USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > Lives of the clergy of New York and Brooklyn: embracing two hundred biographies of eminent living men in all denominations. Also, the history of each sect and congregation, Pt. 2 > Part 9
USA > New York > New York City > Lives of the clergy of New York and Brooklyn: embracing two hundred biographies of eminent living men in all denominations. Also, the history of each sect and congregation, Pt. 2 > Part 9
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REV. WILLIAM ORMISTON, D. D., .
ONE OF THE PASTORS OF THE COLLEGIATE REFORMED CHURCH, NEW YORK.
EV. DR. WILLIAM ORMISTON was born at the Castle Hill farm, in the parish of Symington, Lanarkshire, Scot- land, on the banks of the Clyde, April 23d, 1821. His father, Mr. Thomas Ormiston, rented the Castle Hill and Town Head farms. During his tenth year, the family removed to a farm at Hobbie's Howe, near Edinburgh, and the boy at- tended school in the village of West Linton, or assisted upon the farm. This section is noted for the hallowed scenes of the persecution of the Covenanters, and also of the poet, Allan Ramsey's "Gentle Shepherd." William found in his mother, a woman of strong intelligence, his con- stant guide in study ; she took pains to instruct him, especially in the history and popular traditions of the country. In 1834, the family emigrated to Canada, and settled in the township of Darlington, about thirty miles cast of Toronto. " William spent four years on the farm," says a biographer, " taking a man's share, though only a boy in years, in all the toil, the tear and wear of felling trees; in crop-cutting and rolling logs into piles ; in burning the piles, digging, plowing, har- rowing, sowing, mowing, harvesting, threshing, and conveying produce to market ; making or mending implements of work; repairing his boots or the harness of the horses at hours when others would have rested ; yet all the while reading books and acquiring a knowledge of arithmetic, mathematics, and Latin, so far as books could assist with- out a teacher."
At lengt!, when in his eighteenth year, his ambition and sense of duty to himself forced him to the determination to leave home, and by some means obtain an education. His father and mother both agreed that it was proper for him to do so ; aud the former even pro .. posed to sell a portion of the land to meet the expense of a school and college course. William, however, would not consent to this, but, without as much as a sixpence or a penny at his command, went to
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REV. WILLIAM ORMISTON; D. D.
the town of Whitby and opened a school. It prospered, and he sup- ported himself entirely on the fees, while he prepared for entering College. In 1843, he became a student at Victoria College, Coburg, where he took the degree of B. A. in 1847. During all the time of his studies, he filled a tutorship, and for two years occupied the chair of Moral Philosophy and Logic. In 1849, he was ordained to the Ministry in connection with the Canadian branch of the Scottish United Presbyterian church, He became pastor of the church in New- ton and Newcastle, and still pursued his studies in the classics theology, and science. He also held the office of Local Superintend- ent of Education for the township of Clarke. Removing to Toronto, in 1853, he served four years as Mathematical Master, and Lecturer on Chemistry and Natural Philosophy in the Normal School. He likewise found opportunity to visit almost every point of Upper Can- ada, as a speaker on temperance and other kindred moral topics. In 1855, he was appointed Inspector of grammar schools, first for the whole of Canada West, but subsequently for half of that vast area, and later he also held the local superintendency of the public schools of Hamilton. These positions were finally given up by reason of the pressure of other duties aud delicacy of health.
In 1857, he accepted a call, which he had previously declined, to the pastorship of the Central Presbyterian Church of Hamilton. A beautiful church was erected for him. He received his degree of D. D. from the New York University, in 1860. In 1862, he visited Great Britain for the first time since he left it as a boy. He preached on several occasions in London, and spoke before the Free Church Assembly in Edinburgh. On his return he delivered a series of lec- tures descriptive of his travels. Frequently visiting the United States, he was heard at public meetings, general assemblies, and con- ventions. He was invited to settle in many of the chief cities, and in London, England. He declined all these calls, as he was devoted to his work in Canada, where his influence and success were equal to any public man of the day. He made a second tour in Europe dur. ing 1867. In 1870, after thirteen years of labor, he received a call to New York, which he deemed it his duty to accept. Ilis congre- gation parted with him greatly to their regret. Both himself and wife received various valuable tokens of good will. A public break- fast was extended to Dr. Ormiston by the citizens of Hamilton, and in every quarter his departure from Canada was regarded as a pub. lic misfortune. 408
REV. WILLIAM ORMISTON. D. D.
On Sunday evening, September 11th, 1870, he was installed as one of the pastors of the ancient and wealthy Collegiate Reformed church of New York, in the church corner of Fifth avenue and Twenty-ninth street, which had been specially assigned to him. From the earliest period it was the custom of the ministers of the Collegiate church to preach in rotation at the different churches of the corporation. On the coming of Dr. Ormiston, however, a change was made in this ar- rangement. The Rev. Dr. De Witt, after sixty years in the ministry, was retired from active service, on a salary of five thousand dollars per annum ; Rev. Dr. Chambers assumed entire charge as pastor of the Lafayette Place church ; Rev. Dr. Ormiston of the Fifth avenue and Twenty-ninth street; Rev. Dr. Ludlow, of the new edifice on the corner of Fifth avenue and Forty-eight street; and the Rev. Dr. Ver- milye is to preach in each church once in five weeks. The real estate of the corporation is valued at eight millions of dollars. The preach- ing of Dr. Ormiston from the outset drew great crowds, and made the same profound impression which it had done in Canada. He also be- came an earnest worker in the religious, moral, and philanthropic field everywhere. He delivered a series of lectures on "The Import and Value of Churches," at the Free Lay Theological College in Brook- lyn, and on other subjects before different church associations. In 1871, he visited the South. In the summer of 1872 he went to Cal- ifornia, where he traveled extensively and preached in San Francisco. Many of his sermons, lectures, and addresses have appeared in print.
The striking personal appearance of Dr. Ormiston is well described by a newspaper writer in the following language :
" He is tall, very tall and square, but neither his height nor his figure, nor yet his motions arrest your attention when you look into his face, and listen to his de- licious voice. There is an honesty of utterance with which the sounds harmonize, and make the sweetest of music. His face and head suggest those peculiar photo- graphs of the moon, that show a light half which deepens into shadow on the low. er edge. His head is a high, smooth dome, around which his hair frizzes to a height equal to that of his immense forehead, and it radiates like a halo in every direction. It is of extraordinary texture, suggesting a fleecy mass of crimpled floss. in which are the daintiest touches of silver. This dark background assists him to a greater sim- ilarity to the moon, than his head would furnish if he were bald. Hiseyebrows are like cliffs, which are bordered with furze, and under whose shadows burn unquench- able lamps. The distance from his eyes to his lips is unusually great, giving great length to his nose, through which he takes slow, long, and steady respirations. His upper lip is also very long, witha deep line in the center; the expression of his mouth is both firm and pitiful. His smile is like sunshine passing over a rocky sur- face, and then leaving it in partial gloom again. His chin is massive as becomes a face of such great power, and a head of such magnitude. You watch him in his de-
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REV. WILLIAM ORMISTON, D. D.
nunciatory moods, and imagine that he is one of the mills of the Gods, and that his words could grind you to powder. At other times he seems like an earnest child, whose spirit has taken possession of a giant, and was unchanged in its sweetness and tenderness by the huge body it lived in."
The Rev. Dr. S. I. Prime thus writes of Dr. Ormiston's style and power in the pulpit :
"Thoroughly orthodox after the Scotch pattern, and with just a little Scotch ac- cent and brogue, he pours out a stream of glowing, earnest, strong, old-fashioned, gospel truth, with now and then a quaint, half-humorous illustration, yet beating down all cavil and objection with the arm of logieal force and all the points of Scrip- ture proof, and sweeping along on the tide of resistless eloquenee, he carries the judg- ment and feelings of the people with him, until they are compelled to admit the over- whelming force of the mighty truths of the great message. Yet with all this tre- mendous energy of manner, and elective nervous power, flashing in his noble black eye, working in his graceful gesticulation, and leaping out in the clarion tones of his well modulated voice, he is mild and soothing in his gentle moods, touching the heart-strings with sweet, plaintive, tender tones and words, his own eyes filling with tears as his bearers wept with him, under the spell of his pathetic appeals."
The editor of the New York Independent says of Dr. Ormiston :
"Some of his sentences are very fine. Speaking of procrastination, he said of Herod. 'He heard John gladly and asked to see Christ ; he mocked the one and be- headed the other.' As he uttered it, this sentence thrilled the whole audience. His epithets are often capital. One elimax of denunciation was eupped with, 'double- minded, world-grasping, Christ-eatehing Christians.' To the half-hearted he said again : 'As it is, you're but a miserable servant of the devil, for he hasn't over half your heart. And with the utmost solemnity he said : 'All that is necessary to do to be damned, is to stand still.' We cannot possibly give on paper, any idea of the half-droll and half-solemn way in which he said : 'Ephraim is joined to his idols; let him alone. How many are there of that tribe here to-night?' Nor of the directness with which he shot out an arrow at 'gray-haired sinners nodding over the tomb.' Many passages were dramatic and full of picturesqueness ; all of his ef- fective utterances are indescribable. Perhaps the finest elimax of the sermon was when he uttered in his peculiar and almost thunderous way this sentence : . There's not an atheistic atom in the universe,' and then, springing forward, he added, 'and there's not a silent conseienes in this house.' In the silence that followed, it seem- ed that the very rafters were erying out as witnesses for God."
We have selected these extracts to show from different sources the high praise which has been accorded of Dr. Ormiston.
It is true, as they make evident, that in appearance, talents, man- ners, and impressiveness, both in and out of the pulpit, he is a most extraordinary man. He stands bold and distinctive in his own in- dividuality, and in his influence over the human mind. Consequently, he readily arrests public attention, and upholds the banner of faith with the arm of a giant. However heedless he may be personally of fame, his glorious work has secured it to him imperishably, and the history of the American church will record him as foremost among its distinguished and faithful members.
410
نوسة"
Osborn
1
REV. ABRAHAM C. OSBORN, D. D., PASTOR OF THE SOUTH BAPTIST CHURCH, NEW YORK.
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EV. DR. ABRAHAM C. OSBORN was born at Scotch Plains, New Jersey, (where his ancestors had resided from the earliest settlement of the country,) February 20th, 1831. He is the eighth child of Jonathan and Amelia Osborn. The following account is given of his early home : " Deacon Jonathan Osborn, the father of Dr. Osborn, was a farmer in easy circumstances ; but he preserved with great tenacity all the habits of industry to which the farmers in New Jersey, in the days of his youth, had been disciplined. Hard and continuous labor was the rule with his household, and to it all his children were faithfully trained. But neither he nor his wife ever for a moment lost sight of the future of their children, or ceased to study what would best develop them for future prosperity or usefulness. The farm upon which they lived comprised but seventy acres of land-not sufficient to settle a family about them. Having always an aversion to placing their children to learn any of the trades, they concluded to remove to a newer country, where more land could be procured, and the children could have a larger field for development, and greater physical and mental free- dom, in a less densely populated country. In May, 1842, he removed to the town of Wilna, Jefferson county, New York, where he settled upon a large and new farm. Here it was that the youthful training of Dr. Osborn took place. Three daughters and three sons were then living. With unflinching industry the family labored together to open to cultivation a tract of land, nearly all of which was primitive forest, and transform it into a fine and highly productive dairy farm. Under this training Dr. Osborn, with his brothers, became an able and skillful farmer, and developed a physical strength and powers of en- durance that contributed largely to his future success." 411
REV. ABRAHAM C. OSBORN, D. D.
Young Osborn, however, was always restless in the narrow sphere in which he found himself, and at length concluded to make the venture of securing a liberal education, depending upon his own head and hands only to secure his success. In August, 1849, at the age of eighteen, he left the old log-house, where he had passed seven years of his youth, and entered the academy at Carthage, in the same county. He remained one term, and then taught, for the winter, a district school in West Carthage. In the spring of 1850, he entered the Gouverneur Wesleyan Seminary, where he continued until the summer of 1851. In August of that year, he was entered as a Fresh- man in the Madison University, Hamilton, New York, " When Dr. Osborn," says a statement, "left home to enter Gouverneur Seminary, he was without a dollar in the world. He entered into an engagement to serve as janitor, building all the fires, carrying food, and sweeping all the rooms in a large academy, to pay for tuition and books. IIe also sawed, split, and loaded wood for a villager, in return for his board. These engagements, sufficient in themselves to fully occupy a strong man, were faithfully carried out for two academic terms. During the summer vacation he worked by the month in the hay- field for a compensation of twenty dollars per month, and thus carned means to carry him through the last two terms of his stay in the Seminary, without doing further duty as janitor, or the work of a day laborer, for his board. Yet, notwithstanding these severe labors, he stood first in all his studies, and entered the University one year in advance of any other member of a large class that began their pre- parations for college at the same time."
Dr. Osborn united with the Baptist church, at North Wilna, on the 22d of March, 1850, and from that time determined to devote himself to the Christian ministry. His ancestors had, as far back as the information of the family extends, been prominent as members and officers of the Baptist church. The office of deacon had been held in an unbroken succession, in the direct line of his ancestors, for a full century.
Several facts go to show the superiority and thoroughness of Dr. Osborn's scholarship, even at this early period. During the entire Sophomore year he had charge of the education of two sons of Dr. Adoniram Judson, and for this purpose was a member of the family of Mrs. Emily C. Judson, so well known as an authoress. IIe was acting Professor of Latin in Hamilton Academy during his junior year, and tutor in Latin in Madison University during his senior year.
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REV. ABRAHAM C. OSBORN, D. D.
The duties of these positions were all performed while maintaining the first rank in his own studies. He was graduated in August, 1855, at the age of twenty-four years, standing second to none in his class. In October, 1855, he took the position of teacher of mathematics in the High School at Columbia, South Carolina, where he remained one year. Anxious to prosecute further his studies for the ministry, he refused great inducements to remain longer. In October, 1856, he entered Hamilton Theological Seminary, and there devoted two years to the study of theology. He was graduated in August, 1858, with high honors, and at the same time received from the University the degree of Master of Arts. He received the degree of D. D. from Shurtleff College, at Alton, Illinois, in June, 1868.
It is mentioned of Dr. Osborn that while thus prosecuting his own studies, and earning for himself the means to enable him to do so, he lent his aid, which was continued for several years, to a younger brother, Thomas W. Osborn, who was seeking to obtain a liberal education. In 1868, this brother, having been a successful volunteer artillery officer during the war, was elected to a seat in the United States Senate from the State of Florida. In the same manner, Dr. Osborn aided a younger sister, now Mrs. Dr. Samuel L. Merrill, of Carthage, New York, who was educated at the Hamilton Female Seminary.
On the 19th of September, 1858, Dr. Osborn became the pastor of the Jefferson Street Baptist Church, in Louisville, Ky. He was ordained a minister of the Gospel, October 21st, 1858. In a little over four years the church doubled its membership. His popularity was further demonstrated by invitations to preach and lecture in different parts of the country. For two years he represented the Twelfth Ward of the City of Louisville in the Board of Education. In June, 1861, he went to Europe, where he spent seven months in visiting the German universities and perfecting himself in the German language.
Immediately after his return, on the 20th of December, 1861, he was married to Sarah E. Matthews, of Louisville, a lady of high culture, elegant address, and a devoted Christian. She died August 20th, 1868, leaving an only son.
In December, 1862, he accepted a call to the pastorship of the Fourth Baptist Church in St. Louis, Missouri, whither he at once removed. The church had a total membership of fifty-nine, but when he left it, six years afterward, for the purpose of a second visit
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REV. ABRAHAM C. OSBORN, D. D.
to Europe, there were four hundred and fifty communicants. While in St. Louis he interested himself much in efforts for the poor. He founded the Home Savings Bank, and was one of its Board of Di- rectors. In 1867 he declined the Presidency of the New Hampton Literary and Theological Institute at Fairfax, Vermont, to which he had been unanimously elected. In February, 1869, he resigned the charge of the Fourth Church, and proceeded on a rapid, but extended tour in Europe. In December, 1869, he accepted a call to the Tabernaele Baptist Church of Brooklyn, N. Y., where he remained until about the close of 1873. He next entered upon his present pastorship at the South Baptist Church in West Twenty-fifth street, New York City, where he is pursuing the same successful work which has characterized him in other places.
He has always been a devoted and efficient laborer in the Sabbath Sehools, connected with his various churches. In St. Louis, he raised a school of two hundred and fifty scholars to two thousand enrolled members, with one thousand one hundred in average atten- dance, his own Bible elass numbering over one hundred.
Dr. Osborn has an intellectual faee, and most agreeable manners. In private and social life he is greatly admired. He is not only ready in the use of the learned languages-the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew- but speaks the German, and reads most of the languages of modern Europe. "In his sermons," says a well-informed writer, "and in all his public efforts, Dr. Osborn shows the thorough preparation of the scholar and remarkable familiarity with whatever subject he may treat, never permitting himself to attempt a subject with which he has not previously familiarized himself. His address is easy, and his style of delivery fluent. His most noticeable characteristic as a speaker is the unusual distinctness with which each word and syllable is uttered-so distinetly, indeed, that to the attentive listener no syllable of an entire discourse is lost. He also appears unwilling to brook any difference of opinion from his hearers. He speaks as if to command convietion and assent, and yet he is not offensively dog- matic. His entire self-reliance is always noticeable. His mode of thought is of the full and comprehensive order. He seizes his theme in its fullness, and comprehends the subject as a whole; and devel- ops and delineates until the whole matter is laid before his bearers, like a finely engraved map or a picture."
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REV. SAMUEL OSGOOD, D. D., :
LATE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH, NEW YORK.
EV. DR. SAMUEL OSGOOD was born in Charlestown, Mass., August 30th, 1812. He was graduated at Har- vard College in 1832, and at Cambridge Divinity School in 1835. Two years were occupied in traveling and preaching, when, in 1837, he was ordained pastor of the Unitarian church in Nashua, N. H. In 1841 he was called to Providence, R. I. ; and in 1849 to the Church of the Messiah, New York, where he officiated, with great acceptability and success, for about twenty years. Difficulties in the congregation, arising from the building of a costly edifice in the upper portion of the city, finally led to the resignation of Dr. Osgood. He went to Europe, and soon after his return took orders in the Episcopal church. He received the degree of D. D. from Harvard, in 1857. His publica- tions are numerous. In 1839 and 1842 he published translations from Olshausen and De Wilt-" The History of Passion," and " Hu- man Life;" in 1851, "Studies in Christian Biography ;" in 1854, " The Hearthstone " and "God with Men ;" in 1855, " Milestones in our Life Journey ;" and in 1860, "Student Life." During 1836 and '37 he was editor of the Western Messenger, published in Louisville, and from 1850 to '54 of the Christian Enquirer, issued in New York. He has also written largely in the reviews and monthly magazines, and printed many sermons, orations, and speeches. His discourse at the Meadville Theological School, on " The Coming Church and its Clergy," in 1850, and his oration before the alumni of Harvard, at President Felton's inauguration, in 1860, are the most noted. He is the Corresponding Secretary of the New York Historical Society, and is greatly interested in all educational and literary interests.
Dr. Osgood is about the average height, and well-proportioned ; his complexion is inclined to be sallow, and the whiskers, which he wears around his whole face, are tinged with gray. His head is in- tellectual, and his countenance betokens kindness and amiability.
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REV. SAMUEL OSGOOD; D. D.
He is noted for his gentlemanly bearing, mildness of manners, and conscientious life. Study is his greatest delight, and his classical . and literary attainments are of a high order. Ilis writings are care- fully composed, fertile of imagination, and sometimes florid in lan- guage. IIc is a fluent speaker, and argumentative; but there is no dryness-on the contrary, a glowing eloquence. He is of a poetic nature, has a strong sense of the beautiful, and is passionately fond of music, particularly that of a sacred character; and these and kindred elements are governing influences in inolding his thoughts and directing his habits. His sermons are characterized by exceed- ing clearness of meaning, interesting historical details, if the subject admits of it, and an ardent fancy. Doctrine, metaphysical theories, moral questions, and to some extent political topics, all receive his attention, and are discussed in a manner which shows diligent re- search, depth of thought, and sincere conviction. He argues calmly but forcibly, and evidently relics rather upon the potency of his logic than any charm of his eloquence. Although an orator, and the possessor of a voice which is as soft and sweetly winning as that of a woman, still he prefers to encounter the intelligence of the hearer, where other men appeal to the feelings. He wants his great truths comprehended and accepted, and counts it but poor success to gain the melting eye alone. Thus he piles fact upon fact, fortifies with the treasures of his research, and bombards with logic which comes forth gilded by the touch of imagination. You think he is leading you with a thread of silk, but before he closes you find it is an iron chain.
Dr. Osgood is a very practical theologian. He considers that religion must be adapted to the nature of man, as well as that nature subjected to its government. Instead of obliging the weary pilgrim to stumble among stones and grow faint in deserts, he would tempt his advance by the murmurings of music and the sight of flowering fields. A genial, common-sense, practical church life is, in the opinion of Dr. Osgood, the best means of making converts. His style of oratory is subdued, but he is forcible and sincere throughout. He fixes the attention in the beginning, and moves along in a man- ner so scholarly, graphic, poetic, and eloquent, that no word is al- lowed to be lost. His voice is always musical, and in some passages strikingly mellow and tender. When he closes, you feel as at those times when interrupted in some pleasant reading, or when the strains of music die away which have lulled you into waking dreams.
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