New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-25
BISHOP POTTER'S TRIBUTE TO HIM

| HE TELLS ABOUT THE EARLY AND LATER LIE
OF THE DEAD BI:IIOP.
| The announcement OF the death Of Bishop Phillips
| Brooks so suddenly that church people seemed
hardly able 10 realize the extent OF their great loss.
| His was. such n sunny, bright aud cvergOwing life
and his personality possessed much. not only OF
magnetism but OF stimulating power. that those who
| knew him best find It difficult to picture
| him lying in death Kindly words are heard
| on all sides in his memory Ills whole life
! seemed snch perfect type Of simplicity and
| goodness. free from anecation and sham,
| that while he not conspicuous In the sense that
Mr.. Bcccher figured In his greater days It Is evident
| that n OF loss in similar degree TO that ex-
peenced the death OF the great brooklyn preacher
| is felt the fall OF the noble Bishop OF MaSsa
| chusctts. But. as was remarked yesterday I'll,
Christian unity which both these great, broad minded.
liberal hearted ministers Of Christ lOnged 10 the
consummatlon Of, has been brought still nearly
| TO the point OF realization through the unexpected
and uniimcly death OF BoSions great preacher for
around his bier, In spirit II not In person. will
grceaie representatives. OF every Christian denomlna
| tiOn.7
Bishop Brooks appeared seldom before New
York audiences that the Inspiration Of his presence
| and the thrill which his spoken words caused have
been experienced by comparatively few Of those who
had heard OF his eoqucncc and his manly, Christian
bearing. lie occasionally exchanged pulpts with
his brother, the Rev Arthur Brooks. OF the Church
Of the Incarnation. but the act was quietly per
formed that aside from the parlshoncrs few knew
that he wa, 10 preach In New York city.
4 year and half ago he spoke in CMckcnng
Hall the anniversary celebration Of IA" Bible
society. His only subject the bible and It's use
fitness guide and never was the sacred book
Illuminated beautifully than in that brief dis
| by the famous orator. His last appearance"
h-rcabours outside the pulpit. IN Brooklyn.
the evening Of December II. when he spoke at IN"
New England Society dinner In that city. II
earnest address. delivered in his fcrvent
and filled with the beautiful gems Of his Imaeina-
ton.
Perhaps no other person IN New York. except his
brother. had known him long and thoroughly
as Bishop Henry e. Potter. ~ this Diocese. II was
In the Protestant Theological Seminary Of Alexandria.
Virgnn. that they met IN the latter part Of ia"
fft.s. and Just preceding the outbreak of the Gvil
War.
To Tribune reporter Bishop Potter said Yesterday
81 first met Bishop Brooks while | n student
at the Alexandria Seminary. | had been there
year two when he entered and ! recall humorous
incident OF the time You know he WAS quite a tall
man. when he arrived there a student a.
placed I'm Of the rooms Of the old building The
ceiling Of which low that he could not stand
erect. heard Of the aw1wariness Of his situation
and excrtcd such influence as Possessed 10 secure
his removal to n hall distance or. which
known 81. Johns In the Wilderness and he
came 10 be established there. lie made apt
and striking reference 10 this incident few Years
ago, the occasion Of my conservation Bishop.
lie said he hoped that II would continue to be
Henry Pottcr's business 10 that men sod up
straight IN the world.
We AT the seminary two years Bishop Pot
ter added. land during that time n little group Of
kindred spirits formed, consisting Of Phillips
Brooks, Charles Richards. the present rector Of st.
Johns Church Providence. II. L. who had been edu
Gated for the practice Of the profession Of medicine
George A. Strong. af@ward professor OF bellies let
tres In Kenyon College. and myself. comprising n quar-
let. The fare Of the seminary quite primitive
and consisted chiefly Of hog and homny. and the diet
being rather mcagrc. In the habit OF meeting
almost always after dinner In the room Of Of the
number and having cup OF coffee which manu-
featured by ourselves. and there considerable
rivalry meanwhile rs to who should make the best
coffee.
These the first occasions when DR.. Brooks
fonnd himself In the close association Of young
Who Hike himself, looking toward the ministry.
\ very Interesting feature OF the system OF training
at Alexandria In connection with The stations
located within n radius Of ten miles from the place.
II was the custom for two TO visit each station
every Sunday In the line OF the Apostolic idea, and
then we were wont TO put to a trial our gifts preach
ers Dr. Brooks with Bishop Randolph. OF Virginia,
had the station at sharon, while had the dis
tant station OF Arlington where used - go ana
preach 10 Colonel Robert r. L." and his family
"That was "a valuable training for Bishop Brooks
added Bishop Potter, land should say that the
hip Of Dr. Sparrow, professor OF systematic
divinity an Irishman by birth, man of cxtraor-
dairy gifts and II trne seer had a great deal TO do
with the most stimulating Influences OF his novate
there.
But parted company when went out OF the
seminary. / went thence In advance Of him. 10
little parish In Pcnnsy lvana. aud he later accepted
call from the Church OF the Advent In Philadelphia
After three years he to the Church Of the Holy
Trinity In that city. where he r@mUlEed until he
resigned to 90 10 Boston.
~ was myself called from Boston TO Grace Church.
Newly York, IN Ie6s. Some OF us who knew OF his |
large capacity felt that he would have a wider field
OF usefulness In Boston than in Philadelphia !
Tor one felt that he Ind n greater intellectual and
spiritual opportunity with Harvard College than |
he could have IN Philadelphia At length those
Of who concerned I'm laborng for his transfer
succeeded in making him think did.
"And by the way continued bishop Potter |
dropping into dotc again. 81 recall amusing
incident Illustrating his simplicity and innocence A
member Of the seminary quoret, George A. strong |
TO whom referred awhile ago. WIS rector at n church |
at Medforh. Mass, and upon one occasion Dr. |
Brooks and ] driving ont there 20 see him. |
When crossing u railroad track enc Of the |
whhierees broke ! Immediately jumped ont Of The |
carrIage to repair the damage. Rut Brooks never |
stirred. There he sat looking nj me, With apparently
no more concern than wooden idol might DO ex- |
pecfed TO have until with degrees Of imperious
ness ordered him TO get ont and hold the horses |
heads while was making repairs. II had never &C.
CURED TO him that he could liz Of the slightest use.
remarked TO gentleman aftcrward: 1T Is aston
ishlng how little Brooks knows about horses Well
sad the gentleman IN reply he spoke much moro
OF you In that regard for he told me
-