and intense force. One of his best qualities was the
perceptible honesty and transparent candor of his
utterances. His high scholastic attainments were
well known. Even as a boy he gave great promise
of the distinguished scholarship which he afterward
reached. As a pupil of the Latin School at Boston
he carried off great numbers of prizes. He was over-
shadowed to some extent as a preacher by his brother,
Bishop Phillips Brooks, but as a scholar and as a mas-
ter of theological knowledge, he was fully the equal of
his brilliant relative.

Dr. Brooks was always a popular man in clerical
circles, and possessed to a marked degree the con-
fidence of his brother Churchmen, even of those who
differed widely from him in opinion. Forcible as was
his character, his temperament was such as to gain the
affection, as well as the confidence and respect, of the
assistants who have been associated with him from
time to time. To my mind my departed friend was at
his very best in platform utterances. Apart from his
eloquence as a public speaker, he was never at a loss
for a speech or a rejoinder, even when called upon
without warning or preparation. As an administra-
tor of the Church Congress his advice was much sought
for and invariably followed. He was a staunch
adherent of the Congress, and devoted a great deal of
time and work to it. Another great field of labor of
his was Barnard College, and probably his arduous
efforts on behalf of that college contributed in some
respect to the breaking down of his health.

Dr. Brooks represented almost alone among the Episcopal clergy of New York the New England type of religious thought, although the Puritan strain was somewhat softened by the influence of the Church of which he was the minister.

At a meeting of the vestry of the Church of the Incarnation, September 27th, 1895, Mr. Stetson, who had

been specially requested to confer with the bishop with reference to inviting the Rev. William M. Grosvenor, rector of Trinity Church, Lenox, Massachusetts, to become rector of the church, reported that the bishop was unreservedly in favor of his election. The following resolution was then offered, and unanimously adopted:

Resolved: That the senior warden is hereby authorized in behalf of the Rector, Church Wardens, and Vestrymen of the Church of the Incarnation, to confer with the Rev. William M. Grosvenor of Lenox, Mass., and to engage him as the rector of this church at the salary of $6,000 per annum, with the use of the rectory, from November 1st, 1895.

The following reply was received from the Rev. Mr. Grosvenor, accepting the call to the rectorship.

Messrs. E. M. Crawford

and M. H. Clarkson,

Committee.

My Dear Friends:

The Rectory-Lenox, Mass.

After the many verbal assurances which you have received, this note can only formally add in writing my decision.

I accept the rectorship of the Church of the Incarnation to begin my duties there on December 1st.

I need not say to you how deeply I appreciate the great honour of the call, and with what hopes and fears I will begin my ministry among you. I can only give myself unreservedly to the work, and wait and work for the future. With all the kind and generous assurance of the vestry I feel that with God's blessing, we will be able to go forward into the duties laid upon us.

Believe me,

Very sincerely yours,

Oct. 25th, 1895.

WM. M. GROSVENOR.

After the reading of the above letter arrangements were made, in accordance with the wishes of the newly elected rector, for his institution into the rectorship on Advent Sunday, December 1st, 1895. The Rev. Charles H. Babcock, D.D., was invited to officiate at the church until the arrival of the rector-elect.

The interest of the rector and the congregation of the parish, in the work of the Sheltering Arms has already been alluded to at some length in connection with the ministry of Dr. Montgomery, That interest continued to increase during the rectorship of Dr. Brooks, who for many years was a member of its board of trustees and a warm personal friend of the Rev. Dr. Peters. In appreciation of his great interest in this charitable work, an endowment of three thousand dollars was secured to the Sheltering Arms, as a memorial of Dr. Brooks for the purpose of keeping forever free a bed in that institution. "The trustees feel that it is a great happiness to have him thus remembered, and to know that always in the years which are to come, one helpess child will be cared for, in the honored name of Arthur Brooks."

CHAPTER V

THE GROSVENOR PERIOD

1895-1911

HE Rev. William Mercer Grosvenor entered upon

TH

the rectorship of the parish December 1st, 1895.

In accordance with a resolution of the vestry, the service instituting him as rector of this parish was held on Advent Sunday, December 1st, 1895, in the parish church, Madison Avenue, corner of Thirty-fifth Street. The Rt. Rev. Henry C. Potter, D.D., LL.D., bishop of the diocese, conducted the service, assisted by the Rt. Rev. Thomas F. Davies, D.D., bishop of Michigan; the Rev. Charles C. Tiffany, D.D., archdeacon of New York; the Rev. Edwin Harwood, D.D., of Trinity Church, New Haven, Connecticut, who was the first rector of the Church of the Incarnation upon its separation from Grace Church in 1852; the Rev. Charles H. Babcock, D.D., and the Rev. James G. Lewis, assistant minister in the parish, in charge of its mission chapel.

The service of institution was conducted as provided for in the "office of Institution of Ministers."

The senior warden, Colonel E. M. Crawford, being too ill to leave his house, the junior warden, Mr. George W. Smith, and the senior vestryman, Mr. Charles B. Fosdick, presented the keys of the church to the rector.

After the sermon by Bishop Potter, the Communion service was conducted by the rector, at the close of which