Phillips Brooks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Right Reverend Phillips Brooks D.D. |
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| Bishop of Massachusetts | |
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| Church | Episcopal Church |
| Diocese | Massachusetts |
| Elected | April 30, 1891 |
| Enthroned | October 14, 1891 |
| Reign ended | January 23, 1893 |
| Predecessor | Benjamin Henry Paddock |
| Successor | William Lawrence |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 27, 1860 |
| Consecration | October 14, 1891 by John Williams |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 13, 1835 Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Died | January 23, 1893 (aged 57) Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Buried | Mount Auburn Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Parents | William Gray Brooks & Mary Ann Phillips |
| Previous post |
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| Signature | .png){kind=small} |
| Sainthood | |
| Feast day | 23 January |
| Venerated in | Episcopal Church |
Phillips Brooks (born December 13, 1835 – died January 23, 1893) was an important American church leader and writer. He was a minister, called a Rector, at Trinity Church in Boston for many years. Later, he briefly became the Bishop of Massachusetts.
Brooks is widely known for writing the words to the famous Christmas song, "O Little Town of Bethlehem". The Episcopal Church honors him on its special calendar on January 23.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Phillips Brooks was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His family had a long history in America. His father, William Gray Brooks, was a descendant of an early American leader named John Cotton. His mother, Mary Ann Phillips, was related to Samuel Phillips, Jr., who founded Phillips Academy, a well-known school.
Three of Phillips Brooks' five brothers also became ministers in the Episcopal Church.
School Days and Early Career
Brooks went to the Boston Latin School for his early education. He then studied at Harvard University, graduating in 1855 when he was 20 years old. After college, he tried working as a teacher at Boston Latin. However, he felt he wasn't very good at it and was fired. He wrote about feeling lost and wishing he could start over.
In 1856, he decided to study to become a minister. He attended the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia. While he was a student there, he sometimes preached at a small church nearby.
Pastoral Career and Ministry
In 1859, Phillips Brooks finished his studies and became a deacon. He then started his first job as a minister at the Church of the Advent in Philadelphia. The next year, he became a priest. In 1862, he moved to the Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia, where he worked for seven years. During this time, he became known as a powerful speaker and a strong supporter of his country. He was also a very tall man, standing six feet four inches.
Civil War and Boston Ministry
During the American Civil War, Brooks strongly supported the Northern states and was against slavery. His sermon after the death of President Abraham Lincoln was very moving and showed the good qualities of both men. In 1865, he gave another important sermon at Harvard, honoring those who died in the Civil War. This sermon gained him national attention.
In 1869, Brooks became the minister at Trinity Church in Boston. Today, you can see a statue of him outside the church. He once said that his only goal was to be a good church minister.
Brooks worked with famous artists and architects to make Trinity Church a beautiful and special place. The church became known for its unique design, including an altar that stood freely in the middle, which was unusual at the time. Brooks was famous for his sermons, which he often gave from a simple stand near the front of the church.
Becoming a Bishop
Trinity Church was finished in 1877. Phillips Brooks preached there every Sunday to large crowds. In 1891, he was chosen to be the sixth Bishop of Massachusetts. He had turned down a similar offer in Pennsylvania in 1886. He was also involved with Harvard University for many years, serving as an overseer and preacher.
Brooks was made a bishop on October 14, 1891, at Trinity Church. He served as bishop for only 15 months before he passed away in 1893. His death was a very sad event in Boston. Many people, no matter their religion, felt that a great leader had been lost. Harvard students even carried his body during his funeral.
Influence and Legacy
Published Works and Hymns
In 1877, Brooks published a series of lectures he gave at Yale University about how to preach. These lectures shared his own experiences and ideas. In 1879, he published another important work called The Influence of Jesus.
He also published several collections of his sermons. These included Sermons Preached in English Churches (1883) and "The Candle of the Lord" and Other Sermons (1895). One of his popular collections was The Purpose and Use of Comfort, first published in 1878.
Today, Phillips Brooks is most famous for writing the words to the beloved Christmas carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem". He also played a role in the life of Helen Keller, introducing her to Christianity and to her teacher, Anne Sullivan.
Awards and Memorials
Phillips Brooks was respected by many people from different backgrounds and religions. His understanding of others helped increase support for the Episcopal Church. During his lifetime, he received special honorary degrees from Harvard University (1877) and Columbia (1887). He also received a Doctor of Divinity degree from the University of Oxford in England (1885).
Seven years after his death, a building at Harvard University called Phillips Brooks House was built and dedicated in his honor. It was meant to represent ideals of kindness and service. It originally housed a committee for social service, which later became the Phillips Brooks House Association. This group still operates today as a student-run volunteer organization.
His seminary, Virginia Theological Seminary, has a statue of him outside its library. There is also a statue of Phillips Brooks on the Town Common in North Andover, Massachusetts, facing the North Parish Church.
Several schools have been named after Phillips Brooks or his family. The Phillips Brooks School in Menlo Park, California, is named for him. Brooks School in North Andover, Massachusetts, was founded by Endicott Peabody, who also started the Groton School. A school in Cleveland, Ohio, was named Brooks Memorial School in memory of Phillips' brother, Frederic. This school later became the Hathaway Brown School.
The Episcopal Church remembers Phillips Brooks every year on January 23, the day he died. He is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
