"If you want to be an orator, first get your great cause"

Wendell Phillips’s statement highlights the deep connection between passion and effective public speaking. He argues that eloquence and persuasive power are not solely talents to be developed for their own sake, but rather skills that stem from a meaningful commitment to a higher purpose. According to Phillips, the foundation of true oratory lies in finding a cause that stirs one’s soul, a conviction that ignites sincerity and conviction within the speaker. The great causes, those issues and ideals that have real significance, serve as the wellspring from which an orator’s words gain energy and authority.

Without a genuine cause, a speaker’s efforts risk being hollow or mechanical, lacking the emotional resonance that moves audiences. People are drawn to passionate speakers not because of rhetorical flourishes alone, but because beneath the words is a zeal that is infectious. The audience senses when a speaker truly believes in their message, and this authenticity is what persuades and inspires. Rhetorical skill and persuasive technique are certainly valuable, but Phillips insists that the heart of oratory is devoted engagement with something larger than oneself.

Having a great cause also shapes the orator’s perspective and message. It encourages selflessness, as the focus shifts away from personal acclaim and towards advancing an idea or righting a wrong. The speaker becomes not merely a performer, but a vessel through which the cause can speak to the public. This sense of mission elevates one’s oratory, making it purposeful rather than ornamental.

Phillips’s insight serves as a reminder that real influence and effective communication arise when intellect is joined with passion for justice, truth, or progress. The compelling orator is compelled; he or she speaks because they must, driven by the urgency of their cause. Therefore, before seeking the stage or honing one’s voice, the aspiring orator must first seek a great cause, because it is this cause that will lend their words lasting power.