The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-08-04
REV. JAMES FREEMAN CLARKE, D. D.

Toward the close of the first week of
June, at his home at Plainfield, jana
lea Plain, Boston, James Freeman
Clarke passed quietly away to his rest.
The death of the reverend gentleman
did not come as surprise to those who
were near him, for he had been in fail
ing health for some few years past,
and some weeks ago the intimations
were that the end was not distant. DR..
Clarke had entered upon his seventy
ninth year, having been born at Han
over, New Hampshire, Apri 4, 1910,
and his death was the result of COM
plication of disorders, partly incident
to the inirmities common to persons
Of advanced years.
Of James Freeman Clarke's ancestry
nothing special is recorded. While yet
very young man his circumstances
were such that he was able to enter
himself at Harvard. He graduated
A. B. in the famous class of 1929, hav-
ing among his classmates such men as
Oliver Wendell Holmes and S. F.
| Smith, the well-known Baptist divine,
and author Of "My country, it's of
thee" Clarke followed up his academi-
cal studies by course of theology at
the Cambridge Divinity School, gradu-
ating in 1888, and almost Immediately
afterward accepting call as pastor to
the Unitarian church, Louisville, Ken
lucky, where he remained till 1910. In
1S41 he became pastor of the Church
of the Disciples, Boston, Massachu-
sets. Here he labored with acceptance
and success until 1850, when he retired
for time from active service. After
three years, in 1858, the connection
was resumed, and was dissolved only
by death.
DR.. Clarke's public career, conditioned
as it was by his professional duties,
and restraints, filled most of the re-
quirements of success. The Church of
the Disciples was originally small
downtown chapel in Indiana place.
For years past the congregation has
worshiped in more commodious and
more comfortable edifice in what is
known as the Shack Bay" district.
Able, eloquent when he thought fit,
scholarly, but wearing his weight of
learning lightly, and holding it in due
subsection, always earnest and direct,
Freeman Clarke sought to make his
teachings tell and produce fruit; and
the kind of fruit he most desired to
see was practical Christianity-Ch
tianity in action. His church was in
conference.-the membership being
somewhat mixed, consisting Of many
OF the leading people of the city,
with many in humble circumstances
busy hive, its energies going out in
multiplicity of ways, and seeking
through every channel to do good, and
to be helpful generally in the cause of
social reform. The church reflected
the man. 1t is striking testimony to
the worth of the latter that he was able
to labor so long and so success fully
among the same people.
His literary labors were abundant.
He was frequent contributor to the
periodical literature of his time. His
published works which cover a great
variety of subjects, and which are
marked by high ability, are many. His
first publication of any high pretension
was translation of De Wette's "Theo-
dore," 1910. Since that date he has
kept himself steadily before the read
ing and thinking public, and has COM
manded attention as poet, as biog-
rapher, as historian, as critic, and
as skilful exposition in many depart
ments of theology. Seldom has year
passed without some new book from
his tireless pen. AS late as 1886
he published Everyday Religion"
Many of his books and tractates, writ
ten for a special purpose and intended
for immediate effect, although well
serving the end for which they were
produced, were necessarily only of
ephemeral value. Some of his books,
however, are of enduring excellence.
Not few of his poetical illusions have
found admission to the hymnology Of
the time; and they are likely to
remain. His most ambitious work,
and that which is most likely to per-
petuate his name, is his "Ten Great
Religions" 1S7O-1ss3;-a comprehen-
sive, able, and withal conscientious, if |
not altogether, and in every point sat
isfactory survey of wide and varied
field of thOught.-Harper'S Weekly.
IA Won orow raadv for n aamamhara Or |