The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-10

Literature in the Pulpit.
The Rev. DR.. NEWELL DWIGHT HILLS,
who was called from Chicago to the Plym-
outh Church, Brooklyn, on the strength Of
a lecture on RUsKrN, Is delivering a series
OF on Great Books and Great
Authors" Plymouth Church has mild lit
erary tastes, and doubtless DR.. HILLS is
wise in taking advantage Of them. or for
NAL theology, OF what used to be regarded
as the essentials Of orthodox Congregation
alism, the Plymouth audience does not care
to hear much but it dearly loves quota
tions. DR.. HILLS is more consecutively
literary in his sermons than any other cler-
| gyman OF the day. He even introduces pas
sages from TENNYsoN into his prayers. We
mention this habit Of his merely as a matter
OF interest, and without the least intention
Of reproof. The words Of a consummate
literary artist may be thought to express
particular aspirations OF the soul better
than even so accomplished a student OF
English literature as DR.. HILLS Is could
express them. The sermons and the con-
versation Of the ld-fashioned Congrega-
tionalist minister used to be filled uncon-
sciously with the noble phraseology Of the
Authorized Version. We do not find so
much OF this in Mr.. H1LLIs's sermons.
Possibly Hebrew and Greek made the older
race of clergymen too narrow in their
culture" 1t is the good fortune Of
Plymouth Church to have broader oppor-
t~unities.
Last Sunday night, DR.. HILLS preached
on JOHN RUsKIN's Seven Lamps OF Ar
chitecture az Interpreters of the Seven
Laws OF Life: a Study Of Character Build
ing" He said that RUsKIN had been
pouring forth prose OF a purity and
beauty that has never been surpassed. >
We observe that DR.. HILLIs's own prose is
often high colored and dithyrambic, fire.
quently assuming a regular poetical form.
Thus in his sermon we find actual blank
verse or irregular metrical passages, like
the following;
" In Modern Painters he set forth the claim
OF rock and wave. of herb and shrub upon
Mans higher life. But the white clouds.
The perfumed winds. the valleys covered with
Perfumed corn and cattle. the mountains ROBBED
In pine as with the.garments OF Gop.
Seemed az nothing compared to man, who goes
Weeping. laughing. loving. through his pathetic
Career"
E1eTe again ib Il TllyInllllCdl OuJDufSt.
Dealing with mans ambitions, strifes, defeats.
And sins. stands RUsKISs Lamps OF Architecture
book
Written at an hour when the sense Of mans
Ingratitude swept through his heart with the rage
OF a destroying storm.
In that hour. when the iron
Entered his soul and ingratitude
Blighted the fair
Blossoms OF his heart.
RUsKIS turned from the baseness OF man TO the
white
Statue that lifts no mailed hand to strike.
And exchanged the coarse
Curses Of the marketplace for the sacred silence
OF the cathedral"
Down the stream Of poetry DR. HILLS
glided. while "the sea wind moaned and
murmured" past "ruins that time was
blowing into dust. To his melodious soul
even Death is a figure from the guide book
and the history Of painting in Italy:
when the body hath done its work death pulls
the body down. as TISroRErro. toiling upon his cell.
ing. pulled down his scanold to reveal to men a cell.
ing glorious with lustrous beauty"
But perhaps the most remarkable effort
OF DR.. HILLIs's passion for poetry is this:
Tho soul needs size and boldness. He who be.
gins with asmall plan shall end with q petty soul.
Hours there are when the vault OF the sky seems TO
lie above man like a low garnet roof. Then the soul
stretches its wings. Old ideas seem petty. The
sense OF vAstness comes. In that hour there stands
forth One whose face Ia like unto the Son Of Cop.
Whispering. Build me moro stately mansions, o
thou soul. while the swift seasons ROLL For the
lamp Of power in the cathedral is the law OF majesty
for the soul"
At the risk Of being counted among the
petty souls, we suggest to DR.. HILLS that
he quote from less known poems than
THE Chambered Nautilus' or verify his
quotations before using. Apparently he
has entered upon a long career OF familiar
quotations. He owes it to his congregation
to be exact.