Excerpt from Christian Greatness in the Minister: A Discourse, on the Life and Character of Rollin Heber Neale, D.D., Forty Years Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Boston; Delivered Before the Church October 17, 1880, the Forty-Second Anniversary of His Settlement

To some of us, despite the premonitions Of preceding months, that departure was a surprise. While absent from home, on a Western journey, I was cheered by the announce ments of the press that the Signs were more favorable, and that his restoration to the enjoyment of society was expected. How soon afterward came the intelligence that he had gone! Then, at once, as I turned my thoughts ho'meward, the outlook was SO sadly changed - like a familiar landscape whence a lightning-stroke has smitten away the Old majestic elm, or some Object of life-long interest that had been the attractive feature of the surrounding.

Just so, indeed, in the cherished thought of many, far and near, has been Dr. Neale in Boston - a living presence, whose power to awaken tender memories and touch the deepersprings Of feeling in our spirit-nature has been the growth Of more than half a century. In the survey of the two hundred and fifteen years, ' history Of the Church that he last served, he stands forth in the foreground of the time-picture a prominent figure, in company with his eminent predecessor, Rev. Samuel Stillman, D.D. - the only ministers who loom up SO grandly as severally distinguished by an uninterrupted pastorate of forty years' duration.

That period was Of Old deemed adequate for the develop ment and trial of Character, as Moses affirmed in regard to Israel.* Thanks to God that, as we now take this whole period Of our brother's last pastorate within our View retrospect ively, we are impressed with the significance of its record, seeing that the first touching Of the child-heart by the divine Spirit, the first parental teachings of the Christian home, the first aspirations Of youth, the first determinations and tentative efforts Of early manhood, have grown into an effective life work - a completed unity of Character bearing the impress of that moral greatness which Jesus emphasized when he declared true usefulness to be true greatness, saying: Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be Chief among you, let him be your servant.

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