The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-26

"ThcTe is a moment" says Frederic
Robertson. when a mans life is relived
on tlis earth. II is that hour in which the
coffin lid is shut down. when earth has
seen the last of him forever. Then the
entire life Is as il were. lived over again
S. the conversation which turns upon the
memory OF the departed" Then all de-
tails peculiarities, antagonisms. mistakes
Ha1 successes alike are forgotten; the
In- sure of the life as a whole is taken,
ell the popular estimate is generally an
lrate criterion Of real worth.
It +, thus that men have been thinking
during the past week Of the late Bishop
~ Massachusetts and the place he held
81 tire community. The parallel has often
been drawn between Henry Ward Beecher
ana Phillips Brooks who. since Beecher's
nh. has generally been accounted
lm.ricas greatest preacher. Both were
Intensely human In their sympathies,
l.t in other respects they were widely
C.s-imilar. The former struck a chord
valch vibrated perhaps in the hearts Of
larger circle of hearers. but the latter
touched a more finely strung Tyre. and
men as they listened felt that here was
one whose prophetic office it was to voice
their unspoken warnings and to express
1or them what they could not express for
themselves.
The death Of Phillips Brooks has brought
80 90 the surface the strange power that
DIS life and words have exerted over hu-
nan hearts. Il is not in public resolutions
CT ln the editorials OF newspapers. but
81 the private conversation of one man
with another that the real worth Of his
l.e SIS manifested. The news Of his death
las been whispered rather than spoken
cloud. Even those who never knew him
lave felt that somehow they had lost a
PERSONAL friend. said one Of these, He
was a light to me and TO many. Most of
81 / mourn for his loss 10 the world.
We could IN AFFORD it." Something was
there In the quality Of his life which drew
Jim near TO all. and made him the keeper
O. AM.
- Wherever he preached here in America
J awakened the same kind of response
g. the breast of Christians Of every Pro-
tastant denomination. Many attributed
mis- 10 the fact that Phillips Brooks was
fle type OF all that was fairest and most
beautiful in Protestant life. For he was
himself the ideal Protestant. He was in
tensely individualistic; jealous for the
right OF private Judgment; suspicious Of
any kind Of authority over the individual
conscience; sclf~assertive regarding his
own freedom Of religious thought and
action; yet generously tolerant Of all
other phases Of religious life; claiming
in his Utmost thought the same freedom
Tor others that ne claimed for himself.
IN his life American Professionalism came
10 the flower Phillips Brooks had a
high ideal Of the noble, heroic religion Of
his forefathers. and he stands for all
time as witness for their faith. And
when ne passed 10 the other side of the
ocean his personality awakened a cores
ponding enthusis SIN there. His reputation
in England soon equaned, II It did not
furpass, that which he had gained in
America. And this is shown by the way
L. which his published sermons were read.
They We're TO be found on the library
tables Of Liddon and Dean Church. Scot
Holland and Charles Gore. as well as on
those OF Dean Stanley and Farrar.
Men who differed widely with him IN
doctrine and churchmanship. who felt
That in thus emphasizing individual Chris
tianity above organic or social Christian
ny he was ignoring one-half the teach
iags Of the New Testament; and who
lId that IN his generous yearning to
bring an under the gospel influences, and
Dis consequent adherence Of distinct dog
Matte teaching with it, austere limitl-
tons. he was preaching oRe-sided re-
l-i0u. recognized az the same time that
g. Was a true side, and that Phillips
Brooks was Bringing out with great vivid
less and force a.! those lessons regard
~ the sacredness OF human person
fifv and Of the freedom OF the human
VII upon which the gospels themselves
dwell with such constant emphasis
Henry Y Satterlee, u. n, rector of
calvary Episcopal church. New York.