tionate character. About six months of the year previous to this event, owing to a partial failure of his health, the society granted him leave of absence for a tour to the old world. During his stay abroad his church was entirely remodelled, at a cost of some twenty thousand dollars; and he was welcomed back into it, refreshed in body and enriched in mind by his travels through those varying scenes made famous by nature or art or history. Eminent as his services had been before, from that time a new impetus seemed given to all his forces, a fresh vigor and grace to all his ministrations. During his long pastorate in Boston, Mr. Miner's life has been so complex in its duties and interests, that one can scarcely trace even its outline without following those various lines of effort with which he has been in a greater or less measure identified. In its earlier period, as well as previously, he devoted to literary pursuits as much time as could be spared from his more active labors. His removal, to Boston severed his editorial connection with the Star of Bethlehem; but he continued to write, not only for that and the denominational press generally, but articles of a more strictly literary character, such as frequently appeared in this magazine, and in the Rose of Sharon and Lily of the Valley, during the earlier years of those annuals. Among these literary recreations, for he hardly considered them more than that, was the preparation of a manual of Bible Exercises for Sunday Schools, a little work which has proved of great benefit to our schools, and is still in use. During this time and subsequently, he gave much attention to lectures, covering a wide range of subjects, and delivered on almost every variety of occasion. His success as a lecturer appears from the readiness to secure his services at all times before lyceums and schools, at college commencements, and on general public and patriotic occasions. As an instance of this last, we may mention his place among the "hundred Boston orators," delivering, by invitation of the city, its annual oration at Tremont Temple, on the 4th of July, 1855. But like many another clergyman whose labors multiply with his years, he 1as been forced by the pressure of other duties from these pursuits, always so delight ful to him, and with the exception of his printed sermons, addresses and reports, very little is seen these late years from his pen. We ought here to make grateful mention of the sketches of his friend Dr. Dean, and of his younger and almost life-long friend Mr. Goddard, which have recently appeared in these pages. But aside from some kindly effort like this, little of the work of his later years finds its way to paper. It is to be regretted that most of his pulpit and public efforts, probably never so valuable as now are, since they are delivered almost wholly without notes, lost except to those within the sound of his voice, and by them can be treasured up only in memory. At no time of his life has Mr. Miner been quite outside the sphere where his active career begun,-that of education. Without speaking now of his teachings from the pulpit or of his labors in the Sabbath School, be has been identified to a marked degree with the interests of secular education. For several years after his removal to Boston, he was elected, as he had been in other places, a member of the public school Board; and in this capacity, he was instrumental in the beginning of the reform that has gradually abolished the medal system from the Boston schools. In the State Normal Schools, the public libraries, and other general educational interests, he has also been actively engaged. The schools of our denomination are largely indebted to him for personal benefactions and influence, and many of them for his official connection with and labor for their interests. For several years he was a member of the Board of Assessors of Harvard College, while his connection with Tufts dates from near its beginning. It was doubtless in view of this tireless service in the cause of education, as well as his eminent personal fitness for the distinction, that gave him, from Tufts, in 1861, the honorary degree of Master of Arts, and from Harvard, in 1863, that of Doctor of Divinity. But it is as president of Tufts College that his abilities as an educator have found their fullest scope, and have been brought more prominently to public notice. His connection with that institution is, as we have said, coeval with its existence. He delivered the address at the laying of the corner. stone in 1853. In 1855 he was chosen a member of the Board of Trustees, and made their secretary in 1857. During a short time be also served as treasurer, at a period when the financial affairs of the college were most complicated and perplexing. After the death of President Ballou, the college was for some time without a president, but at length unanimously elected Dr. Miner to the vacant chair; a position he was slow to accept, until his people at School Street had so far released him from parish cares as to make it possible for him to do double duty in and out of the city. This granted, he accepted the position, and his inaugural was delivered on Commencement Day, July 9th., 1862. At the time of his accession, the col lege, on a solid foundation as to standing and scholarship, was financially at a very low ebb. It had fifty acres of land, with buildings, and possessed besides, the gift of thirty thousand dollars from Mr. Packard, of which the income only was available. It was from fifteen to eighteen thousand dollars in debt, and was adding to this sum at the rate of four thousand dollars a year, exclusive of the president's salary. With the problem thus presented, none but a financier would have hoped to grapple. Dr. Miner undertook it, encouraged and sustained by many friends, and for the first three years gave his services to the college. Its financial gain during the eight years of his presidency may be seen from its last reports, which represent its assets as nearly a million of dollars. A good proportion of this has come from large individual benefactions; but much, also, from private sources, and those reached mainly through personal influence. And without undervaluing the aid of any other among its many and noble helpers, it is not too much to say that in the present prosperity of the college, its honored president has a share equal, at least, to that of any other benefactor. In the general conduct of the college, and as an instructor in moral and political science, those best competent to speak have none but the highest terms in which to express their satisfaction with his labors. could hardly be otherwise when the field of bis instruction is in the line of his life-long This thought and effort, while his strict sense of justice, his clear perception of all the bearings of a case, and his peculiarly logical mind combine the best qualities of administrative ability. And if we may quote the somewhat irreverent college remark that "even in his prayers the worthy president lays down a proposition, and proceeds to prove it," we find in it an appreciation of one of these chief elements of his power. What has been said of Dr. Miner's connection with the finances of the college would be incomplete without coupling with it some wention of his well-known business capacity in other directions. The far-sightedness, caution, and faculty to look on all sides of a question which he possesses in so eminent al degree, are the very qualitles most essentia in the business world. How well they have served him in this capacity, appears from his connection with various business enterprises of the city, his part in the moneyed affairs of the church, the gradual gathering of a competence for himself, and his administration of not a few private estates left to his charge. All these, together with the affairs of the college, have made his name well and honorably known on State Street, and while adding heavily to his many cares, they have gained for him a reputation which is coming to be regarded as one of the best even a minister of the Gospel can have-that of an able financier and sound business man. cause, Whatever public fame Dr. Miner possesses, however, is due less to all these than to his prominence as a citizen and reformer in the State. It is no more than ought to be said of a clergyman, to be sure, that he is on the right side of all reforms; but with Dr. Miner, to be once convinced of the justice of a is to work for it, mightily and forever. He has never been afraid to carry politics into his pulpit, when he judged that the welfare of his people and the State demanded the discussion, or even the denunciation, of public measures. In a sense he doubtless well earned the name of "political preacher" when the term carried with it more odium thin now. But those accustomed to listen to his so-called political sermons, will bear witness that he never lowers his pulpit to the arena of partisan strife, but brings his subject up to the dignity of the pulpit, treat ing it not as a politician, but as a Christian | House in behalf of charities or other measures citizen, solely in relation to the public weal, and trying men and measures by the gospel standard. Of this nature were scores of anti-slavery sermons, from the earliest days of that conflict, of patriotic sermons, before and during the war, and at all times of an equally outspoken consideration of whatever topic the spirit of the times demanded. This could not fail to alienate the unthinking or the wrong-thinking from a pulpit so uncomfortably pronounced in its opinions. His attitude on the temperance question is too patent in Massachusetts, if not through the whole country, to need more than pass ing mention. His later prominence in connection with this reform has been through force of circumstances, not from any change of policy on his part. He began to plead the cause of total abstinence at the age of sixteen, in his native town. We have spoken | of his activity in the cause during his pastorates at Methuen and Lowell. He continued the same good work in Boston, both in public and private, and it was only when the question was carried prominently into legislation that he, with many other friends of temperance, was carried with it. Without pausing at those earlier stages of the controversy, during which he steadily gained the confidence of temperance men and the enmity of the liquor power, we may illus. trate his whole attitude toward the cause by reference to the signal service he rendered it in the famous controversy with Gov. Andrew at the State House in 1867. The State had had since 1855 a prohibitory statute, which, however, owing to the laxity of temperance sentiment, had been little enforced until the two or three years previous to 1867. Its enforcement created great agitation among the liquor loving part of the community, and a petition purporting to be from the merchants of Boston, but really emanating from the liquor-dealers, was presented, asking a repeal of the law. The matter came before the Temperance Alliance, of which Dr. Miner was a member, and he was delegated, with the president, Wm. B. Spooner, Esq., to meet the petitioners with a remonstrance In consenting to do so, he supposed it would be but a morning's hearing, like scores of others, when he had appeared at the State of public welfare. To his surprise, he found the petitioners, with Gov. Andrew and Hon. Linus Child as counsel, calling witnesses from the most distinguished men of the State, to the number of one hundred and twenty, consuming three weeks in their examinationand Gov. Andrew closing with an elaborately written argument, prepared beforehand. The friends of temperance had made not the least preparation to meet this formidable array, but before the close of the three weeks remonstrances had poured in to the number of two hundred and fifty, representing more than eighty thousand citizens. Witnesses volunteered, at least as able as those on the other side; and another three weeks was absorbed by the remonstrants, working up their case extempore with most telling effect, and closed by Dr. Miner with a speech three hours in length, in which he made, simply from his briefs, the most masterly argument for prohibition we have ever read. Those among the crowds who thronged the representatives' hall for six weeks, or who followed the reports of the hearing which created such a furore through the whole State, or who have perused the bulky volume in which its rich history is preserved, will appreciate the universal decision that "the making of a grand lawyer was spoiled when Dr. Miner became a preacher." But probably few appreciated the difficulties under which he bore his part in that controversy; the strain upon nerve and brain in the clear, sharp cross questioning and examination, unraveling carefully-laid schemes and educing ugly facts for which he could have no warn ing and no preparation; able only to devote the time of the bearing to its consideration, carrying on his regular college work in the afternoon and reaching home at night too exhausted even to think, until the morning called him again to the conflict; and this in the midst of most harassing difficulties in his own church, all this must be weighed in assigning his true share of credit in the winning of that great victory. Nor let us forget at what cost of personal enmity this was done. Not to mention such slight matters as the defacing of his house by tar, the music of smashing bottles about it, and the hurling of stones through the windows, he was made the target of the bitterest personal and newspaper abuse; and malignity went so far that a prominent liquor dealer was moved to warn him to be careful how he sat near the windows or ventured out alone at night, "for there were men in the city who would do anything for money, and there was money enough to hire them to do it." Those familiar with the Doctor's grave and courtly manner, can understand the calmness of his reply, "The people you speak of will not harm me unless such men as you encourage them to do it." Despite all this, the victory was won, and at Dr. Miner's home one sees a massive and elegantly illustrated copy of the Bible, the gift of the Alliance, in recognition of his distinguished services in its behalf. Can one imagine a Bible presented to Gov. Andrew for his labors in behalf of a license law? Since as before, in whatever phase of the cause, the repeal of the law, the formation of a new party, be still labors for strict and uncompromising prohibition. work of the parish after his call to the college, began to preach from his own pulpit sentiments not only utterly antagonistic to the denomination of which he was a member, but subversive of Christianity itself, only one result could follow under his sanction. Christianity must stand at whatever cost to pastors or people. And although the pastor of many years could have been stabbed with no deeper wound than the defection of so many reared under his ministrations, yet he had only to wait for the justification of time to see them returned, convinced of the mistake, and with a deeper insight into the truth than ever before. To his own church the experience was painful; but to the denomination the lesson has been most salutary, and productive of incalculable good. In the course of these various conflicts in which Dr. Miner has been engaged, both his friends and foes have charged him at times with a severity of judgment that amounted even to intolerance. Let so much be granted, as possibly it must. But when intolerance for the wrong grows out of the very depth of one's earnestness for the right, it may be questioned whether it is not at least a failing that leans to virtue's side. But such judg ments, if they exist, belong to measures and not to men. Whoever is at all acquainted with his spirit and manner, whether in social or official relations, will bear witness that there is no one less dictatorial, more ready to ask and accept advice, more gracious toward the humblest with whom he is associated. Concerning his connection with other reforms and philanthropic measures, much might be said. As a member of the American Peace Society, a pleader for the sanctity of the Sabbath as against the opening of libraries and places of resort, a protestant against the growing power of catholicism in educational and secular interests, and in many kindred ways,he places an unhesitating record on the side of purity, order, and enlightened Christian freedom. Largely connected with public charities and generous in private life, he in many ways besides from his pulpit preaches the gospel to the poor. Few know the unusual extent, even for a clergyman, to which this generosity is carried. But it is within his own church that Dr. Miner's life-work has been mainly done, and that his influence has been most directly and powerfully felt. Clear and explicit in his teaching of its doctrines, jealous of its interests, and solicitous to keep it true to the Christianity it professes to embody, no uncertain sound has been heard from his pulpit. It has been his fate to be in the van In the course of his professional labors it against the encroachments of radicalism, has fallen to his part to pronounce the closboth early and late; and perhaps no one was ing words over the lives of many of our minbetter fitted for the encounter than he.istry, especially of its older members. Among When the colleague invited to the joint these have been Fathers Balfour and Streeter, The position he occupies among his brethren indicates better than any words could do the estimation in which he is held by them. With no exceptional brilliancy in any one direction, clear and forcible as a speaker, but not a representative orator, like Chapin ; with many and varied attainments, but not a man of rare scholarship like the younger Ballou; he is yet in his many-sided ability, and the fine balance of his powers, worthy a distinction better perhaps than that of any other, that of being a representative man. the elder and younger Ballou, Drs. Whittemore and Cobb, O. A. Skinner, and many others. His books give the record of nearly fifteen hundred funerals he has attended, and twenty-two hundred marriages. On an anniversary occasion some years since, he remarked that the number over whom he had bowed at the last sad rites of burial, would, if living, more than fill the church. Their numbers now reach twice what it would hold, while those he has wedded would fill it four or five times. Long may our ranks be grandly led, Earth's conflicts past, We mount to scenes of nobler strife, Through thy blest will, HENRY STONE. A Story Founded on Fact. BY REV. R. C. WALTHAM. I. Na richly-furnished room, in one of the As a pastor, his relations with his people most sumptuous mansions of Fifth Ave are peculiarly tender and strong. He is in large measure relieved from active parish duties by his colleague, Rev. H. I. Cushman, between whom and himself there seems to exist the closest harmony of thought and feeling. But neither his interest for his people nor their affection for him can be alienated by any more general work that may press itself between them. He still finds time to keep his constant place in the Bibleclass, the conference meeting and the social circle. Genial in his manners, with a heart overflowing with kindness for all, they find strength in the grasp of his hand, sunshine in his smile, and a benediction in his every word of cheer. - We cannot, perhaps, better indicate the feeling with which his people regard him, than in the lines with which we close, a hymn written by a member of his congregation for the twenty first anniversary of his settlement among them: 'Tis long, long years, since, gathered here, With love and truth His weapons for the valiant fight,- The same sure armis He bears from conquered fields to-night. When, tempest-tossed, Our hearts like foundering barks were driven, His faith has borne, For all who mourn, The burden of our griefs to Heaven. May blessings crown his honored head, nue, a lady and gentleman sat, evidently discussing with great enjoyment the desert placed upon the table. Outside, the storm of wind and rain beat against the windows. The interior was, however, a perfect picture of luxury and warmth. A bright fire burned in the grate, the mellow light from a chandelier of rare design streamed upon the shining silver, the rich glass, the delicate porcelain, and the tempting fruits so liberally displayed. Purple grapes, blooming as though the sun shone upon them, ripe pears, ruddy apples, and delicacies that have no name, in tempting array, made up a picture that would have charmed an artist. No one in that luxurious room looked particularly grateful for the good gifts they were enjoying. The gentleman, William Stone, lounging in the easiest of easy chairs, was a man of middle age, without any particular characteristic; a commonplace individual, who had a general idea of his own great importance and the utter insignificance of everything and every one in the world beside. He was essentially a selfish man; his own comfort was the centre sun to him, about which other affairs revolved as they would. His dress was the perfection of elegance. As his delicate white hands played with the richly-chased stem of the wine glass, one might have thought it almost a caressing touch. The lady, Mrs. Stone, who sat near him, was in every respect his exact opposite. He studied comfort, she studied ease; his prevailing fault was selfishness, hers was idleness; he looked all stiff starched propriety, she was an embodiment of graceful languor. |