New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-01-29

| nimseH was New England mani neitner We
continual "eontending for the lam onee a.
livered TO the saints II we NAV use the fayorie
text OF the Old School theoogisns. On the othef manu-
| no sermons were further removed from more empC
Pelagian morality DR.. Mott assumed the great nu,n
OF Christianity. well a. the fundamental prncipes
OF morals and Of natural religion. a. something sec
AND 500 too did he leave unsolved. and Titnoa' CA
tempts to solve. those mysteries Of faith toas naa
bafed the thinking If all ages. He took for ns SUI
tcs the most solemn verities Of the Gospel uu' ~, Us
ann was not 90 much to prove them. as 20 .ln.
preA them upon the minds OF men neuee
his sermons were ever series Of most viva picIaeS
each presenting idea bat that OF the iotlest 81
as OF the most serious kind. Death Judgment ese' s
the straight gate. the narrow way the Chrstisn
the victors crown, the day Of grace, eternal IRE.
resurrection hour the opening graves the deaa sa
and great standing before God. the books OF ne sna
Judgment the great white throne and he VINO sat
thereon before whose face the heavens ana tne cai
/ Ned away"-soch were the constant tnpcs so unolmy
presented rs 10 subject him 10 the charge OF repen
or II he sometimes varied. IL was 10 choose susev
drawn from the religious experience a. e1presseu AZ
the more devotional portions Of the scripture WHOM
have In Heaven but Thee and there Is none IN All tne
earth that desire beside Thee" One great thought
selected and that never lost sight Of II seemed 70
some as though the speaker made DO progress Dut IL
varying hight In which the same canle
over and over again, each presentation ana each new
picture Increasing the power and vyidness OF the ap
peal Add ~ this the commanding appearance OF lne
preacher the and music OF his voice as stnety
heard In the whisper as In the ondest utterapc
the restrained yet impressive action that peenar
gesture oftle extended horizontal hand, when all VINO
then heard him must so well remember. and we have an
outline OF that most eloquent manner 80 srikng yet 50
difficult to describe except those whose memory
| il has left It's own ndeble impression
DR.. Motifs high reputation pulpit orator was not
fully sustained IN bis later ife One great element oi
the power Of his eoQuenee In his voice and that
became much broken In after years even while the
mental powers renamed In all their yigor, and his col
lege duties we're as well performed as ever II was
after this period too. that he devoted himself with
greater activity to the more outward or semi-worlhy
labors of moral and social reform. These now took 10
measure. the place Of bis former pulpit enoris he
became very ardent In the cause OF temperance, ana
wrote and lectured much in its support Ne was in like
manner engaged in most OF the philauthropic move
menis Of the day. There are. however sermons OF DIS
written during the past ten or fifteen years. and dis
courses on public occasions that still maintain bis high
reputation Among these will be at once remembered
by all who read IL. bis most eloquent address to the
alumni VI the college on the semlcentennial anniyeI
sary of his presidency Seldom has there been wit
messed scene more impressive than that which was
made on that OCCASION by the speeches OF Dr. Francis
Wayland and DIR. Mott 1he spontaneous rising OF that
vast audience when Of his sentences took the Dene
dictory form truly an Instance OF the moral
sublime still it must be said that Dr. Motifs later dis
courses were not equal, as a whole. to his earlier
when he was his prime will hold place among our
choicest classics As models Of polished writing they
are unsurt assed by Charming Irving although no
is so different in his style from both those authors. Sell
dom do we read discourses OF the Kind in which there
has been shown In the selection OF the best
words and the arranging them In constructions that
would exhibit their strongest force and clearest sgnih
canoe 1t Is most valuable book for the young those
early addresses and should be glad to see them re-
published for the present generation.
Occupied as We have been, mainly with DIR. Mott s
literary and more spiritual biography. have barely
alluded TO the fact OF his having become Ia the latter
part Of his life. more deeply immersed IN outward
worldly business than 10 usual or desirable Tor clergy
| man. or a teacher Of youth. To those who knew him
we'll this furnished any impeachment OF his moral
and religious character IL wss his deep interest In the
College In its financial well as It's literary SUCCESS.
that drew him into this, and which should be hs com
plete defense against detrucors We need not go into
detail here. The Story has already been told and there
are the most ample materials aside from his triumphant
defense by the Hon. John G. Spencer for putting u In
ITS proper light Whatever may have been the mistakes.
IL hero any SUCH they all arose from his absorbing
devotion TO one obiect-the prosperity OF Union College
For this be lived the parent Eyes for his chd II he
was ever led into rash schemes IL 10 effect
| thing peat for Union College. He satisfied
with what he had done for IT, II he made good In.
vestment he ever enxious 10 make 1t still better,
and II the attempt to do this he was drawn into bad
one. II only because he was in way. led TO
think 1t Of the hest means Of making his beloved
College OF the wealthiest In land. DR.. Motifs
charities to the poor well known but in all things.
Whether In the aid Of friends, of INDECENT Students
the release OF the slave any measure OF general
munihcence. 1t was ever the same open band. The
most unsefsh OF men, he cared nothing for money for
his sake. but was ever willing at time TO put
10 hazard his own private means to promote the noble
| object for which he lived.
We may speak in a similar way OF his spiritual or
more interior life. Some would think that this m ust
necessarily suffice from such compexity Of worldly
and financial transactions. To those, however. who
knew him intimately there was no aspect of his life that
commanded more Of their respect Men who saw him
so frequently In Wallst, and knew nothing else about
him. might regard him ofthe world, very
much like other men Of the world; but the intimate
after his return TO College, revealed very difereDt
character There was In DIR. Mott strong and constant
undercurren ofsolemn and religious thought The great
themes he bad go often presented in the pulpit the
mrditatiors Of his daily life. When in intimate society
with those OF congenal temperament he was frequent
IN leading the conversation 10 such topics and no
who had himself any love Of seriousness could be long In
his company without the impression that be was a
deeply thoughtful and spiritually minded man.
This would appear In the feryor. would almost
ing and at the family altar. And then those evening
deyoti0ns in the College chapel. what graduate OF
Union can ever forget them DR., Motifs spiritual
mere eft Of aeney. as i may be Called which some
possess In talking. or seeming to talk to the In
visible. II well composed Formally. There
better word-to which all hearts bore witness How
comprehensive they. even embracing the parents
and friends OF the students, as well as the students
then selves How fu OF psterna feeling and the spirit
OF benedctionl How solemn were they, for Dr. Mott
seldom made prayer without dwelling much
on death, aud imploring grace for the dying
loneed for their close. And yet withal. how varied
In their style Of anguage-never repeating. pre-
sentng the appearance OF deadness formaty There
Is another fact respecting them that deserves TO BIO
corded: and that was the maintenance OF their de-
yotional power whatever might have been the eircum
sances avorable unfavorable, that preceded them
Dr. Mott left by the trustees to do alone almost all
the outside work Of the College. He may have been
laborously engaged with politicians at Albany seeking
to secare laws grants which he deemed for the benefit
of the institution He may have Just returned from
haIrassng attendance upon legislative committees. or
the still unsprtualkng procedures OF courts of
law chanceryi but When immediately after leaving
such scenes. he appeared In the college chapel the
world was gone; the spiritual there aglin the
tone of IN reading the scriptures deyouty
impressive and musical as ever; the petitions were as
nuIe In its outfowings though re had Just from
his study, AID bis soul had not been chsfed by the
barrassbg cares and perpexities Of tie day All this
LA n sfnkin1 effect the stndents Prof Iackaon