The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-05-21

"2ehold what manner Of love the father
hath bestowed upon us, that we snou,n
no called the sons Of God!' These Worus
express very fully the spirit OF ire III
Of Phillips Brooks. Descended TN oCgh
a long line of Congregational ministers
with Puritan blood and traditions con-
shutting the very essence OF ms heflldsc'
he was bora at time whea the steIH'
docnatic faith had received a statgering
blow I'm the development OF Cnitarlanism
in its central citadel. In an atmosphere
of perst nal devotion to a loving Saviour
and of dependence upon him, Philips
Brooks lived and grew as child. That
love Of Christ which glowed in his words
and flashed in his eye was caught from
a mothers lips. and was read with boylsh
eyes as the central lower OF m0.her 5
love ana life. ] may not say more, nor
lift any farther the veil which separates
holy of holes. into which We loved
20 enter with an awe which we could not
understand. / cannot say less, lest 1
should take from young mothers to-day
the announcement. the hope. and the
incentive which they have a right 10 claim
from the story of this great life.
Baptized by a Unitarian minister
Phillips Brooks received all his early
training in the Episcopal Church. The
circumstances could not have been hap
pier How much the ministry OF Or.
Alexander Vinton, rector Of St Pauls
church, Boston did in seventeen years TO
form the life OF the growing boy, Phillips
Brooks, no one can doubt who has read
his eloquent and wise description Of that
ministry. Massively logical and argu-
mentatve, with a wide knowledge OF
nature. deep sympathy with men. and
burning love for Christ. Or. Vinton was
81 "a 70 fuf hot (Ffft
gregationalism and Episcopacy to the
father and mother, and to impress, to
train, and TO lead with no slavish ad-
herence the boy who heard him Sunday
after Sunday and looked up 10 him with
awe. In Boston's public schools where
ne was educated boys Of all classes from
sturdy. sober, religious minded families.
sat side by side The large, intellectual
blessings Of city life without its friyOities
or foolish conventionalites found their
place in the life of the household to which
he belonged. God and humanity. not
separate. but one, mnistered 10 the draw
ing out of this earnest-minded, large-eyed
boy. Make all you will and can Of the
man (you never can make too much) but
do not forget the atmosphere and soil in
which he grew, for it is to that that
fathers, mothers, pewholders, vestrymen
and citizens are contributing every day.
Then came the college-life al Cambridge.
which still left the boy his hOme-ife on
Sunday. 1t was a colege-life 10 stimulate
thought. James Walker was the president
of Harvard College. Felton, Agassiz.
LOngfellOw, Lowell were i'm their prime in
the college. Phillips Brooks felt and used
such influences of the larger life that
was dawning, but he was not confused
or blinded by them. The past was not TO
oyeTshadow the future nor was il To be
swept away. His power was recognized.
his literary ability vas rewarded, his
geniality and largeness OF spirit were
loved.
Never did young man enter the theo-
logical seminary with less knowledge of
the details Of ecclesiastical and theologi-
cal issues than that which Phillips Brooks
carried to the seminary at Alexandra.
Va. In his life here, l can only note
again that breadth and insight with
whlch, as he seized the new. he never
lost sight Of the old, but felt its richness
and value more deeply than ever.
We cannot be surprised at the enthu-
siasm with which such q man entered
on the delightful duties Of parochial life.
which he never ceased to love. 1t is at
the opening of his new work that | can
best speak Of his great sermons. for they
never changed their character. They felt
all the great expanding influences which
he was ever anticipating and utilizing;
but from those first given in the little
church Of The Advent, in Philadelphia.
TO those in Trinity church, Boston, and
I'm Westminster Abbey Jesus Christ, the
revelation Of God, was the centre OF all.
TO him all humanity was complete In
Christ.-Harpers Magazine.