The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-04-14
In iIcunorinm.


ty, as expressing hcwevcr iuadequately. their
appreciation and high admiration of the life and
character of the late Very Rev. RiCHAED S.
BAKER:
A decree of the Eternal God is passed that all
men shall die. This decree Is absolute; there is
no means of evading its execution. BY virtue oil
this, Death goes forth on his levellinS mission,
and visits, without discrimination, the palace OF
the king and the hoYe Of the beggar, the den OF
vice and the abode Of virtue. The learned ansl
the Ignorant the wise and the foolish, the Vlrtu'
GUS and the vicious, are alike claimed as his prey.
No place is secure against him. Even the Altar
of God is not exempt lie claims, by right OF his
mission, the consecrated minister whose duty 1t
is to feed the lambs OF the fold with the flesh end
blood Of the Son OF God
This truth is brought home to US by the death OF
the Very Rev. RICHARD SULLIVAN BAKER, who
died in This city on the 3Oth of last January. ow'
ing to the absence or the president from our reg
ular meetings, no action was taken by the soclety
in this matter up to this late date But even alter
this lonI lapse OF time 1t Is meet ana proper that
the society should eDdeavor to preserve his mem
ory. and give brief summary OF his life anu Ia
bors for future reference.
He WAS born near Govesbridge in the County
Kilkenny, Ireland, on the 24th OF June, $780, OIL
Protestant parents. His father died when lie was
quite child and after the lapse OF few years.
he and his mother were received into the Cathohc
Church. The mothers training was visible IN the
course OF life which he marked out for himself,
and which he steadily pursued till death overlook
him. His heart was fixed on Gods Altar, anu
his good mother spared nothing that he might
acquire good classical education, and thus pre-
mare himself to serve it. Her efforts were more
than seconded by her son and only child. lie
was inuccG classical scholar.
On the eve of his departure from the Isle lie
loved so well, he applied to Bishop Doyle, VINO
furnished him with o dismissory letter anu
snecal recommend alton to Bishop England. he
reached Charleston early in the year 1927, and Tor
two years studied In the Seminary OF ST. Johh INC
Baptist, On account OF his talents aud great ca
pacity, he was ordained priest IN 1873. III
1850 he was stationed for over year on the mis-
sion In Eastern North Carolina. lie was then re-
called and placed over the Ecclesiastical SEMI
nary as superior and professor OF philosophy ana
theology. So under his guidance and direction,
nearly all the old priests Of the Carolinas anu
Georgia completed their studies
Forty years ago the cagle.eye OF the great
Bishop England saw what the young priest was
made of, and acted accordingly by placing MIN
in the most honorable position In the uiocese.
For years he was Ills vicar general and pastor OF
the Cathedral; and in his last will, lie appointed
him his administrator From Bishop England's
death to the appointment OF Bishop Reynolds,
DR.. BAKER governed the diocese, which then
comprised the two Caroinas and Georgia. IN
1874 he visited his native land and shortly after
his return in lS46, was appointed pastor OF ST.
Mary,s Church, in this city, position whic l liz
held for nearly quarter OF century, Till death
claimed him on the 3Oth of Inst January.
AS Nationalist who more devoted to "0ld
Irelandm than heH His "heart untravellcd always
fondly turnedn to that dear soil, beneath which
reposcd the bones OF his parents and kindred.
This feeling was known to his fellow.country-
men, and accordingly we find them extending tr
him oil the honor and admiration they could be-
stow. The old members OF this society knew him
we'll For years he was their president. They
well remember how his presence always cheered
and attracted them. It was like sunbeam, dis
pelllng all clouds, and causing pleasing smiles
and cordial greetings to take the place OF frowns
and angry debates.
As a loriter, he was terse, pungent, sarcastic
and intensely logical Those who have files OF
the Catholic Miscellany can Judge OF his style by
looking over Its editorials from 1856 to 1850.
During that period, with the exception OF two
years. lie edited that sterling Journal In the abb
sence OF Bishop England and after his death,
till the above date, without any associate Then,
at his OWN urgent request, i.s charge was trans.
ferrcd to another. What o ca el:ty that Ills
more noble productions should be lost to us
During the late war, when the city was being
shelled, he consigned his manuscripts to the
names, thinking that each succeeding moment
would be his last. Nothing now remains but q
few sketches, composed when he was in broken
health and suffering from disease.
As Priest, che shonc in his days rs the morn
Ing star In the midst Of q cloud, and as the moon
at the full. And rs the sun when 1t shlneth, so
did he shine in the Temple OF God. When he
went up 10 the Holy Altar, lie honored the vesture
Of holiness" In oden times, the regal and sacer.
dotal characters were usually combined. In hls
person this combination was perceptible. Who
has ever seen him minstering at the Holy Altar,
that was not struck with tho majesty stamped on
the bcholder was Withdrawn from every surround
ing object and lntently fixed on that noble and
figure.
But when lie was seen and heard delivering one
Of his wonderful sermons who caa describe the
elect prUducrd? Neicr from Romcs ROstrum,
or from the Bema OF Athens, did Cicero or y
Demosthenes pour forth more polished aud enrap-
turing torrents Of colucnce. than did he from
the atars OF 81. Mary's and old st. Fiubar's. Not
only were tho most ilterate OF the audience, but
also tho most intelligent anu enlightened, spell.
bound and cntranced hy his rapturous eloquencc.
The priests In The sanctuary, and the bishop OH
his chrome, listened with woaler ana admiration
10 his sublime conferences. In them might be
traced Imagination Of the highest order, rhetoric
peculiarly hi: own, aaI logic OF the most tren-
chant character 1t may with truth be said
that his SERMONS On the Church. ON the Sacra.
lShtS, Especially Oh i+hLnc. and the Holy
Eucharist, were nas:Efp.cce. and the most com.
plete treatises Oh .nsss respective subjects that
could be prodncsd. Whenever he handled a sub.
tired OF hearing him. Whether the time con.
sumed was ten minutes or two hours, the atten-
ton and anxiety depicted on their countenances
were the same.
But IL was not only as priest and orator that
DR.. BAKER was distinguished. lie was grec: in
the goodness OF his heart. TO that heart the dis.
iresscd never appealed in vain. The things OF
this world, its honors. Its applause, Its wealth,
had no place in his affections. With his learning
and trauScendent talents, lie lived u poor man