Evening star., 1909-06-10
Renowned as a Writer,
Eminent as Orator

Edward Everett Hale was born in Bos-
ton. April 3, 1s22. He was a son of Ma
than and Sarah Preston Everett Hale
He studied at the Boston Latin School
and graduated from Harvard in 1880. For
two years he was usher at the Boston
Latin School. and then studied theology
and was licensed to preach. becoming
minister of the Church of the Unity,
Worcester, Mass, continuing the pasto-
rate from 1886 to 1856. He married Oc-
tober il, 1852 at Hartford, Conn, Miss
Emily Baldwin Perkins. He became
doctor of sacred theology in 1879. and
the degree of LII. d. was conferred upon
him at Dartmouth in 1901.
DR.. Hale was named after his uncle,
Edward Everett. and followed in his
mothers steps in the direction of litera-
early years. He began school almost as
soon as he was able TO walk and entered
the Boston Latin School at the age Of
nine. When he was thirteen years old
he entered Harvard. an early age. even
for those times, and graduated In 1880,
Immediately becoming a teacher In the
Latin School and devoting his leisure
moments to study for the ministry. He
was so diligent in his fathers newspaper
Office that he was able to f1ll any posi-
tion from typesetter to editorial writer.
DIR. Hale's career as a Christian minis
ter began with his licensure in 1S42.
Then. in 1Si6, he went to Worcester, and
in 1856 he returned to his native city. Bos-
ton; and not until 1900 did he give up the
pastorate of the South CONGREGATIONAL
tUnitariam Church or cease preaching
weekly. DR.. Hale also occupied the pulpit
of All Souls Church in this city for one
winter.
Agitator Against Slavery.
AS publicist and patriot DIR. Hale did
invaluable work preceding the civil war
as an agitator against slavery. although
he never was an extremist like William
Lloyd Garrison and Wendell Phillips.
During the war by such poems as Take
the Loan" and Put 1t Through" he
spurred the northern public on to do its
duty. BY urging recruiting among his
own church members. and by setting the
entire membership of his church at work
in all sorts of schemes for bettering the
lot of the northern troops. he made the
South Congregational Church of Boston a
very live celtic quote his own figure Of
speech-in the national cellular tissue AS
director of the Freedmen's Aid Society, as
official of the sanitary commission. he
found ample play for his organizing pow
and skill
But these activities were comparatively
restricted and local in their range. 1t
was as the writer for the Atlantic or
articles full OF hope and sane optimism
that DR.. Haes influence at this time was
widest. In this periodical appeared In
1858 his masterpiece, "A Man Without a
Country" which, besides preaching its
sermon. demonstrated that America had
short story writer of the first rank; and
of the French in this form of literature
had been taken as a model by US. and SO
cleverly initiated or improved. as II has
been by not few OF our authors Curl
ously, the year which saw the war with
Spain over Cuba open was the year of
the largest sale of this book of DR.. Hale's.
His Place as an Orator.
No survey of DIR. Hales career would be
complete without some reference to his
place as an orator Whether as lecturer
before lyceums. historical societies, chau-
tauaua assemblies or bodies OF college
students and school pupils, or as formal
orator on state occasions or as after
dinner speaker. DIR. Hale was always
popular-not because of his graces OF
oratory. which his uncle. Edward Everett.
had TO superlative degree, but because
of his wit. his common sense, his fathom-
less stores of reminiscence. his facility in
conveying his thoughts in speech under
stood of common men, his optimism and
not infrequently his overwhelming elo-
quence. especially when deeply stirred and
when eXpounding Americanism His voice
and figure were like no other mans, the
voice being deep and muffled, the body
angular and massive, the countenance
benign yet rugged.
AS an antiquarian, versed in the BEGIN
ninss OF history on the American conti-
nent. in the settlement and development
of Boston and New England DR.. Hale
has a peculiarly useful career as inves-
tigator and popularizer Of historical in
formation. In this work his large ma
tive endowment of imagination served
him well, enabling him to put flesh on
the bones of fact. and thus to make his
writings on themes usually dry and sap
less SO juicy and. vital that he enjoyed
the conspicuous honor of being an anti.
auariaE who was read.
DIR. Hale was a prominent promoter OF
the ChautauQua circles and "Lend-a-
Hand Club. He was chairman of the
Massachusetts commission for interna-
tional justice and editor of the Lend-a-
Hand Record.
His Many Books.
DR. Hale was an author of celebrity
Among his books were A Man With
out CovSsS;A" Ten Times One Is Ten,"