Of the discourse itself on Luther, I have left myself room to say no more than that Mr. Brooks's master formula for power in the preacher, truth plus personality, came very fitly in to explain the problem of Luther's prodigious career. It was the man himself, not less than the truth he found, that gave Luther such possession of the present and such a heritage in the future.
In the afternoon, Mr. Brooks took Luther's "The just shall live by faith," and preached extemporarily. The character of the composition and of the delivery was strikingly the same as that belonging to morning's discourse. It was hurried, impetuous soliloquy; in this particular case hurried first, and then impetuous. That is, I judged from various little indications that Mr. Brooks used his will to urge himself on against some obstructiveness felt in the current mood and movement of his mind. But it was a noteworthy discourse, full and fresh with thought. The interpretation put upon Luther's doctrine of justification by faith was free rather than historic. If one should apply the formula, truth plus personality, the personality--Mr. Brooks's personality--would perhaps be found to prevail in the interpretation over the strict historic truth.--W.C. WILKINSON _in The Christian Union_.
There is a beautiful legend Come down from ancient time, Of John, the beloved disciple, With the marks of his life sublime.
Eusebius has the story On his quaint, suggestive page; And God in the hearts of his people Has preserved it from age to age.
It was after the vision in Patmos, After the sanctified love Which flowed to the Seven Churches, Glowing with light from above:
When his years had outrun the measure Allotted to men at the best, And Peter and James and the others Had followed the Master to rest,
In the hope of the resurrection, And the blessed life to come In the house of many mansions, The Father's eternal home;
It was in this golden season, At the going down of his sun, When his work in the mighty harvest Of the Lord was almost done;
At Ephesus came a message, Where he was still at his post, Which unto the aged Apostle Was the voice of the Holy Ghost.
Into the country he hastened With all the ardor of youth, Shod with the preparation Of the Gospel of peace and truth.