Ezekiel Gilman Robinson; an autobiography with a supplement

Preface

TN the spring of 1893 Dr. Robinson was prevailed upon to begin the dictation of an autobiography. At the same time the contributors and the topics for a memorial volume were agreed upon substantially as they now appear. Dr. Robinson was urged to tell his story with entire frankness, and equal frankness was asked from the contributors ; they were also assured that what they might write, until it went to the publisher, would not come under any other eye than that of the editor. A more candid memorial volume than these plans have secured could hardly be found ; yet a less discriminating book would not indicate so fine a reverence for him who is its subject. The Critical Estimates are pervaded by a conviction that the impress made by Dr. Robinson upon the thinking and the preaching of his denomination is the deepest that it has received in a generation ; the effort of the writers has been to determine and to state the sources and nature of an influence which, at the distance even of many years, is still rated by those who came under it as hardly less than prodigious. In such a case it has seemed best to limit for the most part my service iv PREFACE.

as editor to a kind of secretaryship in behalf of the writers. This, I am aware, is to accept rather than to evade a responsibility.

The comparative silence of the autobiography and of the contributions with regard to Mrs. Robinson, to whom, as her husband over and over declared in public, he owed everything, is due to the restrictions which she herself imposed upon him and upon all who have had a part in the book ; yet all feel that the tribute they would like to pay to her is indispensable to an understanding of him.

The supplement to the autobiography was prepared by Dr. Robinson's nearest friend. The list of published writings is due to the painstaking of A. G. Langley, A. M., the scholarly translator of Leibnitz's "New Essays," which are just coming before the public in English dress. The Index is from the skilful hand of Rev. Robert Kerr Eccles, M.D., of Ohio.

E. H. JOHNSON.

Crozer Theological Seminary.

February, 1896.

Contents

part i?tr0t,

AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

Chapter I. Childhood And Education

1815-1842.

Page

Childhood ; Forgotten ; at School in Pawtucket ; a Sharp Lesson ; in a Country School ; First Taste of Literature ; Fighting Fire ; Day's Academy ; Preparing for College ; New Hampton ; a Friend in Need ; Hale's Academy ; New Hampton again ; Baptized ; Enters College; Discouragements; the Class of 1838; the "United Brothers ; " College Societies ; Professor Hackett ; President Wayland ; License to Preach ; Graduation ; Agent of Tract Society ; In Newton Theological Institution ; Friendships ; Professor Hackett again; Dr. Barnas Sears; 111 Health; Call to Norfolk, Virginia; hears Henry Clay; a Fateful Detention — Note, Reminiscences by fellow-students 3-27

Chapter II. Pastorates And The Covington Professorship

1842-1853.

Settles in Norfolk ; Ordained ; Novel Customs ; Liquor Question ; Coddling ; Chaplain at University of Virginia; the Faculty; Marriage; Bridal Trip ; Removes to Cambridge, Massachusetts ; a Troubled Deacon ; Illness of Mrs. Robinson ; Call to Covington ; O. W. Holmes ; an Old- Style Journey ; Canal-Boat; the Ohio at Low Water ; Covington Faculty ; Teaching Hebrew ; Preaching ; Slavery Question ; an Official Interview ; Resignation ; Noted Students ; Lyman Beecher ;

vi CONTENTS.

Page

Dr. Pattison ; Calls to Pastorates in Rochester and Cincinnati ; Dr. Magoon ; Cholera ; Parishioners ; Discourses on Scepticism ; Call to Rochester Theological Seminary ; a Land Speculation — Note, Method of Preparing Sermons 28-47

Chapter III. The Rochester Professorship And Presidency

1853-1866.

A Happy Change ; First Duties ; Inaugural ; Doctorates of Divinity and Laws ; First Year's Trials ; Preaching ; Christian Evidences ; Inspiration ; Making a Theology ; Teaching in the University ; the Second Year ; Lighter Burdens ; a Popular Misunderstanding ; Relativity of Knowledge : Sin ; Third Year ; Confidence ; Attributes of God ; New England Theology; Homiletics; Work of following Years; Christology ; Sermon at Brown in 1856-1857 ; Dr. Conant and Bible Union ; Dr. Hotchkiss ; Professor Northrup ; Bad Air and Illness ; Theological Progress ; Sin and Death ; Rapid Change as to Atonement ; Moral Law ; Beginnings of a System ; Method with Students ; an Episode, and a Mystery Cleared up ; Financial Burdens ; German Department ; J. B. Hoyt ; Professor Rauschenbusch ; Translates Neander's " Planting and Training ; " Edits " Christian Review ; " Preaches for Presbyterians ; a Novel Interruption ; Preaches in Albany ; Mr. Bridgman ; Kingman Nott ; President of Seminary ; Three Years' Course; Typhoid; Misunderstanding with University; Estimate of President Anderson ; Proposes a Union of Seminaries ; Raising Endowment ; Dr. Hotchkiss Resignsj Dr. Kendrick's Venture . 48-76

Chapter IV

IN EUROPE. LAST TEARS IN ROCHESTER.

1866-1872.

An Invitation ;" Liverpool ; a Christmas Salute ; London ; Archbishop Manning; James Martineau; Spurgeon ; Dr. Brock; at St. Albans ; "City" Churches; a Dinner in Billingsgate; Snow in London; through France; in Italy; Naples; the Opera; Rome; Sight-Seeing ; Pius IX. ; the Pope's Pinch of Snuff ; through Northern Italy ; Switzerland; D'Auhigne ; Heidelberg; Rothe: Bonn; Lange; Tour in England and Scotland ; Cambridge ; Cathedral Towns ; Incident in Stirling; Dunblane; Edinburgh; Trossachs ; Glasgow's Drunkenness ; a Scotch Explanation ; Land of Burns ; English Lakes ; a Trait of Wordsworth ; Thomas Arnold ; Oxford ; Trouble among Anglicans ; London again ; a Study of Spurgeon's Congregation ; Visits Parliament; Amusing Discussion in the Lords; Paris; the

CONTENTS. vii

Page Baptists ; Overtures from Brown ; the Alps ; a Day of Avalanches ; Four Months in Berlin; Hengstenberg ; Dorner; Piper; a Debating Society; Thanksgiving; Halle; Tholuck; Carols in the Rain ; Voyage Home ; Prefers Theological Work ; Temporary Arrangements in the Faculty; Trevor Hall; President's House; Illness; Mr. Whittemore; Prosperity; Dr. Bucklaud; Dr. Ilackett ; Class of Resident Graduates; the Best Year; Rewriting Lectures- Health Fails 77-105

Chapter V. Presidency Of Brown

1872-1889.

Reasons for Accepting Third Call ; Finds University Depressed ; Students Lively ; Narrow Range of Study ; Old Buildings ; Neglected Grounds ; Surplus Income ; Improvement Begun ; a New Physical Laboratory ; Slater Hall ; New Library Building ; Sayles Memorial Hall ; Grading Campus ; Professor Greene and Ball-Ground ; University Hall Renovated ; Mr. Wilson's Plans ; Wilson Hall ; Governor Ladd's Promise of Observatory; Curriculum and Faculty Enlarged ; Trouble in Faculty about Electives and Ph.D. ; Faction in Boards — Note A, Break in Autobiography — Note B, Concern for Religious Life of College — Note C, Self-Restraint and Sensisibility— Note D, Dr. Hackett's Tribute 106-126

THE CLOSING YEARS (1889-1894). — A SUPPLEMENT.

H. L. Watland, D.D.

Presidency of Brown Resigned; Professor Gammell's Remarks; the Grundmann Portrait ; at Memorial Church in Philadelphia ; Lectures on Missions at Andover, at Rochester; Bereaved; Crozer Lectureship; Poetical Tribute of Brown Alumnus; Pulpit Service at Immanuel Church in Baltimore and Fifth Church in Philadelphia; at Baptist Congress; Lectures at Brown on Modern Thought and Religion ; Professor at Chicago ; his Vigor and its Causes ; Golden Wedding; the Fatal Disease; Preaches at Vassar; Death and Burial ; Memorial Services ; Love for Truth ; Effect on Bearing, and on Later Rhetorical Style ; Kindness of Heart ; an Illustration; Mental Intensity ; Faith in Christ — Note A, Dr. Wayland's Memorial Addresses — Note B, On the Character of Dr. Robinson . . . 129-144 viii CONTENTS.

part £>econD,

CEITICAL ESTIMATES.

Page

I. As a Pastor : A. J. Sage, D. D 147

II. As a Theologian: Pres. A. H. Strong, D.D., LL.D. ... 163

III. As a Seer : Prof. G. W. Northrup, D. D., LL. D 21 1

IV. As a Teacher of Theology : A. J. P. Behrends, D. D. . . 223 V. As a Leader in Post-Graduate Study : Prof. B. O. True, D.D. 243

VI. As a Teacher of Homiletics and as a Preacher : Wayland Hoyt, D. D 257

VII. As President of Brown University : Pres. E. B. Andrews,

VIII. As a Teacher of Philosophy : A. G. Langley, A. M. . . 281 IX. As Colleague at the University of Chicago : Pres. W. R.

Harper, Ph. D., LL. D 319

X. As an Orator and a Man of Letters : Prof. W. C. Wilkinson, D.D 327

XI. As a Trustee and a Friend : Pres. J. M. Taylor, D. D., LL. D. 339