Daily American organ., 1856-04-29
WHOLE NO. 459
A Minister of the L.a,t Cer,.rv.

A Minister Of the Last Century.
The Rev. DIR. Gilman, Of Charleston, South Car.
olina, In volume OF essays recently published
gives the following graphic description Of one of his
early instructors, the Rev. Stephen Peabody, OF
Atkinson, New Hampshire
- In person Mr. Peabody was large and command
ing, having attained full six feet in height and b.
ing otherwise Of very portly dimensions His eye
was black, and his face was swarthy, but well pro.
portioned. His hair bushy and curling, swelling
out TO an ample rotundity behind, like that of MI
rabeau. believe he never followed the coxcomb-
ry Of our reverend forefathers I'm wearing a bush
wig or wig of any other kind. Though In gene
raj courteous and bland In his address, yet when he
heard profane language, or received personal in
suit, an awful shadow would gather on his visage,
his eye would roll fiery glances in every direction
and the dauntless volley Of rebukc would be pouI
ed from his lips. His passions were naturally strong
and he feared no human being alive Had any Of
his parishoners dared TO attack his person. (since
nc had his quarrels sometimes,) l have not the
least question that they would have bitterly ru,
the moment, for his physical powers were mighty.
and In his youth he had been the invincble wrest.
| Ter OF many parishes round, and being now fresh
| from the Revolutionary war he had not vet learn
ed to identify the higher Christianity with non
resistance.
Ills conversation was enIvened with nnumcra-
bic anecdotes, which he related with surprising
giee and humor, reserving the contagious laugh
until the closing point and using all sorts OF dra-
matte accompaniments, frequently rising from table
| in the midst Of meal and taking the floor, If he
could thereby set OF the action to better adyan-
tage.
His musical powers and habits were extraordi.
nary, and he almost reveled through life in an Mt
mosphere of sweet sounds of his own creating
I'm ran aavu xuha ~. L.
captous or narrow-minded vsiters, he would take
out his godentoned violin from little closet and
draw from its strings the richest and most bewitch-
ing notes---a sweet and serene halEsmile all the
time playing over his lip and cheek and eye His
voice was OF vast compass, and exquisitely flexible
He was at home in every part in music When
there was no choir In the meeting house, he led
the singing himself; and when there was one, he
supplied the deficient parts, rolling out mellow
and deep toned bass, or warbling with his treble
or counter over the whole concert like an ami
mated mockingbird. He sang on week days at
his work, and sometimes talked aloud to himself
most agreeably he would sing on his rides about
the town, or when travelling in his chasc alone or
accompanied by night or by day; and ali the soli-
tudes and echoes of that region have many a time
rung with his loud and melodious voice He was
most fond OF sacred music, but did not disdain a
scrap now and then Of secular. He would sing
you In perfect taste, with graceful gesture and
happy look either sitting or standing, various ex-
tracts from the delightful old anthems OF Arne or
Purcell, or from the oratorios of Handel Comiag
home from public worship, IL favorite tune had
just been sung there, he would repeat il over and
over as he entered the house, stopping yoti in a
companionable way, looking you smilingiy in the
face and asking IL it was not beautiful
He would, except on Sunday mornings, awaken
the whole household Of sleepers at sunrise, or ar
soon as ne had made the fires, by singing up and
down stairs The bright rosy morning peeps over
the hills 80 The hounds are all OUT or some other
hunting song equally stirring. He would take into
his lap little round, favorite dog, and, command
ing it to sing with him, he would begin by roaring
some tune aloud, the dog Immediately Joining in
with q loud and responsive roar. The only incon-
venicnce from this practice was, that the dog one
Sabbath followed his master unperceived TO the
meeting house, and up to the platform of the pull
pit stairs, and too zealously prachced there the
musical lessons which no had been taught at home.
On some warm summer afternoon, when all the
windows OF the house were open, and one of his
young boarders, far up in the garret at bis studies
might happen, for variety's sake to burst out in
some cherished tune or stran--such, for instance.
as old st. Anne's-his venerable friend In the low.
er story, awaking from his transitory nap, would
fall in with his melliuous bass, and 60 would they
sing for long time together, until looking out Of
their respective windows, they would smile upon
each other, as who should say, We're there ever
two better friends than we"
he was, indeed, the soul Of good nature, partic.
ularly the young and seemed never 30 happy as
whom four or fve Of them were clambering about
his person, taking and yielding unrestrained iber-
ties in turn. Like the Apostle Panls charity, he
was easily persuaded" and you had rarely to ask
him more than once to tell one of his inimitable
anecdotes, take down the violin from the closet
on rainy day, or perform his duet with Watch. the
overgrown little dog. II poor and promising
young man in the Parish was desirous of liberal
education, Mr.. Peabody's purse was open for his
assistance, with a very distant and precarious
chance Of being repaid. His hospitality was un-
grudging to the utmost extent Of the Apostolic
and New Testament standard. Not day passed
that some welcome addition failed of being made
to our already crowded table. The parishfoner,
coming TO return bis book to the social library
the old, familiar acquaintance the professed old
acquaintance, too, whom the host was sometimes
puzzled to recognise the travelling brother minis
ter, stopping, with his horse, for week or two
the passing belated stranger too Ear from the tav-
ern for his dinner-all were cordially invited to
partake of the fare for the day.
The very doors Of the mansion were left unfas-
tened at night, as, indeed, they scarcely needed
locks in that primitive society, and many winter
traveller from Vermont and New Hampshire, going
down in his loaded sleigh to the markets on the
seaboard, has come in to warm himself by the mid
night bed of embers, held long and pleasant con-
versations with Mr.. Peabody, as he lay in an adj
joining bedroom, and then retired; the parties
being destined never to see or imagine each Others
appearance, or to hear each Others voice again.
The titles by which he was designated among
his acquantanccs we're various, according to the
degrees of affection, or respect, or indifference
with which he was regarded. BY some no was
called Priest Peabody" by others /" Parson Pea
body" by others "The Reverend Mister" by
others again pain " Mister Peabody; J" but from all
the family and from all of those who were more or