The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-17
PHILLIPS BROOKS.
A Couple of Anecdotes Of the Great
Boston Preacher.
Fron, az Roston Home .IournaI.


From the Boston Home Journal.
Perhaps no man IN this city comes so
near TO living CD to the ideal which people
have of him as does Phillips Brooks. The
good he does in the world cannot be over
estimated. He possesses that ready tact
and these quick perceptions which aid a
man not only to do good, but to discover
opportunities to do it. He is not man
whose aid springs up only in response to
an appeal
An illustration Of that will be found in
a story recently told me. Some time ago q
lady had occasion to travel from Providence
with her father, who was very weak IN his
mind. Whether it was the excitement Of
the Journey which developed SO suddenly
in this usually quiet and lnoffensive man
an unruiy disposition, or whether 1t was
merely the ordinary course of his disease, l
do not ow, but at all events long before
they reached Bost he became possessed Of
fancy that he must get off the train while
it was still in motion; that some absolute
duty called him. His daughter endeavored
to quiet him, but it was difficult to do it,
and she was just giving it upln despair
when she Doticed a very large man Just
across the aisle VINO was watching the pro-
ceeding intently over the top of his paper.
As soon as he caught her eyes he rose and
crossed quickly to her. II beg your pardon"
he said. "You, are in trouble. May help
yOuP As soon as he spoke she felt perfect
trust in him What is your fathers name"
he asked. She told him, and with an en-
couraging smile he bent over the gentleman
who was sitting in front Of her. and said
few words in his ear With SIN lie the
gentleman rose, crossed the aisle and took
| the vacant seat, and the next moment the
large man had turned over the seat, and
| leaning toward the troubled old man, had
| addressed him by name, shaken hands cor
| daily with him, and engaged him In con
versatiOn so interesting and so cleverly
| arranged to keep mis- mind occupied that he
| forgot his need to leave the train, and did
| not think of it again until they were IN
| Boston. Here the stranger put the lady
| and her charge into a carriage, received her
assurance that she felt perfectly safe. had
cordially shaken her hand, and was about
to close the carriage door, when she re-
| membered that she had felt so safe in the
keeping of this noble-looking man that she
had not even asked his name. Hastily put
| ting her hand against the door, she said
Pardon me, but-you rendered me such
service-may | not know whom am
thankingp The big man smiled as he an
swered, Phillips Brooks" and turned
away.
An excellent foil to this, as showing q
|
cal in its ready tact, is another story which
was told me recently. The great divine
has no stronger interest in the world than
that which he feels for the young men who
sit within reach of his voice. Last winter
he noticed three young men who came tc
hear him quite regularly. and as they
looked like workingmen he took pains tc
find out who they were, and made an OPP
portunlty to speak with them. Having
ascertained where they lived and what they
did, he went one day to call on them. de
climbed several flights of stairs and knocked
at the door. All three of the yOung men
we're in, and they were taking their com
fort in their shirt sleeves. Naturally, they
we're a trihe embarrassed at being sur
prised by this man, to whom they / oked VI
with so much respect. Mr.. Brooks shoJl
hands all round and then said, with his
cheerful smile, "Well, boys it's a little
warm here. l think, if you will let me,
will take off my coat" and he did and sa
down and made his call in his shirt sleeves
IL is needless to say that those boys vii
never need any better influence in theil
lives than Phillips Brooks will Keep there
for it is remarkable how many meu he cal
carry in his mind and keep safe In his infu
ence.
There may be two opinions in regard Il
the eloquencs of this divine; there may b
more than that number In regard to hi
originality; there can be but one IN regard
to the place he has in the affections of tn
world or of the wonderful good that his re
markable life has done in the world, whc
has too few good examples and where to-
few men live up to the ideal that one has o
what the life of the clergy should be.