The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-08-23
FROM ANVIL TO ALTAR.
The Remarkable Career Of u " ell
Known Pulpit Orator.
\ Lrfo Spent III Active 1Hurk-ReY. Robert
CnIIYcr in The Tuipit, tIIr study, at Eome.

The home OF Robert Coi!ycr-
blacksmith, preacher, relormer-is
in perfect consonance with the SIM
pie character OF the man. When |
suggested to him that would like
to gather together some items OF his |
domestic hours he wrote, Come |
some tore2o0n to Room u, Holland |
building, Fortieth street and Broad
way, early in the week and les talk |
it over. Here. then, in Room IL
is Robert Collycr S library and study. !
Here he writes his sermons AID his
books and attends to his corrcspon
dencc. Be he ever so busy a CHEEKY
Come in will answer your knock
at the door. The room is !arge and
cheerful, the walls being lined with
we'll filed book shelves, above which
hangs an occasional ! ortrait or other
picture. The furniture is comfort
able and substantial, but plain. Seat
ed in arm chair at his writing table
is the owner Of the voice which ut
tered the chcc full greeting
Although 90 Yeas old Ro5er. Col
1yer does not show any sign of deca
dence. His splendid physique, de-
veloped by the rugged life # the
English smith and the American
hammer maker, has stood him in
good stead. The mark Of time
makes itself known in the silvcry
whitcncss Of his hair, but has laid no
sign of weakness on The strong and
massive face.
In the afternoon and evening he is
to be found i. The pleasant series Of
rooms on the eighth floor Of the
Strathmore the haHdsomest apart
mcnt house that stands on Broadway
at Fifty.second stree where he lives
with his wife and sister. Mrs. Col
lyer is too delicate for housekeeping
cares, and finds the present mode OF
living preferable to the anxiety Of
keeping UP a house of her own. In
these tastcfully furnish,d d rooms Rob
er, ColIycr entcrtains his friends and
intimates. An excellent and lifelike
portrait Of himself in crayon adorns
the walls, amld pictures of graceful
scenes in this country and Europe.
The bric-a-brac and articles of vertu
scattered here and there give indica-
ton of thoye frequent trips abroad OF
which the pastor of the church of
the Messiah is so fond English
scenes, amid which he was born and
reared, have evidently strong hold
on his affections.
His grandfather WAS an English
sailor, who in obedience to Nelson's
signal that England expects every
man to do his duty" laid down his
life at the battle Of Trafalgar Rob
Collyer does not trouble himself to
trace his lineage further back than
that hero.
His father was Yorkshire black
smith, and a good enc Whatever
could be done with iron III those
days he could do. lie was kindly
man and earned eighteen shiIings a
week. Robot always refers to his
| father in tone OF aAccti2nate re
gard. "He never thrashcd me bat
once" said he-'for striking my
sister-and cried because l would
not yell, begged my pardon, gave
me sixpence and took me 10 grand
tuck out at club dinner, which
was so good that would h We taken
another .tlIrashing Tor ,hc like.
There was a kindh arted blacksmith
for Il father! The cider CoiIycr was
An athletic man, load Of his pipe, his
beer and his children. In 1874 he
dropped dead at his anvil,
Mrs. ColIycr, Robert 5 mother, |