Firstly, Lee Shepard is right -
Secondly, the so-called "Plain Style" of preaching associated with the English Puritans of the early 17th century established a rhetorical tradition that eschewed the ornate transitions in sermons of, for example, John Donne and the Laudians in favor of straightforward enumeration of points.
Thirdly, this "Plain-Style" tradition that would have come to Virginia's dissenting churches at least as early as the great awakening  -
Third-and-a-halfly: years ago Brent Tarter and I were much amused by a text that got as high as "seventeenthly."
Fourthly, For more on the Plain Style, there is an entire chapter and detailed discussion in Perry Miller's New England Mind: The Seventeenth Century.
Fifthly, In that context, Miller points out that a preacher's style was an immediate signal of his allegiances in the conflicts between puritans and Laudians within the English church.
Sixthly, both Library of Virginia and VHS have peoples' notes of sermons heard in Virginia that would likely verify this -- I think its Zachariah Johnson's ca 1780-1790s notes of Valley presbyterian sermons at LVA that come to mind for example.
Seventhly: Amen.
Jon Kukla



--
Jon Kukla ....................... Executive Vice-President and CEO
1250 Red Hill Road ........ Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation
Brookneal, VA 24528 .... www.redhill.org .... 804 376-2044
Home 804 376-4172 ...... Office email: [log in to unmask]
--

To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html