The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-12-16
AnRAoIArIC PREAoHER.
HIstory of n Remarkable Divine wht
Would Have lIudo One Of tho GrOatoB

HIGtory OF Remarkable Divine who
Would Have NIudO Ono Of tho Greatest
of Actors.
Netr Yors lI'or'd. December II.
Rev. William Pitman Corbit, aged
seventy-iour, died at Z o'clock yesterday
morning at his residence at No. 4l2
Adelphi street, Brooklyn. He had been
in tho ministry over tifty-thrco years.
His first charge was in st, Johns N. E.
church, in John street. He was then
assigned to the Greene Street NJ. 2.
church, afterwards to Seventeenth
street and then to Fittieth street. In
BROOKLYN no was pastor OF the Dc Kalb
Avenue NJ. i. church and the First NJ.
L. Church at Greenpoint. George
Street N. L. church ut New Haven was
his last charge.
While in New Haven llc contracted a
severe cold from which he never fully
recovered, and was compelled to resign
his passionate. This was in 1882. lie
was 4 member OF the Methodist Epts.
copal conference in New Jersey, Balti-
more, New York and OF the New York
East conference. Ho was born in Phil.
adelphia on October l2, 1878 His record
shows that he had been instrumental
in the conversion OF 10000 souls.
Mr.. Oorbit studied tor the minister
under Dr.. Charles Pitman, and had not
been favored with collegiate education.
Yet LAWYER Chauncey SchatIer, IN
speaking Of him, said. after listening to
him in tho west: II never heard an
orator before" In the middle Of SCR
mon Mr.. Corbit would frequently break
into beautiful song, competing the
words aud music as he went along.
Edwin Forrest said that "Mr Corbit If
on the stage would be one OF the great
est tragedians the world ever produced"
Twenty or moro years ago he preached
to tho tiremen in Now York in the
Academy ofNlusic. The crowd was i'm
mense. Women and men focKed around
him, some OF them chung TO the skirts OF
his cont, thinking by so doing they
might gain nm entrance to tho building.
When Mr.. Corbit had freed himself from
them there was nothing left Of his coat
butthe collar and sleeves. Rev. Allison
I. Briggs, father OF Rev. Charles Briggs,
OF the New York University, gave him
his coat, and in it he addressed tho fire.
men.
Rev. Dewitt Talmage, while attend-
ing ono OF Mr.. Corbit's birthday an
niyersaries, was largely influenced to
embrace more strongly the Christian
faith and become minister. Mr.. Cor
bits memory was remarkable. On ono
occasion he preached for three and
half hours, having memorized every
word Of his sermon. A quiet nook in
Central Park was q favorite memoriz.
ing spot for him. He was peculiar
man and forcible and excitable
speaker. He emphasized his points SO
strongly that now Bible had to BIO pro-
cured after the delivery Of a TOW ser
mons. Flo used to pound it into pulp.
AS word painter he had few equals,
and at times he scared to eloquence.
In his sermon before tho New York
fircmen Rev. Mr.. Corbit lowered his
voice after giving very faithful do
scription Of fire. His audience was
held in rapt attention. Suddenly he
raised his voice and called "fre" three
times. Tho effect was electrical, for in
in an instant the fircmen to man were
on their feet, and placing their hats
firmly on their heads, rushed to the
door for the iancied fire. He quieted
their alarm, telling them that he had
merely pictured what might happen.