Brooks, Phillips

1835 - Born on the 13th of December in Boston, Massachusetts.

1855 - Attended college at the Boston Latin School and graduated from Harvard University.

1856 - Studied for ordination in the Episcopal Church in the Virginia Theological Seminary at Alexandria, Virginia.

1859 - Graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary, was ordained deacon by Bishop William Meade of Virginia, and became rector of the Church of the Advent, Philadelphia.

1860 - Ordained Priest.

1862-1869 - Became rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia, where he gaining an increasing name as preacher and patriot.

1865 - Delivered sermon over Abraham Lincoln's body.

1877 - Brooks preached Sunday after Sunday to great congregations.

         - Published a course of lectures upon preaching, which he had delivered at the theological school of Yale University.

1878 - Published his first volume of sermons, and from time to time issued other volumes, including Sermons Preached in English Churches.

1879 - Appeared the Bohlen Lectures on The Influence of Jesus.

1886 - Declined an election as assistant bishop of Pennsylvania.

1881 - He declined an invitation to be the sole preacher to the university and professor of Christian ethics.

1891 - On 30th of April he was elected sixth Bishop of Massachusetts.

         - On the 14 October was consecrated to that office in Trinity Church.

1893 - He died 23rd of January after an episcopate of only 15 months.

He is remembered in the Episcopal Church with a feast day on 23rd of January.

• "Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for power equal to your tasks."
• "Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones."
• "The earth has grown old with its burden of care But at Christmas it always is young, The heart of the jewel burns lustrous and fair And its soul full of music breaks the air, When the song of angels is sung."
• "The ideal life is in our blood and never will be still. Sad will be the day for any man when he becomes contented with the thoughts he is thinking and the deeds he is doing -- where there is not forever beating at the doors of his soul some great desire to do something larger, which he knows that he was meant and made to do."
• "Christianity helps us face the music even when we don't like the tune."