The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-03-02
PHILLIPS BROOKS

The men whom thou gavest me.-John xvii. g.
To Thousands of men who never saw
Phillips Brooks, who never heard him,
the announcement of his death came
with the close consciousness Of personal
loss. For my own part, feel as If one
of my own hearts blood had been taken
from the world
Hewas one Of the worlds great preach
ers. Every now and then some little
quill driver that makes about $e. 80 week
In writing will come out with this tire
mendous question, "Why has the pulpit
declined in power?' always think of
that old problem Of why was it, If you
put fish in a bucket Of water when the
water was on the scales, that after the
fish had been put in 1t weighed no more
than before. Men argued over that for
years before they thought of putting the
fish in and weighing it, when they found
it weighed as much more as the weight
OF the fish. So men discuss today, "Why
is it that the pulpit has declined in DOW
erT The pulpit today has power It has
never had in tho history of the world.
There are men today in GODS pulpit who
as individuals tower high among the
stars, as did the great giants of the past.
The rank and file have been given far
greater power. Think Of an army of 10O,-
200 ministers in America-trainea men,
picked Mountaineering with a single
thought, whatever may be the colors Of
their regiments or the differences that
Bubdivide them-100, 900 men animated
with one thought and sustained in that
battle by the living spirit of the living
God! There never was an hour when the
pulpit had such rssistless power as it has
today, and the only time when it is weak
Is when the man in it is not conscious of
the fact that God has given him a lever
age with which to overturn the world If
ne pulls strong enough on il.
SOURCES OF HIS POWER.
In achdt did the 1ootcer and success of
Phillips Brooks mainly consistS
F1rst-In the inherent grandeur of the
manhood Of the man.
he was a manly man. believe that
In the Christian ministry, as nowhere
else, manhood is the basis of all inherent
power. A man Is sacred because his
manhood Is sacred. You can lay as many
hands ON q man as you please, wrap
round him as many robes as you please.
take him through Is many ecclesiastical
processes as you please, ordain him In a
cathedral if you like, but unless God
mas ordained him from his mothers
WOMB your ordination Is .. EnocKery.
unless God has set the seal Of his own
heart and life on his brow; unless Gods
image Is cut In his personality. Only
manhood is sacred. Every nan is great
In proportion as his manhood IL great.
and he who has greater personality and
greater manhood than the preacher 81
the pulpit Is a more sacred man and en-
1tled to WELD Hightier influence over
men as teacher Of the God.
he was an honest man. He conld mt
nave been manly man without being
an honest man. He held honest opinions.
ne dd not preach mere theories. He
preached what he believed in the denths
OF his Utmost soul and life, and what he
could not speak from the innermoet
depths OF his great soul he left unsaid.
There was thus the spirit Of sincerity In
every word that fell from his lips.
Second-His power consisted In his
cdtholactty, in the breadth of his SYM
pathies md his views.
He was born into ritualistic church,
and he wore the forms as an honest man
wears his clothes. He never used forms
Tor the purpose Of exhibition. The church
In which he was born and to which he
ministered was large enough to hold him,
and that is the grandest compliment that
I can pay to the Church Of England to-
day. mean, when Ispeak Of the church,
CONTINUED on Second PAGE