New-York tribune., 1883-11-04
PULPIT SKETCHES,
THE REV. DIR. THOMAS ARMITAGE, OF NEW
YORK


parsonage on the other the Sunday and
eety The interior is tastefully adapted 10 tho
simple rites Of worship which distinguish the denomi-
nation The choir and organ distributed in two groups.
occupy the space behind and above the pulpit; The
rangement about the platform plain and decorous,
dark wood being used The side windows filed with
cOlored glass and dim religious light brings sugges-
tions OF repose and meditation.
over this society DR.. Arnitage has mnisered for
than thirty five years native Of England his youth
was passed among the MetbOdists Emigrating to Can
ada, he afterward changed his convictions, became
Baptist and before entering upon hs present charge
ercised brilliant ministry over an influential Baptist
church in Albany.
DR. Armitage now nearing hs thFeeseore years and
ten, yet as he approaches his pulpit with firm elastic
step, his thlnned locks hardly touched with gray, his
figure well poised in the mature symmetry OF vigorous
manhood, might reasonably suppose that be had
hardly passed his ftieth year. Besides his voice re-
tans its wonted resonance, HRS respiration equal 20
the demands Of exacng orstory and the delivery Of
his discourse Is seasoned with epressble energy and
enthusiasm. IN his own denomination. which ranks
among the first IN It's membership and statistics OF aetv
ity Dr. Amitage fills assured position Of Influence
and honor From force of temperament and character
there are no vague neutral regions in the Doctors fah
so he ia a Baptist with all his might and he has In
trenched and butressed his central convictions with an
accessible and pertinent scholarship and culture We're he
less rigid dogmatist he would perhaps have los; some
thing in intensity and penetfatNc IOFce.
Tue PASTOR AND THE PEOPLE.
The Doctor is all minister and preacher, and he would
never be mistaken for anything else His words and
presence disclose this unreseryed devotion 10 his sole
business In this world which Is the Christian ministry as
he has received t. Yet there IS with It simplicity an
official directness almost rugged, and not trace Of
fanatical self-assertion, or even consciousness Ho
stands speaks and breaches without the slightest flavor
of mannerism conyentionality. As he enters upOn
the platform, he comes bent upon his Masters
business, and he brings with him an atmosphere OF
profound responsibility, of peryading sOlemnity that
spreads among the pews. The people do not act as ia
phenomenon or celebrity before them for hours
excitation It Is rather II In the presence of some
great hcrophant from whom they about to receive
communications of profoundest spiritual import II IL
rather the than the which concentrates and
Quickens their interest.
Indeed with such stern ritual stripped Of all per-
spectivcs dramatic accessories and litprc haiHones
the preacher standing for and representing all these In
his utterance and person-sustaned only by me
lOdous quartet OF ordinary merit and hymn or two
languidy sung by the people,surrounded too In all
directions with pulpit celebrities and well tried and sue
cessfu ministers, with snowy churches and fashionable
Congregations the intrepid persistence and the steady
inu pnce mrcaxed during this long stretch o years,
of this pretendng preacher give FOR careful con-
sderaton
He begins his ministraton with brief invocation
which at once lays bare his spiritual habit. For tho
widest reaches, profOundest conclusions hOcst expe-
rence OF the faith and life touched with the reyerent
familiarity Of devOtce who has given himself
wholly TO these things His uerance Is slow, exceed
ingy deliberate with an almost Hcbrsc conscientous-
ness over each syllable and letter in the sanctuary as
verify in the divine Presence. The long prayer on
recent Sunday when these notes were akenwas not LONG,
but crowded with petitions in harmony with the coming
discourse It seemed the impersonal simplicity Of suppl
cation Indeed there might have been hint OF dryness
of N sfran cd
impulse but for the certain presence Of terrible car
nestness and sincerity Of humility. The same stad
rhythm marked the responsive reading OF tho Psalm
The single chapter was read with a devout purpose 10
grasp every disclosure within reach of thoroughly con-
sdered infection and scholarly phrasng. and within t
all was the glow Of great and faith All this
was q vital part of the worship. and not nppant pre-
face of permcoTy routine Even the reading Of verso
OF the hymn failed 10 interrupt this deyout unity In the
intention OF the service The text was announced with
the grave dignity with which pleader might lay down
his points the court in case Of life and death
Only very clearly I'm the preachers belief that book was
verify the Divine Law and the issues in hand touching
spiritual life and death.
THE SERMON IN MANNER AND SUBSTANCE.
There was fine, deliberate building mp OF the sermon,
which was read with punctious pains from manu-
script Ali the preachers energies seemed concentrated
in his determination TO make the Of every phrase
and word and whatever result was TO be reached must
depend upon the power Of the phrase and worl. with
little help from the rhetoric or elocution Not that
either was deficient Indifferent the sequel proved
The rhetoric brought to mind the unadOrned. athletic
sentences of Lincoln in their bOmely Irresistible force
IL was sugarcd with neither conces nor dantos Few
TcEs of idSm or word color and nsh OF unconscious
satisfaction complacency apt To Oeray me Wost
HTntagc did not for a step down from the seve9
dignity and directness OF the great Evangelist Now and
but IL was neither parasitic decorative There were
florists nosegays Of cut flowers nor stale tSasry u
IA, III at
fascination, like mesmerto force, seemed IN me
air aud tho eager hungry attontion left only the voice
of the sneaker to BE- heard aud felt.
There was exhaustive textua treatment OF the sub
ject. As piece of academic worh IL wus oeEoa e.u
spontaneous and Quckcned with the lre-blood ~ the
To- retire from his mansucrpt and hf in trnuee take mp,
invigorute and develop the metaphor, with mastery
struns and touches until the words of tho scriptures
seemed alive again under tho pencil OF Angelo Ana yet
Angelo did not observe the Word Ihere are hiany
preachers who have been subject to these crises OF spon
taneOls eloqucncc They wero proverbai, ana people
watched for them as travellers IA ,feana , % w VII % e % 20
burst was all there OF IT. But these bursts IN Dr
Apase eage banE in ker snbsdrnce Tho listener had
only ascended further spiritual heights 10 remain sere.
Besides there more OF the doctor ~ these unes
than IN the uninpassioned parts OF the DISCOURSE He
seemed hidden In these luxuTant growhs "a else
remained Not Guckcnng Of the pulse, nor strain or
uttorance, interrupted the steady. deepyyoiced sem
alone with the up Of thought aud figure. as IL Is alone
among the waves and breakers This was new expe7
an inSoubo problem The tension at the heart OF tne
iisteupr grew al times almost uncomfortable and many
ewes grow with involuntary tears under The IRE
ss6le and unconscious pathos OF the speaker In the
peroration which the inner purposes 0f the sermon
were all gathered up I'm quSer for fnal appeal the
sncakcr Touched the climax Of his mission, himself
almost transgured under the pressure OF hs bgh rnr-
pose Yet while the people sat held as In gianis grasp
half eager. the sentences came steaiiy,
with emphasis that disclosed the unfster-
ing hand with the mfexble discipline of the master
Such preacher would work sad havoc among people
who resort TO church going agreeable, entertaining
dvrrslon They would hud IL hsrd interpret his u,
pcratve earnusiness gather among his chast
ened and hone II periods, endure with cunfai,ante
the cyclone OF his irresistible eoquence.
BCSY PLACE FOR 4 FLAGW1N.
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