CHAPTER XVI.

DR. WOODBRIDGE IN HIS FAMILY.

HIS PERSONAL AP

PEARANCE.

WITH his family Dr. Woodbridge was easy and affable; not generally playful, though sometimes humorous. He was a kind and affectionate father; not an equal with his children; never romping with them as Dr. Lyman Beecher was wont to do with his; yet often familiar; the more so, as they approached maturity. He never forgot the discipli narian; yet his management was marked rather by strictness than severity.

His daughter remarks:

"He required obedience of his children, and enforced it: for he had faith in the wisdom of Solomon. 'Humanly speaking,' he once said, 'children who are accustomed to obey their parents, are more likely to become Christians.' Having learned to reverence an earthly father, their hearts would, he thought, by a natural transition, ascend to the great Father of spirits. Not that any influence of this kind could supersede the Holy Spirit's agency in conversion, but it was one of the means employed by God to bring about the greatest results."

One of his daughters, who became the wife of a distinguished clergyman, when a little girl at school, for some misdemeanor, was made to sit under the table. Her temper getting the better of her, and the door being open, she sprang out and ran home. Her father, having inquired into the trouble, was soon seen returning, dressed in his long study-gown, with his daughter, who was again made to take her place under the table, and given to understand that she must obey her teacher.

He was careful to inspire in the minds of his children a sense of the proprieties of life, of what was due from the parental and filial relation. He impressed upon them the idea that he was appointed by God to be their guardian and instructor. His intercourse with them may be characterized as seriously cheerful.

As they advanced in years, he encouraged them to propose to him questions, as freely as he proposed questions to them; would indeed

seem to pay marked attention to their opinions. They were thus taught the art of easy and respectful conversation. "He remembered," says his daughter, "that his children were endowed with reason, and when he became their instructor he treated them like reasonable beings.

"Books and papers were read aloud in the family, and talked over freely. As my eldest sister had a clear voice, and was an accomplished reader, we often collected to hear her read the great political speeches of the day, when all wept, laughed, or kindled together. Sometimes warm discussions arose in which all took part. Our father, though strong and positive in the expression of his own views, yet labored to convince any whom he thought in error, by producing authorities, citing examples - in short, by all sorts of arguments. We frequently sat an hour at the table, at which time all subjects of interest were talked over. We learned a great deal by these discussions, more perhaps than in any other way.

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My father's table-talk was in the highest degree intellectual. The religious controversies of the day bore a prominent part. And so ardent and earnest was his nature that his children were of necessity interested in that which interested him. Sometimes he talked of men of genius and their works; but his favorite and engrossing theme in some form was religion, insomuch that I often called to mind those words of Moses: These things which I command thee, shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children, and shalt talk of them, when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.'"

One who resided in the family, remarked: "I always knew what the Doctor was going to preach about, the next Sabbath, by his conversation at the table."

"It was ever his aim, when with his family in hours of relaxation, to stimulate thought, to bring their minds into an inquiring state, to inspire a thirst for knowledge. The rich stores of his own mind were by no means wholly reserved for the public, and I often marvelled at the originality and depth of thought which he displayed when he had no audience but his wife and children. When he was with us, our quiet country life was anything but dull and tame.

"My sister R. once said to me, 'Papa never says anything commonplace.' There was a great deal of heat as well as light about him, and, I may add, moisture, for he wept easily; and I miss his fertilizing influence more than I can tell.

"He instructed several of his children in theology, Latin, and Greek, giving much time to them out of his busy life. When my brother was studying the Greek grammar, papa often called upon him to conjugate a verb after dinner, while we all remained at table; and he would go through with all the moods and tenses of the verb Tupto, backwards and forwards, greatly to the amusement of the family.

"My father was very much interested in his children's efforts at com

position, and when most busy would lay down his pen to listen to their juvenile effusions.

"He sometimes endeavored to mingle amusement with his instruction. The hour passed by the family at table was a time of cheerfulness as well as improvement. Papa had a habit of making impromptu rhymes for the little children, and when they laughed, joined heartily in the chorus.

“He often called them by some droll names, when he felt particularly well; and occasionally entertained them with extravagant stories of his own invention, about giants 'as tall as the church-steeple, with one arm reaching to Hatfield and the other to Northampton.'

"Once, when the father and mother were absent on a journey, it occurred to the eldest daughter that there was a good opportunity to repair the old study, where so many thoughtful hours had been passed by her father, and which had become dingy and time-worn. The plan had no sooner suggested itself to her mind, than she put it into execution; and as the time drew near for the return of the absent ones, another daughter composed some simple verses, in which she told how it had happened, and enclosing them to 'Our Parents,' laid the letter on the study-table. A fragment of these lines remains. They are as follows:

'And now, that I my tale have told,

One hope springs from my heart of truth,
That like these walls, the dear and old,

My parents may renew their youth.

'That long, long years may yet be theirs,

And health and bright prosperity,

Till full of honors, full of days,

They lay them down at last to die.

'Then tranquil be their last long sleep;
A holy spot their burial sod;
While far away from cyes that weep,

They live at the right hand of God.'

"This little incident is mentioned to show the affection which existed between Dr. Woodbridge and his children. Another of the same sort may be here introduced.

"In his declining years, the scenes of his childhood and youth, the friends of former days, and the books which had so often delighted him, were more dear than ever. When Dr. Sprague's Annals of the American Pulpit appeared, they were read by him with the most lively interest. Especially when he found the life of one whom he had known, he was deeply affected. He re-read also those old theological writers from whom he had learned to think on the greatest subjects. On one occasion, having passed the day in his study, late in the afternoon he came into the sitting-room, and at once remarked, 'I have been reading

LINES TO HIS FAVORITE AUTHORS.

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Magee (the old Scotch divine) all day, and feel refreshed by it. Those old authors please me best, after all, there is so much in them.'

"Soon afterwards one of his daughters wrote and read to him the following lines, which, as they so nearly expressed his views, afforded him great entertainment:

THE OLD THEOLOGIAN TO HIS FAVORITE AUTHORS.

'All the day, in my study, dear Dr. Magee,

How delighted I've lingered and listened to thee;

"Tis not often an author refreshes me so,

Save those worthy old friends that I knew years ago.

'True, their pages are yellow, and some of them torn;
True, their bindings are blackened, and loosened and worn;
And the style is old-fashioned in which they are writ,
And they aim not to dazzle with fancy or wit.

'But strong sense, and sound learning, and piety shine,
With a clear, steady lustre, in every line.

They have found out the truth, and that truth they impart,
Of its power to the conscience, its life to the heart.

'Lo! John Calvin, the spirit so mighty and bold,

Who made way through the strong superstitions of old;
And in face of the sceptre, the crown, and the sword,
Struck its chains from the church, in the name of the Lord.

'Lo! our Edwards, who dwelt, like the prophets withdrawn,
In strange wilds, where the bear and the panther were born;
Yet with God for his teacher, so well was he taught,
That the ages and nations are heirs of his thought.

'There are Witherspoon, Bellamy, Hopkins, and Howe;
There are Owen, and Baxter, Scott, Mason, and thou,
Reverend friend, Dr. Emmons, so ancient and wise,
The cocked hat on thine head, the quick light in thine eyes.

'I have read modern authors, and some I admire;

I have bowed to their learning, and caught of their fire;
But I turn from them all, to the friends of my youth,
For the lessons most noble, of duty and truth.

'As but lately I passed through a gallery light,
And beheld the old portraits, in frames new and bright,
Of those friends that I knew in my earlier days,
Their broad brows to my eyes seemed encircled with rays.

'And I blessed the kind hand (Dr. Sprague, it was thine),
As I lingered to gaze on each loved old divine,
Which had rescued their pictures from spiders and mould,
And had hung them aloft, for the world to behold.'

"Dr. Woodbridge was very regular in maintaining family prayers, both morning and evening. The evening service was held immediately after tea, that all might be present, and sufficiently wakeful to give attention. The Bible was read through in course at morning prayers, and the chapter was often talked over. The prayer that followed was short, but earnest, appropriate, and comprehensive. The whole service was as far as possible from being formal, though decorous and reverent.

"The domestics, whether Protestant or Catholic, were required to be present. This was understood before they entered the family, so that there was no persecution about it. I do not remember that any one ever objected to come.

"The Doctor continued the practice of asking a blessing before the meal, and returning thanks at its close. A Frenchman, in the family temporarily, was asked how he liked his residence there. O,' said he, 6 very well; only too much pray.'

He

"Says his daughter: My father could not divest himself of a sense of responsibility in regard to every member of his household. felt a personal interest in their welfare both temporal and spiritual.' "To illustrate this, I will mention one or two facts.

"A young Irish girl, who was employed as housemaid when we lived in New York, went one day to a shop on Chatham Street, to make some purchases. The clerk who waited upon her was very importunate that she should buy a certain dress which she had looked at, but did not want. As, however, she was a little confused, he obtained possession of her money, and insisted that she should take the dress, saying that it should be delivered at our door.

"As a last resort she hastened back, and arriving there before him, complained of the treatment which she had received. When, therefore, the clerk appeared with the package, he was at once confronted by my father, who addressed him thus: 'Are you not ashamed of yourself, in trying to impose upon this poor girl? But she has friends, I can tell you. Go immediately back and bring her money, or I will have an officer of the law after you.' The rascal quickly disappeared, and returned promptly with the money.

"I will mention another case in point. At a time when my mother was in pressing need of domestic assistance, she received into her kitchen an Irish woman with a very troublesome little boy.

"Patrick was always in the wrong place; and so one day he ran into the street, and while playing in the road, the wheel of a wagon passed over him. He was taken up frightened, but not much hurt. However, as it was thought he must have received some internal injury, the doctor was quickly sent for. 'Doctor,' said my father, with tears in his eyes, do the best that you can for Pat; as much as you would for my own child.'

"Papa was very careful to do full justice to those whom he employed, seeming never to forget that they were partakers of the same nature