The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-26
THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF THE
LATE REV. DIR. BRAINERD.

Alperb barnes.
Yesterday afternoon the Old Pine Street
Church, In which the late DIR. Brainerd had
laboIed SO Zealously for so many years, was
hlled to its utmost capacity, to listen to a SER
mon upon mis- life and character, which was
preached by the Rev. Albert Barnes, who had
been his intimate friend and earnest co-worker
for thirty years. The galleries of the church
were tastetully festooned with black while
canopy OF this sombre hue entirely concealed
the pulpit. In front OF the altar was suspended
curtain OF the same color, fringed with silver,
and bearing in white letters the inscripton:-
Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord"
Tue preacher announced as MS text passages
OF Scripture which are found in Daniel, chapter
XII, verses and 3, concluding as follows:-
They that be wise shall shine as the brightness
OF the armament; and they that turn many to
righteousness, as the stars, forever and ever"
They that shine in life as the stars of heaven
said the preacher, in death are removed to shine
ID other spheres. yhe power tnat created the
stars could as easily annihilate them; but it
never causes the mind to die. The latter leaves
the earth indeed; but it is transferred to other
spheres, there to shine forever. As there is a
difference in the brilliancy of the stars of
heaven, SO there is in the brilliancy OF mems
characters in the other world. The brightest of
them all will be those who turn many 10 right
eOusDess The influence OF man can be ren.
1ered greater by life given to such pursuits
than by one devoted to any less noble calling
T6 form character which shall possess this sur
passing brilliancy, native talent, discipline, and
ioiI are necessary. Such had the late DIR.
We is not lost 10 the UNIVERSE
Thomas Brainerd was born in Leyden, New
York, June IL, 1904. His name is one that has
been known and honored in other lands. HIS
-RnGestQr, Daniel Brainerd, who established toe
family in this country, was brought from Exeter,
England, in 1908, while still child. In con-
nection with others, he laid the foundation of
the town of Haddom, belo Y Hartford, COnneC-
tcpt, where he became a man of great wealth
and influence, and OF strictly exemplary life.
At least thirty thousand people in the country
now claim him as their ancestor. The father OF
Thomas Brainerd was farmer and man of
pety. His son thus inherited some of the best
blood that has gone into the New England char
acter. His early training was con-
Quoted at home, and was characteristic of
the old Puritan stock from which he sprung
He has well described this training in his pre-
face to the Life of John Brainerd.n It's ele-
ments we're hlial Difference, industry, and pune.
tnality; with religion as duty, necessity and
privilege alike for the ground work. Although
some may now hol up their hands in horror at
lite strctDess, this old Haddom training, as Dr.
Breinerd himself has said, was such .as makes
men moral heroes. In studying his life ana
character the peculiarities OF his early train
ing should be borne in mind.
In 1921, having determined 10 enter upon the
study OF the law, young Brainerd left home, and
engaged In teaching school for three years, to
enaole nun 20 do SO: He then spent come years
m tue stldy of his chosen profession in the town
OF Bone Oneida county, New York Mean
willie the Rev. Charles G.. Finney had been dis
charging his pastoral duties there with such
energy and success, that nearly every lawyer,
merchant, and man OF influence in the place was
converted. Among them was young Bralnerd,
and this event changed the whole current OF his
after life. But before this he had been le I'd
ing life of strict integrity and morality.
He had previously been saved from
the evils of life OF intemperance by an Incl
dent not unlike that which secured DIR. William
Paley from similar rate. Beng present one
morning in the bac-room of the public house
where he boarded, in company with several
thoughtless young men, who were engaged in
carousaIs the landlord told him he had better
him, when he was born for better things. This
warning had the desired effect He was,
through life, a man of strictly temperate habits,
and an uncOmpromising foe OF intemperance
Abandoning the law upon his conversion, he
came to this city, where he spent one year in
teaching, previous to entering upon his theolo-
gical studies at the Andover Seminary. While
here he was connected with the church OF the
Rev. James Patterson. Having completed his
e,studies, and passed his ordination he passed
some years in the West, as the assistant OF the
Rev. Lyman Beecher, occupying himself mean
while with editorial labors. In October, 1886,
he was called to the charge of the Old Pine
street Church, and in February, 1887, he
entered upon his duties here. His pastorate
thus extended through period OF nearly thirty
years.
by his association with these three good men,
Finney Patterson and Beecher more than by
ANYTHING else; although no man could have
been more str1kingly original than he. Whether
Conscious of their influence or not, he carried
much of it through liie 1t was especially
manifested IN his style of speaking. He was
admirably fitted by natural and acquired en-
doWments to have succeeded In the profession
which he had first chosen. His power was
chiefly as a public speaker, and was most
strikingly shown in debate. Although his
scholarship was by no means thorough, perhaps
no man surpassed him in such intelligence as
is to be derived from reading OF the press
and by observation. His strictly literary laborf
were few, and we're chiefly in the form of sci
mons and of articles contributed to the press
which he recognized as one of the most pow
erful agencies in the creation of sound mora
public sentiment
sessed by few, Both in his sermons and IL
debates he usually seized at once upon the grea
point at issue, and enforced 1t in manner Whict
carried conviction to his hearers. In Language
he was most exact pertinent, and beautiful. Ii
every respect his style presented the best form
Of our Anglo-SaXon tongue. He can be bes
described as beng 'the skiltul of speech"
As pastor, DR.. Brainerd possessed in al
unusual degree, the power of securing thu
hearts OF his people, especially those of thu
young. All the features of his character con
tributed in an eminent degree to this result
And he was as attractive in this way in hi
later years as IN his early life. Although hi
church was continually deprived of its bes
and oldest members by the exodus which wa
and is still setting ia from this part of th
city, he continued to draw about him tn
yoIng, the earnest, and the prosperous, who's
characters were IN tne formation period
he had great faith in revivals, and alway
looked for his greatest success in protraote
meetings held at the close OF the winter. HI
labors at these times were so exhausting, ths
the usual summer vacation became TO hi
Bat his zeal and talents were not limited I