PROMIN

ROMINENT among the clergy of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and occupying a no less conspicuous position among the pulpit orators of our country, stands the Rev. Dr. Tyng, of New-York. He is, intellectually, a great man-great in the pulpit, as great on the platform, and one who would attain the same eminence in any other direction in which he should choose to exert the energies of his mind. This is the vox populi-the general verdict and is amply sustained by a more careful investigation of the character and abilities of the man. No person can listen to one of Dr. Tyng's extempore addresses at the anniversaries of our Benevolent Societies, without being convinced that a mind of no common order has been unfolding itself before him.

The particulars which we have been able to obtain of the early history of the subject of our sketch, although meager and few, must be interesting to many readers as connected with one with whom the Christian public have been so long and so favorably acquainted. Dr. Tyng was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, on

the 1st of March, 1800. His father was a lawyer of distinction, Hon. Dudley Atkins Tyng; and his maternal grandfather, the Hon. Stephen Higginson, of Boston, a member of the Convention which framed the Constitution of the United States. Young Tyng prepared for college at Phillips Academy, Andover, which has helped to train more great men for active life than any similar institution in America. An incident of his residence at this academy Dr. Tyng incorporated, in his own felicitous manner, in an address made by him at the annual meeting of the Tract Society in May last. Forty years ago, on a fast-day, six young men, preparing for college at Andover, retired to the woods, and met around an old stump for prayer. "Of those six," said the speaker, "Samuel Green found an early entrance into heaven, from successful labors in Boston. Daniel Temple went up to his reward, after a quarter of a century of usefulness in Syria. Asa Cummings is still living, the editor of a widely useful religious paper. Alva Wood was the honored president of a western college.

William Goodell, who has spent more than a quarter of a century in Turkey, meets us here to-day; and your humble brother, the speaker, is the sixth." From such associates the youth parted, to enter Harvard College, at the early age of thirteen. He graduated at seventeen, and evincing no decided taste for any professional occupation, he entered upon mercantile business with the prospect of great success. But he was still young, and two years afterward the providence of God seemed to call him to the ministry. He commenced his theological studies under the supervision of Bishop Griswold, at Bristol, Rhode Island. During his residence there a most remarkable religious interest extended through the whole town, commencing with the congregation of St. Michael's. Here he was ordained a deacon on the 4th of March, 1821.

Mr. Tyng then removed to the South, and was settled a few months after as the pastor of St. John's Church, Georgetown, District of Columbia, where he labored for two years with activity, zeal, and success. Opportunities of more extended usefulness led the young minister to accept, at the expiration of that time, the charge of Queen Anne Parish, Prince George's County, Maryland. Here he had access to the best of society, some leisure for study, which he eagerly improved, and a wide field for missionary operations. There were then large tracts of country in that region in which the population was so scattered that public worship was seldom enjoyed by many. In addition to his regular duties, Mr. Tyng undertook to supply this destitution by making preaching tours in all directions; and during one of these tours preached seventeen times, and traveled four hundred and fifty miles, on horseback, in fourteen days.

After six years of labor in this field, he became rector of St. Paul's Church, Philadelphia, in May, 1829. During the three years which he spent here, Dr. Tyng's audience was the largest in the city. Three times each Sabbath he addressed a congregation which thronged the church to its utmost capacity, besides holding a daily morning meeting at six o'clock, preparing a weekly lecture, and delivering numerous addresses before benevolent societies of every description. At the general commencement of Jefferson Col

lege in 1832, the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him. "Whatever mistakes have been made by our literary institutions, of late years, in the lavish conferring of this degree, if sound learning, accurate scholarship, extensive theological acquirements, vigorous intellect, and very superior pulpit powers, with great devotion to his professional work, constitute legitimate grounds for the bestowment of this honor, it was not injudiciously bestowed in the present instance."

In the fall of 1833, Dr. Tyng was elected rector of the Church of the Epiphany. His ministry at St. Paul's had been wonderfully successful, as will be evident from the fact that during the four years of his connection with that Church two hundred and fifty persons had been admitted to its communion, and these were but a portion of the fruits of his labor during that period.

On the death of the venerable and universally lamented Dr. Milnor, in 1845, Dr. Tyng was called to supply his honored place as rector of St. George's Church, New-York. This church was originally located in Beekman-street; but, after Dr. Tyng became its pastor, it was removed to Sixteenth-street, where a fine edifice has been erected, fronting on one of the beautiful parks which abound in the upper part of the city. At the time of Dr. Tyng's installation there were four hundred and fifty members in communion; the present number we have not been able to learn. St. George's Church, however, receives a crowded congregation every Sabbath, and the Sabbath-school connected with the Church numbers one thousand teachers and pupils.

Dr. Tyng's appearance, at present, is that of a man in the prime of life, possessing much physical as well as mental energy. He is rather above the average height, or his erect and dignified bearing gives that impression. He is calm and dignified upon the platform. In the pulpit he wears the robes of his office with an ease and grace which serves to heighten the dignity of his general appearance. His countenance, not untruthfully, bespeaks the diligent and laborious studenta strong mind, thoroughly disciplined and developed. The forehead is high and broad, affording a fine study for the physiognomist. The eyebrows are dark and heavy, concealing an orb which is

wont to animate, with its flashing glance, the souls of assembled thousands. The eye has been said to be the orator's magnet; and certainly we know of no one who uses it with more magnetic power than Dr. Tyng. The contour of the lips denotes a strong and determined will, which is fully verified in the actual character of the man. Though his head has become slightly bald, and his locks are beginning to silver, none other of the monitions of age are apparent; his voice is still as clear and full, and his step, apparently, as vigorous as ever.

Dr. Tyng is an accomplished elocutionist. Nature has given him a welltoned and powerful voice, which cultivation has, it is evident, greatly improved. It seems to be as fully at his command as an instrument in the hands of a skillful performer. Every word is distinctly articulated; the emphasis is marked and frequent, but always, even in extempore speaking, given with admirable propriety. His manner in public addresses has been remarked to resemble that of an accused person defending his own cause. This remark may more justly refer to certain occasions, perhaps, than to his usual performances. The prominent features of his mind-accuracy, boldness, energy, and independence are as visible in the manner as in the matter of Dr. Tyng's public speaking. The individuality of the speaker, also, is rarely lost in the consideration of the subject in hand. This does not amount to egotism, or any disagreeable or excessive prominence of self; but he is not in the habit of dodging the personal pronoun, and his listeners are generally little less impressed with the magnitude of the man than with the importance of the subject. But Dr. Tyng uses the forms of his Church without being formal; for he breathes into them a living spirit and a freshness which makes the prescribed ritual appear the spontaneous and heartfelt expression of his own emotions.

A fervent spirit enlivens the performance of all his public duties, which is the key to his popularity and success. A man who acts on the wise admonition of Solomon, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might," can hardly fail to succeed in whatever direction he may choose to exert himself.

But Dr. Tyng refuses to be confined entirely and invariably to the Book of

Prayer. He came to New-York a leading member of the Low Church party, and took charge of a congregation thoroughly Low Church, and at an early opportunity avowed his belief on the subject of extempore prayer. He declared that he considered such prayer as a duty and a privilege, and should not hesitate to employ it at discretion. In a published work of Dr. Tyng's, ("Recollections of England,") he says:

"Wherever in England I met with faithful, pious men, I found them men of prayer. The prayers, on all these occasions, were uniformly extemporaneous."

"How destructive to the influence of true piety among us, and to the actual increase of the power of the gospel, would be the success of their endeavors, who would shut out from us the use of extemporaneous prayer! The converted soul must pray; and although our liturgy, for the purposes of strictly publie worship, for which it is designed, is unrivaled, and all that we want, it does not, and cannot, answer the purpose of many other occasions, when we need prayers most special and adapted. The attempt to make it the only vehicle of united prayers is the inevitable result of a formal spirit, and the parent of this spirit in others." In the defense of this, his belief, he is earnest, bold, and independent—so much so as to become, perhaps, rather obnoxious to those who hold a different opinion. This position he did not hesitate to indorse on the trial of Bishop Onderdonk, and other occasions. Notwithstanding his habitual use of the prescribed forms, Dr. Tyng often makes very felicitous original prayers. An instance occurred, at one of the late anniversaries, where he offered a prayer, expressed almost entirely in Scripture language, and a performance of remarkable beauty.

His matter and manner are entirely his

own.

As eccentricity appears to be a distant relation of originality, many young aspirants for fame assume the one in order to obtain the reputation of possessing the other, and sometimes succeed, in part. But Dr. Tyng's originality is not protruded; it is impossible for him to be otherwise than original. He borrows nothing from another, for the simple reason that he has abundance in his own coffers. Nature has given him a mind of uncommon depth, and long and severe study has made it equal to the performance of any duty depending solely upon its own resources. Hence the most ordi

It has been previously remarked that Dr. Tyng possesses an eminently welldisciplined mind. Like his voice, it is entirely under control; and in this respect he presents a most striking contrast to a celebrated minister of a neighboring city, whose discursive genius gathers gems from distant rivulets who possesses a mind of a very singular construction-a kind of composite or mosaic, yet withal a most brilliant intellect. Dr. Tyng's mind, on the contrary, resembles in its operations a well-trained pointer, who follows one scent through briar and bush, seeking it out with unerring certainty from a hundred others; but this power of concentration is not the gift of genius-long years of laborious study have produced it. To years of such study Dr. Tyng's personal appearance bears witness, and still greater testimony is the abundant furniture of his mind on every subject, the closeness of his style, and the number of his sermons. During one winter, of which we happen to have special knowledge, he preached three times each Sabbath, and during Lent six times a week. His style is close, as being free from any superfluity of expression, but by no means meager or confined. His sentences are well constructed, rounded, and rolled out in Ciceronian completeness. In attacking error he deals with the understanding as well as the feelings, and brings to bear upon his opponent solid argument rather than empty declamation. What has been said of the great man lately departed might be repeated with considerable truth of Dr. Tyng. Mr. Webster always treated his hearers with great respect; he never attempted to impose his dicta upon his hearers, in the manner of a political pedagogue, but spoke as to an assembly possessed of understandings equal to his own, and only to be convinced by sound and weighty reasoning.

A strong man in the pulpit, Dr. Tyng is still greater upon the platform. Here his command of language, discipline of mind, and oratorical talent become strikingly manifest. His extempore speeches, on most occasions, wear the aspect of most finished and elaborate productions. The same symmetry, force, and completeness

which characterize his sermons and written addresses. The whole English vocabulary seems to lie within his reach, and in the heat of emotion the proper words flow into their proper places in an unfailing stream. His reputation as a speaker is firmly established; he is one whose name upon a programme is a guarantee for at least one excellent treat in the entertainment. To a stranger, hearing Dr. Tyng for the first time in these extempore efforts, it appears scarcely credible that there has been no preparation-but so it is. This readiness and fullness is the result of a preparation which began in the academy, was continued in the college, and which is going on now. It is a great pleasure to listen to such a speaker. You feel confident that he is a man well fortified on every point-one who can meet any subject, and hold your attention unflagging to the close. He is, emphatically, a master of the art of extemporaneous speaking. We extract the following description of one of his efforts of this kind from a de| funct periodical :—

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Perhaps he was never more eloquent and impressive in his life, never clothed his thoughts in more beautiful or forcible language, than on the occasion of a temperance anniversary at the Broadway Tabernacle, when he was called on to speak until another gentleman, appointed for the occasion, should arrive. He spoke ten minutes superbly, fully developed the thought he had presented, and would have sat down; but the expected speaker had not arrived; the audience insisted on his proceeding; and another ten minutes he poured out a strain of still more impassioned eloquence. Still there was no arrival; cries of 'go on,'' go on,' again prevailed, and he started forward on the third admiration of his burning words; eclipsing in heat, bearing away the hearts of all in their his last effort all previous displays, and accomplishing in that most difficult task of speaking against time,' the most superb feat of platform oratory."

He has a large fund of anecdote, which he uses abundantly and with great effect in his speeches. He also abounds in metaphor and happy illustrations, and many a gem falls from his lips endowed with a peculiar beauty which the reporter's pen must fail to secure. Many of these happy hits are well worthy of more durable record than the memories of his hearers at the Tabernacle. We recollect a passage of a speech of Dr. Tyng's before the Tract Society in May of last year. In speaking of the advantages of the colporteur sys

tem above those which could be attained by the separate Church action of denominations, he said

"For us to enter upon this field is to enter upon our appropriate work. These five millions of emigrants, who have already passed over the ocean, and those who are coming still, need a saddle-bags ministry. Before I can go home and put on my gown, a thousand of them are gone by; and, before our doctors can get out with their written sermons, they are away over the hills! Now, unless we can get out an artillery that can shoot them flying, we can do nothing with them. And this is just what the colporteurs are doing."

We extract the following paragraph from a speech of Dr. Tyng's, at a meeting of the New-York Bible Society, held not long since in the Tabernacle ::

"William Tyndal, who commenced the translation of the Bible after it had been buried in the darkness of centuries, compared it to Isaac's opening the wells which his father Abraham had dug, and which the Philistines, in their hatred, had stopped. When they found a well of springing water the Philistines strove for it, and he called it 'Esek,' i. e., contention. And they digged another, and they strove for that also, and he called it 'Sitnah,' hatred. And they digged another, and for that they strove not, and therefore he called it Rehoboth,' room. And so it has always been in our attempts to open the well of God's word. It has produced hatred and strife, and we have not yet come to 'Rehoboth,' the broad Rehoboth, where we may go on diffusing these waters of life without molestation."

Dr. Tyng's movements are those of a self-reliant and well-girded warrior, ready to do instant battle in the cause of truth, even though unassisted and alone. He is one of those who abhor neutrality, whose name is no dead-letter when enlisted on either side of a question. Such men are they who are found the ruling spirits when the masses rise for the destruction of tyranny; such men are foremost in the bloody charge of battle-the first to storm the breach and plant the banner; such men lead senates, and stand in the prominent places of the earth.

Dr. Tyng is somewhat impulsive, which indeed is to be expected in a man of such strong feelings; and this leads him sometimes, in the heat of public speaking, and excited by popular applause, to say things which his calmer judgment might not wholly approve. This is a common peccadillo among our distinguished platform orators -one which it is, perhaps, hardly fair to notice, as perfect caution and entire accuracy can scarcely be demanded in rapid

and unpremeditated discourse, when the "demonstration of power," rather than of logic, is sought.

Dr. Tyng's bump of combativeness appears to be largely developed, although this impression may have been received from the fact of his having been so frequently compelled to act on the defensive. The necessity may, however, have been provoked, in part, by the trait of character mentioned above, but especially by the stand which he has taken in the controversy between the two parties of the Protestant Episcopal Church. Yet this combative disposition, when confined within proper limits, is not objectionable; combative error demands combative opponents, and there is an inspired exhortation to the Christian minister to be "a good soldier" of Christ. Luther, the mightiest champion of truth that this earth ever bore on her bosom, was of a disposition pugnacious to the last degree-almost quarrelsome. He often assumed a rude and bitter manner to his adversaries, in which respect, we are happy to say, Dr. Tyng is far from resembling that great man.

He is living a life of great results; he has accomplished much thus far, and appears still active, earnest, and vigorous enough to do much more. In New-York, he has done and is still doing a great work. His preaching evinces remarkable analytical powers. He seizes upon the strong points of a subject and treats them with a master's hand. The Scriptures seem to have received no small share of his attention and laborious investigation. This is evident in the lucid manner with which he evolves the meaning of a text, seldom failing to convey new and luminous ideas to the hearer during the exposition. The person, work, and character of Christ, appears to be his favorite subject of discourse, and he is never more animated than on days of communion, when the theme becomes peculiar to the occasion.

Dr. Tyng does not, usually, employ a manuscript, and in extemporaneous discourse he appears to possess no less accuracy of expression, readiness of utterance, and richness of style than in his written productions. He has published several works on religious subjects, and "Recollections of England."

He is now in the richest maturity of his faculties, and will evidently be a man of mark for years to come.