New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-02
PULPIT SKETCHES.
THE REV. WILLIAM NJ. TAYLOR, DID,, PAS
TOR OF THE BROADWAY TABERNACLE.

,t orcanizaon Within the-walls OF the old building III
lower broadway below .Canal-s restless merry eh'hus
asts assembled year after year, especially during INC
memorable Anniversary Week." to look after the moral
and spritual well-beng of the Nation. The "ashng-
tonan movement and especially the early Ahuoia'eiy
crusaders, all found battle-ground Oh us s9HP""u0
pupit platform When free thinking ana iree speech III
New-York were altogether safe from inc rough ach
lions of the swell mob and the logic OF the docrlnae
often encountered the otOus fury OF the Sums anu o
h,,talized dcsperadoes the old Tabernacle kept open
house miniscring aid and comfort 10 the ho-odiho"
eyangests OF the new order of things win the dying
out of old issues and the ebbng OF social controversies
the temper the society seems TO have dropped lo ~
,nopy with the prevailing currents OF lie aronhu " anu
since the removal TO Broadway and Thrty-fonr1hst III
f the Tabernacle and its teening cohgrc
aon from the prosperous churches that share with IL
the spiritual oversight Of upper New-iork Uhuer 'o
later ministry of the Rev. Dr. Thompson the OLD UNDER
currents of Christian association were dying OUT e"e
Mace TO the clarified intellectually which stamps e"
England Congrcgationalism in its finest deNelophch
A. tho retirement of DR. Thompson about ten years
MOO when the society had reached the high tde OF It's
prestige, cali was extended across the ocean 70 wv
William NJ. Taylor, Scotch Presbyterian uiNn'' VIZ
present incumbent and the letter OF invitation was on
and delivered by the retiring pastor mihscli-"
of fraternal comfy delightful as u is '"i"su''
THE CHURCH AND CONGREGATION
h,tbough the pasor is the commanding centre OF IN
ferest preliminary glance ut the uhIins anu ''i' w.
pie must occupy moment IL IL laee eu "'''io -
brown stone after plans by Unohn Gothic IN us genera
intention which is rather meagery carried ont Us W
tails and decoration The interior is redeemed from
architectural confusion in part by the conversion oi INC
ehance proper into an organ LOTT and the attempt mas
been executed with such intelligence that the Deau'nS
designed organ front almost reaching the ROOF Ill S sc
DERBY fashioned aspiring pinnacle and fna almost s"g
gests a richly scuptured reredos and altar canop! u
the illusion is broken by the pulpit, which displaces H.
lln hair
urea behind the pulpit and its level is utilized as
choir gallery where nicely balanced double quartet VI
wctraned, conscientious singers deliver inc m"sea
,arts of the simple service. An anthem or tWo ceuS
written illustrate the proficiency OF the choir' "l'c lo
whole congregation joins heartily III the hymns Inc
HIGH and IMPRESSIVE chance arch is asefully picked out
IN novcbrome and the woodwork of the pulpit adjacent
work and gallery fronts are decoratet win dell
catey contrased cOlors in oils There are galleries ut
The sides and the western end The church. ABOVE
and below was thoroughly flled-a congregation OF
thinking thrifty and often highly cultivated people
There were few indications OF the luxurious lasuoh'lo
world
DR. TAYLOR's PERSONALITY.
Whatever truth there may he In the Ola Hc'uh lhdI
manners make the man. there is larger deeper lfuth III
its converse that the makes the manners; so lnt
the more original and strongly furnished the manhood
the more strongly ndiyduaized are the manners Dr'
TAYLOR finely illustrates this proposition He is severely
differentiated from other men, Nobody conld initiate vi
even mimic his personality: and he stands rgluy'
sodly alone unconscious Of his own and with sSht con
Germ for those who touch him. There are CONSTITUTIONAL
rugcedness and vitality in his whole naturc,-phySica
Intellectual moraand 10 the superficial eye TINS $50
lates or estranges the preacher He has reached OF
passed his sxtich year, If his silvered "hsker7 an"
thinning shock Of hair with the hard strained oteh I'M
musical voice are trusy sentnels OF the passing years
His figure is socy hickly set with great depth Of chest
and a tendency to portliness The head is broadly
modelled massive broad the lower face high cheek
bones bold well-deveoped brows, broad strong fore
head half hidden 10y great bristing locks E0d-lnhe
spectaces the eyes into an unknown
quantity until kinded into varying lustrc under inc
heats of the coming discourse. There Is almost dehA
enacing cast OF cOuntenance,and one wonders where
the sweetness and light hid in the rcccsses OF that
deeply scanned face among the angles OF inc broad nun
pry-ooking mouth and jaws, as the preacher almost
scowls over the top of the Bible making ready TO begh the
duties of the This seeming ruggedness or clumS
ness of presence he stands up for his head
rests directly on the shoulders, and the siikcn gown
nched in the sleeves cxaggcratcs the impression. But
all this changes he opens his lips in Invocation
pathos almost womanly, simplicity as of children Groom
through his SLOW tender uttcranccs and his features
cfow with the far-o inner flashes OF great heart talk
ing with its Lord II is brief thoroughly scntcnous;
Scotch peasant might nave spoken every word yet the
hearts Of that great asembagc seemed warmly gathered
about his own.
The passage from the Scriptures placed the preacher III
another light. The Book seemed documentary message
and he the privileged bearer Of IT, One thought how
Moses handled the tables OF stone and the mnistants OF
the Temple the Ark of the Covenant His utterance was
intensely, officially deliberate and the significant nfcc
lions the reader laid open solemn visas OF sudden sig
nifcancc in the sacred text The voice Is hard ncsive,
determined sometimes strdent and harshly dssonant;
and sometimes hushcd and lucd into a winsome tender
ness. There is delicious touch Of provincalism In his
intonation and often in his pronunciation; and OF
Walter scotts worthless the scarcely less fascinating
personages George Macdonalds stories before
u.s. The Doctors method and bearing are deliberate and
measured. There is mastery will In charge Of his in
tense intellectually that the lines Of thought are like
The tracngs oan engineer the steady elective sweep
OF pondeTous machinery.
HIS STRONGLY MARKED MANNERS.
And vet the preachers strongly marked manners,fOl
they are not mannersms-are disclosures of the man
himself There is sterling simplicity with fearlessncss
and ntrepidity lie lies and lives within tremendous
yctions OF the spiritual world and its llic and this
makes him a solemn The announcement OF his text
and unfolding Of his subject demonstration Of HE
robust certain conclusive culture He knows precisely
what he has TO saw and he will say 1t I'm his best possible
way simply because he could say il In no other. with
the swift certain precision of expert he clears away
all contingencies captain clears the deck OF his shlI
for action And then the westling and labor set in
is every word written down. Yet IL becomes 80 highly
yitazed in delivery that the discourse seems growing
before your eyes like the tree of the indian jugglcr
Judged 10y any standard tcxtua preacher, DR.. Tay
lor is exceptionally great and strong For his naturally
logical mind exhibits consumnatc discpinc his learn
ing Is critical extensive, and at hand; his wholt
thought feeling penetrated and saturated with
Biblical idioms and imagery which flow into his own ano
So way become his own. His scTptural quotations
into his words II they have become part of Tho
vital circulation. He handles metaphysical and philo
sophical distinctions and definitions with the familiar
steady Of Abelard AGuinas There seem no re-
servaons In the world Of science scs all regOni
NJ living de Ua
tribute to his research; that he is weaponed fol
attack and defence. The waysde fusilladcs against
errors and falstes that bother him lie move.
forward 10 his conclusion, uick uneTng, deadly