The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-10-11
A TARHEEL IN BOSTON
Prof. Williams Hears Philip Brooks Preach
and Gains otse Suggestions of Value
to North Carolina schools

TO North Carolina schools.
To be in Harvard after several
-yeais of experience in Yale life is ex-
ceedingly Interesting Each institu-
tion has its spirit, and there is differ
ence between them. Each eonceives
its individual work, and is endeavor-
ing t. perform its Guty to our civiliza-
ton Aud this line of division is said
to extend to the patrons of these
schools Yale is thought to supply
the needs of a certain fan'iv-Iife, and
Harvard that Of another type. Then
ultimately the spirit Of either institu-
tuition is a tendency in Am .rican life.
But this thought is familiar to the
readers OF TIE SENTINEL. The pur
pose of this letter is to speak of my
first Sunday in Boston In this day
everybody knows Of Phillips Brooks
and his magnificent church OF course
/ went 10 hear him.
The building is handsome, but hot
so grand as Surgeons Tabernacle
The preacher disappointed me more
than the building. lie is certainly
not an orator His speech is so rapid
that the words frequently run into one
another He made four attempts at
one group Of words. His mannerisms
are plenty-and there is a hlonotony
about them. He is not a good reader.
His infections are very slight. There
is very little expression. Every sem
tence seems about the same. This is
the mark Of his preaching as well as
reading. The listener is conscious Of
an effort to get his words
But the man is a recognized power,
ali interna ional power, perhaps. And
he is this power Notwithstanding the
fact that he is not an orator Where,
then, is the secret of his force? 1t
really can't be wholly or chiefly in
the mans personality. The vast au
dieEces that crowd the church from
Sunday to Sunday are not acquainted
with the man-nor do they feel any
strong magnetic influence while listen
ing | think those who have heard
Dr. Brooks will agree with me that
the bonds are intellectual. It is an
intellectual feast that the speaker
spreads weekly. Mr.. Brooks is pro
found student. His sermon last Sun
day was enough TO show this. And he
is student in definite direction. He
is philosopher. One can see clearly
that he is not only abreast with philo
sopiricaI thinking to day, but that he
is applying the resnlts of this think
ing.
He is then doing nothing less than
feeding his people with the best mug
gets Of Philosophy to be had to-day.
OF course his personal qualities and
skill in serving, and to be taken
into account. But they simply add to
his success. Phillip Brooks is an in
terpreter Of human hopes, one who is
feeding human desires,-and his in
strumont is Modern P ilosophy. One
will find parallel in Origen, the
master Of Greek Philosophy and an
earnest christian. DR.. Brooks was
not half through with his sermon
before | reached this conclusion. And
the more / reflect upon it, the more
clear aud strong is the conviction that
/ have the true secret of his power.
These remarks will Introduce a crit
icism that | desire to make upon the
college work of North Carolina. The
fact is-noC one one Of the institutions
in the State has course in Philoso
phv. The University does little
elementary work the others simply ig-
more the subject. This state Of things
ought 30 pass away Oar institutions
are far behind in this regard, and the
want will make itself felt III every de
partnient of our life.
1t is simply impossible to under
stand Theology without Philosophy
and North Carolina abounds in
preachers. And l understand Phil.
osophy to be no less the handmade
Of journalism, politics, and in small
Ter sum, of law No man feels the
power of history, politics, social order.
Theology, until he sees their underly
ing princ!ples-that is, until he bring
his Philosophy to bear upon them.
iris criticism is prompted both by
my own struggles in contending
with students from other institutions
and by my interest in larger up
building of North Carolina. [ hope
the suggestion will commend itself to
our educators Fl. H. WILLIAMS.
HarUard University, Oct 1, 1883.
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