those two wonderful lectures on the “Muscovite and the Ottoman.”  The Academy of Music was packed to listen to them; and for two hours the great orator poured out a flood of history and gorgeous description without a scrap of manuscript before him!  He recalled names and dates without a moment’s hesitation!  Like Lord Macaulay, Dr. Storrs had a marvelous memory; and at the close of those two orations I said to myself, “How Macaulay would have enjoyed all this!” His extraordinary memory was an immense source of power to Dr. Storrs; and, although he had a rare gift of fluency, yet I have no doubt that some of his fine efforts, which were supposed to be extemporaneous, were really prepared beforehand and lodged in his tenacious memory.

Dean Stanley, on the day before he returned to England, said to me:  “The man who has impressed me most is your Dr. Storrs.”  When I urged the pastor of the “Pilgrims” to go over to the great International Council of Congregationalists in London and show the English people a specimen of American preaching, his characteristic reply was, “Oh, I am tired of these show occasions,” But he never grew tired of preaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  The Bible his old father loved was the book of books that he loved, and no blasts of revolutionary biblical criticism ever ruffled a feather on the strong wing with which he soared heavenward.  A more orthodox minister has not maintained the faith once delivered to the saints in our time than he for whom Brooklyn’s flags were all hung at half-mast on the day of his death.

All the world knew that Richard S. Storrs possessed wonderful brain power, culture and scholarship; but only those who were closest to him knew what a big loving heart he had.  Some of the sweetest and tenderest private letters that I ever received came from his ready pen.  I was looking over some of them lately; they are still as fragrant as if preserved in lavender.  His heart was a very pure fountain of noble thought, and of sweet, unselfish affection.

He died at the right time; his great work was complete; he did not linger on to outlive himself.  The beloved wife of his home on earth had gone on before; he felt lonesome without her, and grew homesick for heaven.  His loving flock had crowned him with their grateful benedictions; he waited only for the good-night kiss of the Master he served, and he awoke from a transient slumber to behold the ineffable glory.  On the previous day his illustrious Andover instructor, Professor Edwards A. Park, had departed; it was fitting that Andover’s most illustrious graduate should follow him; now they are both in the presence of the infinite light, and they both behold the King in His beauty!