible morclity

is, indeed, s unique preposition to this Qenerstion of
Youn~ peerle. Thct night, he tecehcs Bible nor litY ’3 it
is leased on the Ten 3 :m ndments, especiclly the seventh.
mh~ Subject, "Sex :nd the Sin 10 Girl," while we 1

ing; primarily to Convince peeple to sceept norcl principles

 

_l___Q
4- 1l‘he term 'old-fzshioned Bible morrlity” is used to
ffinlote e "prescriptive ethic” hosed on the SGVGItl comndnd-
neflt of the DecolOQue which forbids ”free love" or sexu"
ochlir‘bitction omen: unmzrried peeple. It is Opposed to the
3“f or situctionfl morclity, which removes the binding re-

(“X

stiflict ions of the doc lOQ us end cdvocctes free love V th-
ut low or restriction

r

based on the old fTSUlOfiOi Bible morslity l

szdience builder. One reason for plscinQ it in the semuence
in which it comes is to keep the attendsnce from waninQ
after the presentation of the seventh day sabbs h (Seturdny)
is the sabbath. ihe effectiveness of this sermon on an
audience builder as observed by Bernard Johnston,who senQ
second tenor in the eudrtet connected with Evangelist

n .- w - 9
, n1: been BAPPGSSGJ

(,

Clevelsnd's Sex Z rk Zenpsign in 196

in t

l 3 come to he pletforn efter the
t~ey hid had someone to tell them
hev heard tonith, they would
m'stekes that overtook

I hsve seen many ed
services and say if
esrlier in life the
be e been able to h
then in younger lif

£D<C"'
O
HHC“
gs
:1
J
5.

f“.
1 ”Q;

I. ‘ fiJ" f‘ 4‘ qf‘o ‘ 'r
- re ter enonQ tne Joutn ,

he ”:i4 Isnv ”ere deeply moved to tears, end uinshsmedly

thanked the evanelist for reintroducinQ and reerphdsis°ng

the old Bible standerd of chasity, clean livinQ, end vir ue
in e.world where men is being urged rejectedly to eXpross
himself by :h tever nethod to insure his freedom from re-
Streint. The effectiveness of ”Sex find the Single Tirl” as

r‘w

CW <sudience builder is r Iiltcn YounQ, FTStOP of the

10

3

C 1
cf-
3
(.1.
(D
pl
0‘
L A

:1.“

amrrttgnoogn, Tennessee Church, in these words: everytime
tflifil sermon is freeched it produces s standins room only
Tudience."

#3:)

1Interview with Bernerd Johnston, September _c, 19 6

C "‘t

Ihid.

‘1 f)
.L L: .2.

H". , ,1. 3 4.", 1r _1 . ‘ . ll .. 4" "
n0! b0 lostyone “our uunor-l is snotner sueject

presented durinQ this period designed to convince. This

subject is r vital contribution to the heslth end prectices
of the community in which Zlevelmnd is condietin; his c*"-

 

paign.

.Y fivfl 4,‘.1 ‘- . p ~ h .‘K‘ ‘0 f‘l r‘

teens eiQnt id nine _re cl ssi-ied n:
. 1-... 1 ~ n a. A w. - A“: : . '- A. «L1 ° “N
MGOHQ. The ,irpose oi the sermons :resentci durinQ bflla

(1) "Court Week--fiho Is Your Leryer?”, hws is its
central die to move members of an audience to decent Christ

not only is their Lord but rlso rs their Hi“h Priest end

Lawyer. Clevelend points to the decelOQuc es the stnnderd

by which ren shall be juiQed, did to four books which he

C+
LS'
(D

V‘ w - 1' M r~ ‘L T.‘ 1 9 ~19 (- ’1
Cells: the noon of remembrlnce, the cook oi .ddrcss,

t J
*4.
0‘
H
P.
O

I 3

H

book of personal description, and the book of life.

eVidence based on the desire of men for union with Cod end

‘1

the possibilit; of his rersonsl fellowship with Yin in the
inture is Lrnsled wit: consummate skill. To essure ecch
jihiividunl thit there csn be no his she in identit; find that
3‘fish man will be rote ded accordinQ to his decision to either
Obey'or disobey the connendnents of fiod, he presents four
ENDOks from Uh oh man will be judQed: (l) The book of re-

/0

membrence, nil. 3:16-18; (2) the book of cddres, Pen. 37:0;

1:. Clevelfnd, Syllm‘mxv, w, :71. 15.

1 ‘ if.‘ a .1 :‘r -1 x g
(,) tne coo- :. worse] 1 u, criut or, .‘tt. lO: ,0, Pcr.
'1
’2. r, ,.. . K 1 .. n n. ‘- e fir" - . .-
1,9:lo, -ni \b the icon 01 liie, “ev. iczl¢-1g,‘ fPOm .1 ch
- , . ° 3. r .. 9
:11 men Ulll oe JUJVCU.

During these two weeks, the evangelist enjloys every
motive tppedl he deems necessary to move his audience to
accept his prepositions. Along with motive appeals, he es-

csis for ection.

OJ

serts the authority of the scriptures as a

One cannot escepe the skillful blending of 810110 I evidence

with the basic desires and values of his audience as a means

of achieving his objectivesL

This concept is illustreted by h is sermon: "The Bed

—-.

is Too Short and The Jove r Too Horro. ,’ in which he seek

to give a Biblical solution which he believes to be adequate

for the social problems faced by his listeners."f
To those who are hesitant due to the fear of losing
frie “n s or of losing the affection of hostile relatives, to

those who harbor the feeling of being scorned or ostracized,

1:. 3. Cleveland, Evangelistic Se mons. n. 24.

a 1 - ‘ g 9 o _ F“ .,,- ~\»\""V

“Observed by tne writer curing o- .elini s
Idlington L. 3. Campaign.

1' .-
V

I. J

JIbiQ. p. 25.
f\§ .f‘)

4This sermon is 7¢.sed on Ice. ic.iO, sn ashorism
usex1 by Is ciz‘h to eizpose tie folly and obstinncy of the lead-
€3"8 of Israel in forming an alliance that would be of no
CV0il to them politics" lly. Cleveland uses this figure of the
Tm<rphet to ans wer arguments or excuses \.i1ich some nersons
1‘1er conviction mi~ht offer to esccye socic 1 pressure they
131 Sht have to contend with if thev accept his view.

lift}

he emphasises the Jords of Christ in Luke 6:22-23.1 To those
who offer security as s barrier, he answers: ”end he thet
tsketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not wor by
of ne",2 for the.hnn.shcll live by faith, and to the men thet

-7
’

sws beck, Cod finds no pleasure in him.) Io those who of-

f?

for resistance due to longevity of practice, he presents the
words of Paul that it is tine ”to nuke out of sleep.
Another representetive sernon desi
action during this phase of the campaign is "Hard Tuts
Cracked With The deepel Hutcrccker.” Cleveland points out

3

in this sermon that while decisions must so made in every

sepect of life in matters of the spirit, men must make 3
decision is to which way he chooses to 30.5 Although de-
cisions are made difficult by the similarities between the
genuine and the counterfeit, if one follows the guideline

established by inspiration in Isaiah 8:2 6 he will be able

'to distinguish the one from the other.

 

1 O

lighen men hate you and separate you from their com-
Pany and reproach you rejoice—for your reward is great in
heaven. "

“L. L. Cleveland, Evangelistic Sermons, op. cit. p.

 

(I)
1;.

CD

6"To the cw and to the testimony: if they Speak
EOt according to this word, it is because there is no light
n then. "

.._J
O
‘v-e

considering the various impellin; drives which are-

1

vent individu ls from decin 15 favorably for the proposi-
tions he advocites, such as: (l) forsaken by friends and
loved ones; (2) economic problems; 5nd (3) the need of self-
realisation, Cleveland shows the need for urgency on the
part of the audience to make a decision for Cirist on the
grounds of self-preservation. Xe points to the fate of the
sinners at the second coming of Christ, and he shows the

denser of procrastination by quoting Jeremiah 8:20.1

)

C.)

As a guiding principle for those who would *ersuere

!
4L

\

others to forsake their former pattern of behavior and accept
new values and standards, he teaches:
sod does not compel men to give up th in unbelief. Be-
fore them are light and darkness, truth and error. t
is for them to decide which they will accept. The hu-
man mind is endowed with power to discriminate between
right and wrong. Cod designs that men shall not decide
from impulse, but from weight of evidence, carefully
comparing scriptures with scriptures.4
The last three weeks of a twelve-week campaign com-
bine decisions for action with baptism. Those are baptism
Weeks, the end toward which the evangelist has been working
.C‘
lI’Omthe initiation of the campaign, and his strongest cp-
3xills are made during this period to assure the success of
tn e c ampaign .

\

fi 1"The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we
“re not saved."

P)

(‘- lhii. ducted from E. G. White, Desire_gf_Ages
”4min ain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Association, 1596),

ICC

These weeks are dedicated to the melding of his audi-
ence for church membership. As he does in the recasitulation
portion of a smooch, the evangelist reviews vital subjects

points necessary to make an intellicent decision. He reviews

)

(D

pres nted earlier under different su‘ cts to renew doctrinsl
the steps necessary to produce strong, vibrant, and well in-
formed Christians who are willing to harm nize their actions
with the instruction of th Bible.

During this period, the sermons fire designed to dis-
solve their doubts, increase their fsith, examine their pre-
judice in the light of biblical facts, and melt their dis-
obedience into consonance end acceptance of his preposals.

Such sermons as "field The Wind-Don't Let it Blow"l
set forth the danger of delay and warn egoins the rejection
of the geesel, and "The Four Biggest Cheats In Town 2
as their primary objective the tearing down of the barriers

I
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thvt prevent many from deciding 99'

In this sermon the four biggest cheats are presented

as (l) The "If" class-~those who muse be show; the conditions

neeess;1y for making a decision for Christ. With th s class,

. . l r . - . ,
promises of uOd. (_) Tne ".sut'l class--tne objectors, tnose

who are suspicious and doubtful of everything that does not

N) ,1

ed ideas. They are willing

4- . 1- -. J- " A., ‘ J-‘fl ‘7‘ V 3‘ I‘ 1) 1.
b0 turn the scristures aplifls thehselves, II necessnrj, to

c.

substantiate their point of ViGU.“ With this class he en-

deavors to meet their ob'ections and secure their decision

‘ ‘ .1. .1
..

by clearly presenting evid ace, documented by the Bible

the Opinions of eXperts, n he subject or issue under dis

‘

cussion. (3) The ”Sot-So-Sure" cless--those who are in a

-1

tate of indecision.) With this class, he seeks tlrough the

tools of persuasion to remove their uncertainty and secure

Deere and by sugmest

their decisions by sbating their is; n”

x.)

F).

Vflxys and meals through Biblical examples of overcoming the
tiznidity which prevents them from acting upon his preposa s.

..
~r.

(1+) "The Some Day" class--the procrastinators, those wJO

Put. off reSponse to a specific appeal until a future time.

0“ 1f

To ‘this class, he appeals to the danger of delsd, and to

tne lieod of making e decision for Christ while the Opportun-

k.)

ity :is still Open to them.

-‘

r
In the sermon the "Devil's hes Friend”,) he seeks

 

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to {revent those who fire determined not to accept his pro-
nositions from hindering those who ere inclined to do so.
us'-; the narrative of Paul's encounter with Darjesus, d

("1

sorcerer who attempted to hinder cergus Psulus from secept-
in; the faith, he associites hose who seek to weaken the
force of his preaching or to deeden its influence on others
with what Paul celled "Snr-jes s", the "child of the devil".1
In attempting to create favor and good will for his
views, he sppcsls to the motives of recognition, reSpect,
and ejprovsl by showing thit men usudlly seek to hinder
others because they naturally dislike to see others get s-
liced of them. By appealing to the iihle as the supreme
authority in the are: of revealed religion, he assures his
ziudience that god's Word will triumph; and he urges then to

q

ieecome Cod's ecst friend by doin; whitever He commands then
to do.

ed the subject of ”baptism" is stres-

O
H.

During this p~r
Seda he shows the necessitv of bantism es a means of selve-
txion,: emphasizing that it requires: (1: jgfgntqncg, turn-
iJM; with sorrox from r pést course of action; (L) the con-

feSsion.of sins to God; snd.(3) conversion, the turnin; 2-

ij11 to God in fellowship and obedience to His commands.

1Acts 1

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Tisgtisn involves not only a Spiritual prep ruti n, out
erepsrstion of the mind.1 ken must be tfught the hnowlcd
of‘;od, in order intelli igently to observe and fulfill lic
<ice sire for them.

Like the recur: in; strains of Zachmoninoff's ”’relude
in.0# minor," the purpose of Clevelsnd's evsngelistic en-
:ienvors can be traced from the opening night,when he intro-

‘L

:iuces his stsf f to the people who make up his audience, b0
tdie close of the cor psign. Each week has its Specific pur-
zeose, and each sermon presented during the week is co.-
Stdmucted to aid in the dechOpment of that purpose and the
desiicd.resnonse.

The cccor "nyin dicfir on will enable one to trece,
st ?.glcnce, the Specific purpose he seeks to accomplish
Odell week of s t. wel .re11ch..oirn.
5 6 7
I I D D B B B

9 10 ll 12

(I)

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The first three weeks are dedicated to the purpose
or <xrectin5 good will, rid.his sermons involve topics of con-
veI‘Son. Jeehs four to seven have as their principal purpose,
j-n~'?1ectrinntion, his sermons during his period being con-
cerfived Jith the grep t doctrine 1 theme of tlie Bible. Weeks
ei{fiit and nine are dedicated to the purpose of inducing oe-

lief‘end.occeptsnce of his prepossls. Weeks ten through

“eve Fa *‘o" n » 'D
_.~.J UL1V-L. JT‘J'J .A ~q‘ 0,3 I“ ,- 1 ”a! — ‘
‘ eiiic pULDOep LCQCQHlOiS to tne

 

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‘ 9 09 73 C
A. 0 _J.

CHAPTER IV
(SLEVELAND'S PRACTICES IN RELATION TO ETHICAL ST‘HDARDS

It was pointed out in the definition of evangelism
thai; evangelism is a branch of rhetorical practice which em-
phstxizes the Spiritual values of life, rather than the secu-
lex“pursuits of mankind. Since evangelism mcy be classified
38 :1 brsnch of rhetorical practice, its nature and purpose
CFII be determined through the use of rhetorical principles.

Among the writers of the classical tradition Plato,
Arddstotle, C cero, end duintilisn stand out as the most
DIWMninent of the phiIOSOphers and teachers who were instru-
Hmfldtil in develOping the principles that form the basis of
<Nir rhetorical theory to-dsy. Such was greatly concerned,
eVenin those days, with the problem of ethics, those moral
'Values, every speaker should honor in 3 Speaking situation.

Every age has produced unprincipled speakers who
were mmre interested in their own welfare and promotion then
the inell-being and benefit of the people. In Pisto's time,
CHTHUid the second century 3. C., it was the Sephists, whose
prinu ry interest in speech centered in its results. See use
Of I;:l...fv.’c.o's-s fondness for truth, in his 3 “a e , Tue condemned
rhetmlric of the sephistic type because: (1) its lack of

emmsonance with truth; (2) its dishonest practices 333

311

ll?

tn;chniques; (3) and its derogatory influence on public life.1

Aristotle took a point of View c‘fferent from thst

ate rhetoric with

C

(

cxf his famed tencher, PthO. He did not rq
Checeit and trickery, sayir; that rhetoric is not immorrl

Q

n- sa- it is the use made of it by a Spezker that determ-

idaes its nature.2 Aristotle taught that the nature of rhet-
c>rfix; is determin-d by the speaker's ability to utilize all
lie available means of persuasion inherent in the art.3 A

sgmecker's speech must convince through reason, clearly in-

<ii43ate the ethos or ethical qualities of the sneaker, and

' .3

tin acceptance of his prOpositions through the preper use

(d

of emotion. 4

The nature of any speech must be determined by: (1)
thus ability of a Speaker to communicwte an idea through
atuiible tones to another person or persons; (2) the minner
iri \{hich it is delivered; (3) and the material selected and

1163 delivery of that material to produce the desired goal of

C» S pedker.

lLester Thonssen, 0 -es s ‘1 '
nr ; (Kew York: The H. N. wilson Company, 1942),
D- 11..
2
Lane Cooper, e ‘7 f e (Kew Kerk:

Appl-G'ton-Century-Crsfts, Inc., 1932). n. 6.

312211

411211.. p 91.

From this snfilysis it is evident thst even Plato,
while condemning rhetoric for its lack of moral values, st
the same time wss revealing its nature. For even though he
condemned the communication of idets that did not conform to
truth, the fundamental principle of rhetoric, which is the
communication of ideas for the purpose of persuasion, was
xiot altered even though distorted by the SOphist to produce
ends that did not harmonise with truth. even though its

«ethics values are lacking, its essentid idea of what to

(0

3y and how to say it which is a fundamentil quality of rhet-

evident. The concept of freedom from diSplsy and

Cl

oric, 1
furtificislity is woefully missing; yet the idea of manner,

tile method and practice designed to produce a predetermined

erid, is implicit in his indictment.

The moral aspect of s sneaker is clewrly taught by

bCJth Cicero and suintilisn, and both stress the idea of the

II
ENDod man Speaking well.”1 This statement includes not only

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lidsh.sssent to his propositions.
chapter is concerned primarily with the ncture

(Di. evangelist Slevelsnd's methods with emphasis on right

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all“* especiylly with reference to

S“"a*“r shiuld honor in his prdctice of persufision. Jonsid-

“‘1‘

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-

" the ethicsl

(J1

114

twiture of Cleveland's method.

In his vorhshoys, Ev ngelist Clevelrnd insists ujon
:Li'h.ethical stfindsrds. In his Opinion, it is better to
ffizir ind honest than to build a rejutation 01 malnrsctices.
IR) him truth is 'ts own defense, and the man who handles
'txmutn in an honorable sinner will eventually gsin the re-
ggyect of the people.
he speciiically condemns the advertising nrcctic~s
noose subjects thst create expec :tions whic:

tlhey cannot fulfill for the purpose of attracting s lvrge

Crwowd.l Such practices do not nee

c+

the code of prOpriety,
Trhi” eventually, will destroy the good they miéht have we-
Ccunplished had they chosen the course of recognized stendsrds

Of' good evangelistic advertising. ”UothinQ”, he has Unitten

P:
0

more destructive to the confidence of t1

1:: 13905:.le th :n
’W
V A 1 '. ‘ fl ‘ .‘ \ I H '—
Ima~‘sg;e that does not meet tne claims of the subject -
He

believes that suoject ti

d

les should be attractive, and
Shlbuld conthin ideas with which the peeple are currently
Coricerned, but by no means sensetiondlised to the point that
(”ha cennot satisfactorily refend each proposition without

P63Course to subterfuge.“

.- 13. L. Cleveland, Oékuood College Workshoy for
‘ ‘ ‘ I o /
--inisterinl students, nprll 18’ 19o6.

O‘fl - rw - '-—. o
“s. s. Cleveland, "suggestive thn;elistic Fro-
Qedmmm”,:a C.

L- 3. Clevelmnd, "Attractive Bern n-Titlee”,
." .4—

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be thoroushlv f miliar with any sud eet presented to .n mudi-
ence, emphasising th t they have a moral reSponsibility to
nossess more thin a superfici:1 knowledge of the subject
matter they :dvocste. Any fittempc on the pert of r epe her
to exnlsir for example, the customs and mfnners of peOple

in ngue generalities rather tidn specific, relev nt fdcts
obtained from those who fire familiar with the subject by
observetion of the nrvctices or intensive research, is r

‘

t.

H.

form of dece

H frowns on the practice of using scriptures out of

(T)

context to nnke an argument appear true thet is really with-
out scriptuil sanction in order to prove 1 point. In his
workshOp conducted for ministerixl students it skwood Sol-
1ese he illustrated this ides. with the following scriptures:
Matthew 27:3,5. r"'hen Judas, which had betrayed him. . .
departed and went and hanged himself. Luke 10:37.
Go, and do thou likewise. John 13:27. What thou
doest, do quickly.

By using the scriptures out of context, he msinteins,
one <3Sn project ideas never intended by the writers of the
Biblfié. In the example above, the misuse of the nuthority
of tire Bible has Jesus commending men to hang themselves
and <ic> it Quickly. Such practices are neither honored by
“Cd ‘31“ respected by man. Zen who resort to such practices

1 i
3. s. Cleveland, WOPkShOp, lgg‘.git.

13¢

a w

(itnnot be reLcrded as sincere teachers of the Christisn

faith.

Cleveland ethical theory of evsnLelism had to be

Inemodeled to meet the ch2nL inL st nderd of toleration that

1.35:5

eplscinL t17 e old fi7“tinL techni1ue of ev:n.elisi that

cloninnted his theory from 1943-1946.1 In keeping with the

fi'

1;:1e, he boL n to ch n e his technidue of reilin7 against

rhinisters ur 0 were not sympathetic with his point of view

iso that of a more amicable approach in 1946.;

leflectinL on his old echni1ues in tile liLht of

(flinnLe taking place smonL religious leaders, he svys:

I felt my whole concept needed “CV'*Tln in the li;ht

of the change tekinL place in the Iorld . . . . It w~s
about this time that the heel 4 , «7 by E. J. unite
was printed. Fr m this book I lefrne‘ we must le ve
personalities out of our preschin- We should be kind
to ministers who differ with us. we should not critise
other denominations, and sharp piim.ses which pierce

and wound should not be utterec.

 

.‘

This was a shock to me with the ‘o _7c1LL round I hid . . .
but this book chaned me, and I oeLan to enform tith
this nezl pnilos ephy four years after I had begun my
public ministry.)

This past summer during his New York City CampeiLn,

tne Lht he preached on the tepic of the Sabbath, a minister
VHK> is pester of s conLreL': tion Oi ei iLht ht7ndred mem‘e~ers
\

 

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“incnn men of '003 will, he 3-33:

 

L; ev-n;elism Decenxe snfieter find more uc:n1n ful to me.
inc more considerate I became in my pretentitions, the
loss offensive I halt forth the truth of god. I be-
Cfine h”; o , and th p10®$tre of m; Liais
tr; “”3 n ed fol&. Therefore, I crtd *
he book - t the L'Via; of m; evzu;oli3tic
ministry. For the tyne of procedure I followe‘ fit the
b3‘inn1n; of my mini: r" WsOpla don't even 11
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4v~ngclist Clevclfind uses t

 

onsigs for his ethicsl teucain; in his VOPLSLOps And field

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Ehouc who ,JVOCite the truth Can fford t
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wle b 1c . . . . e c'reiui not to r il Once

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”.1. -1 L1.l OK; .1110 our.‘ u-J ble 1;“ \(U A. -.bv‘«L 1)‘ buwllu L41]

truth in a fierce u-y.

. . .If your way of presep wii1* the truth is god's .EJ,
your tuiience will be ‘;3 ml im7reseei with the truth

you 1110:; eht. The conviction .ill co; e to 13116.”: thft it
is the «0rd of u119 linthIcoe, 2nd you will CCOngllLSh
the 1m ill of 301 in p0. er.

One of the method; used by Ev:n;eli3t C CVOITHQ in

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1Y1 ¢947- Au 3 certuin St he in his OV$1bO istie proti-u, the
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Isle «orhere COuflUCbGJ altfl 113 c mgciun oeuiu to coll3Cc
- ‘3 ‘,.\ -.-‘ - -.~ (‘1 t r. ~~ r‘. \«‘r " .~ r‘ r :1 .\ J- , I“
the L ,tiomil g.rc73ern5111 of c nliu tee

1"“3 . a ~ f‘ T‘..“ 1”, ‘ ‘v n - -‘ ‘ - ‘-‘ .www ‘~- ~‘ .4 . ~ -\
,Vrtiol, tgo Qiole "ordero interru t hDC provruh of her uiiu

dozrn the center Cele l.:'-.der1 with ”ocetiemtl euadlei. 2311011
the** disappear behind the platform, the ev:.h; elizt ex;crts
Otherws in the audience to join the procession, if they hive
not :filrecdy done 30, b" giving their bundle: to the :ible

J

«orgezns When they call in the homes.

q

13. L. Cl‘VCldhd, Syllabus, oh._olt,, p. 10
W1

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:11 A Liole .Jorlzer 1111;; :3 either :1 mole or fe e:
OJ ed 13y the ev n; elist to do rcrsonrl-vieit etion Inin m1
‘0

0)

1'0! . ,.
les 0f7 interested individu ls who rune up his “udiene

T110 8 I 0” 4. ° . 4.7
d“i IX3Cific task of c jiole Jorker is: (l) to letern he uflC
Kl § 0 V O I I'\
re“ (bf interest on the p”rt of the UCPSOH v1 ited; (i) to

3

621. “z- '1
“Goip x e cttendanceiL1t tl1e nightly meetingS; (9) ”Di Ulti‘
’* 3 ‘Lo secure de sions for church memoers hiw

This method is an ntten wt en tL; part of the eV1n9e-
v-N .1." _f‘. r ‘ (u - r - H“ n .
lisyt to eliect 3 cnhn¢e oi Ltti

ence to

I“ .R — 1 V‘ 1‘ V V , ‘ ’1 0 ‘ f” a ‘ 4' " ‘ V" 1 .-
JADEX3418. :or ulng Jno are uisposed to zcceot tne prososi

'ticuis which he hes been offering from ni;ht to ni;ht but are

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irreififul of ”h t others mi ht think, it Opens 7 door of re-

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Sulmlrior juugment to 101103 tflOlP levd. rhen, too, or
‘ho do not know hon to male L flecision, this techniiue
serves :zs a silent persuc.’ er to 5111210 tne-1;; into the pvt;

=Hlicfl1 the evangelist desires them to £01103. he seeks

or a spe eifie

kl)

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“41C1u¢o this method to uPGy re his in 10309

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*V ”1 Ohm e thOUbfl tne influe ce Oi OeHUF*. he s)ens uO ere ce

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dxxninsnt ct titude for his oesired response ey shonin; thrt
Inuiflxegde of thein friends egree with him, and thet the" ty

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JOe-llng them till oe elu‘es81nb LJWc ever,one heels lo the

The ethicel nature of tsie trchnigue was questioned
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. CMle of the otUdCflta la r‘tenidnee :t th; c,h eel Jolie‘s

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r- :3 es unlCJ JO Le‘u lly reeei 3 iron lzuiViduiis Lie

mile up the TUCiZJCC from nivfit to -i;Le.l
.31though oleVel*id.h‘;,:ts:Litwition of icccivin; i
‘ixlicecelg cieten;ig;that'i.1'ci tlellzv; once t.ounllw;
tdini; he himself hes ' ovilc d for the cc eioa, we nu“t cl c-
eiffi; it :c C.nonlo;icel ievice WOLLVDZ‘ to one t3 'Jeeat f‘“
;: 5::eiroic ed thrC*'h RCZQS other thin logic~l grgumeuts.

fikve :nethod itself offer: no logical proof for action. It

5

seelzs reseon so tarou:h social ficilitgt tion, find the ”bdnd-
wchonfl ec::ni"ues. However, it should be pointed out, this
<ioe£3 not call for a: immediate resoonse. Esther, its jurpoee
13 1:0 create a desire to be like others, to join the b ni—

VP? fl.

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he lies seen for at lccct a dry until the rrrivnl of the 21:1;
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djividiec hi3 tuiience by coking for c recfioncc thdt he feels
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in Jie‘.:. taer "not truese be sits-‘1; he relieving of
firfitie'l Lani-3r or the ultimete betterment of th; arirituql
ITGlf‘PO of the Moreen: involved, not: :re worthy goals to
jjursue

Svengelist Cleve l‘rd i: ardre of he smegieion held
3;; 1.. 11:; with regs-rd to the motive: of evergelit ts . 1n the
:7“ 3t t‘ioce who h'lfC not rijutly 1‘«2-7'*~"'e11te1 true eve.11~eli3m,
in regards to finance, for exemple, have 21:30 it very dif-
ficult for these ”.1110 :lo ..7,ttemf.f;t to rem esent tr. eir selling
t": honor and PGJQGCt'lbility. leny, o turning evenjjel-
istie end-eitvors into money me}: :1: schemes, 1eve ere tea” I‘
d.ist‘“u::‘.t of ”11 public C"‘Yijfi”ic. s of 7‘ 1""113101 .1“th
Emile peonle 22"" fittend the fleetingo, they do not .ilrer“
‘01" St the actives of the evenr'e elist.1

tn the o,eni:1;__ 11ijnt of his cct‘n‘jrign, 21-... firo*
‘-'Or'l; is to convince 1:3 'uclisnce that 1 “r; 120*‘i"es “re not
~S‘.IL1‘S‘.’1.231..2 Also, in his ”Horizon jgs :e stresser. the lie: thet
the Thor-oven which the even-jalist tokee to fininee cor;
either“ 1:13.10 or ore]: his meetixr-mo evr:~.~1;eliet shouli ever
give the impression t21;i-.t 3:9 is "one" axingry”, nor sue euld
be e "31? re: ort to the ‘31": etiee of some of crezting chem-,1
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CHAPTER V
THE PRINCIPLES UNDERLYII~IC- vZLEVSIAI‘ID'S I-E’I‘HODS

In the two preceding chapters, we considered the
nature and purpose of Evangelist Cleveland's methods. The
Specific function of this chapter is to determine the basic
principles upon which his methods rest as evidenced from
his writings and preaching.

As mathematics, for example, follows a definite prin-
ciple in changing a decimal fraction to a common fraction,
end music follows the principle of blending the melody of
Single sounds into consonance with the different sounds of

harmony, in like manner, we may say that the fundamental
Principles upon which Cleveland's methods rest may be class-
ified into two categories, namely: (1) Spiritual and (2)
PSYchological. These two basic principles can be traced
through his entire methodological system like the circula-
tion of the blood in the human body, and are as fundamental
to his evangelistic procedures as hair is to man and feathers
are to birds.

Since the Specific purpose of his evangelistic pro-
cedl—‘L‘res is to bring man into a. knowledge of and an abiding
rell'owship with God, he places more emphasis upon the Spirit-

118.1 than the psychological aspect of his methods. However,

126

lie realizes the value of both. The one complements the
other and mutually provides each other's nCeCC.

The relationship of these basic principles to each
(other, in his thinking, is clearly illustrated in his de-
:finition of conversion related to the writer during an in- r

‘terview in these words:

 

By defining conversion as the birth of a soul into the
Kingdom of God, and the minister's use of psycho-
logical principles as bearing a relationship to that
birth as a physician to the natural birth of a child,
one can remove the psychology of method from the di-
rect Spiritual work being done on the soul. For as

a physician who attends the birth of a child had
nothing to do with the mother's conception. but pro-
vides the skill and know-how to facilitate rather than
impede the process of birth, in like manner, psycnclogy
must be placed in its proper perSpective as being the
know-how of the attending physician in facilitating the
birth and preventing foreign elements from interfering
with the birth, but the causative element in the pro-
cess of conversion can in no wise be ascribed to any
human method or psychological rule.

In the preceding statement, Evangelist Cleveland
Clearly delineates the difference in function between the
Sp1-Pitual and psychological factors which characterize his
eVYirngelistic procedures. Whereas the actual work of conver-
sion is attributed to the Operation of divine grace on the
h“4113181471heart, nevertheless, it requires a knowledge on the
par-1; of the minister of the principles which govern the
actions of man to remove obstacles which sometimes block the
Path of the seeker.

\
1E. E. Cleveland, Interview, lgg._git.

Considering the emphasis which he places on the
spiritual principles in relationship to his evangelistic

objectives, we shall consider these elements first and the

psychological components next.

aniniinal EPQIan
Cleveland holds that effective evangelism, that
which brings reformation in the life of sinners and dedica-
tion to the cause of Christ, finds its source and center in
Christ and the Bible, and that any genuine decision of a
iipiritual nature on the part of man is the result of the
ivork.of the Holy Spirit upon humanhearts.l
Three basic factors--(l) the centrality of Christ;
(23) the authority of the Bible as the final court of appeal
irl things pertaining to the Spiritual life of man; and (3)
tllee efficacy of the Holy Spirit's work on the human heart--
constitute the fundamental principles upon which his methods
111 ‘the spiritual category rest. These principles are in-
herent in his method010gical system; and from them spring
all the Christian principles of grace, love, faith, etc.,
tiled: give worth and value to Christian practices.
Perhaps nothing is given more emphasis and prom-

inerpge ;31 his system than Christ as the center of every

sermon. This principle is stressed in his evangelistic

\
llhid.

campaigns and workshOps alike as constituting one of the

basic, fundamental principles of evangelism. In his unpub-

lished work on Evangelistin_22ggednres, he stresses Christ

as the center of every sermon, song, and prayer.1 In every

sermon the audience should be not only made to feel the con-

viction of sin but also impressed with the thought that Christ

is the solution for sin and the only assurance of salvation.2
Using a quotation from the book QQspel,flgnkens by

E. G. White to support his view on Christ-centered preaching,

he writes:

. . .Do not leave the sinner convicted without holding

up before him the Saviour as his only hcpe. No dis-
course should ever be preached without presenting Christ

as the foundation of the gOSpel.J
Cleveland holds that every sermon should be a per—
trayal of some facet of the life, character, and experience
<3f Christ,4 and should find its center in the love, nature,
and authority of Christ.
In his evangelistic workshOp conducted at Oakwood
CCXLlege for ministerial majors, in the Spring of 1966, he

Said:

The basic principle of making Christ the center of
every sermon must become a part of your concept and

N

13. E. Cleveland, W
W, M-: p' 90

2mm.
31m.
43. E. Cleveland, Interview, lan‘_git.

 

outlook in sermon preparation. . . Be sure that
Chris t gets a hen ring before those you are addressing.1

This principle of evangelistic preaching finds a
ready illustration in his sermon on the second chapter of
Daniel. Unlike many evangelists who approach this sermon
from an historical frame of reference, Cleveland gives only
a passing reference to the historical details. He supplies
enough historical data to identify the various sections of
the metal man portrays; hithis chapter with the four univer-
sal empires that dominated the world from Babylon to Home,2
and to point out the modern nations of EurOpe that emerged
as a result of the downfall of Rome,3 but the central point
of interest in his deve10pment is the "Stone"4 which he
identifies as Christ. I

However, it is not only in the "Stone" that Christ
:18 revealed to his audience; one can trace Him in each seg—
nmnat depicted by the prephet Daniel as his sermon progres-
ses from one symbolic representation to the other.

In regards to Babylon, which is represented by the

5

head of gold, Cleveland says:

1E. E. Cleveland, Workshop, lQQ._nil.
2Daniel 2:31-33, 38-40.

BDaniel 2:41-43.

4Daniel 2:36, 44-45.

5Danie1 2 :38.

Don't place too much emphasis on Babylon; she is only

a temporal Kingdom. You must place your emphasis upon
Christ. Describe His mercy and the revelation of His
grace. Where will you find Him in Babylon? The book
of Daniel points to the fiery furnace. Let the schol-
ars "split hairs" on the exact identity of the fourth
man.- What we know is that that fourth man is a revela-
tion of the grace of God in behalf of man. This is

the point to stress.

Throughout the sermon Christ is revealed in some

aspect of his power to rescue those who put their trust in

film.

In the Medo-Persian.period which followed the downfall

(af’Babylon, depicted by Daniel as the breast and arms of

:silver,2 he stresses the watchfulness and protective power

of Christ in behalf of those who put their trust in Him.3

Ihlring the Grecian period, which is represented in the pro-

Pfimecy by the belly and thighs of brass,4’he emphasizes the

revelation of Christ through the altar built to the ”Unlmozm

Swadfl

Paul.

in the city of Athens, during the days of the Apostle

L2 . .
2 The next segment of tne image, the legs of iron,

mepiresents the Roman period,6 which witnessed the incarna-

'51CNJ, the works, and the crucifixion of Christ.

\

 

l-fi "" ' ‘
a. L. Cleveland, works00p, lgg;_git.

2Daniel 2:

3Daniel 6:22.

aDaniel 2:32.39.
5Acts 17:23.

6Daniel 2:33.40.

 

 

His advice in sermons which require historical and
scientific data to substantiate prepositions presented by a
speaker is:

State dates and other fact a1 materie 1 2s rapidly as

it is permissible for compir ehens ion on the part of the
audience. Your job is not to give a lec ure in his
tory, psychology, r the other branches of science;
your job is to find Christ 7nd focus on Him. The time
you take explaining dates and scientific matters trkes
away from the center of your sermon, which is Jesus,
leaving little or no ti me to appeal to His saving grace
and mercy.

Evangelist Cleveland does not, by any means, depre-
clgate the use of historical and scientific sources; for his
{neiemons are replete with illustration to the contrary.
erat he is saying is that an evangelistic sermon must bring
CTrPist into focus in ev ry aSpect of its deve10pment. Christ
‘mLPSt oe shOJn to be the co ntral figure in history3 and all
Otiler*areas of thought;4 for Christ cannot be separated

\
13. E. Cleveland, WorkshOp, ng‘_cit.

21H his sermon on Daniel 2, references are made to

‘Eddrerd Gibbon' s The_Denlina_andthuLluLJtmafimmmhiEmnina.

“3 Ina kes mention of Sixtus, the sixth bishOp of Home, Victor
:1 13000 of Rome, the council of Trent 1545- 63, the seven ecu-
ifallicc l councils, the edict of Const ntine 321, Martin Luther,
”JESS, Wycliff, and Henry VIII are only a fe. he brings alive
Hrl llis sermons of the Reformation. He refers to Huxley as
139 Tirwin' s bulldog" and quotes statistics from the Americ n

:“ekiic 1 Association on filter- tip, Ling size 013. arettes.

BCOlOSSiCIIS 1:17 pOintS to t'le ff‘Ct tl’lflt 01110131; is
Egiqest in the spiritu3l as Jell as in the natural world. He is
efore all things and by Him all things are held together.

.t 4Since He is the "Light, which lighteth every man
11’31:. cometh into the world, John 1:9. He is not only the
“:cnlrce of Spiritual, but also intellectual power, and the
‘Seplius of m n is but a reflection of His omniscience.

1.4

U]

frmmxscholsrship. Unless Christ is et forth as the center
cind source from which all vital truth flows, the hear and
<iynamic center of all fundamental doctrinal truths, the liv-
:ing embodiment of the moral and spiritual values which give
Evorth and significance to man, Christianity will lose its
:oower to attract and affect the lives of hen, and will be-
<3ome a second-rate influence in the world.1

”The gospel without Christ is like an ocean without
Ivater or fire without warmth.” If the purpose of the gOSpel
is to lead men to obey Christ, the truths advocated by Christ,
the love He exhibited for man, and the vicarious sacrifice
lie gave for man's salvation should permeate each discourse
as air pervades the universe.

Evangelism finds its true meaning and justification
only when Christ is made the Saving Lord of every truth, the
irpex of every doctrine, and the center of every sermon.
.adpart from Christ, who is the exemplar of virtue, the dis-
lDenser of eternal existence to all who believe His word, and
ESubmit themselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, there
Can.be no salvation from sin, no guidelines for faith, and
110 criterion for the existence of Christianity."

From his earliest childhood, Cleveland has taught by

his parents to accept the Pible as the only authoritative

1E. E. Cleveland, Interview, lgg‘_git.

source of faith and Christian practicel--although the Bible
was written by men, it must not be considered the invention
of man's thinking; it is an inspired, God-breathed revelstion
of His will to man.2 This Cleveland accepts without question.
His words reveal that he considers the Bible as the
only authoritative source on the life, gets, and works of
Christ. It is to him a portrayal of the Savior;5 for the
whole Bible is a manifestation of Christf‘L From its sources,
'both Old and New Testament, can one find the only authentic
and trustworthy material concerring the revealed truths of
salvation wrought through Christ. In his explanation of
John 5:46-47, Cleveland said:
Christ declared it impossible to doubt the Old Testament
and believe in Him. For the constsnt theme of all the
writings of scripture is Jesus. The Old Testament is
the New concealed. The flew Testament is the Old Test-
ament revealed.5
The Bible not only reveals Christ he the center of

Iits pages but also is "the rule by which all men should live"

thettheu 4:4).6 It is the source of Christian faith;7 it

llhid.
2II Tim. 3:16.

   

3 Cleveland, .

4John 5:39.
53. E. Cleveland. Questien_snd_Anshsrs. eni_sit..
61h11.. p. 3.

7Rom. 10:17. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.

p. 12.

f“!

Inakes plain the will of God to individual hearts;1 for it is

the source of God's disclosure of Himself to men. It is the

f‘

.

Inedns, or yardstick by which all doctrines must be tested.“

It contains the seed of Spiritual germination; it

3

jproduces the new birth. "It contains the milk of nutri-

tion";4 it promotes growth "unto the measure of the statue
(of the fulness of Christ".5 It contains the detergent of -
jpurity; it cleanses the life.6 It conteins the wisdom of i

 

(30d; it makes one wise unto salvation.7 It is the light by
Q

'Which Christians walk;° the truth from which they drew in-

spiration; and the promise of the inheritance which they

seek.9

1E- E- Clevelani, Russiienisnd_Anshezs. 221.911..

2John 7:17; Isa. 8:20.
3

1+I Peter 2:2.

I Peter 1:23.

5Eph. 4:

6Psm. 119:10-11.
711 Tim. 3:15.
8Psm. 119:105.

9Acts 26:18.

The Holy Spirit is heaven's guide for man, John
16:13;1 it is through His ministry that God's righteousness
is imputed, and the power to develop Christlike characters
is imparted. It is true that Christ gave His life to atone
for man's sins, but the application of that atonement to man
as an individual is the work of the HOly Spirit. without
the work of the Holy Spirit, man could neither be justified--
that is, forgiven for his past sins and declared righteous--
nor sanctified, the daily progressive develOpment and growth
of man from a state of sin to the fullness of the statue of
Christ.

In his sermon on "The Holy Spirit," Cleveland points

to the work of the Holy Spirit as follows:

a. He guides ---------------- John 16:15
b. He reveals --------------- I Cor. 2:10
c. .e Spreads love ---------- Rom. 5:5

d. He aids in prayer -------- Jude 20

e. He helps infirmities ----- Rom. 8:26
f. He fights our battles----Isa. 59:19
g. He strives with man ------ Gen. 6:3. 2

In response to a question asked him during one of
Elie evangelistic campaigns whether the Bible has converting
power apart from the influence of the Holy Spirit, he said:
. . . In the first place, it is difficult to think of

the Word of God apart from the Spirit of God, for the
Bible is inspired by the Holy Ghost (2 Peter 1:21).

1E- E Cleveland. W, M-:

E. 7. Cleveland,

 

L"

‘ - .4’ ..

1e letter alone condemns or kills; it is the Holy
Spirit working upon the heart t32t makes the Word of
God effective.

Cleveland believes that our dependence upon the min-
istry of the Holy Spirit is manifold. It is He who not only
initiates our regeneration, but also sustains its growth and
development. It is His ministry that gives inspiration to
the scriptures which reveal the heart of God, the salvation
wrought by Jesus Christ, and the privileges and respon-
sibilities of man. It is His ministry that convicts us of
sin, guides us into truth, assists us in our pravers, helps
us in our infirmities, end magnifies the saving virtue of
the sacrifice of Christ.

The undergirding principles from which Cleveland's
evangelistic procedure find their source and substance may
be summarized as follows: (1) belief in Christ as the son
Of God and the central figure of the Bible; (2) the author—
ity of the scriptures as the supreme rule of faith and prac-
tice; and (3) the ministry of the Holy Spirit in bringing
than from a state of naturalism to that of grace.

Having considered the Spiritual principles upon which
‘his evangelistic methods rest, let us now turn our attention
to the psychological factors which form the basis of his
Cpproach to the avenues of man's mind and contribute to the

desired reSponse he seeks from his audience.

1E 33 Cleveland, W. 924.5211...

An examination of his works revesls that his psy-
chological principles rest on four basic factors: (1) et-
tention; (2) motivation (3) suggestion; (4) and audience
sdgptmtion is it relates to the srt of persuasion. In order
to show how these principles relate to his evsngelistic prrc—

tices, we shall consider ecch principle in the order listed.

Cleveland, like meny othels, recognizes the primacy
of attention in persucsive situations. In an interview with
him, he stated:

. . . We cannot convince wish we have not persuaded,
and we cannot persuade until we have the attention of
hose we seek to accept our prepositions.1

This statement harmonizes with the views of msny
reco;nized psychologists 3nd rhetoricisns in the field of
communication. Eisenson, Auer, and Irwin, for examplh state:

Attention has slwnys been 2 central concept in psychol—
ogy, and it is also a key functional factor in communi-
cation. No matter how significant the communicator's

message, and no matter how strongly he feels about it,
it will be lost unless his hearers attend to it.‘

13. E. Cleveland, Interview, lgg‘_git.

2Jon Eisenson, J. Jeffery Auer, and John V. Irwin,
* ' 0 (New Iork: Appleton-Century-
Crafts, 1963), p. 237.

It is on indisputed fact that in the lifetime of in

individual he receives more thin e thoussnd units of infor-

(75

motion which he is unable to interpret, associate, xnd stor=

o 1

Therefore, the primary task of a persuasive speaker is tnft
of a "selector of his audience's ottention.Q Unless he is
able to focus the conscious thoughts of his audience upon
his proposals he will never succeed in winning appPOVsl.

It is natural for one's mind to wander during a dis-
course, especielly if he is not interested in the subject
that is being presented. For example, one may be present
in an audience, but his mind may be so occupied with bills
that are delinquent or some plans for a party that his at-
tention may be completely lost to the Speaker. It is the
task of the speaker not only to secure the attention of his
audience but to hold it. Brigance points out that in audi-
ence will give a Speaker sustained attention only when he
interests them. To secure the interest of an audience, and
'thereby its attention, is one of the basic factors in per-
Sussion.3

It is en unquestionable fact that if one would gain

the attention of an audience, he must secure it through

lOliver, QDL_QLL-, p. 116.

‘1hid., p. 117.

BWillicm Norwood Brigence, W
n . o s (New York: Appleton-
Century-Crafts, Inc. 1952) p. 139.

ll ,fi

their interest; for whatever catches interest influences

conduct".l As Hillian James states it:

"n.3t we at end to and what interests us are synony-

mous terms“. The distinction between them, a thin one,
is that attention is concerned with the initial organi-
zation of our sensory reception toward a given stimulus
and that interest is what maintains subsequent orienta-
tion.e
An examination of Cleveland's methods reveals that,
at times, he employs a series of psychological steps in a
single sentence to secure attention and hold the interest
of his audience. In an evangelistic campaign conducted in
Los Angeles, California, in the summer of 1962, he attempted
to gain the attention of the more than three thousand peeple
who packed his large tent, at the beginning of the campaign,
by sayins:
I am happy to be associated with you in the city of
the angels where we have learned 0 dodge with the
Dodgers end swim with the Lakers.
The manner in which Cleveland worded his sentence
'was designed to secure the favorable attention of his nudi-
ence immediately. For the Los Angeles Dodgers ball club
had brought prestige to Los Angeles by winning the National
League pennant in 1959 and had lost the pennant in 196: to
1
Oliver. 1921.211.
’7
‘Eisenson, Auer, end Irwin, Qn‘_QLL., p. 241.

3Interview with Samuel Avery, Theology Student of
Oakwood College, September 12, 1966.

141

San Francisco only after a thrilling three-g me play-off for

1 The Lskers were at that time the

the league clampionship.
National Basketball Association Champions of the Western
Division.2 hncwing the interest of the citizens of Los
Angeles, and the emotional attachment they had for both
teams, he made use of these fsctors in which they were deeply
interested for the purpose of creating a favorable atmOSphere
for his campaign. From the observation of Kr. Avery, who was
in attendance at the Los Angeles Campaign, the reaction of
the people to Cleveland's statement appeared as if it con-
tained the necessary stimulus to dissipate the action of

many contending ideas fighting to control the attention of

his audience. All eyes were focused on him, and the expres-

sion of eagerness to catch the words which followed was

p.

easily discernible throughout the audience. {any eane
forward with an anticipated hOpe to capture each eXpression,
while others showed by their facial expressions their ap-
proval of his observation and their desire for more.3

A close analysis of Cleveland's statement reveels
the following psychologicfl.steps: (1) he associated ideas
in his Opening statement with those his audience already

knew and were interested in; (2) his choice and arrdngement

lHarry hanson, (ed.), 1 ' o q q a ’
“e s (New York: hew York World Telegram and the Sun, 19c3),

p. 811.

[.0

Ibidu, . 838.

3m.

e

 

of words presented a degree of freshness and concreteness

thst bordered on novel 3;; (3) he identified himself with his

audience by associating: himself with those factors of in-

terest that create emotional and pleasurehle feelings.

he also uses advertisements to attract public notice

and create interest in his campsiy‘is. In his Greensboro,

North f‘erolins, campaign, conducted in 1947, several weeks

\J

before the Opening; day of the meeting, he advertised through-

out the city, "Cleveland Is Coming". When he arrived in the

City, he passed out handbills with the statement "Cleveland

IS Here". The bendbills gave the location of his meeting,

the date his campaigns would Open, and the tepic to be 5.1:)"

cussed. On the Opening day the peOple were anxious to find

Out the nature of this man who ms, coming and is now here,
and the;r cr wded the auditorium to hear him.1

Cleveland realizes that in any Speaking situation
iIIVOlving persuasion, success is determine). by the ability
Of the Spesher to develop the attention he has aroused in

His audience to the stage of interest. Among; the many at-

W 6‘

U)

~4-
“ention-getting factors available to persuasive apesler ,

Shall list those most frequently used by Cleveland with a

Oriel“ comment in regards to his use of t7:1ese "attention
pet”were," to sustain interes+z

\
leiels, mm.

Illustrftions
Demonstration
13ch115.11 st i on
Arrangement of ermon title

Use of visuél side

1 .‘Plety
/\ V _ ~_ '
l ouriosity
'7 f‘. ~, .
.1. uli: K::1Se
‘- “ i-ss % Q ~ N‘-
4 Points oi conhon interest
5:
.1
K

\0 00-4
VVVVVVVV‘~J

Cr

’1 , . .. ,3! ., -. _ .. .2 , . .0 ‘- ,. ‘ .fi 0 .
clevelani s scour.n is one oi cnsn_e and Variety

    

.fzsom the time one enters his meeting until the ‘enaiiction.
I113 outline on "fw- L4 ? n n 1's ‘ , presents

~4-

Lui outline which covers a program designed to last for
Zflariod of rpproximstely an hour and a half. Eleven separate
itxems are used,1 each merging with the succeeding item to
Ifirweserve an unbroken continuity.2

For early srrivers, a planned Bible Class is pre-
pared before the Opening of the nightly program“; This is
Th31; another preaching service; it is a SpeCiCl activity pro-
élrwin in which the sermon presented the night before is re-
'Vi£3wed.by one of his associates to reinforce that which had
alxnendy been preached by the Evangelist. Cleveland provides
“\

1(1) Song Service; (2) Opening Song; (3) Prayer;
) Special Music; (5) Announcement; (6) True-False Test;
) -4uestions Answered (8) Offering; (9) Special Kusic;
0) Sermon; (ll) Benediction.

O
“E. 2. Cleveland,

{-733

 

p. 1.
3mm.

151%»

for audience participation in the Bible Class, Song Service,
question-and-answer period, true—and-false test, and t
offering. Interest is heightened by gifts and awards, and
humor injected throughout the program by the evangelist.1
'His program is one not only of variety but also of
balance. Every item leads to the sermon; and every aSpect

of the program is vital, alive, and dynamic.

“muslin 1:3 5115 52:3:
Curiosity and suSpense are generated through his an-
nouncement program and by the use of sermon titles.2 I; h
night during the announcement period, he stirs up his audi-
ence's curiosity by asking pointed questions on the subject
to be presented the following night. He keeps his listeners
wondering what will come tomorrow night. He creates the im-
pression that something new and interesting will be presented

that they cannot afford to miss.3 In his evangelistic work-

shOps, he eaches that the key word for an evangelist is

 

1In an interview with Dr. Edward C. Banks in regards
to Cleveland's use of illustration, he said, ”Kany of his il-
lustrations are built around events in life that are humorous,
and he takes advantage of them. I don't think of him as a
story telling, anecdote type of preacher just to create laugh-
ter. He will make statements in an interesting, humorous man-
ner so that there will be a happy response from the audience.
Some of the incidents he tells on himself lend themselves to
humor and bring in good will and response."

0

“Daniels , ML.
2

“lhid.

”tomorrow". "Always keep the peeple wond ring what's coming
next." He gives them enough of the subject matter to create
a desire for more, then tells them to come back tomorrow
night, when the subject will be discussed in detail. Then,
too, there is so much variety in his presentation that his
audience is kept wondering what is coming next and how and

by what means he will explain it.

WW
Cleveland is constantly seeking ways and means to
discover points of interest that are congenial to his audi-
ence. Lucius E. Daniels in commenting on this point, said:
I noticed some nights after the evangelistic meetings,
he was interested to know what the peOple were thinking
and their attitudes toward the Speaker and the meetings.
80 he would take off his coat and tie, and put on an
old jacket and mingle freely with the crowd listeni g
to their conversations as they made their way home.
After he is aware of their Opinions and views, he
seeks to correct them immediately, either through sermons
or through the question-and-answer period. Every misunder-
standing, he believes, must be settled to the listener's
satisfaction. He uses material that is naturally interest-
ing to his audience, and seeks to establish his prepositions
by linking them with the desires of his audience. Conflict

is generally absent even though doctrinal differerences exist

between him and many who came to hear him from night to night.

 

1mm.

I l ”15123 II: 9:16:

Illustrations are used very effectively by Evangelist
Cleveland when he wishes to clarify some abstract point or
impress some truth upon the consciousness of his audience.
Cleveland's illustrations are very folksy, being concerned
with the sinple things of nature, industry, war, and things
around the household that every housewife, husband, and child
can understand. For example, in illustrating the doctrine
of confession, he uses a barnyard incident between a boy and
his sister which he calls "Duck business." A boy and his
sister were playing with ducks. The boy accidentally killed
one of the ducks. His sister threatened to eXpose him unless
he did exactly what she told him. She made him pull her
around the house in his little red wagon until he almost
fell out. Realizing he could not live up to her demands,
he decided he would go upstairs and confess he killed the
duck. After he had confessed, his mother forgave him, and
told him she saw him when he killed the duck. When he went
back to play, his sister emanded that he pull her around
the house. This time he refused to execute her command.

Said he, "I've got that duck business straightened out”.

Winn

Cleveland's use of demonstration at times involves
the entire audience, while at other times only a small seg-

ment of the audience is actively engaged in the demonstration.

 

An example of the combination of both types is seen in his
effort to show the necessity of the law. He selects seven

young peeple from the audience, and each is given a title

of salvation. The seven youth are lined up in the following
order:
1 2 3 4 R 6 7
Sin Law firace Jesus Goseel Preacher Church
Using I John 3:41 as a text, he begins to sh x the

necessity of the law to sin, race, Jesus, gospel, preacher,

:7
and the church. The point of interest comes in his endeavor

‘

to confuse the audience. He places nis hand on the head of

(D
D
O
(D
H
(D

I

youth number 1, and says, "this is", and the audi
Spends, ”s n". Then he proceeds: "flow the texts says that

sin is the transgression of the law. If No. l is the trrns-
gression of the law, then, if there is no No. 2, there is no,

(here he points to youth number 1), and the audience responds,

ll 1

sin'. If there is no number 1, then there is no need of

number 3, for number 3 is pardon for sin, which is the trfns-
gression of number 2. Number 4, was sent by God that we may
have number 3; but if there is no number 1, there is no need

for number 3; for number 2 tells us what sin is. So if

13. L. Eleveland,

" e “'1 e o r“ , (March lQbC).

 

“”Sin is the transgression of the law”.

number 2 is done away with, there is no number 1 and we have
no need for number 5. If there is no need for number 3,
surely there is no need for number 4; for number 4 came to
save us from number 1, which is the transgression of number
2”. With this type of drilling, he carries his audience
along with him to the conclusion of the list. He uses this
type of procedure to establish points that he feels might
create a difference in opinion between him and some of the
individuals making up his audience, and he uses tne audience

to establish his point of view.

Cleveland uses explanation as an effective means of

securing attention and holding the interest of his audience.

A good example of this as an "attention getter" is seen in

his explanation of the terms "Justification" and "Grace."
In explaining to a student the meaning of the terms during
his evangelistic workshOp at Oakwood College, he said:

In preaching, remember the language of the Bible is
obscure to man . For example when you use the words
"justification’ and "grace be sure you explain them.
What is "justification?" When God Justifies you, in
courtroom terminology he pronounces you "not guilty."
Justification, then is an act of grace. Now What is
grace? Grace is unmerited favor. What do you mean

by unmerited favor? Unmerited favor means undeserved
favor. And what is undeserved favor? Undeserved favor
means I possess something that I do not have a right

to have. In explaining the gospel of Christ, you have
got to have the right synonyms, and those synonyms must

be accurate.

 

13. E. Cleveland, WorkshOp, ngL_giL.

 

Perhaps one of the most fascinating "attention get-

" used by Cleveland to sustain interest in his program

ters

is his arrangement of subject titles. To hold his audience

and increase their interest in his campaign to the end, he

Spreads out his subject titles over a long period of time.

TOpics of universal appeal and interest are strategically

arranged to keeping the audience coming even when sermons

are being presented that conflict with values held by many

in his audience.

TTSQ Di Elana] aids

Cleveland uses visual aids in his campaigns as

n
(x)

Ineans of holding the attention of his audience. They not

Gully gain attention but also assist in sustaining_it for the

SIMBaker. Although he realizes that ideas are more easily

ccnrveyed when reinforced with visual aids, he warns against
0

theuse of textual slides,t noting that when one reads pas-

SQGKBS from the Bible on slides, the audience is kept in the

darq; too long. It is better to paint mental pictures with

‘“n?d£3 and to maintain eye contact with your audience than

to follow this practice. He highly endorses the use of

\
1“ ? Cleveland, Evangelistic procedures, ans—£13.:

.1110 £40

p- 113

2

Ibid,

l . ,
colored picture slides, ssying tnzzt they not only add color

Flld lend emphasis to the thought which a Speaker seeks to

convey to his audience but {greatly aid in focusing attention
on the thought under develo;:1.1ent and deepening; the impress-
ing in the minds of his listeners.

He recommends the use of colored picture slides
when dipictin-g the suffering; o Christ.2 It is alvmys good
to close with :3. scene of Christ inviting the peOple to accept
Him as Lord and Master.

He recommends the use of black light as an aid to
illustrate some parts of a sermon, but not the entire sermon
itself. It is better to use black light illustrations after

the sermon for the following: reasons: (1) It offers an e}:-

(2) It aids in fixing

Cellent Opp rtunity for recapitulstiom
the concept presented orally more firmly in the memory of the
FluC1!I.+:~3nce; (3) It helps to clarify points that might have

been misunderstood, or bring to one's consciousness concepts

tflat. might have been missed altogether.

Winn
That one responds more readily to factors that sat-
isfy his wants, needs, and desires and that bring pleasure,

prestige, and the good will of his associates is 6. foot of

\
1112151.
21121;.

 

life. This fundsmentsl principle can be traced from the
smallest baby in the cradle seek n; satisfaction for his
physical needs through every stage of human develOpment for
achievement in every line of human endeavor.

Brigsnce points out that there are five levels of

*7ants which determine every action of man, whether it be

physical or mental. They are:

1st level: Basic physiological needs, including hunger

and sex .

Safety, includi y self-preservation and se-

urity.

3rd level: Love, including affection, friendship, and
tender emotion.

4th level: Esteem, including self respect, pride, and
reputation.

5th level: Self-realisation, including personal achieve-
ment and artistic tastes.

2nd level:

Desides these five primary motives, he lists 20

Specigfic wants which he oills "Universels" beccuse they are

naxwad,by all men everywhere. They are:

Security

PrOperty

Freedom

Recognition, prestige, power
Reputation

Self-reSpect and pride
Honor and duty

Fair play

Love and Friendship

PH
t’ O ‘9 CTN CW7 M»; r) l—J

- Loyslty
lC>. Sex attraction
1:; - Symp athy
- hysicsl Enjoyment

\_ __

lWilliam fiorwood Brigance, "n -- a
a c 7 e v (hem Iork: Appleton-Century-

: Inc., 1952), p. 104.

‘

H

bp'lft S

14. Competition and Rivalry
15. Adventure

16. Conformity

17. Curiosity

18. Artistic Tastes

19. Fesr
20. Reverence and Worship1
Kinnick has pointed out that our needs and wants

’)
supply the motive for our actions.‘ Since our needs and

wants seek to influence human behavior through the funds-

mental drives, let us turn our attention to Cleveland's use

of motive appeals in his work.

We noted in Chapter III his general use of motive
favorable attitude toward his campaign
Let us now

appeals to create a
said the accomplisiment of his weekly purposes.
end a few Specific

(axanune his philos0phy of motive appeals o

irusidents involving his use of motivative principles to in-

ducne belief and produce the desired response he seeks from

-“13 audience.

Cleveland believes the emotional side of life to be

In”

77 C” °
~W> lxnportsnt to persuasimituJ

t
—..

the logical. "Feelings" he

c 7 ., . 1
"lead men to action‘;J however, ne oelieves that one

h“ ugh the appesl

-AL

3
Snollflhd never attempt to secure a decision t

to L .
(Drle's emotions alone without hsVin5 laid an adequate

i.‘_‘_‘__
libid.. p- 105.

fiou_“n 2Wdyne c. Minnick,
terlton hifflin Comps y, 1957). p. 205.

7
ye L Cleveland, Interview, lQ£‘_£iL.

* e e" (Boston:

I
.—J O

logical foundation. Elabor tin; on his :pproech to tne humsn
mind, he says:

. . . This through the years has been my approach to
the humcn he rt. Where 3 repetition has been my an
pro: ch to the intellect, I believe th t the em otion? l
appeal is a necessity flong with the intellectual appeal.

We cannot convince where we have not persu~ led. Emotion
must be dealt with if persudsion is to be effected
Cleveland's philosOphy of the use of motive aipeals
confirms the findings of research as well is the statement

of ‘arry A. Cverstreet: no appeal to a reason that is not

.A

:2

also an appeal to a want is ever effective.l
In his use of motive appeals, Cleveland advocates the
coonnection of an appeal for action to some natural desire
vfiiich one knows will receive a favorable response. For exs
Funple, with respect to a. nppeal to an individual who has
Gncpresced himself to be in harmony with his propos1tion,
lDLrt feels reluctant to not on his eonviction.becsuse of his
nurther's training ind practice, he says:
It is true your mother lived up to all she knew. Sven
the Bible makes allovance for lock of information--
cts l7--but once one secomes informed, God eXpects
him to act on present truth. If your mother were here,
being as devoted as you have described her to me, I em
sure she would have ta ken the step you ill tak3 '.nen
LII-01.1 p130 '5“..~Jtlze\103;
\
inns.
Eisenson, Auer, and Irwin, Q;;_£i§., p; 294.

P)

'1.

E. E. Cleveland, Intervie.r, c“ .

\N

In his ”'hou sh lt note” for gaining decision, the
:followinr are amons the most prominent:
V U A

1. Don't overurge.

. Don't use the ”take it or lerve it" approsch.

5. Don't interrupt the person who is raising an honest
objection; his Opinion is important to him.

4. Don‘t shut the door of mercy in his face becsuse
he is slow to accept.

5. Don't odOpt the ”that's nothing compared with”
attitude toward the person's problem.

6. Don't argue.

7. Don't lose your temper or your patience.

8. Don't condemn a person's past life. Give him hOpe

for the future.1

Cleveland teaches that in seeking decisions, the
ewraxigelist has the reSponsibility to implant ideas in the
Inilléls of his audience that will create a reSponse for the
erbxbosition he is seeking to establish. Therefore, one must
alfidfiiys take into consideration the point of View of his audi-
en13€>. If that point of View differs from what the evange-
liEBt. is seeking to establish, he should seek to show its
I'EBZl-evancy to their needs. For example, in relation to fac-
tOPSaffectin-g Spiritual decisions in the area of economics,
SCN31J3ty, and religion, he gives the following advice con-
cerning; the following»; questions raised in each category:

1. Ennnsmiss
a. "I would follow your teaching but it would cost

me my job.”
answer..Assure the person sympathetically that you

_-

understand and, shove all, God understands. in

M 13' 13' Cleveland. WW,
. p. 4.

Matt. 6:33 is to be found God's advice under all
circumstances. Faith-buildin5 experiences and
texts can be used with profit at this point . . . .

~
3 J‘

a. Opposition of friends.

ansuen..Lul:e 6:22, 23, Prov. 18:24, Show that the
friendship of Chris t is to be prized above all else.
b. Opposition in the home.

*nswer..The evan5elist must be very careful in
handling this objection. Matt. 10:34 and 37 clearly
state the issue 1 are involved. .However, it should
be remembered that "blood is thicker than w ater";
and this should lead the minister to exercise ut-
most care in this matter.

 

0. "Cannot attend certain functions and am there-
fore handicapped?
ansmgn..l John 2:15, assure the person that he or

sne will find pleasure in fellowship with the people
0 God.

      

s affectin~ decisions.
a. "I am not sure I could continue if I be5in.

It would be a shame to backslide."
anaman..Just think of the thin5s that we begin every
dty not knowing if we can finish them. When a cou-
ple marry, are they sure they will be t05ether ten
years hence? The answer is obviously’ 'no.‘ But
they have two thin5s--faith and love. That is
enough to begin with. There need be no fear for
the future as long as you have these two treasures.
Even so with Christ. If we love him and believe in
Him, that is enough to be5 in with. And as long as
you hold fa st to these virtures, He will not let
you 50.
b. l‘Icannot seem to make a decision althOIsh I

know the teachin5 is of God.”
ananan..When one examines the facts, he finds little
to choose between. Christ has given His all for us.
The devil has taken all from us. The question is
more a question of surrender than 0: decision. When
a young man seek a life partner, does he decide
that a certain one is for him? Or does she have
something to do with it? Most men will admit that
the qualities in the young lady have much to do with
his decision. This is another way of saying th9.t
he is persuaded by the facts. Spiritually Speaking,
the facts are (1‘ Christ made us, (C) He loves us,
(3) :ie died that we mirht be saved. On the other
hand the devil hates us :nd he is seeking to destroy
us. Now to which of the two will you dedicate your

    

4 l
li:c?
His more than seventy-two sermons used in a twelve

weeks' campaign toucl many springs of human emotion and ap-

peal 1%) the ur5es or fundlmental drives of ma:. He deals

, V
'.' fl 9

:ith the four freedoms--and adds "freedom from sin."
touches man's search for security in outer space, in his
daily stru551e for livelihood, in protection from war, and

in hurt from unprincipled men. He is concerned with the

problems of materialism and secularism, particularly as they

faith and Christian virtue. Man's

relate themselves to

cravings for re005nition, prestige, and po er are shown to

Zoe potent factors to adverse the progress of a nation or any

I“eligious organization, but misused, they

Cif suppression and miserV. He appeals to ma s sense oi

licnacr and duty in respect to his relationship to God's com-

Inruddments. His series of sermons on "harria5e and Divorce"

¢A

SZEEDGals not only to honor and duty, but also to self reSpect,

,
tile? Irorld where he has visited, but also
Inc= c .. . -

41- £3 relationship to god 5nd his fellowman. Lis ap

se~
“C 3. made attractive, and is probably one of the best-

 

 

13. 3. Cleveland,

N. , pp. 4-6.

cu —-¢-

.
_L I
d ‘

circwing subjects “hie; he presents under the title of ”Sex
;iid the Sin le sirl”. His descriptions of disease and
nxisery, tr:;'dy and death fire effective means of bringing
licnne to the he wits of his liste.ers 3 need for human com-
_prxssi on and sympathy. he seeks to smash the fears of his
:wtuiience with the promises of God, 0nd to dispel any unersi-
11C258 which they might possess in regards to the :cceptsncc

p a 1

(Di n proposition Ly relatins it to sone drive t

U1

V 0.11.13 .

f!

surgestion

Suggestion, the third principle on which Cleveland's
metflicxds rest,is a technique employed by speakers for the
Durjocrse of winning response througi 3 process of association.

Eisneruson, in Dan q~>ech, defines it as: "the uncritical

C"CT-(3‘91?thence of an opinion as the hesis for belief or action.”1

This means that the speaker will cssociate his ideas
Witrl'triose of his audience in such 6 rxnner that their accept-
ence 143 souQleithout critical judgnent or evaluation.3

Sarett and Foster look upon sur gestion cs fin eigec-
tive Ina-211$ of influencing human sehrvior.3 It would rppesr
\ -

3' disenson, n c ‘., p. 086.

ZECliver, Qp‘_QiL., p. 141.

T’

lew’Serett, and Willi :;m Trufant Foster, ran a
1946), t) “ (New iork Roughton Lifflin Company,

‘“ . 5250

 

K I

that rightly employed by 111 evangelist, suggestion may greatly
enhance the success of his campaign.
Since all men are more or less open to suggestion,

the evangelist who is skillful enough to minimise the resist-

\

835106 of his audience to the suggestion he wishes them to set

upon is more successful in his Cff‘-mp’,i€nS than those who have

not required this skill.

feat of minimising the opposition of one's audi-

Po

my
1.11 S

ence to the suggestion ‘.'4'thh one wishes his audience to act
upon may be accomplished through the follox-Iing; means: (1)

by lodging; en idea in the fringes of one's attention zone;

(53) by making; it appear as if it is coming from the audience
itself; (3) by the use of positive suggestion designed to
Produce on automatic reSponse; (4) by associating; it with

the desires, wants, and beliefs of his audience; and (5)
through the prestige of the Speak r.:L Using; these five

tools of suggestion es guide lines, let us examine Cleveland's
use Of suggestion in the light of his methods of evangelism.
It Should be pointed out that while Cleveland employs sug-
55estion at times in his sermons to secure the 8.pf,r‘01tr'i:1te
resli'onee he is seeking; from his audience, he supplies his
audience with enough factual materiel to form a basis for

dec‘ ' , , ,
151011. 'i‘he example of his tescning of the perpetuity

\
lEisenson, M” p. 286.

 

 

- _‘~-__ a.__‘g:.,._.

of the law which will be used to illustrate his use of sug—
gestion was used only after he had shown the belief of some
that the decalogue had been abolished and was no longer bind-
ing on Christians. his audience was shown both the ”pro"

and "con" of the issue before the demonstration was employed
to establish his belief of its perpetuity.

A good example to illustrate his method of sugges-
tion may be found in his teaching of the perpetuity of the
law of God. He begins by showing the decalogue to be the
basis of morality and all good noral government. Then by
selecting participants from the audience, he gets them in-
volved in a demonstration set up on his promise. To involve
the entire audience, he seeks to challenge their ability to
identify correctly the person to whom he points. In their
effort to identify the person correctly, they automatically
associate the person with the idea Cleveland seeks to estab-
lish. Through this method he is able to secure a positive
reSponse to his preposition from practically every person
at the meeting.

An analysis of the process involved in this demonstra-
tion reveals the followi.g:

(l) The idea of perpetuity was planted in their
thoughts. (2) It was protected from interference from
other ideas by getting the attention of the entire audience
focused on the seven participants and what they represented.

The arrangement of the participants and the ideas he

associated with each one could lead to only one conclusion,
that which he desired his audience to neceit. (3) By their

V

true the biblical statement that sin is the

C“

acceptance s

[O

transgression of the law, they themselves concluded thet

if the law is the criterion by which sin is measured and if
this law ceases to exist, then sin would of a necessity meet
its demise due to the lack of 3 standard by which it could
be recognized. (4) Therefore, if sin does not exist, there
is no need for grace, Christ, preacher, members, or the
church. tealizing the emotional attachments and value they
place on grace to cover their sin, the redemption from sin
wrought by Christ; the influence of the preacher on the
religious outlook on life, the emotional value they pleee

on belonging to their specific church group, and the thought
of the destruction of the church, Cleveland seeks through
these factors to secure an automatic approval of his prcp~
osition. (5) It presented a positive approach to his prep-
csition idflxflx the peeple could apprehend with the least
mental exertion. (6) The boisterous response of the audi-
ence to his questions reveals the facilitating effcrt which
this demonstration has on them. In their eagerness to
identify the person pointed out by the evangelist, they are
completely oblivious to social restraints and they facili-
tate each other with their loud acclimations. (7) The
prestige of the speaker is enhanced by the enthusiasm it

engendered and by the attitude of sincerity and certainty

'.-unich he displ2yed. The variety, novelty, and humor it is-
s;:ired do much to create a clim2te of good will between him
211d.his audience.l

Speaking of Cleveland's prestige as a sne2“er,
I)cn3tor Edward Banks of Andrews University his said:

He gets reSponse ri3ht along throu3hout his sermon.

. . . he merely su33ests whs t type of response he
desires and it is iqulemented by his audience. Ins te2d
of telling them \h2 t to do, he merely 2sks the ques-
tions and they 2ns .er. His ehhni is so tremendous
with his audience th2t they 2re constantly reSpondin3
in harmony with his desires. I heve never witnesse d
2n 2dverse reSponse 2321nst him or what he is s2Vin3

I think he pre22res for this so thet the responses are
2L'21s on the positive side.

Turnin3 to a typical ni3htly program, where every
nh311hod.for influencin3 the decision of his audience is use

t4) create 2 favorable 2.2ept2nce to his prepositions, let

’3

‘18 ‘trace Clevelw.nd' use of su33estion.

From the time the individuals who make up his audi-
CfllCHB enter his tent to the 12st "Amen," they are constantly
b53111; bombarded with su33estions or hints to modify their
bel ief and 2_,ction .

This csn be seen from the l2r3e sign, ”Love Thy
Ikeiiihbor" (indirect su33e cstion) 'hi ch is placed over the
"33334f2re barrels" at each entrance of his tent, to the direct

8%.»).
L1 3. estion at the conclusion of his sermon 0.2 llin3 on men to

rmlcespt christ as their Savior.
\
lBanks , M-

..

dis use of music durin3 the song service nl2ys 2n
i-nport2nt role in su33estibility. It serves not only as 2
metlns of credtin3 sociil facilitmtion, but also 2 means for
ecnnmunicsting emotion.l Its effectiveness can be seen by
time moistened eyes of some who h2ve been touched by the
pmrthos of the sufferin3 Savior, or the overt response of
otdiers to its melodic appeel or the words thst have mednin3
'tCD their experience. Music is 23 much 2 part of worship 25

is 2 prayer.

(M

123 prayer; in fact, miny 2 son;
Priyer is another fdctor which 3re2tly increases

Stuggcstihility. Durin3 this period the attention of the

Olidicnce is given over to the one who is invoking God's

2 on them and their loved ones. Here every motive

(7‘
pi.)

blessin
Qpreul involvin3 every human interest and desire can he
QEnelied to situations relative to war, sickness, and relief
ffisom.the ha y pressures of our d2ily experience of life.
The 2nnouncement section of his ni3htly program is
arNDther means of credtin3 su33estibility. This is the

1

O

(D

poP’cion of the program where the evangelist comes 2 s2les-

12211, 2nd every technique of salesmanship is brought to be2r

0?

orl the subject for the following ni3ht. ne seeks durin3 this

 

\

2; Lawrence Lel2nd deour, A fit 2 ‘ 3 ° n

“913 0 3 “he - n' 030- V' o _ne . De 2 e o
A. 1 2r .3

    
      
    
 

  
 

- ' ~ (127*, , ‘.' . , :
wgthlpublished Ph.D dissertation, School of Saeech,
* Obthwestern University, 1956), p. 75.

 
  

y

 

    

L]
‘.

.z

period to creste a desire on the part of his dudience to

hear the subject on the following night. He does this by
surrounding the subject with provocative questions and by
giving it 3 title designed to attract attention and to cre-
ate a desire on the part of his audience to hear it. He
dangles s bit of the subject metter at times before their
minds to create an appetite for more, then withdraws it at
the point of interest and announces that it will be completed

es humor to en-

5’}

tomorrow night. During his period, he u
coursge e receptive attitude and eXpl nation of certain

LU

portions where the subject matter is not too familiar, and
he seeks to create en enthumsism on the pert of his audi-
ence for the subject matter to be presented by labeling it
s ”four-star subject".

Gifts and awards are excellent means of suggestibil-
ity. They keep the audience coming back from night to night.
They render the listeners attentive to every thought ex-
pressed by the evangelist for fear the ideas which they did
not attend to might be the ones used by the evengclist in
his true-and-fslse test given ni;htly for the purpose of
focusing attention on the details of the sermon delivered
the night before.

The question-nnd-snswer period furnishes in excep-

tional Opportunity for suggestibility in that the person

expresses his lack of knowledge regarding the subject matter

+

and relies n the evangelist co enlighten h

tion asked. This phase Of the program
presti3e suggestion, for

in on

also lends

/
{-11.9

ques-

itself to

the skillful use of meteri l b" the

evangelist and his apparent mastery of tie scriptures reate
in the m’nds of his audience a predisposition to accept his
Opinion Of the question without the necessity of his pre-
sentin3 documentary evidence to su (tanti te his views.

It also inc creas es sug3est b lity b the Opportunity it gives
the evan3elist to deepen through repetition tlw idea he

wishes his audience to remember.

 

Another principle noticeable in

Cleveland's

methods

is that of audience adaptation. C. 2. hosely, his Bible
teacher at Oakwood Col le e3e, commenting on his adaptability
to audience situations, has said:
He appears to have 3reat adaptability, and like the
Apostle Paul of the Bible, in Speaking situstiox 8,
he becomes all things to all men. . . . .e is as
conscious of the wash woman as as s of the celle3
profess or. . . . he is not :dverse to r epetition.C
He will re; We t phrase or sentence three or more

different ways to

n hi

tion is clear to every person s
When Evangelist Cleveland asized
biew with the writer what he considered the

part Of his sermon, he replied, "repetition"
primary function of repetition is to fix inde

11403013! . Mi.-

during

11108

assure himself that his preposi-
audience.

sn inter-

4L

U 4-

important

1

Although the

libly in the

-.\ 1 {‘- p " :1 ‘fl -‘ ~‘ 3“ " . ' r‘ w a \“ fl - 7‘,- 4
minds Oi a1 audience the propositions tze sreaser wishes to

‘.

be remembered, Sleve 1 nd us‘ s it not O.lv for this purpose,

d

but also as a means Of reaching the level of every member of
his audience. He will state a preposition in words des i3 ned
to appeal to the most intelligent members of his audience,
and then restate it in lan3ua3e that the most illiterate
members can understand.

In describing one of Clevel nd's audiences and the
lan3ua3e he used to express himself, Banks noted:

his audience was a well dressed, sephi sticated t3 pe.
t was composed of teachers, doctors, nurses, people
of various professional groups, and the l‘eorin3 class.
His lan3ua3e and style were on the profess onal level.
Iet, he used no sephisticated or cccdemic words. His
words were clear, concrete, and simple, but hell Sp hen
so that it would appeal to e eryone in his audience.
If he used any technical words he would describe, il-
lustrate, or define the eir meaning so that every ne,
even children, could understand them. . . . His
thou3hts were well expressed. he has a 3ood voczeul ry,
and a 300d command of the Ln3li3h l n 3ua3e.1

Jith re3ard to his identifyim himself with his
audieice hanks Observed;

He never separtt ed himself from his audience. Inste d
of seyin3 "Tou peOple out there”, his expression was
always "we”. It was a "we” attitude, an idea of to-
rethcriess that domin ted his relationship with his
aud ence. . . . The audience felt they were a part

f the meetin3. I never noticed any hostile attitude
toward the people or their Opinions. There might have
been disa3reements, but there was never sanifested

any hostile or ar3unentative 3:30 of sttitude.~

U.-

In relation to audience analysis, Links commented:

r of ;.:n3 e ' end homiletic s, I usuélly
f t11e smother is in control of th :udi-
es ::h:t is he ppc nix3, in his sudience, and
in3: to them or over t11eir heads. I Cuto-
dfltiCSily loci: for signs of interest in the message and

control of audience by nature
After describin3 the mee in3 plece as comprisin3 two
lsr3e tents joined t03ether with s seetin3 capacity of over

3,000 people, and its "packed to cspucity" audience each

ni3ht with many standin3, he continuea:

There is somethiQ shout Pastor Clevelrnd that claims
the :tter tion of his eudience. he hcd :lnost every
:erson in those th lcQ e tents under his eye surveil-
lance. . . . I \ss on the platform near him during

one meetin3. he paused in his sermon and s id soxr thiQ
to one of the ministers on the platform. The mini.3ter
departed from the meetin3 nd in d fewi L1ihutes returned
with s 3 :38 of water, end 3cve it to a little boy sit-
tin3 near the front of the tent. . . . In his obse rv 2—
tion, he noticed this little boy was 3ettin3 sick.
When a pastor could see a little boy not feelin3 we
in the midst of over 3,000 peorle, and 3ove him 3. 3 s
of water, I consider the t m 3nifieent audience snel

Elder R. T. Hudson, president of the horthesstern
Conference of Seventh- day Adventists, Speaking of Evsn3elist
Cleveland's etility to address himself to each person that
makes up his audience has said:

jvsn3elist Clevel nd has perfect eye contact with prac-
tically everyone in his audience. He speaks in such 3
manner that the smallest child in his audience can un-

derstand him. he feels if the children csn understand
him, everyone ca.. The intellectuals appreciate him

 

becsuse of his :bility to put great concepts into sim-
ple language, and the untrained thG learned to appre-
ciate him because hey can understand him.

Because he is an extemperaneous speaker, Cleveland's
observations of the reaction of his audience to his sermons
are not impaired by having to read his message from prepared
manuscript. Being freed from this rutch, he is able to de—
tect the slightest unrest in his audience and to supply the
prOper stimulus to focus attention on the preposition he is
seeking to implent.

To contend with the multitudinous distractions thnt
vie for the attention of an audience, he offers the follow-
ing suggestions: (1) "pointed powerful soul-piercing preach-

ing”. Evangelistic preaching, unlike the tame, lifeless

sermons sometimes heard at an eleven o'clock preaching ser~

I II

For the next pause could be-

vice must be 'powered along”.

come the pause that depresses." (2) Visual aid devices

A

(G

and illustrations. The e aids are helpful if not too heavily
depended upon. They should be viewed as windows in a house,
to give illumination, but not the house itself. They are

most effective in clarifying abstract concepts and ideas not

clearly understood by an audience. (3) He highly recon-

mends the use of simple words and uncomplicated phrasing.

 

1Interview with R. T. Hudson, President of the
Northeastern Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,October 28,

1966.

The use of long, technical, and unfamiliar words tends to

becloud rather than illuminate the point a Speaker is seek-
ing to establish and thus creates distraction. People do

attend to that which they do not understand. The Speaker

not
who has learned to speak the language of the peOple is the
one who can both catch and hold their attention. (4) Brev-

ity is strongly urged, for long; discourses tend to weary the

audience. They are the ”best audience destroyer yet devised".

(5) He stresses the importance of the closing; exercises of
the meeting, saying»; that the manner in which the meeting is

concluded from night to night greatly determines the attend-

ance the following; night. The audience should leave each

meeting "under a sense of Spiritual impact".

Furthermore, he believes that lines of poetic verse
which tend to strengthen men's faith in God and to deepen
his Spiritual values, such as: "Have faith in God", used
by H. " S. Richards of the Voice of Prephecy, furnish an

1'; o

apDI‘Opri-ete climax for the benediction. The playing; of music

designed to recall some phrase of our Lord's redemptive work
OP to point to the realization of some desire or need x-zhile

the audience leaves the tent or meeting place is also highly

re Q OInmended. 1

 

1E E Cleveland,

. C
- I“.
M” pp. ,_-

It is interesting to note that 50; of Evan;elist

Cleveland's nightly pro-{gram involves direct audience partic-

ipation. The members of the audience are directly involved.
both of which

so =*

in the song. service and in the Opening U,
are designed to mold into an audience rather than an unor-
ganized athering: of Spectators by furnishing; them a common

focus of attention. The true-false test involves the entire

awarded to those who an-

correctly each night create enthusi-

audience, and the gifts which are

swer the five questions

8.8m 5nd interest. The question-and-ansuer period offers

each individual in the audience the Opportunity to eXp-ress

himself on any issue that has been discussed in the meeting;

01‘ on any problem related to the Bible. The offering, of

Course, is tailor-made for audience participation. Although
the remaining portion of his ni:j:tly program does not involve
direct active participation on the part of the audience,1 at
all times it is designed to induce attention and response

in the following manner: (1) by his armoxmcements in such

a manner as to create curiosity and arouse desire for

propositions he wishes his audience to accept; (2) by his
. .0 x. - ,..

association of his ideas witI-i the 2.1.:1ts 6nd. desires 0.. ...i..

a” " " 1. 1.
Llcllence; (3) oy his adaptation of subject material to meet

t;

Pie needs of his audience.
\
i litany of his demonstrations involve audience partic-
I3"‘-‘--‘t.ion.

CHAPTLSP. VI

CLEVELAND'S USE OF THIS COLTC'Z‘IENTS or THE
REVIVAL I-ELTHCD BASED 0:1 TH; ” ACOUR 2.;01‘J‘L'L"

In his unpublished dissertation: A study at The
s z u- .o. . :u‘ .- ° 0- ° F . o o: '- - -.
. = . q . ; use Q- . - - e .. -.. z . é~
IDI‘. Lawrence Lacour nas set forth ten basic components as
<3<Instituting the norm by which the revival and evangelistic
Insethod practiced by evangelists everywhere may be analyzed

zarid.evaluated. They are:

[—1

Preaching

Protraction

Music

Organization

Special Event

The Delimiting Factor

Appeal to the Individual Alone.
Appeal to the Individual in a Group.
Appeal to the Individual in a Crowd.
Decisionl

Gm 004 Chm .pw m

H

As the title of this chapter suggests, its primary
pull:‘ZEDose is to determine Evangelist Cleveland's use of the

rev ival method as outlined by Lacour.

7

1Lawrence Leland Lacour, AlaindI.Q£_Ih§.B§Illal

. - .- - O -
_ Co. a an -° ° 0- ' . ,Q o .. u v0 0
.

' . (1,00 .1 u” "uo ‘ 00‘ ‘09. ‘° ' ""
Egyllbublished Doctoral dissertation, Northwestern University,
ax).ston, Illinois, 1955), pp. “8'52-

17;

What use did Cleveland make of the pnegghing com-
Isonent? To answer this question let us consider it from
tile standpoint of his theory of preaching. What is
CXleveland's concept of evangelistic preaching?

Evangelistic preaching to Cleveland is preaching
knith a Specific purpose to persuade men to accept Christ
axe their personal savior through repentance of sin and be-
lnlef in the gOSpel. It seeks to win man's total commitment
‘bxa Christ in relationship to his Spiritual, mental, and
:flaysical powers "by revealing the deceitfulness of his un-
regenerate heart'and pointing him to the abundant grace pro-
‘rixded by the sacrifice of Christ to save to the uttermost
anyone who accepts Christ by faith."1

For a sermon to be classified as evangelistic in

Cl‘iaveland's theory, it must exemplify the following

characteristics:

(1) It must exalt Christ, making Him the very cen-
ter of its content: Christ on the cross, as
man's substitute, Christ crucified for the sins
of the world, and the unmerited grace freely
given by Christ to cover sins and guarantee to

sinners the assurance of righteousness through

1E. E. Cleveland, Interview, lgg‘_git.

faith in His sacrifice.

The Christ centered approach advocated by
Cleveland is more than a theory he teaches, it
is a practice that is discernible in his evan-
gelistic sermons. An examination of the
seventy-seven. tapes of Cleveland's evangelis-
tic sermons recorded during his Washington,

D. C., campaign in the winter of 1957, repeats
over and over some aspect of the life of Christ
as it relates to His suffering, death, and
second coming. For example, in his sermon
"Weaker and Wiser . . . Marvels of a Doomed
Age," Cleveland stresses the physical, mental,
and moral weakness of this age. He discusses
modern inventions as evidences of the end; and
he preaches Christ as the answer to the physi-
cal, mental, and spiritual problems of
twentieth-century living.1

Cleveland teaches that no sermon should ever be
preached without making hrist the center of
its content because Christ alone is the center

of all true religion as well as the central

 

t1}

. Cleveland, WW

, p. 2.

figure of history,1 and every nightly service

is an Opportunity to exalt Him in sermon, in

2

song, and in prayer. Fitzgerald Harris, an

ordained minister and song leader for Cleveland's
campaign in Port of Erain, Trinidad, Speaking
of Cleveland's preaching said:
The greatness of Earl Cleveland as an evange-
list lies in his ability to exalt Christ in

his preaching and make Him the center and

circumference of every message he presents.3

m
v

It must emphasize the second coming of Christ,
revealing the signs which point to this climac-
tic event, and showing the need of preparation
to meet Christ when He comes;

(3) It must be scriptural. Logic and human reason-
ing may greatly assist in establishing facts of
faith and belief; but without the authority of
the inSpired word which contains the revelation
of God to man, the origin and source of faith,
and the only authentic knowledge of Christ as
the only authentic knowledge of Christ as the

Savior who saves from sin, it is powerless to

 

‘ G . .‘l W e S 01" we

<
‘(D

!

 

ENE}; 3Interview with Fitzgerald Harris, Oakwood College,
buary 10, 19:27.

accomplish its work of mending, restoring, and
healing the wounds inflicted by sin;

It must be well organized. In order that the
central theme of each sermon might be readily
detected in each related part of its construc-
tion, Cleveland recommends the develOpment of
materials for evangelistic sermons around four
pertinent questions which he believes should be
answered in each discourse to maintain perspi-
cuity: (a) What is the d in which gives
importance to the subject to be discussed?: (b)
What is the underlying cause for this condition?;
(0) What is the guns for this condition?; (d)

1

How will the audience respond to the cure -- tne
sanssl?

A study of Cleveland's syllabi in relation to
sermon organization reveals that each sermon con-
tains a logical arrangement of his ideas and that
each division of the sermon contains a strong 3p-
peal to reason, fortified by supporting passages
of proof texts from the Bible. For example, his
develOpment of the subject "Jill Humanity 3e
Destroyed By The Hydrogen Bomb?" furnishes an
excellent example of his ability to keep the ob-
jective of his sermon free from irrelevant ideas

which tend to obscure the point he is seeking to

establish. He follows his four-point system of
arrangement by stating:
LW
A. The spirit of our day. Matt. 24:6;
Isa. 59:9,9
B. The nations are preparing for war.
Joel 3:9,10
II. Cause
A. Man has rejected Christ; therefore
his efforts will fail. Jos. 4:1,2;

Jer. 6:14; I These. 5:}
B. The end will come. I Peter 4:?

111- Ih§_flnra

The Second Coming of Christ. Isa.
26:2 ; Mic. 1:2,3; Zeph. 1:14-18

IV- Appeal

God will save His peOple. Mal. 3:17;
Rev. 21:4.

(5) It must be spirited: The preaching of "tame,
formal discourses has in them little of the
vitalizing power of the Holy Spirit". This
method of preaching is one of the best ways to
kill an audience and to destroy the usefulness
of an evangelist.2 An evangelistic sermon

should be presented vivdly, deliberately, and

forcibly. And by all means, it should be brief.

 

1E. 13- Cleveland. W. mil...

3 E Cleveland, " . , ~ e res,

PeOple will return to hear a minister when his
sermons are short, forceful, and easy to follow.
”A few forcible remarks upon some point of doc-
trine are better remembered than a mass of ma-
terial where nothing lies out clear and distinct
in the minds of the audience.1

(6) It must be simple.2 The language of the evange-
list must be spoken in words that are readily
understood by the audience. Most peOple think
in pictures, and the Speaker who can paint pic-
tures with words will be more successful in
bringing men to a decision for Christ than
those who follow the practice of using long,
technical, and unfamiliar terms. Cleveland's
,reaching coincides with his theory, for his

preaching is "down to earth communication."3

His language is simple and free from cheap,

n

common eXpressions of the street such as You

can go to hell", "To hell with you", or "No

 

llhid. Quoted from s. G. Jhite, figfipgl_flgnxgna
(We Shington, D. C.: Review & Herald Publishing Association,

1948), p. 168.
2:3. 3 Cleveland. WWW.
M03 p‘ 8'

5Interview with J. N. Richardson, Associate Evangelist
111 Cleveland's Montgomery Campaign in 1954.

*1:

-

..'
damn fico;.i

He omits words that do not lift
and inSpire, and seeks to avoid expressions
that will detract from the Spiritual tone of
his message.
Perhaps one of the greatest strengths of
Cleveland's preaching is his simplicity. His
choice of words is simple enough to elicit re-
sponse from the most untutored, and yet the
ideas expressed are profound enough to-grip the
interest of college professors. Children listen
to him with understanding and are able to recite
the main points of his sermon with remarkable
accuracy. Henry Wright, pastor of the Seventh-
day Adventist church in Creenville, Mississippi,
Speaking of Cleveland's ability to paint pic-
tures with words, says:
Elder Cleveland can paint pictures with words
as clearly as an artist can paint a picture
on a canvas. I have never been able to lis-
ten to his description of the man who had
himself fastened to the mast of a ship in

order to see the eye of the storm without
bringing with me the picture of the raging

V

elements and a personal view of the eye of
the storm.2

C. T. Richards, chairman of the Department of

 

1Interview with William Scales, member of Cleveland's
campaign quartet, July 15, 1966.

2Interview with Henry Wright, May 28, 1967.

Religion at Oakwood College, in response to a
question in regards to Cleveland's use of illus-
trations, replied: "Cleveland's illustrations
are graphic pictures which vividly portray to
the mind of his audience the scence he is de-
picting.”l

Another factor in Cleveland's preaching hat
contributes to clarity and simplicity is his
application of practical eXperience to illus-
trate Biblical concepts. His sermons are re-
lated to life as lived in the twentieth century.
he expresses himself ir a frame of reference
familiar to the peOple of his time and in terms
that even children can understand.

(7) It must be presented with certainty and decision.
An evangelist who Speaks for God must present
his message with a sense of certainty. He must
be certain of his facts, he must have absolute
confidence in its truthfulness, and must con-
scientiously believe that it is the revelation
of God. He must also believe that it will ac-
complish its purpose in the heart of his audi-

ence when proclaimed with the power of the

 

llnterview with c. T. Richards.

’J

Holy Spirit.1 An evangelist must be a living
representative of the sermons he preaches. He
should never preach what he does not believe,
and.never urge others to do what he h;mself is
not willing to perform.2 He must not just be-
lieve that the gOSpel he preaches can transform
lives, he must eXpect it. It is man's duty to
proclaim the gOSpel; it is God's to supply the
increase. Therefore, he must never feel that
his job is completed until sinners have been
reconciled to God.

The purpose of evangelistic preaching is to bring
men to a decision to accept Christ as their Savior. There-
fore, every sermon should call for a commitment to Christ.
This must be done with a sense of urgency, in an atmosphere
permeated with the Love of Christ. Unless Christ is shown
to be the Savior of man, evangelistic preaching is without
power. Unless it reveals Christ as the center of God's rev-
elation, for the salvation of sinners it has no drawing
power; and unless it is proclaimed with power in full re-
liance upon the Holy Spirit to convince and convert, it is
a mere philOSphical discourse of human invention.

1E. E. Cleveland, "Pointers", The Hinistry Magazine
)GC{IX (Hay, 1966), p. 48.

O

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A summary of our findings concernin’ Cleveland 3 use
of the preaching component suggests the following: (1) He
uses it as a means of exalting Christ, making him the center
of salvation, the center of revelation, and the hepe of re-
2)

reparation through fa th in the pro-

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conciliation for man estranéed from the love of God;

*4)

emphasizes the need 0

'0

mises of God, and obedience to the teaching of His word (The
Bible) in the light of Christ's second appearance to gather
the faithful of this earth to reign with Him eternally; (3)
He makes use of this component to establish the authority of
the Word of God as the supreme test of all doctrines. It is
the revealer of God, the source of faith, and the criterion
of Christian belief and action; (4) The effectiveness of
his use of this component is seen again in his uSe of organ-
ization. He employs it to carry his audience along with him
from one point to another, clearly delineating the state or
condition of the preposition under discussion, the cause of
this condition, the steps necessary to correct this condi-
tion, and an appeal for action; (5) He uses it to animate
and inspire his audience to make them aware of the avail-
ability of Christ and His willingness and ability to save
all who seek Him in faith; (6) He uses this component to
reach every segment of his audience by utilizing frames of
:reference with which they are familiar, and the skillful
lises of illustrations and explanations to clarify abstract

:znd technical terms; (7) He uses it most effectively in

moving men to surrender themse ves to the saving grace of

-1
Christ, which is the primary aim of €11 preaching.

Cleveland's method naturally favors the component
of ngtnagtign. A study of his evengelistic leg shows thst
the shortest evangelistic campaign he conducted was s six
weeks' campaign at the beginning of his ministry in Ashboro,
North Carolina,1 and the chart outlining the purpose he
seeks to accomplish each week of a twelve week campaign
shows that he does not begin to ask for decisions for member-
ship until the eighth week.2

This does not mean, however, that he does not call
for decisions nightly. In his syllabus on finreestlye
'31gngelistic Procedures, he teaches that decisions are to
'be made each night of the twelve-week campaign -- not neces-
sarily for individuals to join the church but to surrender
‘to the will of Christ.3 The majority of h 3 public appeals
are usually for individuals to accept Christ rather than to
unite with the church. His method of securing decisions for

cfiiurch membership will be considered under the componext of

 

 

decision.

rV

Cleveland looks upon the protraction component as

a pulpit aid in securing decisions for Christ. In his in-
structions on this point, he says:

The minister can with profit "live a day a s L
in an evangelistic campaign. A twelve-week me in;
lends itself to three objectives:

3. Conversion to Christ
0. Obedience t Christ
0. A transfer of church membership

The{pvangelist and Bible instructor durinfijthe first
three weeks[pf a campaignlhave one objective-~the con-
version of the audience."lf this is well done, the
second step will be made ea ier. Item three is depend-
ent upon the success of steps one and two. Many a
minister has gotten ulcers 'orrying about what will
happen tomorrow, not realizing that in a campaign, Le;

ow 1 tern a a w.

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Cleveland believes that it is next to impossible

to change one' pattern of living, thinking, and health

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liabits (the use of alcohol, tobacco, etc.) in a period of
'tno weeks. Therefore, when he enters a city to conduct a
<3ampaign, his program will have already been outlined to
cover a period of twelve weeks.

As previously noted, Cleveland thinks it is best,
liowever, to keep the peeple in suspense about how long in
«evangelist is planning to continue his meeting. The inquir~

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jABS in regards to "how long" can best so answered with the

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sh them to continue.1

rad.

Cleveland believes strongly that unless the individ-
uals who attend an evangelistic campaign are involved in its
activities or mcde to feel ther ere a part of the pro “em,
their interest will wane end the outcome of the Cit p i_n will
suffer. Therefore, ne seeks to “c his audience involved in
oiign by offering th;m the Opportutmi y to det ” min:

the duration of his campaiyn by voting each Thursday night

to extend him another week, thus laying a foundstion for

sp eel that will be advantageous to his interest

If the Bible is accepted as sufficient evidence for

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l“. 3. Cleveland,
llpeedms 91411., p. 14.

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the Lord Jes 3 Chris 2.1

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Bo polarize Li: cufiience uni produce social frcil-
it:tion, Zlevelsnd conducts 0 song service ecch night of his
camncign, ecch meeting beginning with a son; se‘vice lsstin;
for a period of 1 fteen minut-s.

This song service not only serves to nite the z,eonle
gathered under his tent into an sudience, but also provides

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variety for his nightly prosrsm. his 1u~iccl program fer-

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tures trained choirs, solos, qucrtcttes, eni other musical

attractions. Through these musical groups, 1e is able to

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create interest and provide entertainment for his aux
Cleveland also uses this component as a means oi ap-
peslin; to the various sex and ere hroup: that comprise his

cudience.‘ he encourages alterncte singing

age groups. ie may ask only the ladies to sin; the first

stanza of ; fiven son: the children cnj routh to sinf the
b w, _

seco;d stcnzc, and the men the last. he usually se ects

s that relate to his subject, and uses stereOpticon

ides to impress the solemnity of the music upon his eudi-

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ence by essoci ting it with pictures which depict feelin3s

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of pity, sorrow, compassion, and suffering.

 

 

x ;. Cleveland,

 

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O gentle Saviour",

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sufferin; nnd death 01 christ and his victory over sin to

secure man's salvation.

D

ilevelcni also uses the lyrics of 13milicr songs to

‘

rive home to his s‘dience a point he wishes to cctcblisn

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or as a means to inspire notion on 9 given prOposition.
Sometimes he will give the background of certain hymns end

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pecielly during appeals, he will use the Horas of songs to

His use of instrumental music to strengthen his ap-
peal for the receptsnce of esoh se non which he preaches
nightly is a practice familiar to everyone who hes ever at-

tended his meetings. A piano and organ accompzn ment fur-
nish a background of solemn, sacred music as he appecls to

liis audience to act on the prOpositions he has presented.

A F q

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. . . It is my belief that this aids the solemn
atmosphere of the appeal. This through ihe years
has been my approach to the heart. . .

Dr. Edward C. Banks, commenting on the type of music
used by Evangelist Cleveland and its effect upon his audi-
ence, has said:

He used a good type of music. It was music that com-
municated Spiritual values to the peOple. . . . The
type of music I call "sanctified Jazz” was totally
missing. There was the simple gospel music with a

fair amount of the higher type of church music. It
brought the audience together, and prepared the hearts
of the peOple for the Spiritual response to the message.

Music is an integral part of Cleveland's program.

It serves:

(1) To polarize his audience; (2) To encourage
social facilitation; (3) To provide variety for his program;
(4) To create interest; (5) To provide entertainment; (6) To
appeal to various sex and age groups; (7) To create an
emotional atmosphere for appeals; (8) To foster audience

participation.

Winn

Organization plays an important role in Cleveland's
:method. The world-wide sisterhood.of churches affiliated
‘with his denomination provides him with a formal organiza-

‘tion through which he may secure trained workers to assist

 

1E. E. Cleveland, Interview, 1Qg‘_git.
2Banks, Mt.

him in his evangelistic campaigns in every part of the world.
Therefore, in organizing a campaign for a Specific city, he
contacts the local Conference iresident in the area where
the campaign is to be conducted.1

Cleveland and the local Conference President, along
with the officers of the conference, meet eight months be-
fore the Opening date of the campaign to lay plans for its
execution. In the planning session all the details con-
nected with finance and personnel are outlined in detail.

With these details outlined, the campaign personnel
convene three months before the Opening date for precampaign
assignments and committee appointments.

The local pastors connected with the campaigns are
responsible for conducting revivals in all participating
churches. It is also their responsibility to seek commit-
ments from their membership to support the meeting by their
presence and by the use of their automobiles to tranSport
non-members to and from the meetings. A prayer band com-
mittee is selected from each church, the reSponsibility of
this committee being to set up a system of rotation so that
throughout the day from 6 A.M. - 10 P.M. someone will be,
praying for the success of the meeting, and will have a

prayer band present at each meeting.2 Among the other

1E. E. Cleveland, Interview, lgg‘_g11.
2mm.

committees organized at this time are the following: handbill
distribution committee, literature distribution committee,
home visitation committee, grounds committee, card addressing
committee, radio committee, telephone chain committee, invita-
tion committee, usher committee, and a committee to care for
the nightly offerings.1

One month before the Opening of the campaign,
Evangelist Cleveland moves into the city; and Specific
organizational plans for the nightly service are consummated
at that time. The chairman of the advertisement committee
is appointed by the evangelist, his function being to care
for streetcar advertisements, placement of placards through-
out the city, billboard advertisements, doorknob hangers,
and newSpaper advertisements.

The chairman of finance, selected by the local con-
ference officials, coordinates his activities with those of
the committee appointed to gather the nightly offering. His
responsibility is to care for the financial Operation of the

campaign.
Spanial_EI2nts

In what way does Cleveland's campaign fulfill the

fifth component as being a "special event?" The answer to

113- E. Cleveland. W
W. pp. 1-5.

this question can be found in (l) a unique method of arrest-
ing the attention of the community where his campaign is to
be conducted; (2) the placing Of it as a ”Special time” in
the calendar of the church; (3) the nature and quality of
the entertainment of his program; and (4) the public parade
at the beginning Of the baptismal period. All Of these fac-
tors combine their influence to make it a Special event to
the community where his campaign is conducted.

Six weeks before the Opening date of his campaign,
iEvangelist Cleveland places six by eight inch placards in
stores, public buses, restaurants, laundromats, and other
jplaces frequently visited by the peOple of the community
'where his campaign is to be held. The purpose of these
jplacards is to create curiosity. These placards carry a
:picture of the Speaker in one corner with simply "The Speaker"
waritten underneath. Two weeks before the meeting Opens, the
lDlacards that were in various locations four weeks earlier
Eire replaced by other placards with the words; "The Speaker
lis.here", plus the time, place, and.subject of the meeting.
33118 method of advertising, along with the large, outdoor
Signs bearing his picture, the Opening date, location, and
tflie offer of free gifts nightly usually creates a standing-
I‘oom-only situation.

Cleveland's campaign becomes "special event" on the
<>alendar of all the participating churches connected with
tJie campaign. The entire membership of these churches is

[I
y!

organized into various committees, and through their united
efforts seeks to attract the attention of the people in the
area where the campaign is being conducted through the vari-
ous committee assignments. For example, the committee on
cards and invitations searches the obituary column of the
daily newspaper in order to send messages of condolence to
the bereaved, assuring them of sympathy and invite them to
attend the meetings conducted by Evangelist Cleveland, who
brings to their community an international evangelistic ex-
perience with messages prepared to assuage their grief and

"get well" cards are sent

inSpire hOpe. In the same manner,
to the sick whose names appear in the hOSpital column of the
daily newspaper. These are Special cards prepared by the
compaign staff eXpressing the best wishes of the Evangelist
and his staff for their Speedy recuperation and an invita-
tion for them to visit the meetings when they are discharged
from the hospital. One of the special features of the in-
vitations is the assurance of the prayers of the Evangelist
and his staff and the thousands of other Christians who
visit the meetings nightly.

In like manner cards expressing congratulations are
sent to mothers who have recently given birth to babies;
similarly, Special wedding-type invitations are sent to

civic and professional peOple of the city.1

 

1E. E. Cleveland, Syllghng fig: gypnw§315319
W. p. 3.

i4

Another feature of Cleveland's program which might
be classified as a "Special event” is the period allotted
for civic leaders and professional men to bring to his audi-
ence matters of community interest and for lectures on health
by doctors and psychiatrists who are known and respected by
the peOple whom he is seeking to persuade to accept his in-
terpretation of Christian living and practice.

On two separate occasions, Dr. E. H. Banfield, a well
known physician to many who made up Evangelist Cleveland's
audience and Dr. J. H. Hamilton, a practicing psychiatrist,
of Washington, D. C., have given lectures on cancer and
mental health. Dr. Banfield has lectured on ”Cancer and How
It May be Detected," and Dr. Hamilton has followed it a few
weeks later with a lecture on "Mental Illness".

The purpose of these lectures was not "to cause", as
Dr. Hamilton expressed it, "the audience to become increas-
ingly anxious about the problem of cancer and mental ill-
ness", so as seriously to derange them and keep them from
going about their daily duties successfully, but to make
them aware that there are peOple who need the kind of help
that those who are trained can give them if they will seek
it in time.

Commenting on the misconception that some have in
regard to religion and psychiatry, Dr. Hamilton says in his

lecture:

 

 

 

I would like to clear up one thing which I feel very
important in my field of endeavor. It is rather a
commonplace belief that psychiatry and religion are
generally Opposed, that is, it is quite uncomfortable
for them to go hand in hand. There are many who feel
when they go to a psychiatrist they must give up their
God. This is not true. There are those of us who are
Christian psychiatrists Just as there are Christian
surgeons and physicians.

A feature of Cleveland's program that is designed
to focus the attention of the city upon his campaign, and
may be classified as a "Special event" is his baptismal
procession -- an evangelistic technique used by the evangel-
ist to demonstrate the success of his campaign. After se-
curing a permit to have a parade through the city streets,
he hires as many large buses as he feels he will need on
baptismal day to let the city witness what has been accom-
plished in a certain locality of the city. In one of the
processions held in Montgomery, Alabama, he had eight
Greyhound buses and thirty-five automobiles in his proces-

sion, accompanied by the usual motorcycle escort with sirens

screaming to make way for the procession to the baptismal

site.l

Does Cleveland's method include the delimiting_com-

jponent? If so, how and to what extent has this component

‘been.used by Evangelist Cleveland in the thirty campaigns

IE. E. Cleveland, Interview, ngLgiL.

he has conducted since the beginning of his ministry as a
conference worker in 1942?

A study of his campaigns in the light of the delimit-
ing factor shows that this component is a definite factor
in.his program, especially in participating churches of his
denomination. Wherever he conducts an evangelistic campaign
in a Specific city, all of the evening activities of the
churches in that city are brought to a standstill for the
duration of his evangelistic campaign.

Since the morning services are conducted on Saturday,
there is no Specific need to disrupt this service until the
seventh week and later of the campaign. From the seventh
week to the end of the campaign all the morning services
Of the participating churches in the city are transfered to
the tent or auditorium where the evangelist is conducting
111s campaign in order to swell the attendance and encourage
Inany non-members to attend. Every pastor and member of the
churches participating in the campaign is committed to the
ipromotion and success of the first Sabbath celebration of
the meeting.

Before the first Sabbath meeting of the campaign,
'the evangelist declares a day of fasting and prayer for the
Success of the meeting. Invitations are sent to sister
dhurches in nearby cities to join.him, his staff, and the
churches where the campaign is being conducted in fasting

and.prayer for the success of the meeting. Throughout the

;,.1

week before the first Sabbath meeting, members of the churches
throughout the nation are praying for the success of the meet-
ing. They are invited by members of the participating
churches to join them in invoking God's blessing upon the
campaign and its success in winning the hearts of men for

God an His cause.

Elder W. E. Adams, a retired minister of Evangelist
Cleveland's presuasion, who has visited many of Evangelist

Cleveland‘s campaigns, has said:
Besides the members of the churches participating in
the evangelistic campaign, one can observed members of
churches from hundreds of miles away in the audience.
The phenomenal success of Elder Cleveland as a soul

winner draws the entire congregation of small churches
in a radius of two hundred miles, and members of

C"

churches from greater distance can also be obesrved
in his audience.1

Although this component can be observed in churches
<of his own persuasion, he has not develOped it in his minis-
‘try to the point Where activities in the community and

cfliurches of different persuasions have been curtailed in

order to focus attention on his campaign. Unlike Billy

SLUlday, who had the majority of the churches of his day as
11153 Sponsoring agents, Cleveland is Wholly dependent on what
Ine14; he can receive from the local Seventh-day Adventist
‘HTUJ?ches in the city where his campaign is being conducted
enui “the magnetism of his own personality to focus attention
‘31 Eris campaign. As Aimee Simple McPherson had to carry on

her‘ \vork without the cOOperation of the churches, in like

manner Evangelist Cleveland has had to win the minds of the
peOple that have embraced his denominational emphasis through
the power of persuasive preaching.

The most outstanding example of Cleveland's use of
the delimiting component in community affairs is his use of
the baptismal procession, referred to previously, in which a
parade is made through the city to demonstrate the power of
the gOSpel and to influence others, through the band wagon
approach, to decide for Christ before the close of the cam-
paign. Since the increase of membership through the medium
of baptism is the purpose of any campaign conducted by
Cleveland, he says:

Baptism days should be great occasions. The bigger the
demonstration the better. A dramatic procession through
the city does little to hurt the cause. There was a
"demonstration" at Sinai. Our generation is attracted
to big things. 1

This technique has been practiced by Evangelist
Cleveland from the beginning of his first authorized cam-
paign in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 1942, and has been

a very successful medium of influencing many to decide to

follow their Lord in baptism.

1... 3 Cleveland. Wm,
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The seventh component,
algne, has always been an important factor in Cleveland's
method. In fact, his appeals for church membership are
face-to-face confrontation between the individual and the
personal worker. This aSpect of his method will be discussed
more fully under the tenth component--decision.

Our prima y concern for the present, however, is to
determine the factors in Cleveland's program that appeal to
the individuals alone. What is the secret of his drawing
power? What is it that keeps the peOple coming from night
to night to listen to him proclaim the gOSpel when there
are so many other attractions in the big cities where his
campaigns are held to engage their attention? Perhaps the

est answers to these queries can be found in the ethns of
the Speaker and the uniqueness of his program.

There is something about his evangelistic ethos that
gets across to the peOple. Without the aid of the press and
other mass media of communication to keep him before the
public, he is able to attract thousands to his tent to hear
the gOSpel nightly.

PeOple can usually sense when a Speaker's seemingly
friendly attitude toward them is sincere by the consistency
Of his practice and the way he relates himself to them.

Cleveland is an exemplar of what he preaches; and.his warm.

}_l
t;
r

friendly attitude toward his audience in relation to their
belief and values, and his desire to alleviate the suffering
and hunger of the underprivileged of the community, have done
much to enhance his ethgs_and appeal to the individuals who
make up his audience.

Perhaps one of the primary factors in his methodology
that appeals to the individual members in his audience is his
ability to frame his ideas and choose the prOper words to
meet the level of everyone in his audience. By observing
their facial expressions, the evangelist is able to determine
when he is not reaching every individual; and through illus-
trations and explanations he is able to make his points so
clear and simple that everyone in his audience seemingly is
able to understand him.

He always prepares his message with his audience in
mind; and'before he presents this message, he first endeavors
to determine what questions this audience would ask about the
subject. He seeks to make his material relevant to their
needs and interest; he anticipates their doubts and objections
and seeks to explain questions that had gone unexplained by
other Speakers.

Whatever means Evangelist Cleveland believes would
promote the moral and Spiritual value of the peOple and would
focus attention on the campaign and its objecti es are used.
To those who can be reached through music, he seeks to pro-

vide the best, to those who enjoy preaching, he appeals to

F’
\_’

am—

every basic desire and motive and seeks to move their cm

to those who visit his campaign, he enters into everv
l

otions,
home and prays with every family.
Another means which Evangelist Cleveland uses to

appeal to individuals alone is through his radio broadcast.

He uses this medium to create good will and introduce his

campaign to those who have never attended. It also serves

means of indoctrination for the shut-ins and those who

nfi
an) :3.

are unable to attend because of work responsibilities by

offering a free Bible course. Those who write in for the

Bible Course supply the evangelist with names for his personal

rorkers to visit, and through their united effort these

workers are able to bring many to commitments for Christ.
It also serves as an excellent means for stabilizing his

:1udience by replacing those who might have stOpped attending

‘the meeting for various reasons.

Dadio also provides the means of influencing many

— L'x-¢

11hrough the advertisement of his sermon subjects. Unl he

tdiose of many other evangelists, Cleveland's subjects are

IIPepared to arrest the attention of his listeners and create

desire to hear how he will develon them.

 

1One of the basic purposes of the True and False test
143 to secure names for home visitation. Every person who
tdllies the test is personally visited by a member of Evangelist
(lldeveland's staff. The visitation program, once started, does
110‘s end until the individual is either baptized in the church
(31’ <ir0pped from the list after several visits for lack of

interest.

 

. ll‘lll‘l~l‘i|l It! 1,] i". ‘

(“AP \

L—o‘v Iv

The variety inherent in his program, which provides
entertainment for every age group and social level; free
gifts every night; the evangelist's skillful use of the Bible
in his preaching; and the question-and-answer program, com-
bine to find an avenue for appeal to everyone who visits his
meeting.

Cleveland utilizes every Opportunity that comes his
way to appeal to individuals in his audience. While he was
conducting an evangelistic campaign in Greensboro, North
Carolina, in the early 50's three bricks were thrown through
his dining room window by unknown assailants. No doubt this
was an attempt on their part to discourage his efforts and
to force him through fear of bodily harm to close his meet-
ings. Without any sign of fear, the next evening he mounted
the platform with the three bricks in his hand; and for
fifteen minutes he preached on the subject: "Three Bricks

l The results of this in-

That Will Answer In The Judgment."
cident made a deep impression on many individuals in his
audience, and many who were just casual visitors became in-
terested in the young evangelist and at the conclusion of
the campaign became baptized members of the church.

12. 3. Cleveland, Interview, lQQL_QiL.

 

Not only does Evangelist Cleveland appeal to individ-

‘

 

uals alone, he also uses the component of
u;ls_in_5rgnps to create interest and win reSponse. Through
the various committee organizations connected with the cam-
paign, activities involving members of the participating
churches as well as non-members of the community are formed:
(1) to sustain the interest and support of believers, and
(2) to get non-members involved in the program of the campaign
in order to create a favorable attitude toward the evangelist
and his work and also, a better Opportunity for persuasion
through direct contact with individuals who are interested
in his work in the community and desire to make it a success.
The group activity involving the greatest number of
pGOple is the prayer group. This group, depending on the
number of people involved, is subdivided into three time
groups. Group 1 is made up of individuals who band together
between the hours of 6~8 A.M. to pray for the success of the

1 group 2, from 12-2 P.M.; and group 3, from 8-10 P.M.

meeting;
These prayer groups are helpful in many ways and con-

tribute substantially to the success or failure of an evangel-

istic campaign in the following ways: (1) They not only pro-

vide a Spiritual tone for the meet' 3, but assume the

 

h 4 Cleveland,

 

 

responsioility of supporting the meeting by their presence
and b'~-r inviting their neighbors tO visit the meeting nijhtly
in order to justify the goal of the group; (2) They provide
Opportunities for fellowship and exchange of ideas regirding
the preaching Of the evangelist; (3) They provide periods for
discussing and analysing various points of views held by the
evangelist that may influence the thinking of the group to
decide in favor of the cvnngelist's preposals, eSpecinlly,

if suggested by one who believes in the prepositions he has
been presenting nightly and holds the reSpect and good will
Of the group; (4) They offer the Opportunity for a large
number Of peeple to work together c00perdtively toward a
common objective; (5) They create a feeling of belonging,

and provide the Opportunity for the recognition of many who
otherwise would remain unnoticed and unknown; (6) They fur-
nish the evangelist with the Opportunity to become a resource
person to the group. He may at times give a short inspira-

tioncl talk to encourage cohesiveness, and it other times,

0

eSpecially during the closing days of the campaign, seek t
influence grOUp Opinion t ward complete fellowship with his
organization through baptism.

Cleveland's use of appeal through prayer groups en-
hences the Opportunity for better communication between him
.mnd the prayer groups, and aids in promoting the welfare of

the meeting. It tends to overcome prcgudice through fellow-

snip and working for a common 5021, thus greatly reduces the

resistance to change.
Another means of appeel to individuals in a group

1 It is a feet

is through the organisation of youth choirs.
that Cleveland's evangelistic campaign is ordinarily the
largest event in the community where it is being conducted,
and the idea of performing before the thousands that fill
his meeting place nightly and Of providing the music for

his radio program, furnishes the prOper motivation for the
youth of the community to join the campaign choir. The
youth group provides a most effective means of appeal to in-
dividuals in a group by (l) supplying the evangelist with

an organisation that considers itself a functional part Of
the campaign; the involvement of the youth in this group
activity satisfies their need for recognition and guarantees
their support to the evangelist for the duration of the cam-
paign; (2) exposing them to an unbroken continuity of the
sermons presented nightly by the evangelist, thus enhancing
the possibility for many converts to his cause from this
group; (3) serving as a means of appealing to parents of the
Youth not only to attend the meetings themselves to hear
‘their children sing, but also to invite others to join them.

Another Special feature of his program that appeals

tO individuals in a group is his welfare program. Seeking

13. 3. Cleveland, Interview, lgg*_git.

through this factor to get the peOple involved with the needs
of their community, he points out a solution to satisfy this
need. Once the group becomes involved, it is, for the most
part, highly dedicated to the assigned task. The more in-
terested the group becomes in its activity of supplying food
for the hungry and clothing for the ill clad, the more
sympathetic the members become toward the Objectives of the
evangelist, and their whole-hearted support is given to the
promotion of his program. This feature of his program ap-
peels not only to the satisfaction which these members re-
ceive from the the approval of their community neighbors

who continually supply the food and clothing which they dis-

tribute weehl but also to the sense of their importance
9

and usefulness to their fellowman.

 

The ninth component, the_appeal_tg_the_gzgmd, is to
evangelism what grace is to salvation. Without the effective
use of this component, all attempts on the part of an evangel-
ist to influence the behavior of an audience and win a favor-
able reSponse to his preposals are futile.

Evangelist Cleveland's use of this component and its

‘na
V

effect on the crowd can best be expressed by sayi g: tn
Inore they attend, the more they want to attend. This state-
Inent finds verification in the fact that thousands throng

rlis tents nightly and that he has the drawing power to hold

205

the majority of them to the close of the campaign.

While curiosity might be the motivational factor

hat fills his tent to capacity on the Opening night of h s

evangelistic crusade, the p wer to sustain the attention of
the peOple created on the Opening night through his method
of advertising and the deve10pment of that attention into
an interest that brings hundreds to his tent before the
Opening of the meeting in order to secure seats thereafter
cannot be attributed to this factor alone.

Like an architect who carefully plans a blue print
for a prOposed house, mapping out the details of the struc-
ture and every part pertaining to it, Evangelist Cleveland
in like manner maps out his couise of action and plans his
program to appeal to the spiritual and psychological needs
and desires of his proposed audience.

The blue print of Cleveland's program is found in
his nightly progrs.. His nightly program may be described
as a well-organized and carefully-develOped plan of evangel-
istic procedure designed to stimulate interest, induce con-
viction, and move his audience to accept his prOpositions.
Through the variety and arrangement of th various elements
which comprise his nightly program, Cleveland seeks to re-
view any subject he has presented in the past, prepare the
minds of his audience for the sermon to be presented nightly,
and create curiosity and the desire to hear sermons yet to

be presented in the future through his salesmanship

206

techniques during the announcement period.

His nightly program calls for Split-second timing on
the part of each worker in the campaign. Loch helper is
furnished with a detailed outline of the nightly program,
and the time allocated for each item on the program is timed
and rigidly maintained. Each member of the evangelistic
teem knows when he is to execute his assigned reSponsibility,
and the program moves along with diSpatch and efficiency in
an unbroken continuity.

The following outline is a sample of the timing and
arrangement of Cleveland's nightly program. While starting
time will vary according to the locality in which the cam-
paign is being conducted, the schedule listed below repre-
sents the standard procedure for all of his campaigns. The
Bible class hour before each meeting followed by:

Song Service...............................lO minutes
Opening Song............................... 2 minutes
Prayer..................................... 1 minute
Special Music.............................. 3 minutes
Announcements.............................5-7 minutes
True-False Test............................lO minutes
Questions Answered......................... 6 minutes
Offering................................... 3 minutes
Special Husic.............................. 3 minutes
Sermon and Appeal..........................40 minutes
Closing.................................... 3 minutes1

For the eorly errivers, , Bible sin

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7
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.n 1‘ ‘ fin J—v -. D ,- O J- 9 .- - 5 — . ‘ ~
b-02n tne monotny o; n-1ting enu grov1de an one

leveland, n s 0o

 

O\C)

207

the exchange of ideas. Since all denominations turn to the
Bible as the source of their teaching and the authority upon
which their organizations rest, Cleveland uses the Bible
class: (1) to establish rapport with his audience; (2) to
review the sermon presented the night before in order to
strengthen the attitude established through the preached
Word, clarify points not fully understood by some, and in-
troduce the subject matter to others who might not have at-
tended the previous meeting; (3) to unify the audience and
provide participation through the exchange of ideas; (4) to
create a deeper appreciation for the Bible through the ex-
amination of its contents by those who attend the class.
Every portion of his program is designed to appeal
to the crowd; whether it is singing lustily together in the
song service or being entertained with music provided by
choirs from visiting churches or his own music staff, every
segment is planned to make a definite appeal to the crowd.
The manner in which Cleveland announces his future
programs appeals to many in his audience. The value which
Cleveland places on the announcement element of his program
may be observed by the amount of time he allots to this sec-
tion. Temporally considered, this segment is equaled with
the song service, and is superseded, so far as the time ele-

ment is concerned, only by the sermon. It is this portion

208

l and

of his program where the evangelist becomes a salesman
seeks to create a desire in his audience to hear the sermon
that will be presented the next evening. In order to keep
an audience, Cleveland admonishes his associates in these

words:

Sell, sell, sell your meetings. Play on all emotional
keys . . . always talk about tomorrow. It is your most
important meeting.2

In an interview with the writer concerning the an-

nouncement period, Cleveland said:

I believe . . . the interest of the evangelist himself
in what he is trying to interest others to believe and
accept . . . is the most powerful persuasive factor in

creating and holding an audience.

After relating an eXperience during his boyhood days
as a "snowball salesman" how he outsold his competition by
the sheer enjoyment and satisfaction he received from eating
one of his own snowballs in the midst of the crowd while his
competitors were glorifying their products in loud acclama-
tions, he made the following application:

The same is true in the pulpit. It is true in any sit-
uation where your object is to persuade peOple to act
on a prOposition. If you are genuinely interested in
your subject, you will not speak about it in a listless,

lifeless manner, you will present it in such an enthusi-
astic and vivacious manner that your audience will be

a"

. E. Cleveland, Interview, lac. cit.
121d;
3mm.

[\3

209

convinced that if it is that vital to you, it must hold
some significance for them. The guiding principle of
creating an interest in anything in a man is to be gen-
uinely interested in it yourself.1

Fitzgerald Harris, an ordained minister of the
Caribbean Union of Seventh-day Adventists, and Cleveland's
song leader during his campaign in Port of Spain, the capital
of Trinidad and Tobago Colony, Speaking to the point of
Cleveland's ability to sell his program to the public, made
these remarks:

From the beginning of his work in Trinidad, Earl
Cleveland worked his way into the peoples' hearts.

He could control five thousand peOple with the snap
of his finger. . . . In all of his transactions with
the public, he manifested a genuine interest in what
he was seeking to get across to the peOple. He has a
type of enthusaism one cannot miss. He has a way of
saying things, of putting himself in the place of
others . . . that attract peOple to him, and makes
them feel that he is God's man to them, and one with
them. All his expressions are simple and easy to un-
derstand. The peOple sensed his sincere interest for
their welfare and everything he did and said revealed
that fact.2

Harris pointed out that Evangelist Cleveland pro-
motes the subject for the subsequent evening not only during
the announcement period but also in his sermons. While in
Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, it was Cleveland's practice to
give the peOple a portion of the sermon for the following

evening in order to create a desire to return the next night

 

1mm.

2Fitzgerald Harris, Interview at Oakwood College,
February l0, 1967.

 

210

to hear the full,developed tOpic.l
The use of gifts and awards is another technique
Cleveland employs to create interest and appeal to individ-
als in a crowd. Bibles are given away to any person (ex-
cept members of the church) who brings the largest number
of visitors to the meeting. To determine who has the larg-
est number of visitors each night, the individuals are asked
to stand up with their visitors. This technique keeps the
peOple busy inviting their friends to the meetings and keeps
the tent filled to capacity nightly.

In order that no one will become discouraged, the
evangelist gives ten Bibles away nightly to those who have
brought a Specific number of visitors.2 Also those who
fail to reach the number, usually set according to the at-
tendance needs of the meeting, are given inspirational books.3
Awards are given to those who have come the greatest distance
to attend the meeting, the oldest person in the meeting, the
person who occupies the "magic seat." The magic seat is
Simply the selection of a person, at random, who occupies a
a seat in a certain section of the tent or auditorium nightly.
.A different section is selected each evening. Also, to en-

courage the peOple to be present for the Opening exercise,

—_

H

lhld.

O
“E. E- Cleveland. Wmflistis
9 M10: p0 7-

.

311211.

211

a Bible is given to the first person who enters the tent.1

Another important feature of Cleveland's nightly pro-
gram designed to appeal to individuals in a crowd is the
true-and-false test. Among the various means of securing

ames for home visitation, which Cleveland considers as one
of the most essential factors in securing decisions for
church membership, the true-and-false test is accorded first
place in his system.2 {

This test is given each night except Sunday,3 and
provides an excellent Opportunity for every person in his
audience to participate. Since Cleveland does not consider
the Sunday night audience as a representative estimate of
his average audience, and the true-and-false test serves as
a check list of the peOple's interest in his campaign and
the basis upon which he is able to predict the number of
accessions to the church, he does not give the test on
Sunday nights.

The true-and-false test follows this procedures:
lne ushers give a pencil and blank card to each person as

he enters the door. The peOple are requested to put their

 

   

212

names and addresses on the card, and for the five questions
given each night, they are re;uested to number their card

from one to five.1

To encourage participation, the evange—
list announces that tomorrow night he will read all of the
names Of those who answered the questions correctly and give
them a prize, but that he will not read the names Of those
who did not get all the answers correct.2 This announcement
has a twofold purpose: (1) It seeks to draw the people back
the next evening to find out if they have won a prize, and
(2) it seeks to assure them that no one will be embarrassed.

This part of the program is made humorous by inject-

in;

.2“

such eXpressions as:

I see some of you are not taking my test. Come on,
folks, lets get the pencils moving: You have nothing
to lose but the lead in the pencil and I am giving you
that. . . . How many of you think you got all of the
questions right? How many think you missed only one?
How many Of you don't know how many you have missed?

In order to receive a prize one must answer all of
'the questions correctly. The evangelist usually has a ”hard
:Iuestion" in each set Of questions so that it will not be-

come too erpensive tO Operate by giving away tOO many gifts.4

b
&

 

11m.

2

Ihhd-

'7

)2. 2. Cleveland, Interview, lgggcit,

43. E. Cleveland. SW
W. 9.12.211... p. 7.

 

213

The advantages of this method are many: (1) It pro-
vides an Opportunity to review the sermon preached the night
before; (2) it enables the evangelist to determine how well
the principal points of his sermon are being absorbed by his
audience; (3) it serves as an attendance record and provides
the evangelist with a ready reference in regards to the de-
gree of interest each person has in his campaign by the fre-
quent appearance of individual names on the test cards
throughout the week; (4) it serves as an outlet for humor;
(5) it becomes a decision card for those who insert the
letter "Xfi on their cards during decision weeks; (6) it
provides names for the Bible workers associated with the
campaign for home visitation. These personal workers assist
the evangelist in securing decisions for Christ in the fol-
.lowing manner: (a) they pray for the problems and needs of
the peOple whom they visit each week; (b) they keep the
evangelist informed of the interest of the peOple. This
information enables the evangelist to keep his sermons perti-
:nent to their desires and needs; (c) they encourage the
;pe0ple to attend.the meetings regularly and submit religious
‘auestions they desire to have answered; (d) they encourage
tJMB‘peOple on their list to accept the prOpositions of the
evrnugelist during decision weeks. (7) It provides the
evrnwgelist with sufficient knowledge to predict with a de-
armxa of accuracy how many baptisms he will perform at the

close of his campaign.

214

Turning from Cleveland's use of the true-snd-ffilse
test to his Question-and-Answer period, one finds s highly
develOped plan for appeal to the individual in a crowd based
on the interest and desire of the peOple for answers to their
religious problems.

The audience is invited to write in questions on any
subject of a religious nature and give them to the question
msnl or any worker connected with the campaign. The question
man reads the questions, and the evangelist supnlies the
answers. The question man, at tim s, interrupts the evange-
list to pose questions which he believes the writers of the
questions might ask from the answers given by the evangelist.

Unlike most evangelists who use the question-2nd-
snswer method, Cleveland follows the practice of using 3
question man rather than 2 question box.2 He believes ths
'the dialogue between the evangelist and the question man

ed and

U)
U)

creates an interest in the problem being discu
fkmouses the attention of the audience on the answers the
evrusgclist gives to each Question in a manner, by far,

Stnyerior to the question box method.

 

 

1The question man is a member of Cleveland's cem-

Ijsigni stiff whose Specific reSponsibility is to read ques-
ijjnls received from the audience.

I‘)

e. E. Cleveland, Interview, lQ£l_£ll-

[.

 

 

   

 

215

f"

The 1uestion~snd~snswer program serves a three fold purpose:
(1) it functions as a means of indoctrination; (2) it per-
forms as s medium of imparting information; and (3) it may
be used successfully as a tool for stimulating interest in
tepics for future consideration.

As 3 medium of indoctrinstion, the question-1nd-
answer period permits the evangelist: (l) to review the
subject presented the night before; (2) to reach back to sny
subject during the course of the csmpeign and fill in the
knowledge 33p for the man who happens to stcrt attending the
meetings during the advanced stages and did not hear certain
vitsl tepics necessary for making a rational decision in
fiver of his preposition; (3) it is an effective means for
elucidating points not clearly comprehended by some in his

audience.

As 3 medium of disseminsting general informstion
tdiiCh will not be covered in the regular sermons, the
question-snd-snswer period stands without s peer. Because
the Edble is a comprehensive book, touching every phase of
runnsn interest and desire, it is almost impossible for on
eVEurgelist, in a single campaign, to relate it to every need

‘1f the peeple. Therefore, the question-dnd-snswer period

(gives the evangelist the Opportunity to include 9 vsriety of

smjbjects and issues not covered in his sermons.

 

216

The question-and-answer period also affords an 0p-
portunity to stimulate interest in tepics for future con-
sideration. Through this method, the evangelist is able to
discuss controversial issues and pave the way for their
favorable acceptance by answering the objectionable features
and es ablishing a rational basis for their validity before
they are presented in sermon form.

Through his preaching, Evangelist Cleveland appeals
to the crowd by relating his sermons to meet their spiritual
needs. He clarifies doubts that they may have pertaining to
the subjects he offers nightly, and he makes his points so
clear they can be understood on any academic level. His
illustrations are taken from incidents then current to his
audience, and his skillful application of these current
events to Bible prephecy becomes lively discussions through-
out the city among many of the people.1

During the Religious Emphasis Week conducted by
Evangelist Cleveland on the campus of Oakwood College in
1955, more than 90% of the student body who reSponded to a
questionnaire said that the factors in his sermons that ap-
pealed to them more than others were: (1) His ability to
relate his material to meet the needs and interests of the

student body; (2) His ability to clarify difficult passages

lObservation made by the writer during Evangelist
Cleveland's Washington, D. C. Campaign.

217

of scripture and seemingly contradictory statements found in
the Bible through the use of apprOpriate illustrations and
logical explanations; (3) his ability to use familiar terms
which greatly amplified the principal points of his sermon
and made them easy to understand; (4) His ability to use the
common-place experiences of every dsy life to illustrnte
points in his sermons -- his personal experiences give life
to his presentation, and "the past rolls into the present
with startling ease;” (5) His ability to combine music and
narrative as an effective organ in moving the emotions and
achieving decisions for Christ; (6) His use of dialogue to
illustrate many of the experiences he '15 encountered; (7)
His ability and skillful use of repetition to keep his main
theme before his audience; and (8) His ability to use ges-
‘tures in a meaningful, forceful manner to express his
thoughts found a great respons‘ among them.

In the second section requesting comments on the
;fdctors which they thought he used more effectively than
cfiflrers in his sermons, the following :re a few samples taken
fronlthe mtny comments relative to his appeal to‘individuvls
131 a crowd.

.\1’

The manner in which Elder Cleveland is able to 898 n
with confidence and ease is to me the great center of
interest in his presentation. 3e believes his message.
he knows the'Eocl Sheoherd" and consequently is quite
:t home with his sheep.

by the *se of dialogue in his sermons, characters of

yesteryesr and to-day seemed to "come Clive." This cts
tributes animation to his messages.

218

Positive authoritative Speech, high interest elements,
impressive expressions, dynamic communication without
any equivocation or indefiniteness, these have made his
speaking to me a listening pleasure. . . . In parallel
with the above statement, I would like to choose 52.1
His sermons were in my Opinion pertinent to our present
conditions. They were vitally essential.

I have selected #20 because his sermon contained humor;
yet it did not detract from the main idea he was trying
to establish nor from its seriousness.

I have chosen 1-6 because all of these used in one ser-
mon present variations which hold my attention. To hold
the attention of peOple, you have to keep them at the
point of not knowing what to expect next. This is what
Elder Cleveland does. He keeps us smiling but yet in

a serious mood. I can't prOperly explain it but I like
it.

Numbers 3, 7, 9, and 13 appeal to me more than others.
He used simple, everyday language that all listeners
could graSp. By the way he spoke with self confidence
and assurance, you could tell that his sermon was fully
prepared. For instance, he would announce the next
night's sermon and one would say, ”I have heard that
before," but upon listening the following night, one's
conclusion is that it sounded different. I never lost
interest through any of his sermons. He always kept me
hanging on each word fearing that I would miss some-
thing.

He possess confidence and ease. He causes you to
become engrossed in what he is saying by using some
element of suspense. At no time do you lose interest
in his sermons. Elder Cleveland speaks humorously on
some points but one is able to graSp the principal
point of his sermon. He has this certain way of at-
tracting the audience to what he is saying and hardly
ever is one so detracted that he loses interest.

 

1The general nature of such items as #2, #20, etc., is
5n; follows: #2 is concerned with the relation of sermon
rmmterial to the need of the audience. #20, the use of humor;
Innnber 1-6 are concerned with the Speaker's manner of de-
:Ltvery, suspense, and variety; fil} seeks to measure the in-
termnyt of the audience in the Speaker's prOposition.

 

 

   

 

219

I am most impressed through his vivid story telling and
blackboard illustrations. Another outstanding quality
he possesses is his ability to get his audience to
sgree with him step by s ep throughout the sermon.

Evangelist Cleveland's use of the ninth component

reveals not only the impact of his appeal to individuals in

a crowd but also the many avenues of approach to the human

mind a persuasive Speaker has at his diSposal to appeal to

every individual in his audience.

From the evidence based on the testimonies listed

above, one finds that the same message delivered by the

same speaker appeals to individuals in a crowd in different

manners. For instance, while some were impressed with the

manner in which he organized and delivered his material to

rmeet the needs of his audience, others were moved by the con-

fidence and ease in which he presented his message and his

iflmrough belief in everything he preached. To some, aninc-

‘tion.was the most impressive factor, while to others, his

snfbstitution of Specific ideas for general Opinions and his

famility to weave the common, everyday experiences of life in

hiis sermons to clarify ideas unfamiliar to anyone in his

:nmiience made listening to them a pleasure.
Suspense has captivated the attention of many, while
sittention of others was attracted and maintained by the

the?
~v1taJJuess of the sermon as it related to their individual

rfiygds gurd desires. Humor is used by Evangelist Cleveland to

attrquyb attention to the point he wishes to fasten in the

 

 

 

220
thinking of his audience, end his effective use of illustra-

tions h..; won for him the goodwill of his rudience.

TN 63 :7‘ (2n

 

The tenth component,

stitutes the primary purpose of Evangelist Cleveland's

endeavors and the 30:1 for which the other nine components

contribute their influence.

Cleveland's method of appealing for decisions,
eSpecislly for church membership, differs somewhat in de-

tails from the method used by Billy Sunday, Billy Srahsm,

and other eVungelists. Cleveland, like Billy Sunday, Billy

Grdhnm, and other evangelists, does make direct appeals to

individuals in en audience for commitments to Christ, but

'unlike them, he requires decisions for baptism into church

fellowship to be made in the home.1

Clevelsnd teaches that calls for decisions should

Ems made nightly. These Spirited invitations are not neces-

sarily'cclls for church membership but calls to surrender

to tide will of 3hrist.i He advocates that no sermon should

evens be preached without giving every individual in the

fWLjiCnCG en Opportunity to turn from sin to Christ his

 

13. 3. Cleveland,
Qm SELL”, p0 7'

 

pares,

”a . ,3 ..:4.‘, y 3.-. ' .. 1 ,1_ ,.. * -‘ _x. L .n
b vior; :nl Hibh e,i¢l emanSis ne stresses tne goinc Oi
“hr-‘-
Jctv

securing decisions for Christ end church membership in
privacy of the individunl's home.

Cleveland hss abandoned the ”progressive method” Of
appealing to an audience by reguesting them: (1) to rsise
their hands; (2) to stand to their feet; and (3) to come
forwnrd. He uses the card system.1
The "progressive method” ends to divide his audience
and give those who might be prejudiced against his preposi-
tions on Opportunity to influence their friends against mem-
bership into his orgmnisetion before he or his Bible workers
have the Opportunity to reach them. H— agrees that there Ore
some good features, however, in this system. The hand reis-
in; technique, for instance, serves as e.feed heck of the
interest the audience hes in his prepositions and is still
used by the evangelist for this purpose.

The card method is 3 technique introduced by
'Evengelist Cleveland to protect th privacy of the peeple
who nttend his meeting, to preserve the unity Of his nudience,
and.gfive the peeple an Opportunity in the quietness of their
liomes to make decisions for church membership.

mhe seme cards used by the audience during the trLe-

gq14-fdlse tests are tlso used to register their decisions.

 

 

 

1;. Cleveland,

Exxuzsdunes, p3. 9-10.

222

The peOple are asked to retain their cards until the time
of the appeal; then check he card with the alphabet "K” to
indicate their decision.1

While soft, background music is being played by the
organist, the evangelist makes his appeal. To give sdded
solemnity to the occasion, pictures of the psssion of Christ
are flashed on the screen. It is while the lights are out
thet the evengelist asks those who wish to respond to the
appeal to indicate it by the sign "K".2

Cleveland's appeal usually lasts from eight to ten
minutes,3 during which time the evangelist seeks to show:
(1) Cod's willingness to save sinners. He points to the
cross as indiSputable evidence of God's willingness to save
all who will accept Him. (2) God's ability to ssve sinners.
God is both willing and able to save sinners. "he is able
to save to the uttermost. . . .4 (3) God's immediate avail-
ability for salvation. The sinner is shown that God can
save him now. "Now is the day of salvation" is the burden

of his appeal.5

 

11121.1.
21121.1.

31mg.

4Heb. 7:2 .
53. 3. Cleveland,

W. pp. 9-10.

 

Slcvcland's Lse of all of tit

Lscour flaccs him in the revivzl

‘ ‘ ' .n L ‘ ‘4‘ v-a‘. I , rs
tion. .itn ucsc con;onents, no A“
"- .-‘ vr -" r w. v ‘ ‘ - - - -
uivslu olfactivc ”it w:. 11- no“: ai_sed

a a , s -‘
corpriscs tQ?CC tne l

co.:.."1""t" “"“1‘111101

CH5 q :nli; tic “mil.

,3
MBA-

re-csnrcifn rrofiaration,

.I‘I‘n.‘ "r\‘
“E‘O 4..

o tionnl ccxponcnt

n “ "‘I“. ‘u fl 1 ‘. ‘ M ‘y‘ n tr ‘1. + . .‘
0:. his r..,-s...zo..; (as) to 91“",7’193 sin: 1.1.1,: .113 mi sol: 110321-23;

(3) trchniéues

involviny his

0?

b of converts he will baptize duri

canyaiin. The first division nay
audience," the second, "No: to hold

.100

"How to Influence an Audience to

n
J.

Q“ av
3—0.".
a.

-ects o

r‘w‘.‘ ,
~ ~ 1A :3
.- 8 'QC I ‘. I‘M-1-01.4

I-nr‘n -..
4.3:1C~1fl,a

A I‘,

‘
' c"'\ * 1"
17 .5 Lu.“

be labeled, "30"

sq Audience,"

C 1" V‘s-sh -"
.1. as; man

the nu:-

n: the early period of his

to Get an

“I:

sh
”it LV.’

and the

opt your Iropositions.

Clc1eland's methoiolo‘ioal

system are conccrncu :rinsrily 'Mi h the role which his evs-3c-
listic stfiff and he Rushers of the local church Ire to {lay in
the successful 'v-WtiO' the Garagisign; the i htlj' progrm
coajriscs the tcc1n1~ucs set in motion to hold ‘ho attention of
hi: "u‘icnce as aids in "ui‘istt Ar t*ou*:ts to the *“cn-
ositions in C sires then to recept; and the card tcchni 1
carves rs r daily chsck list on stt siwnco and a 3au3o for
Trcjictinfl results. Cleveland's yrc3ram is srra.3:i to stress
subj‘cts concerning the present, to review an W3 cts of the past,

a

d,

V

3

to create sire to heq subjc

in the H‘nro

cts which he will yrcscnt

CHAPTER VII

CLEVELAND'S EVANGELISTIC PRAACHING:

INVENTION, ARRANGEMENT, STYLE

In the previous chapters, we have concentrated on
Evangelist Cleveland as a methodologist. In this chapter
we shall consider him as a Speaker.

In order to study in depth the Speaking of Cleveland
as an evangelist, we have selected one of his sermons, "A
Question of Authority", from a group of seventyefour sermons
to analyze in depth by the classical constituents of inven-
tion, arrangement, and style. Delivery, the last of the
canons of rhetoric, will be treated in the next chapter.

Since each constituent has a distinctive function,
the organization of this chapter will follow the plan of
defining each canon and placing each under a separate heading
in order to study the sermonic material of Evangelist

Cleveland as it relates to these separate categories of

measurement.

Inmtian

The term invention is concerned with "the work of

“

finding ideas, materials, and arguments and of surveying

one's resources".l

Thonssen and Baird, writing on the first of the five
canons of Speech, observe:

Invention involves the attempt on the part of the

orator, as Cicero says, "to find out what he should

say. . . ." It is an investigative undertaking, em-

bracing a survey and forecast of the subject and a

search for the arguments suitable to the given rhetori-

cal effort. . . . [it includeE] the idea of the

status, and the modes of persuasion-logical, emotional,

and ethical in all their complex interrelations.2

Both modern and ancient rhetoricians agree that in-

vention is concerned with the selection and develOpment of
subject material for persuasive purposes. According to
Aristotle, "proofs" or ”persuasions" are of two kinds:
"non-artistic" and "aristic".3 By "non-artistic proofs",
as used in this study, we mean supporting materials4 used
by Cleveland to give validity to the arguments he presents
in his sermons, such as: Appeal to the authority of the
Scripture, quotations, illustrations, and experiences from
life, etc. By "artistic proofs" we mean proofs that are
constructed by Cleveland's own skill,5 by means of: (1)

his character or ethical proof (2) his utilization of reason

 

1Donald C. Bryant and Karl R. Wallace, are a
’ a (New York: Appleton-Century-Crafts, Inc.,
1900), p. 21.
2Thonssen and Baird, op. cit., p. 79.
3Aristotle,9p_,__c_it., p. 8.
41mm.

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‘ . ‘n \‘ I‘- ‘ ‘ ’ .3 ' . A
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”itlcut cuostion, the Bible is one of t11c most
aoyi1a1t non-artifitic proofs cm:lOfcd by Evangelist Cleveland
t

.-u p ~‘A <. - .- '- ‘- ‘. ta 4" A ‘I ‘- fl , I ‘
to hive support to AC iroposisioas no a ous his SUJLCQCC DO

accept. This fact can be re ily JCTOlCtPSth by th, sermon

4. N

ur‘cr id"‘“”133tiou. an;ly: "a finestion of Auth Pity. " To

Ls_'_ ‘. I) U

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It”. troposition of God's _iiht to rule nod.

fl

n J a 0‘9 ‘4' 9 _ I" ‘a- '- 0 -
In? ca} i followiifl tac or C? oi 'oohs, caa,tors,
ani verses C3 listed in Evaajolist Cleveland's sorrow, this
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chspters, and verses having an asterisk before then ere
identified as references alluded to without Tiv:;w :12 sj.-

V ' ‘1

cific Scriptural source.

111*: "1 H 13 1.1.- 1.1 ”1'17”
ljiuLAL OJ qu _: illuxis

REFEREE TO III CLE‘ELKTID'S 51331201?

 

 

 

 

 

Books of the Bible * Chapters : Verses From
Referred to in Sermon Use: 5 Books and Chapters
Genesis 1 26
*Genesis 2 7
Genesis 3 1,4
*Job 13 15
Psalms 22 28
Psalms 2 l3
*Psslms 100 3
*Psalms 3 9
Isaiah 14 i 13-14
Isaiah 45 1 12-18
*Isaiah 53 4
Ezekiel 28 I 2
Daniel 3 1 16
Daniel 4 1?
*Mat the '.-.' 4 I l O
*Hstthew 8 2
111.131, the': :1 J
Luke 6 } zs-zz
Acts 5 t 2
I Corinthians 6 1 19,20
Col ssicns l r 4
Hebrews 1 3 14
*Hebrews 4 7
Hebrews 7 24
Jude 1 l4
Revelation 12 7'9
Total 14 26 38

 

 

 

{A f‘\
L i-.

For supporting material to establish his point of

7
U

(1‘

TOLL: :L' ‘

(1’)
F 0’

view and crests good mill, Clevelsnd often quote
ersl authorities whose works are familiar to his audience.

"A Question of

From the four quotations used in the sermon

Authority", one expresses 9n ides contrary to the point he

is seeking to establish; the other three are taken from soigs

loved by many for their Spiritual fervor and Christian value.
In his endeavor to show that God rules in the kingdom

of men, but that His authority is challenged by man, he

quotes the words of William Ernest Henley's "Invictus":

I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of
my soul.1

To clarify the meaning of the term ”Watchers", re—
ferred to in his Opening text, and establish the point thrt
angels are the ”Watchers", Cleveland directs the minds of his
audience to the familiar words of an old Negro Spiritual:

All night, all day, the angels are watching over me
my Lord.¢

After asserting man's inability to govern himself,
and God's right to rule in the affairs of the universe, first

by His creative act, and second by his redemptive sacrifice,

 

1"A Question of Authority", preached by Evangelist
Cleveland. See appendix p. 325.

2mm. .

Km
0

Cleveland summons the words of George Bernard in an effort
to validate his claim that the very healing of (man's soul)
is based upon the redemptive act of Calvary in these ex-
pressions:

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

The emblem of suffering and shame,

And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best

For a world of lost sinners was slain.1

In contrast to man‘s inability to control himself

unaided by divine assistance, Cleveland depicts the happy
state of the man who recognizes the authority of God as
ruler of the universe in the words of H. G Spafford, who
wrote:

When peace like a river attendeth my way

When sorrow like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is, well it is well with my soul.¢

Illustratinn

In his workshOp lecture, Cleveland defined the term
illustration as "a window designed to shed light on the sub-
ject under discussion”.3 Judged by his definition,
Cleveland's sermon under investigation abounds in illustra-
tions of several varieties. For example, to validate his

assertion that man is by nature a dependent, Cleveland uses

 

lblds, p. 334.
M‘ 9 p‘ 3350

E ” Cleveland, Oakwood College Evangelistic
uary 8, 1967.

a,
O
"S
t?"
I.)
{3"
O
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~
Fr] 0
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’1 o

231

five examples to illustrate his point:

We are breathing God's air, eating Cod's food,
wearing His clothing,1 drinking His water, and
living on God's earth. All of these things we
found when we were born. We are reSponsible
for none of this, We are therefore by nature
dependent. . . .5

To illustrate the importance of identification,

Cleveland substitutes the short Specific instances for the

 

 

A few years ago I was in a foreign country on a sun-
baked field working hard to pitch a tent in which I

was going to hold a class for twenty ministers. Lunch
time came and a little old lady came out on the field
with a sack in her hand. She took out three bricks and
placed them. She took out some sticks and lit a fire,
put a pot on the bricks and put water in the pot and
mashed plantains with her own hand and put that in the
pot and let it cook a while, and then in her own good
time shouted in our language that food was ready. She
had banana leaves for plates. This was not exactly ac-
cording to my training, but it occurred to me that un-
less I could line up and eat with these men and identify
myself with them, I might as well go home, for my in-
fluence on them would be nil. And so when the time
came, I ate. As I stood eating with my fingers from a
banana leaf in this foreign country, a mighty shout
went up from the throats of these men as they realized
here was one who had identified himself with them, and
to them this was a redemptive feature. Ky influence
with them was secure because I was one of them. Had I
not been willing to become one of them, I might as well
have taken a plane and made my flight back to America
without Speaking a word. But because I could identify
and.become one of them, they became one with me, and
our fellowship was complete.

 

1No doubt this statement has reference to the materi-
alS Funmduced by God from which the garments were made.

2”A Question of Authority", Appendix: 9° 328°
311211., p. 336.

A? ‘A‘

t 1
«'1‘,

From this detailed narrative of his personal experi-

ence, Cleveland by cgntnast_and_example draws from it to
depict the identification of Christ with the human family.

Beginning with the birth of Christ, he continues:

and so it was 1900 years ago when the baby was born
in Bethlehem, it was Christ identifying Himself with
the human family. . . . He ate with publicans and
sinners. . . . He became one with us that we might
become one with Him, and His influence is secure in
our lives because He was one of us.

Cleveland's use of eXperiences from life to portray
man's inability to rule his fellowman is illustrated from

the following examples:

"History by and large is a record of [the eXperienceé]
of man's inability to rule his fellowman. The rise and
fall of nations tell us that man has been unseccessful
in [his] attempt to govern his fellowman. . . . This
then accounts for all the trouble that has taken place
between human beings. All the wars that have been
fought [yerej efforts of man to subdue and keep under
subjection his fellowman. Each attempt of cougse has
sooner or later met with abject failure. . . .

Leaving the experiences of men in the past, Cleveland
directs the minds of his listeners to the present day experi-
ences of man in his struggle to cope with the problems of
life, by saying:

Individual man.has proven himself a dependent.
Collective man has proven himself incapable of solving

the world's minutest problems. We still have the pro-
blem of international peace. The problem of hunger.

 

1
ma. 9 p0 3360

’3
“mid. 9 p. 326.

rr

The problem of crime and innumerable problems that
man both individually and collectively has proven
himself insufficient to solve.

By ethical proof, we mean the influence exerted by
the Speaker through his character. Of the three kinds of

lrtl

U)
CF

ic persuasion mentioned previously -- ethical, psthetic,
and logical -- Aristotle says of ethical proof:

. . . It is not true, as some writers on the art
maintain, that the probity of the Speaker contributes
nothing to his persuasiveness; on the contrar , we
might almost affirm that his character gethos{ is the
most potent of all means of persuasion.e

Modern Speech writers concur with this principle.
Bryant and Wallace, for example, say:

that a Speaker's personality and character exert

as strong an influence (perhaps an even stronger in-
fluence) upon the reaction of his ideas as do argument
and evidence and appeals to emotions and attitudes.)
A Speaker's ethical appeal or ethos may be evinced
in his sermon through the following means: (1) the identifi-
cation of his ideas with those of his audience; (2) the dis-

play of intellectual integrity and wisdom in term of sermon

 

111m... :2- 335.
2Aristotle, M” p. 9.
3Bryant and Wallace, Qp,_git., pp. 359-340.

r) 7‘. :4

materials, and (3) the manner in which he administers praise
and reproof to those from whom he seeks to gain acceptance

of his views.1

Examples of the use of identification in Cleveland's ~
sermon are manifold. In fact, identification is built into
each segment of his sermon through the formation of his pur-
pose, the accumulation and organization of his data, the
illustrations and supporting proofs of his ideas, and the
careful restatements of his purpose.

To trace Cleveland's use of identification, let us
begin with his introduction. After stating his subject and
reading his “dual texts", he manifests his constant aware-
ness of his audience by eXplaining technical terms through
the use of familiar songs and illustrations that their ex-
periences have equipped them to understand. For instance,
in eXplaining the term "Watchers" used in his Opening text,
he said:

Who are the watchers? fl§_filna.in an old Spiritual,
”All night, all day, The angels are watching over me,

my Lord‘. The angels are the watchers. They not
only watch over us, they watch us.2

 

lThonssen and Baird, on. cit., p. 387.

 

?"A Question of Authority", Appendix, ?. 325.

P—vr—
4|

._» ’I J

Likewise with the term "lIoly ones" instesd of 9pply-
ing the technical termonology of theology, he drews upon the
experiences of the audience:

We know this h9s reference to the triune Cod- the F9ther
Son, and the Holy Ghost- then, for fe9r sozne do not
possess this knowledge, he continues for in them 9lone
is holiness "underived" 9nd "unborrowed".

Clevel9nd does not 9ttempt to exalt himself by de-
preciating the achievements of others; it 9ppe9rs 9s if he
t9kes into consideration th9t it is through the 9ppreci9tion
of others th9t one wins reSpect for himself. Throughout the
body of his sermons one finds reference to the first person
plural pronoun thirty times. The use of these person9l
pronouns suggests the ide9 of togetherness 9s reve9led in
the followin3 eXpression t9ken from the body of the sermon
under investigation:

To be sure, the ch9llen3e to His authority springs

from two sources . . . ue_flill_disgu§s_these two com—
peting forms of authority in some detail individually.

Let_ns_consider,hum9n authority. . . ue_£ind_th1§ in
in Genes is Chpeter 1 and verse 26, 9nd I quote, , . ,
Human Authority 91so contradicts divine authority in
the re9lm of the Judicial. fle~haxe_such_g_necgnd in
the 3rd chapter of the Book of Daniel. . . .

There is 9 second 9re9 of challen3e to the 9uthority
of God . . . and that is angelic 9uthority. In the
Book of IS9iah Ch9pter 14, verses 13 9nd214 neg:e;d_gfi
no L_of this interesting conflict. . . .

 

111219. . p.326.
2112.111., p.330,

 

In his attempt to set forth the value of m9n's equal
rights through the cre9tive act of God, Cleveland emphasizes
the freedom, autonony, 9nd.sovereignty with which God
created man. Cleveland teaches that mdn was created to be
free; and any attempt to hold him in servitude, to force him
to do the commands of others without his consent is to de-
base the dignity of m9n and place him on 9 level that con-
tradicts the intent of his creation.

In his reference to the f9ilure of m9n through war
to subjugate his fellouman, Cleveland appeals to the dignity
of man to rem9in free. To assert oneself even in the face
of overwhelming odds is an indication on the part of man to
protect his right to be free. Therefore, he said, enh9ncing
the worth of even the lowest aspects of humanity:

The slave has always risen to throw off the yoke of
his master and the conquered has sooner or later risen
to smite his conqueror. This is the sad tale of man's
attempt to control his fellowman.

To avoid offense to those who might believe that
msn is the master of his fate and the captain of his soul,
Cleveland does not attack the idea outright. He places the
concept in the form of a question, 9nd then, from materials

taken from the Bible and examples provided by nature, he

 

119.19.. p. 327.

suggests thdt man is not 9 captain but 9 dependent. Let us
note his use of evidence as a f9ctor of personal proof:

But is m9n the Captain of his soul? Is he, and can
he ever be the master of his own fate? (9ppealin3 to
the Scriptures I Cor. 6:19-20, he shows) . . . your
body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,
which you have of God, and ye are not your own . . .
therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit
which are God's. . . . Man by nature 9 9 dependent.
A dependent cannot govern. He is 9 dependent physi~
cally, mentally, and Spiritually . . . we are breathing
God‘s sir, eating God's food, wearing His clothing,
drinking His water, and livin; on :od‘s earth. All of
these things we found when we were born. We 9re re~
Sponsible for none of this. We are the9efore by nature
dependent.

Cleveland's ethical «ppeal presumably is further en-

J

S.)

hanced by the impression he gives his audience of his com-
petency to impart accurate information. In discussing
"Lucifer”, the chief ange , who rebelled agains divine
authority, Cleveland avers:
According to Ezekiel 2 :2 his plain expression w9s
”I 9m god". Here he is spoken of under one of his
forty Biblical titles as the King of Tyrus, but whether
you call him Lucifer, King of Tyrus, or the dragon, the
serpent, the devil, you are Speaking of one 9nd the
same being.¢
His many campaigns conducted on four different con-
tinents provide him with excellent materi9l which could be

used to strengthen his ethical appeal. In relating one of

his personal experiences in Africa, he be39n by saying:

 

111219.. p. 327.

“11219. , p- 330.

A few years ago I was in 3 foreign country on

sunbehed field working herd to pitch e tent in which

I was going to hold a class for twenty ministerz. . .

As I stood eating with my finger from i b nen; leif in

this foreign country, s mighty shout went up from the

hrosts of these men es they re:lized here was one who

had identified himself with them . . . my nfluence

mes sure because I was one with them.1

Clevelend's ebility to weave current issues of the

time with which the peeple are greatly concerned into the
fabric of the centrel thought which he is seeking to es-
tablish adds greetly to his ethical eppecl. Alluding to
the "cold war” between Russin end the United States, through
whet he celled the "battle of authority" in the third chipter

of Genes s, between sod and Lucifer, he remarked:

It appeared that both participants reelized thet there
could be no pesceful coexistence as long as Cod use

God end Lucifer was Lucifer. These two greet powers
were on collision course neein 3 course that would end

(we

in the ultimate extinction of one or the other.fi

Cleveldnd's view of sociel justice greetly enriched
his personal proof, for it provides not only on avenue for
pre se and reproof, but reve:ls his good will for the better-
ment of all mankind: One can detect 1 mild reproof in his
statement of men's lust for power 5nd determination to rule

his fellowmfn in these words:

1m” p- 336.
211211., p 332.

God created men in his own im"3e to hxve dolinion over
-11 the e: “t here in the ve;se is there refer-
rr

rth bu
ence to n's heving dominion over his fellO"men. . . .

This hen -ccounts for . . . he trouble the t h's téhsn
4-”.-

plrce between humen bein3s . . . he were ti t hive
been fou3ht in en effort of nzen to subdue .nd keep
under subjection his fellO'm "n.

Clevel nd, probably reflecting on the attitude of
mrnym13ro youth in their struggle for civil rights provided
by the Constitution, end the constent singing in his ears
of the song ”we Shell Overcome", draws an example from the
Hebrew boys to give dignity to the socially Oppressed, and
plsce a high premium on positive thinking by quoting these
cords:

"we are not careful to n.nswer thee in this matter . . .
we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden
itege thou hes set up.

Through this example, Clevelend informs his audience
that men possesses 3 free will -- free to follow the leader-
ship of God -- end that will no power on earth can bredk.
Sociel pressures um y brin3 humilietion to the body, but it
can never bring indignities to the soul: he recognizes their
common social pli3ht end points to God, as, indeed ”if i-
cient to solve the problem.

In the engelic challenge to God's authority to rule

men, Clevelznd assin directs the minds of his dudience to

\J‘

 

111213.. p. 326.
IM" 13" 330.

I“)

C40

‘

the vzlue and worth of men in the sirht 01

hun3er, the garden of agony, and the crucifixion of shame
to mine him more precious than gold.1 You are somebody,

he intimstes to his audience; therefore resist the inter-
ference of evil influence to unseat your behavior which is

rooted in faith.2

Clevelend's logical proof follows the ”inductive"
method of reasoning. in outline of the sermon "A Question
of Authority" found on reges 276-277 illustrates his induc~
tive method of reasoning. The outline consists of a series
of general statements supported by separate examples to
prove his essertions.

Our analysis of Cleveland's use of logiccl proof
will consider reasoning from exemple, from sign, from csuss-
tion, by explanation, and by comparison end contrast. The
logicsl mctcri l of his sermon, like the stars in the sky
on a clear night, Sparkles, with assertions, glitters with

ex: nles, 3nd twinkles with res stements. He uses sign

L

1mm... :2. 334.
21121:... - 337.

’d

241

arguments as reasons for acknowledging a preposition to be
true; causal reasonin3 when it is e determiner of an effect;
clarifies obscurities by means of explanation; supports ideas
with comparison and contrast; offers Scriptures as valid

testimonies to those who accept the Bible as cuthority; and

presents illustrations to illuminate a point of view.

Illustrstions of Cleveland's use of examples have
already been demonstrated under his use of illustrations;
but to furnish further evidence of his fondness for this
type of reasoning, let us consider his attempt to clarify
his assertion that human authority also contradicts divine
suthroity often in the realm of judicisl injustice. In
order to show the pressure exerted by human authority for
the control of man's allegiance, Cleveland selected a Spe—
cific instance from the third chapter of the Book of Deniel
to support his assertion by placing the three Hebrew boys in
a critical position of choosing to obey divine authority as

against human authority.l

 

1mm. p. 329.

 

Cleveland's statement:

history by end large is a record of men's inability
to rule his fellowman. The rise and fell of nations
tell us thrt men has been unsuccessful in his ettemrt
to govern his fellowmdn. Tow there is a b sic reason
n ~3i l

lOl" tillb. . .

This statement m st be considered as reasoning from
sign; for Cleveland is not attempting to establish the cause
for believing that God is the ruler of the nations, but the

reason for acknowled3in3 the preposition to be true.

 

Causal reasoning, is fre3uently employed by
Evangelist Cleveland in his preaching. To illustrate
Cleveland's use of cause-effect reasoning, let us note the
D ,,0 M -- .1- 4‘ . ‘ .. H» -
i0110w1n3 exemples taxen from his sermon, A guestion of

Authority”:

God is the rightful ruler of the world beeiusc it is
he that hes made us end not 3 ourselves.e

He rules men and hes 9 right to because he made men
and knows an better than anv70ther power in the uni-
verse, including man himself.)

Not only is He, I§Od'i the rightful ruler of the ear h
because of creation, out also because of redemption.

 

lIbid., p. 325,
Ibid., p. 333,

31bid., p. 333.
Ibid., p. 334.

 

 

 

-- A. “14.7, -1, . A ‘ ,- t _‘
my influence with them 19s secure bec'
‘

of t;en.l
Cleveland's method of reosonin; from effect-to

cause is deeicted in the following exemples

This, then, accounts for all the tr01ble 1

ploc e beth'een humi n beings. All the 9 rs t n.t hwve
been fought [:e3r be trac ed] to on effort of men to
subdue _‘11d keeq under subjection his fello¢ndn.

t1.t has taken

There is e tendency in man to nszert himself es en in-
dividucl, to assume control of his own destiny, ind
try to work out his own salvation C ovelénd, then

contribute his existing tendency to the idea CannCOd
by 9310235 I on m:ster Of my fete. I am centnin of n:
soul.

 

In his :ttem; t to be understood oy ever"one in hi s
audience, Cleveland eiployed the use of explanation on dif-
ferent occesions to clarify concepts he felt might be mis-
understood by his audience. The following are exemples of
his use of explanation for th purpose of clarification of
terms and Scriptures. In explaining the meaning of the term
"Watcher", he used an old, familiar, Negro Spiritual, "The
Angels Are Hatching Over he, My Lord", in an effort to mdke

he term more meaningful and under: ' doelo to mcny in his

eudience. To define the term "Holy Cne", Clevelsnd remarked:

 

11m. ’ p“ 3360

’m-9 :90 3270
311211., p.327.

:44

He knew this hes reference to the trirne ”ed, the
Esther, Son, end the ?oly Ghost-for in them clone
holiness ” mderived nd unborroxed”. Holiness in nwn
nd in;els . . . s holiness distensed. It is holizess
derive d from nnotle source. Original holiness lie
rlono Iith the triune God.

[—10
3 O C)

L—

3

.

k

rt m-.-‘n~ n f, F‘ v mnc+

The method of showing the similfirity between a
familiar idea 3nd 9 less fdmilior ides was often us dby
Cleveland to support : pro;: osition he was seeking to esteb-
lish. For ex:nple, to show the ”richer, ful er, 3nd more
abunddnt living” to be derived from the reading of the Bible,
Clevol nd compsres the "book of Specifications” issued by
an automobile manufacturer designed to insure 3 longer and

etter service from the automobile, to God's book, e book of
Specifications called the Bible.": Another excellent ext: 13
of conysrison find controst is provided by the illustrotion
of his CXporience in Africa. In spnlvin* his experience of
identification with the Africans to Christ's dontific tion
with humanity, Cleveland pointed out

Ly influence with them nos secure because I was one of

them . . . because I could identify and become one of
hem the3 became one with me, and our fellowship 33s
complete . . . find so it wss 1900 yeérs ego, it 153
Chris t 3 identifying himself with the hundn family . . .

 

111211- : D. 325-

‘“Ihidu n- 336.

:45

He became one with us that we might become one with E s
end his influence is secure in our lives because He was
one of us.1

 

Pathetic proof,which is c noerned lergely with the
emotiondl state of an audience, plays on important role in
preparing the minds of the peeple to reset favorably to the
Speaker's prepossls.

Erigence, expressing himself on the influence of
wants and impelling motives in presuesion, writes:

To persuide others you must talk in terns of their
wants. Iou m st know their needs, their hones, their
ambitions, their fears. Know . . . what kind of fight
they love, know what songs they sing, end what senti-
ments they spplsud.¢

Cleveland believes the emotionol stote of men to be
as influential to persuasion es the logical. In fact, he is

his desire

(I)

oonvdxiced that it is through men's feelings, ,
and needs that he is led to action.

Let us analyse the type of motive eppeels used by
Cleveland in the sermon under investigation in terms of the
”five basic wants” described by Brigsnce -- wants which are
reputed to "influence or determine everything peeple believe

7
or do”:’

 

 

\ ‘ .- includin3 hunger end sex.
7* v, includ ing: self-ere 'ch7tion 7nd security.
Lave, includin3 7ffection, friendshin, 1nd tender
ezsotion. ” includin3 self res ect, pride, reputa-
tion. - 7 includil3 terson7,l 7chievement
cnd 7rtistic t7s.

   

(dun3er and Sex)

.

To estsblish san's need for dou's leadership in the

universe, Cleveland pointed to mmn's comp M] te ieoeqiene-

uron God to sup::ly his b7sie physiolO3 ic 1 needs

Je are breathing Sod's air, e7tin3 Sod's food,
wearin3 His clothes, drinking his water, rnd living
on Sod' s e7 rth . . . Je 7re responsible for none
of h“ s.“

The insecur ty of man of rulin; hi Self 777’s't

. I-
',,.~‘. V

hunger, pain, loss of life, 7nd th e uncertsinties of toner-
row, is set forth in these words:
hen is ine7psble of ruling hirase if,“ Seither individu7lly
or collectively. Collective n7n h proven hiss elf in-
capable of solvin3 he world‘ s minutest Jroelem Je
7till have the problem w th us of international yesce.
mhe problem of hun3er, the problem of crime and in-
nulnersble proolems that m7 n both individu7lly 7nd col-
lectively has proven himself insufficient to solve
In de notin3 the security and satisfaction which ne
N

 

1m. , Do 135.

247

may receive by permitting God to control his life, Cleveland
points out that man has no need to fear the future any more,

for, Ssys he:

When on the cross at Cglvary he Eggrist_'suffcrei,
bled, and died. He was in effec uying man back by
assuming man's guilt and pnying man's debt. . . .

He bore our sorrow that we might in turn, by faith
accept Him as Christ and Saviour and be saved with
him st last in a kingdom not made with hcnds.1

L913
(Affection, friendship, end tender affection)

Qlcveleni noints to Christ's love, frienish p, and

tender affection for man by showing his willingnes

s
3 3
to become one of us; (2) to make us one with Him;

"- - I.
deprive Himself of food-[wilderness experience;,* and shel-
- f; A‘ i ‘ r1 ‘ 5 "
ter- ‘;he con of man had no wnere to lay nis nesé] (4) to

f

0 7
,ve us from sin"; and (5) to die an ignominious death on

no

8

v
the cross to effect our salvation.‘

llbldy, p. 334;
elhid.. p- 337.
thlim, 0- 334.
43211-, p. 332.
Slhido. p- 337.
611211., p. 337.
mm, p. 331;.

24s

TIN-5* pram
(Self respect, pride, reputation)

The desire for the esteem and good will of God is
revealed in the following expressions:

When life gets too big for us, and there arc times
when it does, the man whose life is hid with Christ
in God can say like Job, ”Though He slay me, yet will
I trust in Him." Such a man hes an allegiance based
on live that power cannot corrupt, wealth cannot pur-
chase, nor flattery destroy.l

Reputation is a powerful motive. In fact, peOple
have been known to sacrifice their lives rather than lose
their reputation. Cleveland refers to this motive in his
sermon, when he says:

. . . This was not exactly according to my training,
[to eat mashed plantains prepared in an Open field

and served on be ens leaves for plateé] but it occurred
to me that unless I could line up and eat with these
men and identify myself with them, I might as well go
home, for my influence on them would be nil. And so
when time came, I ate.2

"fi
(

,

(Personal achievement and artistic taste)

Speaking of personal achievement through valor,

skill, or persevering efforts, Cleveland has this to say:
According to the Scriptures social pleasures, when
they are contradictory to the will of God, must be

resisted and men will in consequence hate you and
separate you from their company. The Bible says that

11131;... p. 335.
2m” p. 336.

CE 49

there should be rejoicing when this happens because
in heaven ”great is your reward.”1

The example of the Shadrach, heshsck, and Abednego's
fiery furnace experience as a direct result of obeying divine
authority instead of human authority was summarized in these
words:

In all such instances the individual must-recognise
the true nature of this conflict between human and

divine authority and remember that his allegiance is
first toithe host High, for He is the governor of the

nstions.d

Some aSpects of Cleveland's appeal to aesthetic
vslues can be seen in his selections of music known and

Co 5.3

loved by many in his audience and in his reference to Henley's

”Invictus."
Arrangement

Arrangement, according to Bryant and Wallace, is
concerned with the work of selecting, arranging, and giving

.1

form and structure to 2 Speech.)

An analysis of Cleveland's sermon, "A Question of
Authority", reveals that structurally he follows the tripar-
tite method of dividing his sermon into the well known cate-

gories of: (l) introduction; (2) body; and (3) conclusion.

 

1mm, p. 329.
911211.. p. 329.
3Bryant and Willace, on, 913., p. 21.

',\"-O
, V

’ J
..

In regards to organizational structure, a reconstruction of
his sermon in outline form reveals that Cleveland arranges
his ideas in connecting links of general statements and sup-
porting evidence. He sets forth certain key fects before he
draws the attention of his audience to the conclusions that
are naturally derived from them.

The following outline of his sermon will enable us
to see more vividly the organizational structure of the
sermon under investigation.

Theme: ”A Question of Authority”
Texts: Daniel 4:17; Psalms 22:78
Introduction:

A. This matter is by the decree of the Watchers
3 This matter of authority is being discussed. . .
l. Transitional statement: The challenge
to His authority springs from two sources:
(a) human
(b) angelic
2. Let us consider human authority.
3. Angelic authority

Body:

I. History by and large is a record of men‘s inability

to rule his felloume .

A. The rise and fall of nations (are records of
history) revealing man's inability to rule his
fellowman.

l. Equals cannot rule equals
2. God originally intended for the earth to be
a theocrscy.
B. Restatement: God is the governor of the nations.

II. The Most High rules in the Kingdom of men but not
unchallenged.
A. There is a tendency in man to assert himself as
an individual to assume control of his own des-
tiny.

D.

A '-
y.

L..."

Questions of Value: Is mrn the captsin of his

soul? Is he and can he ever be the mester of

his fate?

l. Testimony of Scripture: I Cor. 6:19-30.

2. Example from life: Kan by nature is a

dependent.

God, indeed, is sufficient to direct the destiny

of the human soul.

God does not rule without competition.

. Competition from society (Luke 6:22-23

. Explanation: According to Scripture . . .

. Human authority . . . in realm of the
judicial and governmental Spheres

Restatement . . . he is the governor of the

nations

\JJ 7‘ 3 H

III. There is a second area of chmllenge to the authority

of
A.

C) LO

U

E.

IV. God
A.

3.
Conclusion:

A.

God . . . angelic authority.

Testimony of Scripture: Iss. 14:13-14
Result of challenge-Ejection from heaven
Nature of struggle on earth with men

1. Deceit

2. Distrust

Nature of struggle on earth with Christ

1. The three encounters in the wilderness
2. Christ is victorious

Restatement of God's authority

rules by rightful authority

His authority is based on His creation of the

earth.

. He made man

. Illustration: when the maker of an eutomo-
bile . . .

F.) H

3. He knows man better than man knows himself.
4. He rules by right of creation and redemption.
Rests ement: God has the right to rule.

Recapitulstion: yes, man is incapable of ruling
himself.

Recapitulation: Angelic authority has proven
itself bankrupt. . . .

Recapituletion: Divine authority hes DPOVQH
itself.

Illustration: personal experience in 2 foreign
country

Ln
1“ if

I. Apperl end restatement of there: In the closing
moments of my message, may I appeal to
surrender your will to Him, for He is the only
rightful ruler of the nations, . . . the most
high ruleth in the kingdom of men.

The outline above makes it possible for us to get

an overall view of the pattern or arrangement of Cleveland's
thoughts for analytical purposes. It reveals a logical con-
nection and sequence between each division of the sermon,
and delineates the symmetrical relationship which each part
of the sermon plays in the deve10pment of the theme.

An examination of the arrangement of sixty-five
sermon outlines of Evangelist Cleveland found in his syllabus
on Evangelistiggienmgna reveals that he follows rather re-
ligiously the three-point system he advocates of dividing
the body of his sermons under three headings: (1) the con-
dition; (2) the cause and (3) the cure. The introductions
to his sermons are not listed in his syllabus, but the ap-
peals are always recorded. To determine the many classifi-
cations of introductions his sermons take, one has to listen
to his sermons on tape. His system of arranging the ques—
tions he raises on any given subject in a logical order

1 and his frequent use of suthpics

with supporting texts,
give unity and coherence to his arrangement. To illus-
trate Cleveland's method of arranging his sermons as out-

lined in his syllabus, we list the following:

 

1E. E- Cleveland, syllflhufi i9: Exdnqgljstjg
W, 92.41;... p. 8.

Subject: "The

Text: heb .

C.

I'\)
U1
K)!

2:3

Question that God Cannot Answer."

a lonely hill three men died. Luke 23:32,33.
Thief died in sin. He railed on Jesus.

John 8:24.

The second thief died tn sin. Rom. 6:2.
Frayed, “Remember me." Jesus answered,
"Thou shalt be with me.”

Jesus died fgr sin. Rom. 5:6—9.

2. How shall we escape if we neglect so great sal-

vation?

‘3
b0.

b.
C.
d.
e.
f.

Godley sorrow.
Confession.
Repentence.
Conversion.
Baptism.
Obedience.

I John 5:10-13.

3. The effects of true belief upon the soul:

Ps. 38:18.
Ps. 38:18.
Ps. 38:17.
Matt. 18:3.
Mark 16:16.
John 14:15.

Rom. 7:12.

5. There is penalty for disobedience. James 2:10.

6. God's grace is sufficient. Heb. 12:28.1

In Cleveland's outline each main division has its

subdivisions and supporting proofs.

W

The introduction to Cleveland's sermon, "A Question

of Authority" is a simple exposition of his dual text, de-

signed to give a preview of what will be covered in the ser-

mon and to supply an adequate background of information to

enable the audience to follow it more closely. It is rather

 

I

p. 19.

1:3. E. Cleveland. W, 9:21.211...

long but necessary to clarify the meaning of the technical
terms, "Watchers”, and ”Holy Ones". He defines the un-
familiar term "Watchers" by an old familiar Negro spiritual,
"All night, all day”, and for the logic of his reasoning in
his explanation of the term "Holy Ones", he draws from the
experience of his audience: "we know this has reference to
the triune God”. He realizes that peOple have a disinterest
for anything too abstract for sensory identification; there-
fore, he defines by using the familiar to eXplain the un-
familiar, and eXplains by drawing on the eXperience of his
audience.
He states the purpose of his subject in his intro-

duction, and lists the proposals he plans to discuss:

This subject, "A Question of Authority" is being dis-

cussed, according to Daniel, by the demands of the

Holy ones, to the interest, adds Daniel, that the

living may know that the Most High ruleth in the king-

dom of men. God is the governor of the nations, ac-

cording to David, but God does not rule this world

unchallenged.

To be sure, the challenge to his authority Springs

from two sources: (1) human authority; and (2) angelic

authority. We will discuss these two competing forms

of authority in some detail individually.

Cleveland realizes that sheer emotional appeal might

bring a temporary acceptance of his point of view, but he

seeks to establish a permanent impression by facts drawn

 

1"A Question of Authority", Appendix Po 325-

[O
U]
U‘l

from Scriptual authority, Opinions held by many as true, and
reasoning based on information from these sources.

A transitional statement connecting the introduction
with the body of the sermon follows the introduction: "Let

us consider human authority.“l

Evangelist Cleveland is seeking to strengthen the
Opinion held by many in his audience that God is the ruler
of the nations and to convince those who might think dif-
ferently that his idea merits acceptance. He, therefore,
in the body of his sermon employs systematic thinking
sprinkled with examples, illuminated by illustration, and
validated. by authority of Scripture; and he drives the point
home through constant repetition. The Opening statement in
the first division of the body of Cleveland's sermon is an
assertion designed to establish a means of carrying his audi-
ence with him step by step to the conclusion that God is the
ruler Of the nations. He begins with the statement:
"History, by and large, is a record Of man's inability to
rule his fellowman."2 He follows this statement immediately

with an example: "The riSe and fall of nations tell us that

111211.. p. 325.
2112151., p. 326.

256

man has been unsuccessful”1, and the examples which follow,
drawn from Scriptual authority and eXperience common to hu-
manity, lead to the inevitable conclusion and restatement
of his prOposition that God is the true ruler of the universe.

In the second division, Cleveland begins his argu-
ment with causal reasoning. He traces the tendency of man
to control his destiny to the belief that he is the captain
of his soul. Then, reflecting on man's status in the uni-
verse, he poses a question: "Is man the captain of his
soul?"2 From the threads of this question, he weaves the
fabric of evidence to show that man is a dependent, and
cannot possibly be the true governor. Man, he says has
been "bought with a price",3 everything that is essential
to life belongs to God and is diSpensed to man for his live-
lihood: "air", "food", "water",4 and his habitat on earth.

By comparison he shows that God is sufficient to
govern, and supports his premise by means of testimony and
explanation before concluding with a restatement of his main
premise.

In the third division, Cleveland states the defiance

of angelic resistance to God's authority and shows the

 

libido: p0 3260
2112151.. p. 327.

31hid., p. 328.
4Ibis... p- 328.

f.)
U]
“Ni

results of that defiance. He next pictures Lucifer, the
angel who rebelled against sod's authority to rule in the
universe, in his attempt to discredit God to man on earth,
and thus gain control of man.1 He concludes the struggle

of the challenge of Angelic authority by delineating Satan's
utter defeat by Christ and by restating his main premise.

In the fourth division, Cleveland, again by causal
reasoning, shows why God is the ruler of the nations. God's
authority in the universe is based on: (1) Isaiah's esti-
mony that He made the heavens and the earth;2 (2) the
psalmist David's testimony that He made man and man is not

his own.3 Cleveland illustrates his points through an ex-

perience common to his audience,

I W

and shows by analogy how
it relates to his prOposition of God's leadership in the

'v'a'OI'ld. o

Wen

The conclusion consists of summary statements in
the form of recapitulations, supplemented by an illustri-
tion, followed by a triumphant anneal, and capped by a re-

.5“;

statement of God's right to rule the nations.

 

11mg... p. 331.

211211.. p. 332.

91:21.9... p. 333.

I3
’1
I)

The theme of his sermon is lucid. It shines through
every general statement and illuminates every supporting
fact. As the sun shining in its meridian brightness reveals
clearly the objects of nature, in a like manner the vividness
of his reason g, saturated with the simplicity of his style,
reveals the underlying theme of his sermon in each division
of its deveIOpment.

The general end of his sermon is to convince. The
kdesired reaction is the surrender of the will to God as the
only rightful ruler of the nations. The various forms of
support in a sermon to convince are in evidence: he clari-
fies by explanation; supports his ideas with comparison and
contrast illuminates by illustrations; gives validity to his
thoughts through the testimony of Scriptures; and keeps the
main theme of the sermon before the audience by restating

his general theme.

NAIL] a

Style, or elocutis, according to Bryant and Wallace

that quality in Speaking which results from the selec-
tion and management of language.1

Thonssen and Baird in their appraisal of style, say:

 

lBryzmt and Wallace, W” p. 25:.

bt‘)
(“DE

It embrace s the concept of expressin:; in l Hn ua;e
oesically, from the choice of words and their erruire-
ment or composition.1
From these definitions we may conclude that style
embraces the selection and choice of words and their arrange-
ment through which a speaker conveys his thoughts to his
audience to effect persuasion.
In order to analyze the epe king style of Cleveland
as revealed in his sermon: ”A Question of Authority”, we
shall employ the three fold guideline established by Genung

which includes: (1) clearness; (2) force, and (3) beauty.1

Cleveland makes use of this element of style by
defining unfamiliar terms through familiar songs and ex-
planations drawn from experiences. The term ”Watchers” is
clarified by refreshing the listeners' memories of the old

u, ,r .
Jntcners" are

Negro spiritual which Spells out that the
angels. He clarifies the words "Holy Ones” (l) by associat-
ing the term with knowledge possessed by his audience, and
(2) by explaining the details for others who might not pos-

8 ss the facts.2

 

1John Franklin Genung, The ugnkjnr Bringiples Qf
EhQLQEiQ (Sew York: Ginn and Company, 1900) p, 28,
O

'-\
.4
“I

. E. Cleveland, ”A Question of Authority", p. 325.

 

Example is another element used by speakers to make
their ideas clear to their listeners. Cleveland's sermons
abound with examples: For instance, to clarify his asser-
tion on man's inability to rule his fellow man, Cleveland
used the following examples: "The slave has always risen
to throw off the yoke of his master and the conquered has

sooner or later risen to smite his conqueror”.l

SEQWQh‘EpoD find (‘Qnirfistl

Comparison and contrast are devices frequently used
by Cleveland for perspicuity. He compares the Bible to a
book of automobile Specifications and contrasts God's suf-

’3
ficiency with man's dependency.“

Simplicity of sentence structure is a very helpful
means of achieving clarity and understanding. Simple son-
tences in the active voice are more readily understood than

long, detailed or complex sentence.) An examination of the

sentence structure of Cleveland's sermon shows that of the

mid... p. 327-
‘m., p. 333.
3Bryant and Wallace, QQL_QLL., p. 263.

 

/

:01

“A

182 sentences, 0; are simple, :6 are compound, 5; are com-
plex, and 22 are compound-complex. The ratio 01 Cleveland's
use of compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences to

ple sentences is as follows: compound 15:41, complex

sim
26:41, and compound-complex 11:41. The average sentence
length of Cleveland's sermon is 18.6 words. The shortest

sentence consists of four words and the longest of 46.

A study of Cleveland's choice of words reveals that
he employs words which denote action and are of common usage
among the people. 'According to Bryant and Wallace, ”Words
that are in current, general oral use and have live meanings
to most peOple in the society in UllCh the Speaker is talk-
ing", are described as familiar words.1 Judged.by this
criterion, Cleveland‘s choice of words conforms to this ele-
ment involved in style. The word ”theocrecy", to illustrate
the point just mentioned, may be a familiar word to many who
are religiously oriented; but in Cleveland's discussion of
God's original intention, of rulership of the earth, he
follows this term with the words: "He [god] was to rule
man directly".2 Example of current usage of words in oral

discourse can be seen in such expressions as: ”peaceful

lBryant and Wallace, QQL_Q1&., p. :53.

’5
(__H ‘1

l guestion of Quthority", Index p. 327.

I" K. .’\
. ‘ ‘
g V L-

coexistence” and "collision course”.1
Cleveland's sentences are Spiced with concrete words
and alive with expressions which denote movement and direct-
ness. His ability to fuse familiar words which are concrete
and denote action and directness can be illustrated in the
following examples taken from his sermon:
We are breathing God's air, eating God's food, wearing

His clothing, drinking His water, and living on God's
edrth. All these things we found when we were born.

’ .'

We are responsible for none of this.u
Cleveland shows directness through the use of the

first person pronoun; action through verbs; and concreteness

through such specific objects as air, water, and earth. All

of the terms used are familiar words in current, general use

by the peeple whom he is addressing.)
Earns

Force is that component of style which tends to
deepen the mpression of the preposition the Speaker is
seeking to establish in the minds of his listeners through:
(1) anaphora; (2) repetition; (3) suspense and surprise;

(4) climax.4

llhid,, p. 332.
Ibid., p. 328.
31121;}... p. 328.
4Oliver and Cartright, Qp, gjfi., p, 303

f0

f-v

h 0
._’..JJ

-- The repetition of words at the beginning

 

V

of successive statements is readily discernible throughout
Cleveland's sermons. In his comments on Christ's red mptive
act at CalVary, he says:
he was the Lamb without Spot. fie_was the only being
who had lived on this earth whose life was flawless . . .
he bore our sorrow that we might in turn, by faith,
accept him as Christ and Saviour . . . fie_has a right
to rule because he has redeemed us by His blood.
In describing the preparation of a meal by an A
African women, he stites:
She took out three bricks and placed them. She took
out some sticks and lit a fire. . . . She_hsd benene
leaves for plates.~

In his :psewl for the acceptance of his point of

view he urges:

he is willing now to take you instantaneously to

justify and save you from your sins. he is not only

willing to do it, but fie,is able to keep you from

falling. . . .2

Efipfiillifln.-- Cleveland, in en interview with the

writer, said that his approach to man's mind is through re-
petition,4 which, he believes deepens the impression the
Speaker is seeking to as en in the thinking of his audience.

Cleveland's se of this element of style 13 seen in the con-

stant restatement of his them . he repeats the words:

 

1"A Question of Authority", 334.
31121;]... p. 336.
BMO: :30 337°

4See pege 164.

 

 

villl ml.“ (.1. l I. A

:64

”God is the ;overnor of the nations” with some Lodificutions
:fter each division of his sermon.1

To clarify the point thct ”the engels sre the
”watchers” mentioned in his discourse, Cleveland stresses

this feet through repetition:

The angels are the watchers. They not only watch
over us, they uiifih s.4

Likewise with the word holiness, he defined it by

dying:

C"
Q

. . . for in the» [fine Godhead] alone is holiness
"underived end unhorrowed:. Egliness in men and
angels, if borrowed thiness, it is holiness dis-
pensed. It is holiness derived from another source.
Original hglinehs lies alone in the triune God.3

After showing man's inability to govern his own des-
tiny, Cleveland pointed to God's worthiness in these words:

. . . This, God alone can do, because of His iiiinihe
wisdom, infinite power, end infinite “presence-

   
 

Q -- Suspense and surprise aid
materially in strengthening the force of a speaker's style.
Cleveland's use of this component is seen in the questions
he raises and the exceptions he infers in regsrds to the

I

he sens:

words of Henley's well known poem, ”Invictus.‘

But is man the captain of his own soul? Is he and
can he ever be the master of his own fete?5

 

lSee outline pp. 250-251.

2"A Question of Authority", p..325..
Elhid', p. 325.
4Ihid,,_p.-328.
511211., p. 327.

:65

To this inquiry he answers:

In Ist Corinthians the sixth chapter and verses 19
and 20- "What? know you not that your body is the
temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you
have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are
bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your
body, and in your spirit, which are God's. The indi-
vidual is not able to govern his own destiny. This
God alone, because of his infinite wisdom, infinite
power, and infinite presence can do.

climax -- Climax suggests a building up toward a

conclusion through a word or expression which ends a preced-
’3

ing sentence and begins the one which follows. Cleveland's
1se of this element of style is revealed in the following
sentences taken from his sermon, ”A Question of Authority".

Man by nature is a.dependenh. A depehdgnh cannot
govern. He is a dependenh physically, mentally, and
spiritually. . . yes, by nature min is a dependent.
We are breathing 1QdLs sir, siting God's food, wear-
ing His clothes, drinkine His water, 5nd living on

G d's earth. All these things we found when we were
born. We are reSponsible for none of this. We are
therefore by nature dependents, and therefore cannot
be true governors.J

Beauty -- Cenung's ”beauty" is called by Thonssen
and Baird "Ornamentstion,4 and by Oliver and Cortright,
"pleasing diction".5 While it is not always required, its

presence richly enhances the material with which it is used.

 

1m. g p. 3270
2Thonssen end Baird, QnL_QiL., p. 42).
3"A Question of Authority", p, 328,

4Thonssen and Baird, Qp. QiL., p. 423.
5cliver and Cortright, Qp. QiL., p. 307.

Cleveland's use of beauty as a constituent of style
is exhibited by means of the following components through
which it finds expression: (l) metaphor; (2) simile: (3)
metonymy: (4) personification; (5) spherisn; (6) compsrison;
(7) balanced sentences; (8) alliterations; (9) prolepsis;
(lO) eponOphora.

figtgphgr -- A metaphor is a figure of speech by which
3 Speaker likens one object to another as if it were the
other object. Cleveland's use of this figure of Speech can
be seen in the following exemples:

All of the wars thct have been fought were efforts of
man to subdue and keep under subjection his fellow-

msn. . . . The slave has alws‘s risen to throw off
the yoke of his master. . . .

What know ye not that your h9g1 is the temple gt the
“m: W“ h o o o o C:

when on the cross of Calvary, He suffered, bled and
died, He [EhrisE] was in effect buying man back by
assuming man's guilt and paying man's debt.3 He
Christ was the Lamb without spot.
Simila -- A simile differs from a metaphor in that
a metaphor implies a comparison between two objects and s
simile expressmsthe comparison between two objects. In de-

scribing the man whose life harmonises with God's prescribed

will, Cleveland eXpressed his happy state in these words:

1"A Question of Authority", p. ‘327. *
91mg... 1:). 327.
311211., p. 334.
41121;}... p. 334.

267
When peace lil {e a river attendetli 11y NJ
When sorrow like see billo 3 roll. . 1

Here he Lucifer is Spoken of under one ofnhis
forty Biblical titles as the King of Tyrus.d

Eersgnificatign,~- Personification endows inanimate
objects with human attributes. In presenting the idea to
his audience that God does not rule this world without com-
petition, Clevelsnd Speaks of social pressures:

And there are those social pressure 3 the t would
b2§fl3_d91n.those Spiritual values the t are within us.)

Cleveland Speaks of faith and emotions in this
manner:

For as long as faith_nules, one is emotionally stable.
It is when faith is unseated that emgtigns run wild.4

Aphgrism,-- An aphorism is a brief statement of a
truth or principle. Cleveland's use of this figure of speech
can be seen in such expressions as:

Original holiness lies alone with the trgune Cod.5
God is the true governor of the nations.

Man oy nature is a dependent.
Je ought to obey C—od rather than man.

 

111211., p- 335.
21hld., p. 330.
511211., p. 328.
411211., p. 331.
51hld., p. 325.

6mm. 1:. 327.
71121.3... p. 328.
81121.1” 13- 330.

268

Holiness in men and angels . . . 's holiness dispensed.

IL 15 ggnjygfi £29m angthen sgnzie. Criminal_holiness
lies alone with the triune God.

Cleveland compares the "conflict between hnmnn and
dixine_nnthnzitx_"and calls upon his listeners to yield
their allegiance to God "for He is the governor of the
0 .
nations."L
Balanced Sentence —~
The slave has always risen to throw off the yoke of
his master and the conquered has sooner or later
risen to smite his conqueror.3 Not only is He will- 1+
ing and able to save, but He is immediately available.
Allitenatinn -- Cleveland frequently used words which
repeat the same initial sound. Among the many examples which

occur in his sermon, these are a few:

God indeed is sufficient to direct the destiny of
the human soul.D

In all such instances, the individual must recognize
the true nature 0 this conflict between human and
divine authority.

When that Baby was nnrn in Bethlehem.7

 

llhid... p- 325.
Ihli». p.f327.
311211.. p. 327.
411211.. p. 337.
5Ihid., p. 328.
6mm” :3. 330.
7m., p. 336.

z 3
CW
‘0

*7 n" s -- Prolepsis is 3 figure of speech by
which 1 Speaker suggests in objection to a prOposition he is
advancing, and gives an answer to it.

Cleveland's use of this figure can be illustrated
by the following example:
There is d tendency in man to assert himself as en
individual, to assume control of his own destiny,
and try to work out his own salvation. A poet wrote,

"I am the master of my fate. I am the captsin of my
soul". . . .

To this inclination of man to take over the details
of his own salvation, Cleveland continues:

What know ye not your body is the temple of the
Holy Ghost . . . ye are not your own . . . ye are
bought with a price . . . therefore glorify God in

your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

 

qim e ' -- This element of speech, which
is a grcntly condense“ statement at the end of a speech,
is used by Cleveland in the closing remarks of his sermon,
in these words:
Today, if you hear His voice, harden not your hearts,

for truly the host High ruleth in the gingdoms of men
and He is the governor of the nations.L

111211., p. 327.
2mm, p. 337.

C$i DTE. 3 VIII
~~1~ ~r-fi 7‘ ' -.-‘-- y “‘N ' , ---~ vv '9 . 7 fl
CLLVLLAJD S nviHSLLISTIC nsACnIJC. ELLIV’fl

Ergnnntiatig, the last of the five anons, is nnother
name for delivery. Its primary elements are considered to be
vocal utterance and bodily action.l Delivery, then, is con-

erned with the "lively enforcement of thdiour it",2 and the
means by which the ideas of 3 Speaker are conveyed to his
listeners. It is through this canon that a epe a,her seelzs
to make a profound impression on the mind of his listeners,
create a desire for the preposition he advocates, and move
the emotions.

In the light of the statement that delivery is con-
cerned with the ”lively enforcement of thought", let us con-
sider Cleveland's concept of this ennon before applying to
this practice tepics, which embrace, in Cleveland's case,
the following:

(1) the evangelist' 5 methods of ore paring his sermons;
(2) his method of delivery; (3 ) the physical factors
conducing to his effectivenes as a speaker; (4)

bodily ection in delivery; and (5) his use of the voice
as an instrument of persuasion. 3

lThonssen and Baird, QnL_QLL., p. 81.

C70

 

The importance which Cleveland gives to delivery can
be seen in one of his workshOp lectures at Cahwood College
during the winter of 1965. In his lecture, he said:

Ha.)
The manner in which we deliver our sermons will
balance the minds of our listeners either for or
against the truth we advocate.
To make one's delivery effective, Cleveland advises:
(1) that a minister should possess a horough knowledge of
his subject material; (2) that he should convince his audi-
ence that he kn ws wlot he is talking about; (3) thnt he
should present his material in a forceful manner; (4) that
he should keep his sermons simple and well punctuated with
illustrative materisl; end (5) that he should exhibit s
meaningful use of gestures.
Having listed the five observations found in
Cleveland's teachings in regards to effective delivery, let
us consider each one separately with a brief remark from the

content of his lecture.

e ThQZQNC-b TTUQ'rlgrin-Q 9i: QHDJGCII Votlgnjnl

In regards to a thorough knowledge of one's subject

:nsterial, Cleveland has this to say:

1. i
j. L. Cleveland, lQQL_Qll.

r ‘ —
' I
L.

Jhen you stand u? to preach, you should know your
subject thoroughly. :Ou must ETStGP your m'teridl
3nd preach it like : master. This crlls for piin~
staking preparation, so that they can be easily re-
membered, end in harmony with the objective you are
trying to achieve.

1 ce

 

To impress upon the minds of the young ministers
the need of manifesting "a quality of certdinty" in their
delivery, he used the speaking of TrOphet Jones, a radio
speaker who emphasizes the healing aspect of th gospel, in
these words:

Prephet Jones handles his material like he knows whet
he is talking about. he Speaks as if his message

comes from God. he has a quality of certeinty in his
speaking and it is persuasive. There are three sources
from which you may obtain certainty: (1) you must be-
lieve in your movement; (2) believe the doctrines of
that movement; (3) believe that Cod hes celled you to
deliver the doctrines advocated by that movement.¢

 

Cleveland pointed out to the young theological stu-
dents of Cekwood College the need of presenting their ser-
mons in a forceful manner, in these words:

When I epesk of forcefulness, I am not thinking of
r

one who nises the roof. I am not thinking in terms
of volume. I em thinking of a men who is alive in the

13. 3. Clevelend, log. git.

273

pulpit; his messnge is alive. I am thinking of n men
who delivers the living message of 3 living Cod in 2
living way. To such a men the peOple will give e
listening ear.l

Simplisiiv

In discussing simplicity as it reldtes to delivery,
Cleveland has this to say:

In delivering your sermon select words thet are
familiar to the average man in the street. Avoid

as far as possible any terms that cannot be easily
comprehended, and explain any expression thst would
becloud the clear reception of the idea you are seek-
ing to establish in the thinking of your audience.4

Considering simplicity from the stendpoint of quota-
tions, Cleveland advises:
Do not use d dozen quotations to prove that the truth
is truth. One or two will do. Practice economy in

the use of quotations and gige more Space for the sim-
ple teachings of the gOSpel.J

 

Cleveland lays stress on the importance of gestures
by saying:
Some preachers are like the statue of liberty, they
have only one gesture, and that is up. To be effec-

tive in your delivery, you must make your gestures
meaningful. Do not point to the ceiling when you are

1mm.
2mm.
3mm.

274
describing an object on the floor. Make your gestures
apprOprinte for the occasion.

Having considered Clovelnnd's concept of delivery as
advocated in his lecture to the ministerisl students of
Ockwood College, let us turn our rttention to the ex min:tion
of his delivery in terms of tOpics suggested by Thonssen and

Biird.

 

An interview with Cleveland regarding the method he
follows in the preparation of his sermons, yielded the fol-

lowing expressions:

I make it a habit to never write out my sermons. Hy
usual method of preparation is to select a subject and
list as many questions pertaining to the tOpic as I can
think of. From these questions, which sometimes range
about twenty in number, I select four or five and ar-
range them in logical order with supporting Scriptures.
Ky next step is to secure supporting material from ver-

’3
l

ious sources to fill in the details of the outline.~
In response to the question: What are the main
sources of your sermon material? he replied:

First and foremost is the Bible. After the Bible, the
writings of Mrs. E. G. White. Practically all of my
illustrations are taken from the experiences of life
around me and my own personal experiences. Current
events and the reading of other men's sermons furnish
another source of material for my sermons. I do not
use the material of others in my sermons, but read
them for the insight and inspiration they impart.

111215..

PO

C7

U}

Books on the lives of 3reat preachers of bthe past,

for instance, the book on Zilly_;und;y, Lee Thomas;

a , , the story of Spur3eon,
and others have 3rertly influenced my thinkin3. I
have a fascination for history that amounts to en

appetite insatiable.l

 

When as}: ed if he made it a practice to re hegrse his
sermons before delivery, he replied:

I never make it a habit of rehea sin3 my sermons
before they are delivered. After outlinin3 them, I
30 over the material in my mind which I assi3n to
the three cate3ories I use in outlinin3 the body of
my sermons: (l) the condition; (2) the key thou3hts
in each section of my outline. . . . I have never
written an introduction to my sermons. I have in
mind that I am 30in3 to say, but how it comes forth
depends on the condition of the con3re3etion I am
to addres s, the conditions in the nation that cl im
the he: dlines of the daily ne span er or some event
I mi3ht observe on my way to speak.2

In seekin3 insiehts into the nature of Cleveland's
sermons and the steps he takes in preparin3 them, the writer
asked; " What factors influenced the develOp-ment of the ser-
mon 'A Question of Authority', and your method of prepara-
tion?” To this question, Cleveland answered:

I was listenin3 to a Speech on television one evenin3
in 1954, in which the 3overnor of Vir3inia was berat-
in3 the Federal Government for the passp3e of the
Civil Rights Bill. As I listened to him criticize the
3overnment, the idea of angelic and human rebellion
a3ainst the government of God came into focus, and
that was the be3innin3 of the sermon. "y method of
preparation for this sermon followed the same pattern
tha.t I use in preparin3 my other sermons. I listed
all the pertinent questions related to the issue I
could think of, selected my Scriptural references,

1:13:11.
911213.

:76

illustrations, 3nd other supportin3 m terisls. After
errun3in3 them in n 1031031 sequence, I pondered over
the ideas outlined in this sermon for four months be-
fore delivering it. I added information in some plrces
and mrde chsn3es in other parts of the outline to keep
it relevant to the times.

 

Cleveland's me hod of preps ntion eliminates both
the "memoriter" method, in which the evnn3elist writes out
his sermon and presents it verbrtim, and the manuscript
method,uhich consists of the even3elist's resdin3 liS sermon
from 3 prepared text thct hes been written in verbatim form.
Cleveland does not write out his sermons either for the pur-

pose of practice as an aid in delivery or for his radio pro-'

 

3 ems. In his
Cleveland says re3srdin3 radio preparation and delivery:

The book says, write it out. Elder Cleveland finds
it easier to fill in the time evenly by edlibbing.2

Cleveland frowns upon the resdin3 of sermons from

IIN

Is -.
ne ssvs, breaks

manuscripts. "This method of delivery,‘

the eye contact the minister should have with his audience,

—’

and is 3 sure means of killin3 an audience."3

v '

 

E. I Cleveland, Sylldbus for 3vsn3elistic

Mums. 13. 53-
7"“! ‘3
Ji. _. Cleveland, 199. git.

Cleveland's methO' of delivery is clearly extempore.

a
he always outlines his sermons, but never “rites them ver-
batim. He memorizes he key thou3hts in the main divisions
of his sermon, but the words are as fresh to him durin3 the
delivery of the sermon es they are to the rudience.1

Interviews with ministers who have worked with
Clevelsnd in many of his cempdi3ns all confirm the feet that
he does not always follow the prsctice of speekin3 without
notes. For some sermons, he uses notes to guide him in the
development of his thou3hts; for others, he enters the pul-
pit with only his Bible. Welter Darby, a minister of the
Central States Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, seid
that sltheu3h Cleveland uses notes in many of his sermons,
they do not detract from the effectiveness of his delivery.
he refers to his notes so seldom that the svers3e person

"2

in his audience would herdly detect that he was using them.‘

"‘ "h r‘ 17'?) <"‘
Heve you ever heard peeple say: "I don't like cer-

tain individuals?" When asked why, they ususlly answer:
"I don't know. Heybe it's the way they look". (Kennin3 by
”look,” of course, the physicsl attributes of the indi-

viduals). As there ere physical chnrscteristics possessed

 

.‘

1Interview with L. E. Cleveland, April 9, 1967.

r—

/ ”Interview with Welter Derby, Kansas City, Hsrch 2;,
1907.

by individuals which create fsvorsble or unfsvorsble im-
pressions of them to others, so in speech there are msny
who look upon "lsrge, imposing-looking individufils es more
likely to succeed in 3 Speech endeavor than those of less
sttrdctive physical behring.l Although the wsy one ”looks"
Cannot be accepted as 1 sure and fast rule for effectiveness
in delivery, it does have its effect upon tn audience.
A group of 95 students was asked to nsme some of
the physicsl qualities which EVsngelist Cleveland possesses
that they thought added to the effectiveness of his speaking.
Among the msny replies, the one given by Rose Taylor, R
Secretarial Science major at Oshwood College, summsrizes
the rest. She said:
I am impressed by his height, his complexion, and his
menner of Speaking. As to height, he is tall; as to
complexion he is tan [Eight brown, as to manner of
spesking, he is terrific. He is all, tan, and ter-
rific, and these qualities msk an impressive com-
binstion.4
Cleveland is 6 ft. 2 in. tall; and his veizht, which
eversges 210 pounds, is evenly distributed with the excep-
tion of a slight protrusion in the abdominsl region. His
shoulders are round, and he walks with a slight forward pitch

from his shoulders. His hair is dark brown rnd thinning in

the center with faint traces of grey on each side of his

Thonssen and Baird, Qp‘_git., p. 441.

Rose Taylor, Secretarial Science Student, Oakwood
College, Huntsville, Alabama, April 14, 1967.

ff)

heed sbove the cheek bone. His fees is full hnd well
rounded out. His smile is brosd and plessnnt, end his
countenance is radiant with confidence and en enthus istic
sincerity which sppesr to make 2 commendable impression on
his audience. His eyes ere medium in sise, end his prsctice
of eye contrct with his sudience gives the impression to
many, as voiced by Preston Calhoun of Huntsville, Alabam”,

that he ”looks right hrough you”.l

it"i" 11

‘

Clevelsnd's bodily action mmv be terselv stated es

V

5

doing wast comes naturally in s speaking situation to give
emphssis to an idea expressed in words through some visible
inesns of communication. The esrly trsining he received es

a boy preacher from his father which emphasised the usine of

res
V

ures to eXpress ideas he wished to stxnd out in his

cl‘

sermons comes as nstursl to him as drinking water from a
glass.

Although animation plays an importhnt role in
Cleveland's delivery, he does not remove himself too for
from the pulpit while delivering s sermon. He moves sround

occasionally to give variety to motion; but for the most

part, he leaves the pulpit only when he wishes to illustrate

 

1Interview with Preston Calhoun, Huntsville,
13.1 glb Gil" , i\.:‘r. il l? , 19 67 o

l J
C“
C)

3 point on the blackboard, with black light, or to use
some of his action illustrations which involve audience
participation.

According to Charles Brooks, Cleveland uses gestures
very freely. His gestures, Brooks says:

. . . are not just indiscriminate waving of the hands,
they are dramatic and give power and meaning to his
expressions.

In a questionnaire prepared for the student body at
Oakwood College, during one of Cleveland's short evange-
listic campaigns conducted in the college gymnasium, 159
students out of 171 reporting said that Evangelist Cleveland
uses gestures very effectively. Of the remaining twelve
who returned their questionnaires, five registered "no" to
the question of effective use of cestures, and seven left
it unmarked.

Cleveland makes use of both of his hands in execut-
ing gestures, but his right hand receives more action than
his left. His gestures are usually made with up and out
movements, and are performed with a Spontaneity that punc-
tuates his thoughts and amplifies his ideas.

To illustrate the types of gestures Cleveland makes
during his sermons, several pictures of him in action

have been collected from various sources. The newspaper

1Interview with Charles Brooks, February 24, 1967.

'V

clipping illustrstes his use of left hind gestures.l his
left hind is extended forward and upward in a graceful Open

07:1

}._.0

hand manner. It is in line with his face, cclling fittent
to his facial exn ession, which manifests confidence and
sincerity.

Cleveland's use of his index fing;er;‘r3 to express tn
idea or emotion is illustrated by the photograph of him on
the frame-work that serves both as the entrance to his tent
as well as to advertise his meetings to the public.2 This
picture shows how the coordination of his face end fingers
:is u;,;. to emphasise the Open Rible he holds in his hand
and draw attention to it, which in this instance is what he

seeks to accomplish.

The action shot of Cleveland before the micrOphone
illustrates his use of gestures with his right hend.3 His
beaming countenance is highly accented by his animsted and
forceful gesture. His hand is Open and raised to a heigh
just below his chin. His arm is arched in a manner that
gives the appearance that his downvsrd stroke will be grace-

ful and expressive.

 

1W. p- 321.

«PW

._ v .n.

'T’ A.

S

Voice quality he never been one of Clevelq

praiseworthy points. The rich, melodious, end plea

that characterize most public Speakers ere missing

delivery. Herbert Henley, who visited Clevelsnd's New Iork
campaign nightly, describes his voice as "high and Snue“kj”.l
horris Scott of Detroit, Kichigin, specks of it es "PaSpy"L,
and Emerson Miller of Huntsville, Alobsmc, ssys:

His voice is not pleasing to listen to at times,

especiilly, when he speaks in a high, shrill pitch;

but it possesses an emotional quelity7that draws and

holds the attention of his listeners.2

Fred Koreles, s minister from Sen Fernsndo, Trinidad,

who has heard Cleveland speak on several occssions, says:

Cleveland sincerely feels what he presches, and

nd's

sing tones

1

I“: "1
A &

C)

in i

though his tonal qualities reveal no spectacular

n,

elements there is
factors that produce 1 cable of strong flppefil

resulting persuasion.

.r -

gathering together of other

end

Cleveland's voice is strong and vibrant, and his

honesty of purpose and sincere desire to communicate his

feelings to his listeners are reflected in his voice.

Speaks with confidence end sssurence, end his

lInterview with

O . . .
“Interview with Lorrie Scott, hp

voice

.‘1 62

7.13179 ’71" 3

Herbert Henley, Arril 18, 1967.

ril 19, 1967.

3Interview with Emerson Killer, April 18, 1967.
4Interview with Fred horn es, April 18, 1967.

l‘ A"

to convey these continents to the minds of his listeners in
en impressive m iner.
Cleveland hes a medium baritone voice; and during
his colle;e days, he sax; baritone in one of the campus
quartets. His maximum range extends from the second F below
middle C to the first F above middle 3, a span of two octcves.
Cleveland's ability to project his voice so rs to be
heard by everyone in his cudience is reflected in the answers
by students of Cakwood College to the question: Do you con-
sider Cleveland's voice strong, week, pleasant? To this

q estion 117 out of 171 answered "strong,” 52 "ble?8¢nt,"

and two answered weak One student wrote on his cuestion-
nsire that Cleveland is too forceful.

To the question: Did he speak in cle;r,forceful
tones? 158 cnswered "yes", four answered "no", three
answered "not always", and six did not respond to this
question. I

C. E. Moseley, Clevelcnd's Bible teecher in college,
hes this to say regarding Cleveland's articulction:

He neither Chen-Is his words nor sn-mllozrs the... He
enunciates clearly. you can hear the beginning end

end of his words even st a great distance. H artic-
ulates well.1

from tape recordings of Cleveland's sermons it *VV3
found that his rnte of sneaking is increased or decr‘e"Sea

_.._.————-'-'—"""—

 

.ives to certain points he

Lu

according to the importance he
desires to stress. Ideas that he wishes to make prominent
in the minds of his listeners are expressed slowly and de-
liberately with considerable pcuse. Ideas relating to the
general unfolding of the tonic ere exbressed with an in-
creased tempo. When explaining some difficult Scripture or
clarifying unfamiliar terms or concepts, his rnte of sneak-
ing ranges between 87-100 words per minute. 'Jhen developing

the general theme of his topic, his Spenkin; ranges between

115-135 words per minute.

 

Cleveland's philOSOphy of delivery suggests s
thoroughness of preparation in order that the peeple ad-
dressed will be impressed with the saeeker's competency and
become more inclined to listen to what the speaker has to
say.

Thorough preparation enables one to concentrdte on
the subject being presented rather than on how it is being
presented. It minimises stage fright by taking one's mind
off of one's self and focusing it on the point he is seeking
to get across to his cudience.

Cleveland stresses the quality of certainty in de-
livery. Belief in whet one is doing creates 1 similar re-

sponse in the audience. Peeple like to feel that a speaker

uo5

is honest, dependable, considerate, rnd.sincere.

Cleveland emphasises simplicity. The simple lenguege
of the men on the street in his philosOphy is the most ner-
sunsive. He favors the extensore method of delivery. his
voice is not the most pleasant to listen to rt times, but it
possesses an emotional quality that draws and holds the st-
tention of his audience. ”Ho articulates well.” ”He enunci-

ates clearly," end "his gestures give power cnd.mesning to

his eXpressions."

CHAPTER IX

RESULTS or CLEVELAND"S USE or SPECIFIC

METHODS OF EVANGELISM AND PREACHING

Having observed the variety of stimuli, end indicated
the psychological approaches employed by Evangelist Cleveland
through the use of Specific methods of evangelism and preach~
ing, we may ask: What are the results of his having used
these methods of evangelism and preaching as they relate to:
(l) the impact of his methodology upon the leaders of his
organization; (2) the enrichment of the art of public evange-
lism among Adventist ministers; (3) the number of converts
added to the church through Cleveland's ministry; and (4)

fresh approaches to evangelism?
Imnsct_Hnnn_ihs_Lssders_of_flis_stsnizstien.

The results of Cleveland's use of Specific methods
and preaching are manifold-~with many and varied forms of
influence. Perhaps the earliest manifestation of the effect
of his methodology can be seen in the impact which his evange-
listic campaigns has made upon the leaders of his organization.

Three years after his first official campaign, he was
elected to the post of Local Conference Evangelist. The Local

Conference leaders recognized in him an unusual ability in

286

287

drawing crowds and securing decisions; therefore, they re-
lieved him from pastoral duties in order that he might devote
all his energies to evangelism throughout the year. This
responsibility included not only the conducting of evange-
listic campaigns but also the training of younger ministers
in the art of public evangelism.

Four years later, the president of the Southern
Union Conference, V. G. Anderson, appointed him to the posi-
tion of Union Conference Evangelist, which involved the con-
ducting of evangelistic campaigns on a much wider scale as
well as the conducting of evangelistic workshOps for all the
ministers of the Southern Union in the art of public evange-
lism.

The rapidity of his ascent to recognition in evange-
lism by the leaders of his organization may be further in-
dicated by his elevation to the General Conference, the
governing body of the church, within the Space of twelve
years after his entrance into the ministry in 1942. This
a,pointment made provisions for him to conduct campaigns
and conduct evangelistic workshOps for ministers through-
out the world.

He has conducted evangelistic workshops in every
union conference in North America and in three continents
of the world: Africa, Asia, and EurOpe.

w. W. Fordham, Assistant Secretary of the Regional

jDepartment of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,

288

in a statement concerning the contributions of Evangelist
Cleveland to the field of evangelism in the church, said:

. . . E. E. Cleveland I consider the greatest Seventh-
day Adventist evangelist that the 20th Century has pro-
duced. . . . This fact is attested to by the thousands
around the globe who have accepted Christ and the
Christian faith as a result of the witness of E. E.
Cleveland for Christ. He is a persuasive, dynamic
Speaker who Speaks with a sense of urgency. He is a
builder of young seminarians, and has done more than
any other man in the past two decades to give momentum
to global evangelism than any other Seventh-day
Adventist evangel.

R. A. Anderson, Secretary of the General Conference,
speaks of his campaigns and workshOps in overseas divisions
as "outstanding", and the field schools conducted for min-
isters in America as "inepirational" and meetings that gave
"a real impetus to Evangelism."2

The president of the General Conference, R. H.

Pierson, selected Evangelist Cleveland to write the foreword

to his book. WWW pub-
lished by the Southern Publishing Association, Nashville,
3

Tennessee, 1965.
C. E. Dudley, president of the South Central
Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, who received his

evangelistic training from Evangelist Cleveland, has this

to say:

1W. W. Fordham, loc‘_nit.
2R. A. Anderson, lQQL_QLL.

3R R. R. Pierson, vent s tr t o a d
Stories_(Nashville, Tenn. :éoutfiern Pfi%i¥sfiffig Assocgation,

1965). Foreword.

289

Elder Cleveland is both interesting and unique in

his presentation of the gospel. He has done more

to inepire our young interns with the spirit of l
evangelism than any other evangelist in recent years.

W. L. Cheatham, president of the Allegheny Conference,
speaks of Cleveland in these words:
Elder Cleveland is both interesting and unique in his
presentation of the gospel. He has done more to in-

Spire our young interns with the spirit of2evangelism
than any other evangelist in recent years.

Enrichment Q: the Art 9: Eyangelism
Amans—Adventist_ministsns
H. D. Singleton, the first president of the South
Atlantic Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, commenting
on.Cleveland's enrichment program through workshOp activities
connected with his campaign, said:

I made it a point of placing be inning ministers who
enter our conference with him Clevelané] for the
evangelistic training, inspiration, and dedication to
the cause of Christ I know they would receive by con-
tact with him. As a result, outstanding soul winners
have emerged from this practice. Cleveland has become
the leader of a new evangelistic thrust in the Seventh-
day Adventist church.3

In harmony with the statement made by H. D. Singleton,
'the record shows that such men as Evangelist Eric C. Ward,

(3eorge Rainey, and Harold Cleveland, to mention a few, have

 

1Letter from C. E. Dudley, president of South Central
Chonference of Seventh-day Adventists, June 14, 1966.

2Letter from w. L. Cheatham, May 27, 1966.

3H. D. Singleton, lag‘_git.

290

left the campaigns of Evangelist Edward Cleveland to become
evangelists in their own right.

Eric Ward began.his evangelistic work with Cleveland
July 3, 1946, in the city of Greensboro, N. G. Since his
first training under Evangelist Cleveland, he has baptized
3295 souls into the Seventh-day.Adventist Chara . He served as
Southern Union Conference evangelist from 1954 to 1963, and
has recently organized a program for engaging the laymen of 6
the church in the art of personal evangelism that is adding
thousands to the church throughout the nation yearly.1

George Rainey, who is presently the Union Conference
evangelist for the Atlantic Union Conference, began his train-
ing in public evangelism under Evangelist Cleveland in Mobile,
Alabama, in 1951. After completing his on-the-Job training,
Rainey left immediately to put into practice the theory he
had been taught and the observations he had made of Evange-
list Cleveland's approach to the mind and emotions of man.
As a result, 103 individuals were added to the church in his
first public meeting, and since this early beginning in 1951,
his soul winning exploits have been phenomenal. The number
of individuals who have embraced the Adventist faith through

his preaching stand at 1800."2

 

1Letter from Eric C. Ward, April 13, 1967

’3 .1 -..
“Letter from E. E. Cleveland, may 29, 1967.

391

Evangelist Cleveland's younger brother, Harold L.
Cleveland, a recognized soul winner in the Adventist Church,
like Evangelists Ward and Rainey, received his training in
evangelism from his older brother, Edward. The following
table is a year-by-year record of his evangelistic endeavors
during the seven-year period he was pastor of the Berean

Seventh-day Adventist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.1
TABLE 2

ANNUAL TABULATION
Ob HAROLD CLE‘E WD'S EVANGELISTIC RECORD

 

 

 

 

Year Location Baptized
1960 Booker T. Washington Street 302
1961 Simpson Street Near West Lake Street 144
1962 No Campaign 26
1963 Church Campaign (New Church) 111
1964 No Campaign 36
1965 Boulevard Drive 294
1966 Church Campaign 111
Total 1,024

 

The year 1960 was one of Harold's best years as a
pastor evangelist during his stay in Atlanta. His baptism
of 215 souls in one day was the largest single baptism ever

held in the Southern Union up to that time. The final result

 

1H. L. Cleveland,

 

:29

L...

of the campaign reached the 302 mark in subsequent baptisms
before the campaign ended.

The number of individuals added to the church through
the evangelistic efforts of Harold Cleveland since the begin-
ning of his ministry in South Atlantic Conference stands at
1,849.

These three examples of Cleveland's use of specific
evangelistic methods and preaching in the training of young
ministers are but a few of the many examples one could cite
to give evidence of the success of his enrichment program
for ministers of his organization.

One of the most successful evangelistic and enrich-
ment programs ever held by the evangelist began September 6,
1966, in the city of Port of Spain, Trinidad. In eleven
weeks of preaching, 812 individuals were baptized into the
Seventh-day Adventist church; and on the last night of the
campaign 327 additional peOple indicated their desire to be-
come members of the church.1

Associated with Evangelist Cleveland in this tri-
umphant campaign were sixty-three workers, of whom forty-six
were ministers. These workers received on-the-job training
in every facet of evangelistic procedures, which was one of

the reasons that the inter-American Division of Seventh-day

 

1E. E. Cleveland, "Trinda Triumph", ‘ V 1,
XL (February, 1967), p. 2.

:93

Adventists scheduled this large field school campaign. The
workers met daily from 9:00-11:00 A.M. Honday through Friday
for classwork for eleven weeks. Sesides the regular class-
work, Cleveland‘s campaign associates were requested to make
personal visits to the homes of the interested. They were
sent two-by-two, and each day between the hours of eleven
and twelve they reported results of their visiting program.
One of the visiting teams during the course of the meeting
was responsible for more than one hundred baptisms.1

In an interview with Fitzgerald Harris, song director
in the Trinidad Campaign, Harris speaking on the value of
the enrichment program conducted by Cleveland, said that the
theory of securing names for visitation and the implementa-
tion of that theory with practice which witnessed more than
forty ministers in the homes of individuals who had regis-
tered their interest during the first week of the campaign
was a feat never before attained in Trinidad by an evangelist
before the coming of Cleveland. The ministers received in-
struction and information with reference to evangelistic
procedures that have completely revolutionized their outlook
on evangelism. When asked if he thinks he and the ministers
.associated with the campaign will adOpt Cleveland's method

of approach, Harris said:

 

1mm.

 

 

f I‘ll} .nv

 

 

294

As for myself, I am sure I will alter my program to
include his method, and from my conversations with
the other ministers connected with the campaign they
will do likewise.1

A survey of fifty American ministers with reference
to the influence of Cleveland's techniques on their approach
to evangelism reveals that each minister has been greatly
influenced by Cleveland's methods and has adOpted his system
of evangelism as a means of persuading individuals to sur-
render to Christ.

A study of the handbills used by these ministers to
advertise their meetings shows that 75% use the subject
titles of Cleveland with little or no change, and the methods
of securing names for visitation and decisions are used by
all.2

In reply to questions received from conference pre-
sidents concerning any appreciable improvement they have ob-
served in workers sent from their conference to work with
livingelist Cleveland, the following are typical replies:
Each has shown marked improvement in soul winning work.3
We have employed workers who assisted Elder Cleveland

in an effort. He imparts an vangelistic thrust to
the men that is most unusual.

___.

lFitzgerald Harris, mu.

2Contacts made during The General Conference of
:seventh-day Adventists in Detroit, June 1966.

3c. 1: Dudley. M-

4Letter from C. E. Bradford, President Lake Region
cnxnference of Seventh-day Adventist, May 5, 1966.

[D
\O
U]

Up to this point, we have considered Cleveland's
enrichment program as it relates to on-the-job training/of
ministers and Bible instructors in connection with public
campaigns. We shall now take into account his activity in
the training of college and seminary students through work-
shOps and classroom courses.

Evangelist Cleveland has conducted evangelistic
workshOps on the campus of Oakwood College for Religion
majors for seventeen years, beginning his first workshOp in
1950. He has rendered invaluable assistance to the theOIOgy
faculty of the college in the field of practical theology.
The theology students who have attended his workshOps are
among the leading soul winners in their respective con-
ferences.l

With regard LO classroom activities, Cleveland serves
as a part-time instructor in the Applied Theology Department
at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan. He teaches
evangelism both on the campus and in the Field School of
Evangelism. Dr. Edward Banks, of the Applied Theology
Department of Andrews University, made this comment concern-
ing Cleveland as a teacher:

He r"Cleveland: is one of our most successful teach-

ers . . . When he teaches, he electrifies our whole
campus with evangelism. Students who take his classes,

 

1Interview with C. T. Richards, Chairman of the
Department of Religion and Theology, Oakwood College,
Iiuntsville, Alabama, September, 1965.

 

 

 

' ‘15 II... I‘ll.

R)
KO
0\

although there are no public meetings connected with
great inspiration and excitement
over evangelism by what he does in the classroom.
There is something about his evangelistic ethos that
gets across right in the classroom.

campus classes, get

WHEDQI Qf ggnygngg Added LO ng “hunch
~ _ 7 ,l '1 .

WW

Concerning the results of Cleveland's use of specific

methods and preachinrr as they relate to converts to his organ- L

ization, the following table will show;(1) the

of his campaigns was held;

in each city;

(2) the number of campaigns

 

(3) and the results attained from the campaigns.

TABLE 3
S’J‘IEWRY OF LON. CALZPAIGI‘TS COE‘TDUCTEI)
BY EVANCELIST EDVA? E. CLEVELAND

 

 

 

 

 

 

City Campaign Held Number of Campaigns Results
Fayetteville, N. C. l 83
Raleigh, N. C. l 84
Durham, N. C. l 13
Winston Salem, N. C. 4 417
Greensboro, N. C. 2 227
Charleston, N. C. l 84
St. Petersborg, Fla. 1 81
Orlando, Fla 1 108
Gainsville, Fla. 1 35
jMiami, Fla. 1 64

lBanlcs. 1min.

TAB T 3 -- Continued.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

City Campaign Held Number of Campaigns Results
Mobile, Ala. 3 2’3
Montgomery, A13. 1 408
Chicago, Ill. 1 23
Washington, D. C. l 227
St. Louis, Mo. 1 130
Los Angeles, Calif. l 319
New Zork, N. i. l 408
Liberia, Africa 1 84
Accra, Africa 1 '8
Dar-es-Salam, Africa 1 84
Bombay, India 1 3
Kampala, Africa 1 108
Port-of Spain, Trinidad 1 812
T0t0.1 A" 370
TABLE 4
SUMMARY OF SHORT CAHPAIGNS CONDUCTED
BY EVANCELIST EDWARD E. CLZVE 1ND

City Campaign Held Number of Campaigns Results
Warsaw, Poland 1 52
Greensboro, N. C. 1 3C
Kobile, A10. 1 95
New York, N. Y. 1 5
St. Louis, Ho. 1 18
San Diego, Calif. 1 10
Atlanta, Ga. 1 15
Cicero, Ind. 1 25
Detroit, Mich. 1 30
Camp meetings - 100
South Africa 1 25
Singapore, China 1 18
Philippines 1 35
Burma 1 10
Huntsville, Ala. 1 4O
lp Sierra. College, Calif. p; 15

 

40:3

Tota ,

 

The tabulation of converts for Cleveland‘s long and
short campaigns reveals a total of 4,868 individuals who have
accepted the Seventh-day Adventist way of life as a direct
result of his using Specific methods of eVangelism and presch-

ing.

 

Shortly after his election to the General Conference
in 1954, Cleveland inaugurated the Century Club, a promo-
tional program designed to give Special recognition to min-
isters baptizing 100 souls or more into the church within
any given year, and to inspire other ministers to lift their
vision with reference to the possibilities lying in this
form of denominational service.

Since the inauguration of this program, baptisms
have skyrochezad, eSpecially on the personal ministerial
level. Further, there are men striving in this direction
who formerly were content with a pastoral type of ministry.
This program is a major contribution to public evangelism
as indicated in the Ministry Magazine, the official organ
of the Ministerial Association of Seventh-day Adventists,

in these words:

The year 1965 will go down in Adventist evangelistic
history as our "finest hour" for centurion evangelism.
In this year 150 of our evangelists under God baptized
more than 17,000 converts into the Seventh-day Adventist

 

m
\0
\0

Church, or an average of 115 for eech team . . . as we

assembled the statistics our souls echoed he famous

words ”What hath god wrought!”l

Fresh approaches came not only in the form of pro-

motional activities but also in evangelistic techniques.
The Welfare program, the ”Bundle” program, the "bsotismal
parade", the substitution of the lively and enthusiastic
question :a: for the spiritless 3nd inanimate question box

are innOVations Cleveland introduced to evangelism that are

being practiced by many persons in evangelistic work today.

13. E. Cleveland, ”Men of the Century", r a v n «v,
"w "‘P 1' /
JUQLX (1413:}, 1906), p. 1.

CHAPIEX X

4

U1

SUI-ELARI AND ‘3 NC 7 1013.3

 

The primary objective of this investigation was to
study the evangelistic methods and preaching of Edward Earl
Cleveland, using as guidelines the findings of st~ence
deour and the Classical rhetorical tradition.

In order to determine those personal factors in

’i

Cleveland's life which account for the success he has
achieved ns 2 methodologist end evangelist, s detailed study
was made of his life from birth to his appointment to one of
the highest offices of his church, Associate Secretary of the
Ministerial Department of the General Conference of Seventh-
dny Adventists.

In Chapter Two a study was made of the evangelist
in relation to the political, social, and religious treids
which gave rise to the Opinions and interests of the peeple
at that time. It was found that Cleveland was deeply in-
volved in the prevailing conditions of his time and eddpted
1118 methods and preaching to meet the social pressures and
'vicissitudes of his social milieu.

Chapter Three reviewed the purpose which the evange-

list sought to achieve through his methods and preaching.

300

 

301

It was discovered that Cleveland had a specific goal for each
week of his twelve week campaign and every sermon was pre-
pared to aid in the develOpment of that goal. The goal of
the first three weeks was to create good will. Weeks four

to seven had indoctrination as their principal purpose.

Weeks eight and nine were dedicated to securing decisions

for church membership. Weeks ten to twelve emplasized ac-
cession to the faith through baptism.

Chapter Four traced the moral implications of his
method. From this study we find that Cleveland's methods
and preaching possess as their essential quality a high re-
Spect for the standards and values that require competency
on the part of the Speaier, the use of subject material free
from deceptive practices, and the rejection of techniques
that do not measure up to the ethical standards of fair play,
honesty, and truth.

Chapter Five revealed that the principles underlying
Cleveland's methods are both Spiritual and psychological.
'While Cleveland places more emphasis on the spiritual prin-
ciple than the psychological, he recognizes the value of
130th. They complement each other. The SplrltUFl principles
1rest upon three basic factors: (1) the centrality of Christ:
(2) the authority of the Bible as a rule of life; (3) the
cafficacy of the work.of the Holy Spirit on human hearts.

Edie psychological principles rest upon four basic factors:

302

(l) attention; (2) motivation; (3) suggestion; and (4) audi-
ence adaptation.

Chapter Six disclosed Cleveland's effective use of the
ten components comprising the Lacour model. It reveals that:
(1) his use of ngagning is Christ centered; (2) his campaigns
are pngtnagted over a period of twelve weeks; (3) his use of
evangelistic musig serves to polarize, entertain, create in-
terest, and provide an emotional atmosphere for appeals; (4)
his use of onggnizatign unites his campaign associates into
an efficient smooth-Operation team, and his program is executed
without interruptions; (5) his use of special eyents can be
seen in such activities as Special Speakers and the baptismal
parade through the city; (6) his use of the delimiting factor
can be seen in the curtailing of events in local Seventh-day
.Adventist Churches in order to focus attention on his campaign
during decision weeks; (7) his use of apnepl to the indiyidual
‘algne is amply illustrated in his method of securing decisions,
‘the variety inherent in his program, and radio broadcasting;

(8) his use of 3W is seen in

1118 sermons and in the events connected with his nightly pro-
ggram (question-and-answer period, etc.); (9) his appeal to the
jgydixidual_1n_a_gngwd is seen particularly in his use of the

Inany avenues of approach to the human mind which are available

‘to ° Speaker; (10) his use of decision furnishes the capstone

LA

cu? crowning reward of his evangelistic endeavors.
Chapter Seven considered Cleveland's Speaking in terms

(of the constituents of inventing, arrangement, and style.

303

Chspter Eight exsmined Cleveland's use of the canon
of delivery by stressing his phiIOSOphy of the canon and dis-
cussing his method of preparation, delivery, the physical
factors conductive to his effectiveness, his bodily actions,
and his voice.

Chapter Nine showed the influence of his use of
methods of preaching upon the leaders of his organization,
the effects of his enrichment program among Adventists minis—
ters, the consequences of his methodology in terms of con-
verts, and the introduction of fresh approaches to evangelism.

Cleveland's use of evangelistic methods and his zreash-

I
‘l

.- r< e~r~~ P-L L‘«.\ .9 c: ,.. .
in en res- the .~.ollcw.nQ eonc’usions:

k. v -r

W

1. In terms of purpose, Cleveland's methods provide
a well organised plan by which the evangelist might check
the develOpment of his campaign goals from week to week,
from the Opening song at the beginning of the campaign to
the closing prayer at its conclusion.

2. In terms of ethical practices, Cleveland's
methods recognize those moral values which give emphasis
to integrity of purpose, respect to the moral standards of
persuasion, and fair play based on truth void of intent to
deceive.

3. In terms of the principles underlying the spirit-

ual aspect of his methodological system, Christ is shown to

be unquestionably the center of every sermon, the theme of
every song, and the exalted yersonawe in every prayer. The
Bible is presented as God's authentic revelation to man, an
unerring guide for man to follow in metters of Christian
growth and conduct, and the primary authority for Cleveland's
sermonic material. The Holy Spirit and His influence on the
human heart is clearly revealed as the power that brings
conviction of sin, conversions to the cause of Christ, and
the reality of Cod to human experience.

4. In terms of the psychological principles under-
lying Cleveland's methods, it was found that Cleveland recog-
nises the primacy of attention. Since peeple are influenced
by the things that interest them, Cleveland identifies him-
self with his audience by associating his thoughts with those
factors hat are of interest to his audience, and the ele-
ments of interest: variety, curosity, suspense, points of
common interest, illustrations, demonstrations, explanations,
arrangement of sermon titles, and the use of visual aids.

The second principle -- fictive appeals -- is used
by the evangelist largely in appeals for decisions, but
could be found in other parts of his sermon. In his use of
motive appeals, Cleveland attaches an appeal for action to

some natural desire he believes would create a favorable

The third principle -- suggestion -- may be used for

either a good or bed purpose. Raving examined Cleveland's

\ ,\

ethic 1 standards, it was found that he applies this prin-

3
’ I
‘

ciple only after he has discussed the prOpositicn with those
whom he sought to persuade.

The fourth principle -- audience adaptation -- the
adapting of evangelistic techniques and sermonic material on
the part of Cleveland to meet the changing circumstances of
his audience, and the personal involvement of his audience
and church members in the activities of his program - was
found to be one of.the most important elements in his method-
olgical system.

5. In terms of the Lacour model, this study reveals
that it forms the core of his practice and teaching.

6. In terms of invention, Cleveland's non-artistic
proofs consist largely of scriptural authority to give sup-
port to his prOpositions. In terms of artistic proofs,
Cleveland's use of ethical proof is greatly enhanced through
"identification" which he builds into every aSpect of his
methodological system and sermons. The inductive method of
reasoning is predominant in his logical proof. To give valid-
ity to his ideas, Cleveland‘s forms of support include reason-
ing by examples, sign, causal reasoning, explanation, and.
comparison and contrast. In his use of pathetic proofs,
Cleveland considers the emotional state of his audience to
be a potent factor in persuasion, and he appeals to the basic

needs and desires that move them to action.

b4
O
C\

7. In terms of arrangement, there is a distinc
division of his sermon into introduction, body, and conclu-
sion. Each segment reveals a logical connection between
each division of the sermon, showing the relationship of
each section to the general theme. There is a transitional
statement between the introduction and body. The body of
the sermon is arranged in a logical order, with supporting
texts and suthpics. The conclusion is in the form of sum~
mary statements, an illustration, and recapitutation.

8. In terms of style, Cleveland seeks to keep his
ideas clear through the use of definition, examples, and
simplicity of sentence structure. Force is maintained
through repetition, directness through the use of the first

q

person pronoun, concreteness through Specific on

+ "‘ I 'y.‘ :
U

33:; s , .wl
beauty through the emgloyment of figures of Speech.

9. In terms of delivery, Cleveland's manner of ser-
mon preps ation is thorough. His extemporaneous method of
preaching enables him to maintain eye contact with his audi-
ence. His gestures are spontaneous and graceful, and out-

1 - . 0 fl“ ,. A'- -' - I .1 ‘ + 1- ~ A‘ .-._ .'. 4. ‘- 1" I O ,3 r" If... , .-
dardly maniiest his emotional ascacnmens to sue ideas on

- , . C ' ‘4‘,
0;! (.u one

Ll.

preizsj. His strong vibrant voice fills every sect
auditorium; and his rate of speaking, and manner of clearly
enunciating his words enables those seated on tne back rows
to hear him clearly.

10. In terms of results, Cleveland's methodological

system has attracted the attention of the leaders of his

organisation and has advanced him to the post of Associate
Secretary of the Gene al Conference. His enrichment program
has carried him into three continents and 42 countries around

—\

the world. Before the passage 0; the Civil high

ts law, he

conducted workshOps for many white ministers i the deep
south. Testimonies from ministers in America and abroad
reveal that many have received insights into evangelism

that have revolutionized their approach to this art. Three
of his workshOp trainees have baptized 6,949 members into
the church; and the Century Club, a promotional program
organized by Cleveland in 1954, to honor ministers baptizing
one hundred peOple or more has reported 17,000 members added
to the church in one year. His influence is felt also in
the classrooms at Andrews University and Oakvood College.

ll

His ”welfare program," "bundle program, ”baptismal parade,”

and system of securing decisions and predicting the outcome

I H

of his campaigns,‘ and the substitution of the ”question ms:
for the question box are techniques that Cleveland has in-
troduced to the art. In terms of members added to the
church through his campaign, the record stands at 4,868.

In terms of contribution:

1. Cleveland has given impetus to global evangelism
in.the ranks of Seventh-day Adventists.

2. From.his evangelistic workshOps many outstanding

eevsngelists have emerged.

3. his promotional program, the Century Club, has

308

inSpired Adventist evangelists around the world to strive for

larger baptisms.

4. H s innovations have provided a fresh approach
to the art designed to appeal to men of the twentieth century.
.4; .nvmsofthe future, the words of Elder Fitzgerald

harris, Cleveland's song leader in his Trinidad campaign,

are apprOpriate:

Cleveland is without question one of the most influen-
tial evangelists anon31r end his methods will continue
to influence the

practice of evangelism among us in all
probability until someone

presents something better to
replace it."1

 

1Fitzgerald Harris, lgg‘_g1t.

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"TOp Authority Looks at Vietnam WI r and Its Future$n H a

W, LJI (February, 1954

"Violence or Nonviolence in the Deep South, “ a.e as Si C.
flflninny, LXXKII (September, 1965), p, 1136,

"Whither Ineology, "h‘ s a ' .mv, IX (December 7, 1965),
T? _‘b‘ 3
_Anderson, 2. A. A Report to the General Conference, SUKEOP:
1962.

Cleveland, H. L. A Report to the Berean Seventh-day Adventist
Church. Atlanta: The Atlanta Voice, 193

k3]
H
K ‘J

Jenkins, Phili; I. ”A Ccse Study of an Yvengelistic Crus de.”
A Paper Presented to the Tepdrtment of Applied
Theology, Andrews University on jvvngelist Clevelfind's
Hen Iork Crus de and field School, Derrien Springs,
Kichigdn, August 7 1965.

Esnfield, H. 3., President South Atlantic Conference of
Seventh-day Adventists, anch, 1966.

Bradford, Charles, President Lake Region Conference of
Seventh-day Adventists, Kay 25, 1966.

Chenthnm, W. L., President Allegheny Conference of Seventh-
dey A'ventists, Kay 27, 1966.

Cleveland, denrd 3., Associrte Secretary of the Cenerdl
Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, April 2 , 1955;
‘Gn‘

,
DJ :9, 1907.

, Harold L., Younger Brother of Evangelist Cleveldnd,
April 1?, 1967.

 

W‘

Fordhsm, w. L., Associate Secretary of the General Conference
of Seventh-day Adventists, July 8, 1966.

Ward, E. C., Pastor 313 Street Seventh-day Adventist Church,
April 13, 1967.

Wilson, I. C., President of Michigan Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists, June 14, 1966.

Disleri“ “- ntinn

Lecour, Laurence Leland. ”A Study of the Revivel
Method in Americs: 1920-1955, with Special refer-
ence to Billy Sunda‘, Aimee Semple McPherson and
Billy Graham.” Unp blished doctoral dissertetion,
School of Speech, northwestern University, 1956.

 

 

Certifiehte of College Pecord. kawood Junior College,

Certific

to of Seconddry Credits.

or rd fiig'in School,
fillttflnOQ Tenn., ficy 96, 193 9

Tleveland, ldwqrd E. ”4:;W'J Yother's Birthday.” flyonngigtjg

Q ,3 w C‘
0

H

"A Uuestion of Authority. Sermon in

 

eign, 1954.

b(’\' 0

Summer, we.

iort and the Cover too

 

Harrow.” '7

 

 

Question.“

 

. "Court Week--flho is Your Lawyer?”

 

. "The Devil‘s Best Friend.” Evangelistic

 

Sermons.

. Evangelistic Log on Durham, Campaign,

 

Summer, 1945.

 

 

 

. ”Four Biggest Sheets in Torn."

 

Film r‘ ‘ ('3 C V V“\ f“ .

 

. "Herdl Iuts Cracked With the Soapel
. - -o~- .

 

. "Hold The Wind--Don't Let It Blow.”

 

Cir:

 

" m5

. lne Holy Spirit.”

 

 

. "The Lost Words of Devid.” A Devotion"l
Talk Tiven at Idll Council, lQoQ.

. ”Xoney Into Streets.” Yvengelistic

 

Clovel nd, Eduhrd I. » ,._, .
of the Eible Instructor.

 

 

Hermie: 2,3] ,

. ”The Sesrch for Security." A Sermon
prexched, Karch 18, 1963.

 

 

 

 

 

 

. "Sex end the Single Girl." V s “e s

. ”‘e V s o o r o .

. "Honker and Hiser--Knrvels of a Doomed
Age." “ .

 

 

. "Hill Hitler Conquer The World?”

 

. "Hill Humanity Be Destroyed 3 The

n

 

 

    
 

. "Hill Ken Conquer Outer Space?”

 

 

Conference Record File. South Atlantic Conference of
Seventh-day Adventists, Atlanta, Georgia, July, 19o6.

. South Central Conference of
Seventh-day Adventists, Noshville, Tenn., July, 1966

 

. Southern Union Conference of
Seventh-day Adventists, Decatur, Georgia, Key, 190C.

 

 

Moore, Davyre L. (ed.) "Senior Offer,” -
Huntsville, Alabama: Celnrood Junior Colle :e,
Publisher, 1941.

9-1:;
Other Sources

T‘ e eva

Adams, H. 2., A Retired seventh-dsy idventist Einister.
September :0, 1906.

Avery, Samuel. A Theological Student-~Cshwood College.
September 12, 1966.

Banks, Edward C. Professor of Practical Theology. Andrews
University, June 9, 1966.

Barron, Richard. Associate Evangelist in Cleveland's St.
Louis, Yissouri, Campaign, July 25, 1966.

Britten, Laurence. A Boyhood Playmate of Evangelist
Cleveland. June 25, 1966.

Brooks, Charles. Soloist for Cleveland's Evangelistic
Cnmozigns. February 24, 196 .

Brown, Julian. Cleveland's Speech Teacher. April 16, 1966.
Calhoun, Preston, Staff member--Oskwood College.

Cleveland, Celis. Hife of Evangelist Clevelsnd. July 18,

, desrd E. Associste Secretsry of the General
Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, larch 15, 22,

1966; April 20, 1966; July 26, 1966; April 9, 1967.

 

 

, Harold L. Younger Brother of Evangelist Cleveland.
June 25, 1966; July 20, 1966.

, William. Older Brother of Evangelist Cleveland.
June 25, 1966; July 20, 1966.

 

Daniels, Lucius E. President of Liberian Iission of Se
day Adventists, Liberia Hest Africa, at the General
Conference session, Detroit, Michigan. June 2

Derby, Halter. Pastor, Seventh-dsy Adventist Church, Tenses
City, Iissouri. March 25, 1967.

Fordhsm, H. H. Associate Secretary of Regional Department
of General Conference, June 20, 1966.

 

 

if!!! Illllll I!

317

Herris, Fitzgerald. Song Lender luring Cleveland's Trinidad
Campsi3n. Februsry 10, 1967.

Harvey, K. J. Professor of History, Cekwood Colle3e.
Februdry 16, 1966. '

nenley, herbert. Kember of Seventh-dsy Adventist Church who
Attended Cleveland's New York Crmvoi“n ni3htly
April 18, 1967.

Bill, Franklin. Playmste of Clevelfind. ~rril 16, 1966;
June 16, 1966.

Flora. Aember of Chattanooga Church During Elder H. C.
Cleveland's Administration. June 16, 1966.

gum93TGY: ieymond. B as Sinrer of Clevelhnd's Campaign
Quartet. Edy 1? 1966.

hudson, R. T. President of the Northeastern Conference of
Seventh-day Adventists. October 28, 1966.

Johnston, Bernsrd. Tenor Singer of Cleveland's Cemn"ign
Quartet. September 28, 1966.

Kibble, Thelma. Clevelsnd's First Perochisl School Teacher.
June 20, 1966.

themb, Silos.C1evelsnd's Ass oci te Even; elist in
Eeyetteville, N. C., C.mpni3n. November 20,1965;

hey 28, 1966.

Killer, Emerson. Student, Cskwood College, huntsville,
310.1011”. 0 April 18, 1967 o

Horeles, Fred. Seventh-day Adventist hinister from Trinidad.
April 18, 1907.

Koseley, Cslvin E. Field Secretsry of General Conference of
Seventh-day Adventists. July 27, 1906.

Richards, C. T. Chairman, Depsrtment of Feligion and
Theology, Cekuood College, Huntsville, Alabama.
Sentember, 1965.

Richardson, J. U. [~ssoei? te WV ngelis t in Clevelsnd's
Kontgomery, :1 b ms Campaign durin3 the summer of

1951.

fobinson, W. 3. Minister from whom Edwsrd received his first
-\ V“ r-, _ /’
lesson in Puolic evangelism. June ;4, 1960.

313

Scott, horris. Kember of the Detroit, hichigsn Seventh-day
Church. April 18, 1967.

Singleton, i- D Field Seeretsry of Cenercl Conference of
Seventh-day Adventists. July 27, 1955.

Starks, W. M. Classmste of Edwcrd. June 20, 190‘.
Story, 3. D. Wife of the fiinister who baptized Edwsrd.
July 10, 1906.

Trylor, Rose. Secretarial Science student, Cskwood College.
April 14, 1967.

Williams, Annie. Kember of the Chcttsnoogv, Tennessee, Church
and a friend of the Cleveland family. June 18, 1960.

firi3ht, Henry. Pastor of the Greenville, Kississipni,
Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Young, Xilton. Psstor of the Chsttnnoogs, Tennessee,
Seventh-dcy Adventist Church. Ksrch 10, 1966.

Lecture

Hamilton, John. Lecture delivered on Rental Illness durin
Cleveland's Tsshington, D. C. Campsign. Winter,
1937-

'r‘
F
0

Cleveland, Edward E. WorkshOps. Ksrch 21, April 18, April
20, 1966; February 8, 1967.

 

APPENDIC"?

m

 

 

Cleveland's Baptism

at the
Age of Eleven

glib GET DIPLOMAS %_
AT HOWARD SCHOOL?

Commissioner McMillan Calls
Attention to Advance Made 2
in Education for Negroes ;

An eudlence or approximately 3.500:
“tended the fifty-third commence-i
ment exercises of Howard High school}
when 116 girls and boys received cer-l

lette- of graduation at Memoriel}

udltorlum last night.

The clus marched to the stage to-
hhe stains of ‘The War March or the
Priests." by Mendelssohn and took
their pieces in front of the school?
chorus of 220 voices, under direction.
of ldmo nis Johnson Simmons flown"
on! High instructor in music.‘

Aft: the invocation by the Ram
J. C. "Brown, pastor of Thompkins'

l A M E. Zion church, end A:
splrltusl by the chorus. Ivan Thomu
soluuwrinn representatne or thel
second honor students. spoke from:
the SUDJG‘CL ‘The F‘undamentais of?
Education."

made it plea for his hearers to;
realm thst “belore anything can bc --Times 5‘." now
:5::“:;t:t£g:$ec:?sfagyasigglggugs' AIM-i his nfllt‘lll anal-(ling 0t column-ates to 115 graduate. of "lu-
operation among Negroes and stated-rd High school It Memorial auditor-lam last I“
thet all of the apathy and opposl- T H. Ml Mill-n (right) looks on Is Earl F‘
tion of our present day cannot bloclutorimI m' He: “3 ('°"|“Cl" "'0'" """ i
the progres-i of our 12 000, 000 people
in this country it we are formed ‘

im intelligen, courageous
cistern group.’ 11.1—-
Feculty lV'r v 7 7 #1.”! I

 

 

l

\N
)
l""

L

 

:E. E. Cleveland standing below 21:.
gmassive live-portrait of our Lord;
$.1qu Christ, delivers his E\ anger:
glistic lecture to the 1.500 tenure-$7
.qgafion in the llaIleII Powe" ;
Memorial Hall. 1

T\

g 0%

3

Newspaper Clipping Illustrating Cleveland's

Use of Left-Hand Gesture

 

322

     
   
     
     
   

 

T0 :15.» BIBLE it AunITomuM
’rononrs mama-o amass-s.

HEWORLD EVANGELIST
cl E. E. CLEVELAND
OPEN NIN 0 NIGHT Sunlll‘Sepl “SM
Evanselisl ammo Ins Mum I-4
, (canines Including Mllipiues hon-bu

Cleveland's Use of

Index Finger

KN
[D
W

 

Cleveland's Use

of

Right-Hand Gesture

324
CLEVELAND HAS PREACHED THE GOSPEL IN Liz COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD

 

[I4 ..Iilll. III I
g. i in

APPELTD IX. II
A i‘LUEESTION OF AUTHORITX

The subject this morning is "A Question of Authority.”
Ky duel texts are Daniel 4:17 and Psalm 22:28. Daniel 4:17
reads: "This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and
the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that
the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom
of men." And in Psalm 22:2 "For the kingdom is the Lord's:
and he is the governor among the nations."

This matter is by the decree of the watchers, Daniel
said. Now who are the watchers. We sing in an old Spiritual,
"All night, all day, The angels are watching over me, my
Lord." The angels are the watchers. They not only watch
over us, they watch us. They are, according to Hebrews 1:14,
ministering soirits, sent to minister unto those that shall
be heirs of salvation.

This matter of authority then, is being discussed by

the decree of the angels, and Daniel adds, 3 the demand of
the Holy ones.” We know this has reference to the triune
Cod-~the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost-~for in them alone
is holiness ”underived and unborrowed." Holiness in men and

angels, if borrowed holiness, it is holiness dispensed. It

is holiness derived from another source. Original holiness

325

 

 

—I||‘I||lllll‘|~‘ltll.l' Illillllll'lllll!“ II

 

 

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0\

lies alone with the triune God. This subject, a question of
authority, is being discussed, according to Daniel, by the
demand of the Holy Ones, to the intent, adds Daniel, that
the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom
of men. God is the governor of the nations, according to
David, but God does not rule this world unchallenged.

To be sure, the challenge to His authority springs
from two sources. 1. Human authority and number 2, angelic
authority. We will discuss these two competing forms of
authority in some details individually.

Let us consider human authority. History by and large
is a record of man's inability to rule his fellowman. The
rise and fall of nations tell us that man has been unsuccess-
ful in attempt to govern his fellowman. Now there is a basic
reason for this. We find this in Genesis chapter 1 and verse
26, and I quote: "And God said, Let us make man in our image,
after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish
of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle,
and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God created he him; male and female created
he them." But noWhere in the verse is there reference to
man having dominion over his fellowman. The reason is that
God created all men in His own image, which means they are
equally human. Now equals cannot govern each other. There

must be someone above another for there to be a governor and

o:
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the governed. It was God's original intent that the earth
be a grand theocrac*. Man was to have dominion over the earth,
over the cattle, over the fowl, the fish, and God was to have
dominion over man. He was to rule man directly. And this
is prOper, for only God could really handle man as man in his
equality could not possibly handle himself. This then ac-
counts for all the trouble that has taken place between hu-
man beings. All of the wars that have been fought were
efforts of man to subdue and keep under subjection his fellow-
man. Each attempt, of course, has sooner or later met with
abject failure. The slave has always risen to throw off the
yoke of his master and the conquered has sooner or later
risen to smite his conqueror. This is the sad tale of man's
attempt to control his fellowman.

God is the true governor of the nations. "The Most
High ruleth in the kingdom of men" but he does not rule un-
challenged, and the first and primary challenge to his
authority comes from the human being himself. There is a
tendency in man to assert himself as an individual, to as-
sume control of his own destiny, and to try to work out his
own salvation. A poet wrote, "I am master of my fate. I
am the captain of my soul." But is man the captain of his
own soul? Is he, and can he ever be the master of his own
fate? In lst Corinthians the sixth chapter and verses 19
and 20--"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of

the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and

K)!
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0?)

ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: there-
fore glorify God in your body, and in your Spirit, which are
God's.” The individual is not able to govern his own destiny.
This, God alone, because of his infinite wisdom, infinite
power, and infinite presence can do.

bkul by nature is a dependent. A dependent cannot
govern. Fe is a dependent physically, mentally, and Spirit-
ually. In Psalm 27:13 David said "I had fainted, unless I
had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of
the living.” Yes, by nature man is a dependent. We are
breathing God's air, eating God's food, wearing His clothing,
drinking His water, and living on God's earth. All of these
things we found when we were born. We are reaponsible for
none of this. We are therefore by nature dependent, and
therefore cannot be true governors. God indeed is sufficient
to direct the destiny of the human soul. We might do well
then to trust our lives with Him Who knows no defeat. Not
only are there individual pressures springing from within,
but human authority also covers social pressures. There are
those with whom we associate who would have us compromise our
principles, to whom virtue is a foreign word; and there are
those social pressures that would break down those Spiritual
values that are within us. God does not rule without competi-
tion from society. But there is in the Book of Luke the 6th
chapter, verses 22 and 23 sufficient counsel to guide the

Christian under these circumstances. And I quote: "Blessed

— ‘lll.ll.ll.~' lllll‘l'

 

I'll‘llil' Isiilt. I I

are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate
you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out
your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in
that day, and leap for Joy: for, behold, your reward is great
in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the
prOphets."

According to the Scriptures social pressures, when
they are contradictory to the will of God must be resisted
and men will in consequence hate you and separate you from
their company. The Bible says that there should be rejoicing
when this happens because in heaven "great is your reward."

Human authority also contradicts divine authority
often in the realm of the judicial. We have such a record
in the 3rd chapter of the Book of Daniel where Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego were placed in the unenviable position
of choosing to obey divine authority as against human author-
ity with relationship to governmental pressures. The newly
constituted government of that time passed a law that all men
were to bow down to an idol god. This was, to be sure, an
invasion of religious freedom. It was nevertheless very real
and there were penalties attached to transgression. These
three young men made a direct decision. Their words lived to
inspire us even in this our own day. And I quote: Daniel
3:16, "0 Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee
in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able

to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will

C‘s—ous.
."-

.2 2k"

deliver us out of thine hand, 0 king. But if not, be it
known unto thee, 0 king, that we will serve thy gods, nor
worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

These men obeyed the injunction of Act 5:29: ”He

(D

ought to obey God rather than men. There may come a time
when judicial, governmental authority will intravene the
plainly stated will of God. In all such instances, the in-
dividual must recognize the true nature of this conflict be—
tween human and divine authority and remember that his allegi-
ance is first to the host H gh, for He is the governor of all
the nations.

There is a second area of challenge to the authority
of God both in heaven and in the earth, and that is angelic
authority. In the Book of Isaiah chapter 14, verses 13 and
14 we read of the root of this interesting conflict: "For
thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I
will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also
upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I mill be like
the most High."

These words were Spoken by Lucifer, the chief angel.

U
AL

(D

was then in rebellion against divine authority. According
to Ezekiel 28:2 his plain eXpression was, "I am a god. Here
he is spoken of under one of his forty biblical titles as the
king of Tyre, but whether you call him Lucifer, king of Tyre,

or the dragon, the serpent, the devil, you are Speaking of

KAI
KN
H

one and the same being. Indeed the original challenge to the
authority of God was by this angel. In consequence of this
challenge to divine authority, we read in Revelation the 12th
chapter, verses 7 to 9 that there was war in heaven and that
the devil and his angels were cast out into the earth. The
battleground shifted then from the heavens to the earth.
Having diSputed God's authority in heaven he was now prepared
to diSpute His authority on the earth. And in Genesis the
3rd chapter verses l and 4, we read of the nature of that
challenge. He appears to the woman, Speaking through the
serpent, challenging God's authority, and I read: "Yea,
hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit
of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree
which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall
not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And
the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die."
You will notice this bold attempt to subvert the
authority of God, to interpose his will between man and God,
an attempt which succeeded all too well. He first of all
challenged the woman's faith in God's plainly stated word.
By doing this, he knew he could unseat both her behavior,
which was rooted in faith, and created instability, as far
as her emotions were concerned, for as long as faith rules,
one is emotionally stable. It is when faith is unseated that

emotions run wild and behavior becomes erratic and delinquent.

Ies, the battle in Genesis the 3rd chapter was a battle of
authority. It was a struggle between God and Lucifer for the
control of man and for the world.

A few thousand years later, when Christ had appeared
on earth in human flesh, the struggle was renewed in intensity
in the wilderness. There was the face-to-face confrontation.
It appeared that both participants realized that there could
be no peaceful coexistence as long as God was God and Lucifer
was Lucifer. These two great powers were on collision course
agaLn--a course that would end in the ultimate extinction of
one or the other. How would the issue be determined?

In the wilderness we got some foretaste of just how
things would work out. On three occasions Christ resisted
the attempts of the devil to assume authority over him or
over the world, and I quote Him--"det thee behind me, ‘atan:
for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and
him only shalt thou serve." Jesus asserted Himself to be the
God of all and simply referred Lucifer to that fact, in at-
tempting to subvert His authority.

Yes, God is the governor of the nations. He is the
true leader in the universe, the Host High indeed doth rule
in the kingdoms of men, and he rules by rightful authority.
His authority in the universe is based on (1) Isaiah 45:12
and 18. I quote: "I, even my hands, have stretched out the
heavens, and all their host have I commanded . . . For thus

saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that

K»)
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formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he
created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: ”I am
the Lord; and there is none else." God Himself had formed
the earth and made it. He established it and created it not
in vain. He formed it to be inhabited. ”I am the Lord and
there is none else.” God is the rightful ruler of the world
because it is He that hath made us and not we ourselves. He
epake and it was done. He commanded and it stood fast. The
Creator has a right inherent in creation to rule the creature.
He has the right to decide what is best and what is not best
for those whom he has created.

When the makers of an automobile send it out, I don't
care who buys it, a little book comes along with it telling
you how to treat it. The maker knows what is best for the
product and he sends instructions accordingly. Now to be
sure there are some foolish young peOple who reading the in-
structions refuse to go by them on the assumption that be~
cause this is my automobile I can do with it as I please.
But ladies and gentlemen, he wise man heeds the book of in-
struction and treats the automobile as the Specifications
require and thusggms longer service and better service out
of the automobile.

And so it is with man, Ged has sent a book, a book
of Specifications called the Bible. And those who live by
them enjoy richer, fuller and more abundant living. This is

the authority from which God rules. He rules man and has the

 

 

 

II II '. II IIIIIIP
l ' ‘.II .I III}! III -.

right to beemuse he made man and knows man better than any
other power in the universe, including man himself. Hot only
is God rightful ruler of the earth because of creation, but
also because of redemption. When on the cross at Calvary he
suffered, bled and died, He was in effect buying man back by
assuming ran's guilt and paying man's debt. And having done
this, man is indebted to him, obligated to Him. To be sure
it is an obligation of love, nevertheless it is a very real
obligation, and man is required by God to pay his debt. In
Colossians 1:14 and on, ”In whom we have redemption through
his blood, even the forgiveness of our sins." Hes, Christ

has redeemed us through His blood, 'surely he hath borne our
griefs and carried our sorrows." He was wounded for our
transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities; the chastise-
ment of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are
healed." The very healing of our souls is based upon the
redemptive act at Calvary for our sins.

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

.as emblem of suff'ring and shame,

And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best

For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Zes, Christ died not for his own sins, for He had
none. he was the Lamb without Spot. He was the one being
who had lived on this earth whose life was a flawless, abso-
lutely perfect existence. He bore our sorrow that we might

in turn, by faith, accept Him as Christ and Saviour and be

saved with Him at last in a kingdom not made with human hands.

V

fie hes a right to rule because He ids redeemed us by His
blood.

Yes, man is incepsble of ruling himself, either in-
dividually or collectively. Individual man.hss proven him-
self : dependent. Collective man has proven himself incap-
able of solving the world's minutest problems. We still hsve
the problem with us of international peace. The problem of
hunger; the problem of crime and innunereble problems that
men both individually end collectively has proven himself
insufficient to solve. Angelic authority has proven itself
bankrupt. The devil has little to offer except temgorsry
pleasure thet has to be continually stimulsted from the out-
side until the victim is exhausted and dies of the weight of
his own sins and guilt or of disease.

Divine authority has proven itself. It has provided
for its faithful adherents the truly more rbundsnt life. The
man who has been touched with the crestor, whose life is in
harmony with His will is the only hsppy men thet walks the
errth. He can say in his heart:

When peace like s river sttendeth my way
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast tnurit me to sey,
'It is well, it is well with my soul'.

When life gets too big for us, and there are times
when it does, the man whose life is hid with Christ in Tod
can say like Job, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.

Such 9 men has an allegiance based on love, that power cannot

corrupt, weelth CfflflOt purehise, nor flittery destroy.

V“)
I4)

err "e r"

ye. s nae I was in e fOTOljl country on 5 sun-
b hed field working h;rd to pitch a tent in which I yrs goin;
to hold 6 class for twenty ministers. Lunch time came find 7
little old l"dy came out on the field rith 7 sin” in her
She took out th ee bricks ind pleced then. She took out s '*
stick: end lit f fire, gut e pot on the bricks and put water
in the pot Lnd mashed plsnteins with her own h nds and put
that in the pet and let it cook awhile, and then in her own
good time shouted in our language that food wrs ready. She
h~d brnsnr lesves for plates. This was not ex ctly "coordisv

t. it i
to my training, but it occurred to me that unless I could line
up and ert with these men and identify myself with them, I
might as well go home, for my influence on them would be nil.
And so when the time came, I ate. As I stood eating with

my fingers from 3 banana leaf in this foreigh country s mighty

shout Lent up from the threats of these men 18 they realised

here yes one who hsd identified hixself with thin, an'

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them this was ; redemptive feature. Ky influence with them
has secure because I was one of them. Hsd I not been will-

ing to become one of them, I might as well have taken e plane

0.
and mdde my flight back to americs without speaking a word.

gut becsuse I could identify and become one of them, they

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1900 ye rs ago when that drby wxs born in Bethlehem,

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Christ identifying Iimeelf with the huuen famil‘

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And for thirty-three ye rs he moved when; the louliest of
men. It was said of Lin that foxes have holes and the bilds
have nests, but the Son of man had not where to lay his he d.
Le etc with Publi :ns and sinners, but was able to deoste
,restest intellecturls of His time. Hes, Christ
was truly s man among men, though very God, and He become
one with us that we might become one with Him, and His in-
fluence is secure in our lives because He wes one of us.

In he closing moments of this message, may I appeal
to you to surrender your will to Him, for He is the only
rightful ruler of the nations, and He is the only ruler cap-
sble of bringing orderly government to our disorderly lives.
Will you not accept His rule by faith, in love. he is will-
ing new to take you instantaneously to justify and to save
you from yo‘“ sins. he is not only willing to do it, but
he is able. Hebrews 7:24. He is able to save to the utter-
most. In Jude :4, he is ”able to keep you from falling, end
to present you faultless before the sresence of his glory
with exceeding joy." Not only is he willing and able, but
He is immediately :vailnble. Teddy, if ye hear His voice,
harden not your hearts, for truly the host High ruleth in
the kingdoms of men, and he is the governor of the n tions.

g—‘

s. 2. Cleveland

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APPEhDIX III

 

The information requested in this questionnaire is
for s doctoral dissertwtion. We would on reciste very much
your completing this questionnaineby alscing s ( in the
space provided after each question which you think snsvers
the guestion best, end giving comrents where reguested.
Thsnk you very lUCh for your cooyerstion.

1. would you classify Cleveland's Speaking as good .,

H)

sir , weak or forceful_______?

2. Wes his sermon related to your needs and interests?

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3. Did it clarify any nerplexities and doubts you had on

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the subject? Yes nude

4. Were you sble to grasp the principal points of his sermon
eesily? Yes No

5. Did he show concern for your point of view by whet he

ssid end h w he said it? les 30

 

 

6. Did you agree with his conclusions? Hes go __
7° Did he Sfleak With confidence ind ease? Ees Io

 

8. Did his sermon contain elements of suSpense? Ies

\O

. Did his sermon have variety? Zes No
10. Did he use simple and familiar words? Ies Io
ll. Did he repeat his main theme during the course of his

delivery? Yes No

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More his words pronounced with unusuil deliberation?

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Did you lose interest at anytime in his sermon? I»

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Did you become restless during the sermon? les

Us

Here you c sily distrscted by the movement of lrte
comers,etc.? Ies No

Did you respond to his request to ssy Amen? Yes

No

Did you respond voluntarily by means of audible sounds

or visible signs to his preaching? les We

 

Did his sermon show intense preparation? Yes
No

138 it witty? Yes He

J‘

d it contain humor? Yes NO

P.

D
Did it contain any figures of speech: ketsphors ete.?
Ies Re

Did you observe visible signs of displeasure in the
sudience to any of his prepositions? Ies No

Do you think the speaker used questionable sources to
esteblish his thesis? Yes No

Do you consider his voice strong , weak

plessqnt 9

Did he use gestures effectively? les No

Did he sneak in clean forceful tones? Yes No

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A

Did he us

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dialogue in his sermon? Ies_______go

rid he ask questions he did not eXpect you to answer
during his sermon? Ies_______fio

dhdt psrt of the sermon did you enjoy most? (Brief

comment)

Select from numbers one through twenty-nine the qudlities
you think he uses more effectively than others, and state

in a few words sh" *ou chose these euilities.
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Have you sent any of your workers to assist Elder
Cleveland in an effort?

If your ans er is yes, have you observed any noticeable
improvement in workers who have worked with him?

has he conducted an evangelistic effort in your confer-
ence? If your answer is yes, please su:ply the
following information:

9. How many campaigns has he held in your conference?
b. The place the campaign was held.

c. The year or years for each campaign.

d. The result of each effort in number of converts.
dill you express in s sentence or more your personal

evaluation of Elder Cleveland as an evangelist?

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he inform: tion requested in this suestionn ire is

arch project for a doctors l dissertetion. we

eci te very m.uch your completing this questionnaire

s possible. Thank you for your assistance.

1. To shit ex tentlive‘the methods employed by Elder L. 3.
Cleveland influenced your methods of evangelism?

4. To Hist extent has his use of subject titles influenced
your choice of subject titles?

9. have you accepted his method of securing decisions?

4. Describe in a sentence or two how he integrates group
evangelism into his program. (By group evangelism, I
mean: Bible cls sses, prayer groups, factory prayer
groups etc.)

5. What part does personal evangelism play in his program?
(What is the work of 3 Bible Worker, etc).

6. Do you think that music plays an important part in his
program? (Does it contain Special music wroujs? Does
Elder Cleveland lay dowx any specific guidelines for
the song service or the music to be used therein)?

7. To what extent do you use sider Cleveland's method as

s lodel for your crm m3:1i Qn?

Do you feel that there are benefits to be derived from

Do you think (from what you have been vble to ooserve

as s vorher) that his guiz program has xny merit?

List finy features you conside' LS unique in his program.

Plece 1 check mark (vf‘by either gee or go to indicate

your answer to the following questions:

1. Have you observed any significant increase in de-
cisions for Christ since you hTVC begun to use jlder
Cleveland's methods? Zes lho

y. Do you use his sermon titles without changing the
wording? Yes No

3. Do you follow his arrangements of titles in your
advertisement? Yes he

4. Does he emphasize the relations that he holds in
common with his eudience? Yes No

9. Does he seek to minimize his points of difference
with his audience? Yes he

6. Give an example of number if your answer is yes.

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7. Is he dogmatic in his presentation of the Sabedth?

Yes No

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