New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-09

A theological professor when asked
by a serious-minded apprentice in the
school of the prophets what class Of
reading should be given preference by
the minister answered:
"Biograph. Biography, young gentle
man, is absolutely essential to the IN
spirstional, cultural and dynamic de-
velopment of minister's life
Should Read Life Story
As these words come back and their
lesson becomes the more emphasized
by the experiences that have come on
apsce, and in the presence OF the hyper
cynical attitude of the world to-day
toward the church and its ministry,
every theological professor should per
suade not only those who are stlll IN
the process Of the embryonic, but all
others who have assumed the respon-
sibilitics of being Gods spokesman, 70
read, insistenly, the records OF tnelr
predecessors and compeers.
Such q life story, with matchlessly
superb atmosphere about IT, IS the VOL
ume which embraces an account OF inc
life of Frederick W. Robertson. ms
is not a newly published story, but u
continues TO be TO him who reads pom
an inspiration and an impelling dyna-
mic. ii should be in the place OF cas-
lest and most noticeable access on tne
study table of every clergyman through
out this city who seeks TO burn WIN
the zeal that is essential 10 the en-
blazoning OF the message OF the cross
Robertson Of Brighton, as he IS
spoken Of by those who continue 10
know him best, went TO his grave when
he was but thirty-seyen years old, Dut
that continual reference TO him and the
influence of his life by churchmen, high
and low, conformists and non-confor-
mists, evangelicals and many OF the
rest. are evidences of his abiding iniu-
ence upon the thought and spirit OF our
own day. Many Of the clergymen or
America in their pilgrimages have gone
TO walk again the paths over when ne
had gone about Brighton, and have I'm,
gered at this side of the grave spot
where this prince of preachers was
laid to rest.
Tribute from GLADDEN.
Among American ministers who at
tribute much TO the influence OF Fred
erick W. Robertson in their lives IS
Washington GLADDEN., known through
out this land and others as among the
most virile preacher, who says; "Ihe
hest of all books are the good biogra-
phies. The good ones, mark; there Is
nothing worse than bad one. Many
successful pastors bear testimony that
they have found more stimulus in books
of this class than in any other kind OF
literature"
There is no biography of a life as
brief as that of Robertson, who was
born more than a hundred years ago.
which continues so instinct with he;
Think what it means" said Dean II.
Hensley Henson, "to have died az
thirty-seven. Most men are only then
finding their feet in the matter OF CON
victions, and only then laying hrm
grasp on the business of their llves::
What place would Keble have held II
he had died in 1929; or Pusey II ms
potent support of Tractarianlsm had
ceased in 1887; or Newman If his ca.
reer had closed in 1898; or Maurice II
he had been taken away IN 1857; OF
James Anthony Froude If his course
had ceased in 1855; OF, to pass from
the Church TO the State, If Gladstone
had died in 1916, or pisraeli IN lo4l
II we suffer our minds TO travel iur
Their into the past, and recall some OF
the critical figures Of our national MS
tory. we are arrested by the same sug-
eestion.
What Miyht Have Been
"Had Henry VIII died at thirty
seven. that is, In the year 1928, ne
would have left the reputation OF
splendid munifcence impressively com
bined with domestic virtue and per
sonal goodness, but there would have
been no Church Of England az we have
known II. If Archbishop Cranmer had
died at thirty-seven, his name wouio
have held no place at all in the history
OF England. .-o,
archbishop Parker at thirty-seven
vas an unknown man with doubtful
renutation for orthodoxy among his
neighbors; and Archbishop Laud, II ne
nod closed his life in 1910, would have
had no wider fame than that which
violent temper and extreme opinions
could earn for an oxford theologian.
at needs not TO multiply examples,
hut these will suffice to indicate the
remarkable significance Of the fact
that this relatively obscure Brighton
preacher had succeeded, in life which
resched its term at thirty-seven, IN
making a mark on the spiritual life OF
his countrymen, which we can see' at
the distance Of two generations, TO
have been both deep and permanent.