New-York tribune., 1884-02-03
PULPIT SKETCHES.
TIE REV. ROBERT COLLYER, OF THE
CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH.

Chanuing who was indeed the founder OF uis soot III
New-York. preached the sermon of ued'eauon' i"o
buding Was a modest structure at Prince ana "eie
CO. Al that time the Rev. William Ware was pastor OF
,, ront c,,ureb Bryant wrote the dedication hymn
and the first minister was the Rev. hliilam PARSONS
Int who retired the close of ten years service ana
otterward died in the Holy Land. In 1888, Dr. orVhe
evev generally esteemed OF the most eloquent and
admirable ministers Of his connection, assumed the
uastote which he filed with great distinction for some
fon,tcon wears In this period the old church was
burned and after a brief soiourn at the stuyVcSant
Institute the society erected new and somewhat lm-
po.lne structure in Broadway opposite the New-York
Hotel now the site OF popular theatre. In lsi9 Dr.
peWey retired and was followed by DIR. osgood who
after successful pastOrae OF twenty resigned in
1860 TO enter the Episcopal ministry. Near the close
of his pastorac the Church OF the Messiah aitcr taryng
for brief space at NadisonaVe and Twenty-elghths'
finally removed 10 rs present church in PaIkaVe a Tue
corner of Thirty This property with Its costly
furniture and fittings represents an onay OF more tn
sg2o 900 Then at short intervals, DIR. hepworth the
Rev Henry Powers and the Rev William X. anger
followed until 1870. when Robert Coyer was lhFi'c
from Chicago 20 assume charge of church wb1ch h"'
come 10 be regarded foriofn nope sort VI N"s'
fopnlered ship ecclesiastical. not without amei""r"oe
-, Int ot tho hest almost without congregation
pere was q pregnant problem for solution; gwen an
,os,rg church munIhcently appointed and furnished
, society rich in the traditions OF mnisdy ceco"eu
for exceptional elOquence, learning anu All "oH'o"0
reoesetatve culture a certain aristocry OF iitera
,nre and f.stdious elegance with all this scattered
constituency, and disheaTtened remnant wlthou'
enthusiasm the treasury mpromsing ana uhlhilIty'-
the outlook altogether stOrmy and forebodnS. no"
should the newcomer fresh from Chicago ana poiuer
life with its rudcness and crudities last IN sueh
eouence Of pastorates snatch the prize success from
sn.h dement's! Robert Colyer when he came was
tysix years old time Of life when prudent men Keep
clear Of experiment. and doubtful adventure ana SUCK I"
well beaten paths. Besides he Il plain Wayiafhs man.
bucolIc redoent of simple, unpreeudhg rustic associ-
tons and antecedents nothing OF the cOurter without
varnish or polish of conventional bearing; rank ara
daneerousy candid as q child.-fearless and hopeful
wIthal; lively. wide-avake wine for this somewhat
dainty risky od-time bOttle But the bottle ana the
wine get on wondrousy together; and metaphor aede
Robert COliyers pastoTate over the Church OF the
Messiah after long years Of vicssitude and disaster
briu0s a steady infowing clIrent Of prosperity.
INFLUENCES OF YOUTH AND EARLY MANHOOD.
Every biography richly worth knowing for the best
of all reasons whether OF simple or distinguished ne'
Robert Colyers when wisely written Will read nesh!
for many generations 10 come and stir the hearts OF both
old and Young Of all conditions. such eNcepuoha OK
perencos break the mOnoony now and then ou not OF
fem enough 10 cu the market and dull the hunger for
Them Here he Is at sixty, unique. standing AZ 'he iu
meridian Of ich reputation beaten out on the ahTh OF
toll and experience with his own hands day and year id
and out; sayings nesting In the hearts OF "lhely
ca,terel constituency his essays made welcome alike In
the cottage of the aporr and artisan and In the libraries
Of the learned and cultured; rch glowing aftermath
all the while following his Teapng; hourishlne peauu
fuy not as n graft exotic. but firmly and node ly on
his own roothod hfe The peer OF the foremost ora
tors wiscst thinkers best citizens yet he owes hte Or
nofhnr 10 schools academies colleges, semlnal1es for
his growth and advancement. His undersraduatesmp
was passed in the du drudgey OF the factory beginning
NJ his eighth year,-at the forge and sithy over MS
anvil. when without tile foiInaity Of examinations
uponas graduation he one day doec his leatherh
apron and stepped into certain Chitalan pulpit III
Chicago For many years before while plying his sturdy
craft unnteruptedly he had exercised the sratuitons
ana informal ministry of local preacher among the
Methodist wherever the fires Of his sinhy happeDed 10
bo kindled. Soon he known as q delightful
essayist an outspoken resoute humanitarian and fas
cinatng preacher, throughout England as wen as
America.
He was born In the little hamlet of Keighly, in York
shire m the North OF England III 1898 OF poor but es-
timnble parentage. His inheritance would seem mean
enough TO most bnt 10 inconsderaole capital
IN sa,t with as the result las provedto wit, an hon
est bameless hcredity; superb constitution; great
loving trnstfn hopeful Joyous hearts strong. we'll
poised quick ntclgcnce susceptibility for the finest
polish in the sturdy granite Of his character ana an IL
ordinate hunger for knowledge, nature, the Dc'lIul lof
sound noble fellowship; and witha spirit OF tlreess
industry and an outreachng Of sympathy and good will
for his fellow creatures. ON such outfit youth can
hardly go wrong OF live unthuluy lie deVoureo
hooks in his hours Of rest, and he nwaIdy mgeked
and assimilaed their best nutIiment An artists eye
Saye him the secret ana inmac! az the landscape anu
nature became his tutor Always doing he kept clear Of
unwhoesome congestion Of sentiment and aimess think
ing Manhood. manness. endurance opportunity,
finely ordered hOneliie, steady pressure OF magmD
cent health surely enough with all the rest TO stock
him for his opening The growth of such Ie is
hidden from ANALYSIS. II Eil never get set down In
tables and statistics OF learned societies Thousands
start eouay we'll and better o AZ the outset but make
sad havoc OF life after all
CoxFIDRNCEs 10 HIS PEOPLE.
His growth starts primarily from th!s heart-lfe His
Ethical dispositions therefore are robust ana staWait
aud they arc sound and Wholesome for his moral nten
t,ons are profoundly religious lie approaches his min
,, from this direction therefore and books philosO-
nhv specuation metaphysics hold poor second place
IN b,s rroner,es Not that h intelligence is thin OF un-
certain on the contrary & flashes steadily through his
ne,iods with fine upper radiance in which the greater
minds find illumination. Bat love. human yet spiritual
ized from divine worship and culture serves ns best
and resdest purposes TO the technical critic hs ser
mon, and idylllc esSaysas in his book Nature and
Life are a mystcry, amorphous insoluDe 1hey SUD
nit neither 10 analysis classification To the pedan
tie routine theoogan the preacher Il ertie wander
ing comet out Of Orban alien from the great schools
and trusted precedents of homilotcs. Ia short they
youd tell YOU that his sermons sermons ct ALL,
uotbing better than iepTessbe ingenious condolences
from one man 10 his ucighDOIs. And unwhuDgy they
here touch the secret his fscnation for when Robert
Collyer opens his lips, all men know that commences ou
from the inncrmos depths of his brave sweet life are
coming with no reservation. fresh simple, helpful
cheering touched with holy and fne wis
dom OF men and fe at and the same time; and the
neople feed on such conddonces fndngt WOndertully
inyeoratne and restu Perhaps something OF this out
iapdish method Of pulpit homietics would not he amis
,u plsces where sterile chilly cheeress brain-work-
spinning -benumbs he peopleand scattcrs them
., the bv-ways and fields 10 consider the lilies and other
unordained preachers. Unlike a certain Apostle who
when the great sheet in vision was let down before MIN
,b rs teeming conirarietcs OF life turned dsgnstcd
o,av Rober; Coyer fms all life wholesome edifyins
and OF unfaing interest Unconscious Of theology and