New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-27

4
! borse am at the head of family OF seven SOULS
20 be Ia do. and to suffer- for them all: no niue
care | have become practical as StebDlnss luo.
man ALWAYS carry a rule and compass IN my poche''
| all nv talk is of buocks.' pigs, grapes, straw
berres and other things which perish i'll the using
| Onr noIghbors arc pleasant: about fifty OF
sixty families are in the parish; one hundred 10 ono
| hundred and fifty worshipers; the people Goou'
miet. sober church-going- capital listeners, none
better SO much SO, that tell my friends think
nv parshioners are as much blessed in preaching as
those of even DIR. Channing for what is wanting in
preaching they mako up in listening; which is not
the case with the doctors people, they depending
| altopether on him. The Sunday school grows under
my hand: and once in two weeks have teachers
meeting, whereat II lexplain Bible, which is far
better for me and them than all preachment; Tor
aim at the heart and conscience not less directly
than when in the pulpit; and, slnce there Is
no formality the matter goes home / trust
He engaged, with characteristic earnestness III
parochial duties in addition to the usual services Oh
the pulpit. Pastoral visits, visitations OF Schools
baptisms funerals, kept him perpetually busy Inc
reading goes on as usual In his journal, he says:
"Old studies Observation-Disclosures theology crlu-
cism: all that used so much to delight and instruct
MS flourishes and grows apace in my new situation
Thoughts high as heaven and profound as the center
of the earth sometimes visit me in my loneliness.
| Then too the smiles Of love cheer and encourage
me-"
OF specal value was the society he found at West
Roxbury. His immediate neighbors were a choice
circle of cultivated persons used to the rehnemehs
of life accomplished in literature and art with nigh
tone of sentiment and that rich flavor Of character
! which distinguishes people well bred" ms was
new world TO Parker born and bred in poverty, IN
ured to toll "convcrsant with few persons TO whom
| tho world brought bloom and aroma. These were
! idylc days-golden hours spent on lawns OF nm
| der verandas, or in the sweet-scented hay-hcidS'
with youth and beauty and wit, and literary en-
thusiam and social merrment. Discussions of the
newest book. the last poem lecture, speech The
freshest speculation did not take him from stuoy,
but relieved the pressure thereof by entertaining
! the faded mind"
The absorbing pursuit of this period was the lite
ratnre of the Bible. lie devoted q share of his time
| TO the Egyptian and Phgnician alphabetshe dailed
with ancient inscriptions and coins; the Orpuc
poerns attracted his attentions hut the Bible htera-
ture leads all the rest Still all literature in his eyes
was sacred literature. All facts were divine facts
His journal is filled with curious studies into the
| mysterious phenomena of nature and lie. 10 thc
| last. he WAS always cleaning accounts of miracle
and prophecy. His reading was universal IN IT'S
range. He takes M Chapman the poet. IIcrrck,
|
Sucklinr There is honey for him in every flower.
The early Christian Hymns, the Milesian Fables,
! Cupd and Psyche, Campanela, biographies OF
| Swedenborg and other famous mystics, were his
| mental recreations. Hume. GibbOn, Robertson,
were tTines; Schleieunacher, Boutorwek. BauT.
| Hegel Leibnitz. Lapace, were more serious. B0pps
| Comparative Grammar Karchers "Anaccta'
| Mciners History of Religions" Rimannus History
! of Atheism" (Latin) arc examples OF the soma
! reading The books that are not at hand, Abeiard,
for instance, and AverroGs, lie seeks from afar.
| Wilkinson and Rosseni are familiar to him.
| Hesiod he comments on infinitely. Plato is a con-
! slant companion. No book is mentioned without
some notice of its contents and critical remarks.
In spite of his cheerful temperament Parker had
occasional moods of depression which it is not easy
10 account for There was no serious i'll health His
habits were regular and wholesome In the pleasant
weather he was much out of doors. He delighted
in planting bis garden, and tending the flowers and
The frut-trces He took long walks, visiting Boston
and the neiEhDUrlng towns on FOOT dong tcnftoon,
| or even twenty miles day without fatigue. lie
was fond of long pedestrian journeys He once went
from New-York to Boston on foot, making about
thirty miles day. He walked easily through the
White Mountain region, ascending Mount Washing
ton from the Notch and back the day, and start
ing off betimes the next morning for Franconia His
natural overflow of animal spirits, the spark
! ling wit and gayety of his near friends in West
Roxbury and the diversion of light literature saved
him from the oppression Of over work. He mingled
! freely with the people; no solitary and met
the plain, hoIncly folks with whom he had to do on
the warm ground Of a common humanity. He was
not morbid; there was not touch Of the morbid
element in bis constitution His depression
from noble discomfort with the limits of the finite.
He had an indispensable appetite for knowledge and
| for affection. He hungry for attainment, ard
the more he attempted the less ne satisfied with
| his accomplishment.
The autumn of 1913 found Mr. Parker so much
spent from anxiety and toll that voyage to
| Europe vas recommended. On the eth Of Sep
! tcmber lie sailed in the packet ship Ash
! burton for England, and after voyage of twenty
| five DAYS arrived in Liverpool. His year in Europe
was no holiday trip for sightseeing, but a serious
pilgrimage. No more intelligent or loyal American
| ever went abroad. But the Old World was to him
! new world to be explored for treasure that his
own continent did not possess. On the tiy-leaf Of
| his European journal is a penc-drawing of the
little village church in West RoXbury, which he took
with him as remembrancer of the simplicity of his
vocation in presence of the splendid cities and sub
lime cathedras he was to visit. The tour IN Europe
was a great privilege well as great delight. 1t
enabled HIM to see the past face to face and to fill
| it in as strong background to sustain his pres
ent. and to throw into relief his future 1t had
| been wear both Of consolation and experience,
of each of which lie had felt the need. The effect
was visible in the rich fund of memories it supplied,
! and in the solid groundwork of conviction on which
he built. He came back with every opinion and
| pnrpose more than confirmed. He had surveyed his
position from a distant point had looked at the re-
licous institutions of Europe in the places of their
! mower had talked with high priests of the Papal