The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-22

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Il GREAT PULPIT ORATOR.
A Tribute to the Late r. s. Baker, d. d.
The Brooklyn Catholic, in the course OF
well written article on the death OF this learned
and eloquent divine, says:
AS q pulpit orator, he probably had no supe-
rior in his day in the English-speaking world.
This ia a bold assertion, but 1t Is not reckless
one. We venture to say, that, OF the thousands
who have known DR.. Baker, and have heard
his discourses at any time within the quarter
of a century now past, there is hardly one who
will not unhesitatingly endorse this Judgment.
Every one, perhaps, has bis fayorite preacher.
whom he regards, and would nave others re-
gard, as the grand ideal. Prejudice often does
much in building up opinions OF tnls SORT EA-
tensive travel and observation, which force
men to look at things from others point of
view, will 90 far to modify their preconceived
notions: vet, in matters OF this kind, people do
NOT like to be dsabused. They would leave
the spell unbroken. It was 80 with ourselves.
The more we had heard In praise OF DR.. Bakers
eloquence, before We knew him, the more
rigidly were we determined 70 crluc1se MIN
when we should see him.. Te mad encased
might wound us: we had fortified ourselves on
ali sides. that no march should be stolen on us.
But we saw, and were conquered.
Certainly no public speaker has ever i'm
pressed us as he did, We have listened to and
admired world-renowned celebrities on either
side of the Atlantic-in oil the walks or pro-
fessions, of various natlonallues, OF various
political shades OF thought, Oh dinerentS 4 re-
figious beliefs, and of no religious Dellef-
but there Is not man among them we
will except. He was the king of orators. You
did not so much hear his words as see his
thoughts. And such thoughts His ideas
were living things that went forth at the be-
hest of their master, and made captive the
minds OF the hearers. CTR
In his sermons, DR.. Baker connned nlmsei
to the matter in hand. He read the gospel OF
the day, and elucidated that-he never wan
dered off into devious ways. His remarks
were at all times exactly In point; every dis
course had consistency with, and took Its
shape and symmetry from, the text. Never al
lured BY flower, never stralning for effect,
every word had Its proper emphasis, every
sentence its true ring. He moved along, cap
ping each clamax, until he came to the clos
Ing peroration, when ne olazed ID tne oaa, nrina.
ment of his glory Inspired by the 1rmest
faith himself, he put the objections of the un,
believer in the strongest light-he proposed
things to his auditors precisely Us lie would to
mis- own mind, in the study and solved
the problems as much for his own salts
faction as for that of others. His style was
that of thoroughly honest nlan-simple, yet
majestic. You looked in his face, and felt that
his great soul believed what his tongue gave
utterancc to. He detested shams, and never
set up man OF straw, to knock him down
again. Descending from the region OF dog
matte theology, he stood on scientific ground,
and fought the adversary from behind his en-
trenchments.
We see him now at the altar, his majestic
form erect, his head frosted with the SHOWS OF
three-score winters. He brings up the objec-
tions, which he throws forward In the shape
of finterrogations Every lineament OF his face
is expressive; his eye Is lit up, and magnet
ICES all within its circle. An exposition fol-
lows-the exposition is like new revelation.
Then, with head bent in thought, he slowly
PAGES the altar platform. In this way, evident
iy intent on his subject rather than on his con-
gregation. he marshals his ideas In line OF bat
tie. His forces massed, he stands anu slses
the charge Ha one note from his clarion
blast is worth ten thousand men. He ad-
vances! Defence after defence gives way be-
fore him; the field is swept; the enemy Is pur-
sued to his last stronghold; the citadel Is STORM
ed and carried. The retreat OF the foe IS turn
ed into rout The red tempest that succeed
ed the lightning flashes was awful.
The fitting stage for DR.. Bakers genius was
New York. Here the press would, willingly or
unwillin .ly, be brought to aid him ana ms
work. The printing press Is, so to speak, the
renewal of the giiS of tongues in our day. IL
multiplies words thousand fold. A man,
physically, speaks face to face TO athousand-
the newspapers make him speak to q million.
In the Empire City, then, DR.. Baker could
have addressed the country from central
position. -
But that great man, that ever glorious priest,
"The best Of the good,
So simple in heart, so sublime IN the rest,
With oil that DemoSthenes wanted endued,
Aud his rival or victor in all he possessed,
sourht'not applause. His life was hidden in
God: and he shrank from the gaze OF an ad-
miring world as from the eyes OF the basillsk.
Born Of Protestant parents, In the year 1907,
in the C,unty OF Kilkenny, Ireland. Ut. Baker
came over to this country and studleu 1or Cne
priesthood under the auspices OF the celeorated
DR.. England, first bishop OF Charleston; was
made assistant at the cathedral; anu, IN lS47,
became the successor Of DR.. Lynch, the pres
ent ilustrious bishop of that diocese, at st.
Mary's Church. Afterwards, he was appointed
vicar general and administrator OF the diocese.
He was also connected with the Very Rev.
DR.. Corcoran in the editorial management Oh
the United States Catholic Miscellany, pub
lished In Charleston-the first Cathollc paper
established in this country. These are the
simple facts of his life. His studlous cast, anu
his humility, which fitted MIN more ,or Tue
cloister than for church honors, Wouia aiioW
him to accept no dignites except sucn as the
imperative command OF his sllperlors tnrusC
upon him. OF late years, he was ooiiSed 10
lead u very secluded life because OF his aillng
health; and he could preach only at Intervals.
But his course is finished now. His work Is
done.
We cannot close without passing tribute to
the few noble companions OF Dr. Baker. we
have already spoken OF them,England,
Lynch, Corcoran. Bishop EnSands name is a
household word in every home at the south
the negroes amid the canebrakes anu on the
rice fields have him in their TRADITIONS. Blshop
Lynch is as widely known, aau as Wluely re-
spected, as any American prelate OF our DAY;
Certainly none has q greater or more deserved
European reputation than he. concerning MIN
the Catholic WOrld-having had occasion 10
call up his name some time since, IN reference
to certain weighty proposition under consld-
eration-made use of these words: "Ine JudS.
mcnt of the distinguished author just cited
NAV be taken as a summing up OF the verdict OF
a great body of scientific men, given on sclen-
tiic grounds Anything, In addition, from
the writer of this would be simply impertinent.
DR.. Corcoran towers up another pillar: For
profound erudition, aud extensive theological
learning he is confessedly, not ontranked IN