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Phillips Brooks
Phillips Brooks (1835–1893) was an American preacher, Episcopal priest, and hymn-writer whose eloquent ministry and towering presence made him one of the most celebrated clerics of 19th-century America. Born on December 13, 1835, in Boston, Massachusetts, he was the second of six children of William Gray Brooks, a merchant, and Mary Ann Phillips, both from prominent New England families with Puritan roots. Raised in a devout household where daily Scripture reading shaped his faith, Brooks graduated from Harvard College in 1855 with a degree in Classics. After a brief stint teaching at Boston Latin School, he pursued ministry, studying at Virginia Theological Seminary and graduating in 1859. He never married, dedicating his life to his calling and intellectual pursuits. Brooks’s preaching career began with his ordination in 1859 and his first pastorate at the Church of the Advent in Philadelphia, followed by Holy Trinity Church in the same city from 1862 to 1869, where his sermons—delivered at a rapid 200 words per minute—drew massive crowds and earned him national acclaim during the Civil War era. In 1869, he became rector of Trinity Church in Boston, overseeing its relocation to Copley Square and consecrating its iconic building in 1877, a pulpit he held until 1891. Known for his warmth, intellectual depth, and ability to connect with diverse audiences, Brooks authored the beloved Christmas hymn “O Little Town of Bethlehem” in 1868. Elected Bishop of Massachusetts in 1891, he served briefly until his sudden death from diphtheria on January 23, 1893, at age 57, leaving a legacy as a preacher whose lyrical sermons and hymns, preserved in works like Sermons (1878), continue to inspire. He was buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, mourned by thousands who filled Boston’s streets for his funeral.
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Phillips Brooks emphasizes the importance of genuine faith rooted in God's truth, contrasting it with superficial beliefs based on human opinions and doctrines. He highlights the need for a steadfast faith that is not swayed by changing circumstances or personal whims, but firmly anchored in the teachings of the Lord. Brooks warns against mistaking mere speculation or fleeting thoughts for true faith, urging believers to align their beliefs with what God has revealed.
A Faith That Can Be Kept
"Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Mark 7:7). And the second characteristic of the faith that can be kept will be its evidence, its proved truth. It will not be a mere aggregation of chance opinions. The reason why a great many people seem to be always changing their faith is that they never really have any faith. They have indeed what they call a faith, and are often very positive about it. They have gathered together a number of opinions and fancies, often very ill-considered, which they say that they believe, using the deep and sacred word for a very superficial and frivolous action of their wills. They no more have a faith than the city vagrant has a home who sleeps upon a different doorstep every night. And yet he does sleep somewhere every night; and so these wanderers among the creeds at each given moment are believing something, although that something is for ever altering. We do not properly believe what we only think. A thousand speculations come into our heads, and our minds dwell upon them, which are not to be therefore put into our creed, however plausible they seem. Our creed, our credo, anything which we call by such a sacred name, is not what we have thought, but what our Lord has told us.
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Phillips Brooks (1835–1893) was an American preacher, Episcopal priest, and hymn-writer whose eloquent ministry and towering presence made him one of the most celebrated clerics of 19th-century America. Born on December 13, 1835, in Boston, Massachusetts, he was the second of six children of William Gray Brooks, a merchant, and Mary Ann Phillips, both from prominent New England families with Puritan roots. Raised in a devout household where daily Scripture reading shaped his faith, Brooks graduated from Harvard College in 1855 with a degree in Classics. After a brief stint teaching at Boston Latin School, he pursued ministry, studying at Virginia Theological Seminary and graduating in 1859. He never married, dedicating his life to his calling and intellectual pursuits. Brooks’s preaching career began with his ordination in 1859 and his first pastorate at the Church of the Advent in Philadelphia, followed by Holy Trinity Church in the same city from 1862 to 1869, where his sermons—delivered at a rapid 200 words per minute—drew massive crowds and earned him national acclaim during the Civil War era. In 1869, he became rector of Trinity Church in Boston, overseeing its relocation to Copley Square and consecrating its iconic building in 1877, a pulpit he held until 1891. Known for his warmth, intellectual depth, and ability to connect with diverse audiences, Brooks authored the beloved Christmas hymn “O Little Town of Bethlehem” in 1868. Elected Bishop of Massachusetts in 1891, he served briefly until his sudden death from diphtheria on January 23, 1893, at age 57, leaving a legacy as a preacher whose lyrical sermons and hymns, preserved in works like Sermons (1878), continue to inspire. He was buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, mourned by thousands who filled Boston’s streets for his funeral.