Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-17

A brilliant Audience I'm Congregational
Church Last Night.
THE LECTURERS STYLE AND A BRIEF REPORT
OF HIS DISCOURSE.

THE LECTURERS STYLE AND A BRIEF REPORT
| OF HIS DISCOURSE.
The audience which assembled at Congrega-
| tional Church last evening to listen to Canon
| Farrar's lecture on Dante was very fiattering
| 10 that eminent divine. The large church was
| well filed and the character of the audience
| was of the highest order. Intellect, wealth and
position were all we'll represented, particularly
the former: Seldom is there such a d1sfin-
| guished gathering as greeted Canon Farrar last
| evening. The President, accompanied by his
! sister Mrs. Hoyt, occupied seat pretty well
pew in front were secretary Endicott and
| daughter, and scattered Throughout the audtO-
rum were noticed Mrs. and Miss Bayard, Sec
| laudet, Prof. Gregory, Fred Douglass, Admiral
Rodgers, Assistant Secretary jerks: ex-Solicitor
| General Phillips, Mrs. Laughton the lecturers
hostess, Rev. DR.. Elliot, and many others.
| Secretary Bayard, in evening dress, intro
him great honor and pleasure, he said. to pre-
l sent such distinguished citizen in the repub-
lie OF letters, and a loving and loyal subject of
| an estimable queen. He was no stranger to us,
| he added, for years ago his literary rays had
| been shed upon many a home circle i'm this
known his books and learned long ago to honor
| and respect the man.
When Secretary Bayard had taken his seat
l the archdeacOn, with a few quick steps, took
| his place at the pulpit and opening his man.
uscript upon the reading desk glanced over
| his audience. He appeared simply as a good
| specimen of an English gentleman, bearing
| the stamp of his high intellectual attainments
| upon his features He was attired in dress coat
! no opening down the 'front.' across which a
heavy gold watch chain. He wore gold trimmed
eyeglasses attached to a fine gold chain.
As soon as the canon began addressing his
audience IT was evident to all that his oratori-
cal powers had contributed little if any
toward raising him to the eminent position
he occupies in the world of letters, and in the
Church. His voice was well modnlated, how
eyer, and was easily heard throughout the
q m q M rof nric off Forts md tic
gestures were mainly confined to raising and
lowering his right hand, which was kept nearly
closed. He was very familiar with his lecture,
Tor his eyes were most of the time on his audi
ence, and were only occasionally dropped to
the manuscript. The speaker held the undi-
vided attention of his audience for an hour and
half by the beauty OF his diction, his clear eX
PLANTATION of the Divine Comedy, and the valu-
able lessons he drew from 1t. He achieved the
greatest effect in the simplest manner, and his
word pictures were beautiful and complete.
He opened his lecture by referring to Dante
as the greatest religious poet that ever lived.
He classed with him Aschylus and Milton, eX-
cepting Shakespeare. because OF his belonging to
another class. although acknowledging that we
would prop lbiy have another Milton before we
could have another Shakespeare. No poet has
ever shown the same heroic dauntlessness that
Dante shows. such poet elevates the present
age and makes it ashamed OF its vices. He gave
an interesting sketch of the lie of Dante,
dividing it into three distinct parts-Iove, phi
losophy. politics and exile He spoke at length
of the poets ideal love for Beatrice, and OF how
the youths soul was elevated by disappOilt-
IL.
and that of nations. After the death OF his
lady, philosophy engrossed him, then politics
one after another, and he was at last driven
from his native city, which for a time he had so
magnticently ruled. But tor that exile he might
have been u love poet or u political scholar,
but would never have written for the world.
He drew comparisons between the Divene Com
van, Goethe and Milton, and classed it as
greater than any of them. The rest of the lee
lure was a clear and able exposition of Dante's
poets design and purpose. He described Dante's
hell as the natural condition OF the soul OF an
h AS long as sinner a Is
Ing to Dante, is full OF ghOSts-not disembodied
souls, but disensOuled bodies fitting about in
living souls OF seltshness and vice. Heaven and
hell, the lecturer said, were but different states
Of the soul the one the blessedness and perfect
peace which reward the good, and the other
That souls which verify repent are com
fOrted by their own chastisement The Para
disc Is the poem most read by the multitude
and by the student, and in referring to it the
lecturer described in glowing terms the state Of
In concluding the lecturer spoke at some
length of Dantes sense of the transcendency
OF goodness, and of the high moral purpose
with which he wrote. The speaker did not
once pause during his discourse, nor was he in
terrupted by applause He was listened to
preacher delivering Il powerful sermon in the
pulpit. except that he was literally applauded
as he closed his lecture.
TIE LUNCH AT KENDALL GREEN YESTERDAY.
DIR. Gallaudet gave "a luncheon yesterday af-
ternOOn at his residence, Kendall Green, in
honor of Archdeacon Farrar, to which num-
Der OF gentlemen, representing what might be
called the intellectual side of life in Washing
ton, were invited, including divines scientists,
literary men, etc. Among those present were
Ex-Justice strong: alr. Corcoran, Rev. DIR. Eli
lott, Rev. Dr. Bartlett, DR.. j. Z. yelling, pres-
dent of Columbia University; Rev. DIR. Patton,
president of Howard University; Rev. pr.
Shipper, Gen. VIM. Mckee Dunn, Mr.. s. H.
Kaufman. Prof Alexander Graham Bell Dr.
Lincoln, Gen. John Eaton, DR.. Robert Fletcher
Hon. jeremiah NJ. Wilson, Mr.. Dorman b. Ea-
ton. and Professors Chickering, Fay and Cor
don.
Alter the repast. which was notably attrac-
tive i'll every way, the distinguished guest of
the occasion, and most OF those invited to meet
him, visited the Columbia College for the Deaf
and Dumb, to inspect the practical workings OF
Canon Farrsr went to Mi. Vernon to-day.
Tomorrow he will preach at 81. Johns church
AmuSemenis
FoED's OPERA HoUsE.-As already an
nOpnccd, Cnas. II. Hoyts latest success "a Tin
Soldier, Will be the attraction at this house
EeXt week. This Is said To be racy farcical
satire plumbers, and affords ample scope FOR
the comic genius oi I number of clever ladies
ana gentlemen. Among these is MIR. James T.
Powers whose laughable impersOnatiOn OF Chip
in dreams" and of other roles, is well remem-
bered by Washington theater-goers. In a Tin
cuiated TO display his merry-making talent
There are also III the company several other
flvOrite actors and actresses. and some good
singers. George w. Wilson, Paul Arthur, Amy
Ames and Isabelle COe are other members o. the
company.
ALBACGHS OPERA HOUSE. Mr.. Frank
Mayos play. "NOrdeck, which made an excel
lent impression here last season, will, next
week, ut this house, be presented by a company
superior TO the one which enacted it on its pre-
vious visit to this city. The play comes, more
over, with the added prestige OF a New York
success. The play will be put upon the stage at
Albaugh'S with all the advantages which the
house affords, and a spectacle, well as
otherwise, the production will doubtless be u
notable one.
NATIONAL THEATER.-Fechter's adaptation
OF Dumas famous masterpiece, 1.-THE Count OF
Monte Cristoe," which will be seen again at the
National Monday evening, has held the stage
pretty steadily since its first production by the
celebrated actor in 1870. During the past lew
seasons Mr.. James ONeill has met with good
success in the title role of the drama, for which
| he Is considered by many to have peculiar tit
/ ness He Is supported 10y competent company
OF ladies and gentlemen, including the Misses
| Robins and Boudnot, and Messrs. Shannon,
| Wallis, Bradley and Melton. The scenery has
! been specially painted for the play.
/ A GRAND CONCERT for charity will be given
| on Saturday night, October 81, at Masonic Hall
| under the direction of Mile. de Nogueiras, who
will be assisted by the best talent of the CITY,
| The leading society people interested in
| making the affair q success, and will doubtless
| do so.
| HERzoG-s OPERA HoUsE-That laughable
| farce, Irish Arstocracy" in which Nessrs.
haNa in fnrpv, n.