Page:The Galaxy, Volume 5.djvu/194

184 vital Christianity would make itself felt, a speedy return to pure Apostolic preaching must take place. Dr. Wayland had long thought and felt deeply upon this subject, and his discourse was the result of many years of painful observation. The writer distinctly recalls a remark of Dr. Wayland while walking with him one Sunday morning to church. The conversation turning on the late Rochester address, he directed the President's attention to the number of persons going up to the house of God. "Yes, my son," he replied, "there are a great many, but they are all well dressed," the thought in his mind evidently being that the masses were not there.

Growing out of the sermon on the "Apostolic Ministry" were his "Letters on the Ministry of the Gospel," published in 1863. The views enunciated in them struck a chord in many hearts; and the response which they elicited from clergymen and laymen of nearly every denomination, forms some of the most interesting correspondence of his life. Bishop McIlvaine, of Ohio, hastened to offer his thanks for so timely a publication. The late Dr. Alexander, of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, wrote, "Most heartily do I assent to your remarks about the literary tendencies of our theological seminaries. Alas! that in a land demanding life, soul, zeal and martyrdom, so many noble young men mistake the scaffold for the pile, and come out scholars!" A Presbyterian clergyman presented a copy of the letters to each of the graduating class at Princeton; and a layman of the same denomination, Hon. William E. Dodge, of New York, to the graduating classes at the Auburn and Union Theological Seminaries. "Each letter," Mr. Dodge wrote in a circular letter with each volume, "is full of valuable suggestions, but I would call your special attention to the sixth, 'on the manner of preaching,' each part of which I commend to your careful consideration."

His ideas upon the subject of education were of an advanced and liberal character. In 1840 he visited England for the purpose of investigating the workings of the English institutions of learning, and was received with distinguished respect by Hallam, Sir William Hamilton, Dr. Milman and Dr. Abercrombie.

Connected with his voyage across the Atlantic is an incident not mentioned in his biography, and which, I believe, is not generally known. It seems to verify, however, in a remarkable manner, his own strong belief in the personal guardianship of a special Providence. On his way from his brother-in-law's house in New York, to the steamer, the carriage broke down, the driver mistook the way, and he arrived at the wharf just in time to catch sight of the ship disappearing in the offing. The disappointment was severe, for circumstances rendered it necessary for him to be in England at a certain time. Far from fretting, however, he remarked to his