Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-01-30

Soo4oeinsIlchl m3tt0fe5 aQu We see why ne
was 30 poor a churchman and so good a
from the smaller to the larger view, al
ways on the lookout for '1argeness."
Again: "Never doubt the capacity of
the people for the best faith, the profound
est experience, tho largest liberty" Here
Is the key to his preaching. One Of his
great sources of strength as q preacher
was his profound knowledge of what lay
hidden In other mems hearts. He had not
the familiarity with their external lives
which Mr.. Bsecher had, but he saw ss
clearly how men feel, and what is in them.
men, no undue effort at plainness and sim
plioity, no scolding, no objurgation,
no rasping delineation of sins on
the score of faithfulness. He searched the
heart to its depths, but he brought only
what was best, and truest and deepest
and said: this is what you are; this Is
what you believe; this is what you love, If
you did but know it. Thus he used one
part of mans nature to work the other
with; his virtues to shame his vices, his
better self to overcome his baser self. He
| used the man himself upon himself, turned
him into an argument, made him q re-
proach or An inspiration to himself. The
l first and continued impression which he
made upon his hearers was ennobling,
not merely by throwing over them his
| own nobility but by bringing out their
| own; he revealed men to themselves; he
| showed the divineness of their nature;
made them feel that they were the chill
dren of God and that all their sin and
fault and worldliness was a derrogation
and a wrong to them. This Ia the explsna-
| ton of his unfailing attraction as preach
l er,-why the same people year after year
/ -ha CHI thay
their better selves and won them to that
better self. But he fed no mans vanity;
he did not minister to Boston conceit and
| self satisfaction. Such revelation of self
as he made, while it ennobled and
encouraged man, also humbled him. It
would be difficult to say which feeling pre-
dominated when one came away-the feel
| ing of ones own dignity and greatness or
| of humility and shame. Rather were they
/ mingled, and because they were mingled
| they became incentive and motive to q
| higher life. This great skill as preacher
was due not only to an Unborn quslity, but
| to a clear conception that this method ia
the wisest one. More than any man of
cur day did he seem to apprehend tbs power
OF the positive side of truth. This is
| hardly more than saying that he had full
| confidence in the truth. He wanted moth
| ing else to work with. Preach the truth,
| and let error take care of ITSELF crowd
mems minds full Of truth aud error will be
crowded out; preach the positive eide and
let the negative go-the positive in human
nature, the positive in conduct, the post
tive in doctrine, the positive in duty
| press the positive steadily and urgently
| and with all its amplitude and the work of
preaching Ia done. Give man bread and
his hunger is satisfied; he does net need
bread and the negative Of bread. but only
| bread.
1t was this characteristic as preacher
that especially fitted him for his work in
eastern Massachusetts, and, also, 1t may be
said for this age. For half a century New
England has been deluged with denial.
Viewed simply as criticism, much of it
was true and-in its place-needful; but
denial and criticism do not save and feed
souls-rather do they starve and destroy
them. Between unitarianiem, denying
the doctrines of orthodoxy, and orthodoxy
denying the denials of Unitarisnism, re-
ligion was in bad way in eastern New
England thirty years ego. The air was
full of negation and hence Of doubt and
worse than doubt. Religious life was mar
row and bitter and unfruitful, and the
churches of either name shrank and with
cred and bore little fruit
Into this turbulent and ill-tempered
world came Phillips Brooks in 1s69-sr
Episcopalian aud therefore not of eithel
party, born in Boston aud educated IL
Cambridge and therefore knowing then
thoroughly, t1sined theologicslly In Alex
andrai, Va, by some excellent and simple
minded churchmen, who quickly saw how
great mind God had sent to them, anc
they did not train him amiss; settled fol
ten years in Philadelphia, In whose color
less theological air he had full Opportunity
to grow and take shape unhindered. II il
not easy to detect external formative III
fuences, either of place Or person. BY
which he was directed. He seems to hav,
simply grown from within, feeding on lif'
, and work with the image of his Lord ant
} Master kept steadily before him. Doubt
, lees Robertson touched him deeply ant
taught him much, but he was as etron,
and more healthy minded.
The temper of Dean Stanley is clearl,
} formed in him and the two men are mucl
alike. His church affected him but slight
ly. He was loyal to it and he loved art
, believed in it, but it was never more the,
a tool to work with. 1t had no voice t,
/ which he paid heed beyond conforming I,
its rubrics he took 10 pains to think will
} it or to believe with it except SO far as
} fell in with teaching feom more authorita
tive sources,-namely Christ and bis owl
soul. Even the customs aud usagas of hi
church he brushed aside often enough t.
make himself and others feel AID know
that he held them lightly. Though at las
bishop in highly organized church, TIL
very word ecclesiastic cannot be used @
him. His life was in the spirit, and tn
| church was the merest tool and convenience
for his work, having as little to do will
: the result as the chisel with the statue.
, In 1869 he took charge of Trinity cturcl
| in Boston. The first thing he noticed wa
: that the pew doors were kept closely shu
against othsrs than their owners. TIL
people began to come and were RELOCATED t.
} the galleries, while the pews below wer
/ helf-filtd. Ore word from the youn,
rector settled this business: ''Open th
pew doors or l will fill the chanoel will
! seats" The great fire soon came and nev
, Trinity was built on principles that every
, way reflected the mind of Mr.. Brooks 1
| Is the most impressive, the most religion
J church in the country, and here for fifteei
, years the greatest preacher IN the country
> except Mr.. Beecher, spoke to tbs peopl
twice and often thrice every Sunday.
But it is of the nature of his influence
that wish to speak. There was rathe
: dull and uninfuential Epiecopslianism t,
be quickened and aroused to activity;
/ somewhat wearied and decadrnt Unitarian
ism to be won to living methods ans
Il
BIS softened and broadened and Christian
izad. I do not mean to say that Mr.
Brooks saw these distinct fields before hin
and set himself to the three fold task O
, tillipg them. He was the farthest from
this; 1t accorded neither with his character
which was rarely modest, nor with his ideas
, He seems to have been a man who did no
: work on plans, but rather on principles
, Nevertheless, he did this very work ii
these three felds-unconsoiously, not O
set pur pose, but only because he humbl,
: and earnestly did the work he found read
| under his hand. 1t Is the only way IL
which any great and good work is done
Woe be to the minister who oumbers him
l self with great plans! Do well the worl
, under your hand and it will grow grea
and comprehensive faster than you cal
| take care of 1t.
1t would be great mistake to regard
Bishop Brooks simply as an eloquent, per
suasive and inspiring preacher. He wa
also, and even in higher degree, q teach
or. He wore none of tho signs of ,
teacher; his sermons were not even method
ical; and while thoroughly trained mar
! he was not learned; he would not b,
named as a theologian. If the question
l was asked what was his exact belief OF
l | this or that doctrine, 1t might be difficult
| to answer. Nevertheless, he was a prea