bnlv.^l Ul, Llbruij 51 Oak Street UNCLASSIFIED 111 Ai^niortam* C’ircft 1785-1857. 1 •'■ 4 ; , '■ r 4 '' 4 . •I 1 ./■ i • V n / ✓* ‘ ^ ^ /J # ^ ^ * •" ^^1 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates https://archive.org/details/inmemoriamdirckcOOhopk IN M IvMOKM AM. DIRCK C. LANSING, 1). D. Bor 71 at La7isi7i(yl)iirgli, N. Marc/i jd, ijS^. Died at Cificiiiiiati, Ohio, March igth, iS^j. AUBURN, N. Y., Press of Knapi*, Peck & Thomson. 1883. IN MKIXIORIAM. riie following Memorial services were held in Calvary Presbyterian Church, Auburn, New York, on Sabbath morning, September 23CI, 1883. The occasion was furnished by the gift to the Church of a new Communion table,"' and the services were as usual, until the time for the sermon arrived, when the pastor, the Rev. George B. Stewart, stated that it had been an open secret for some weeks that the church was to receive this gift. “It is presented as a Memorial of her father, the Rev. Dirck C. Lansing, 1 ). D., by his daughter. *The table is two feet four inches wide, four feet ei5>ht inches long, and two feet nine inches high. It is made of black walnut with a red Tennessee marble top. It has three open arches in front and back and one in either end, with trefoils and heavy carving. It is a piece of genuine ecclesiastical work which might well be called Victorian Gothic. Just under the top moulding is carved, “ this do in remembrance of me,” and on the lower crossbar “ In memoriam.” On the moulding at the back is a neat silver plate with the inscription : " Presentt'ii to Calvary Church by Mrs. F. L. Griswold, in memory of her father. Rev. Dirck C. Lansing, D. D , pastor of the First Presbyterian Church from iSij to iS2g, the first tweli'c ) ears in the history of this house of worshipP 4 “ 'I'he first sermon that Dr. Lansinir preached in Auburn was delivered in this house, which was then the First church, and it was the dedication sermon. 'I he new church had just been completed when Dr. Lansing was called, in the fall of 1817, to be the pastor, and for twelve years these walls heard his ringing eloquence. “d'his occasion affords a fitting opportunity for something to be said regarding Dr. Lansing and his connection with this church and I have invited Prof. Hopkins, than whom none other is better fitted, to deliver a short memorial address.” Address rv Prof. S. M. Hopkins. Idle writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews exhorts those disciples to keep in memory the faithful pastors who had, at an earlier period, preached to them the gospel. “ Remember them that had the rule over you, which spake unto you the word of God, and considering the issue of their life, imitate their faith.” A faithful minister of Christ, an able and zealous preacher of His word, should not be quickly forgotten in the community where he labored. Such a man leaves a legacy of pre- cious memories and precious influences behind him, of which the local church and congregation, at least, should recognize themselves as in some sort the heirs, and claim their share in the bequest. We are all of us — indeed, the best of us — and those who are better than the best of us, but as water spilled upon the ground that cannot be gathered up. The memory of us cannot long survive. But a good and honored ser- vant of Christ, who preached the gospel with distinguished power and success, should certainly not be forgotten in the community where he lived and within the generation to which he belonged. It is not so long silUT I )i'. 1 ..lusiiiL; (lied il w.is in 1H57 Init lli;il many si ill survive who knew him well ; and il is not so lono since he pre.iched the j^ospel, oc- casionally at h'ast in this city, (down to iS^H) hut that theta; are a oood mail)- of onr older citizens, and mystdf ainontj tliein who easily re- call his reinarkahh' person and (pialitic's in the pidpit. 'There is an in- IliKMice h\- no imams to lx* d(;spis(;d, connected with the permanence and iilentity of a Christian stinctnary. Where a ereat cathedral or a more humhle church lias stood for many years or even centuries, it en- shrines ami gathers unto itself a host of nohle and holy associations. No one surel)’ can stand in the castle-church where Luther thundered against the corru[itions of the Papacy, or in the identical temple in which |ohn Calvin spoke day after day, his great exercitations on the scriptures, or step into the pulpit wdiere Richard ILixter or Ceorge W'hitefield hekl forth the glories of the Saint’s Rest, or the guilt and doom of an unbelieving world, wathout feeling the air resonant wath sainted voices, and holy almost as the mount where Moses and Elias de- scended to talk with Jesus ; the stones of the wall cry out and the beams from the ceiling answer ; through the long-drawn aisles the echo of ancient psalmody faintly resounds and the pews seem filled with ghostly worshipers, whose bodies have long since mouldered in the church yard. In such sanctuaries we stand with bated breath and un- covered head, since even though now perhaps desecrated by supersti- tious rites, and an impure gospel, they have been for long generations past the house of God and the gate of heaven to countless Christian souls, have rung with the noblest eloquence, have satisfied the most saintly devotion, have stood as monuments and landmarks of the Chris- tian church, while thrones and palaces have crumbled into dust. 6 I{v(.*n ill this new western world, where almost all sanctuaries like oth(;r [uihlic institutions are recent and modern, the influence of this association of sacred memories with [)lan and structure is by no means unfelt. A Christian church which has stood for a generation or two on this soil has witnessed scenes of pathos and of power which, we may well believe, have thrilled the invisible world, and left their impress deep on the moral and spiritual history of human society. Such is this sanctua- ry in which we here worship. In its substance and solid frame-work, as is well known to you, it belonged to the old Pdrst Church, until su- perseded on its original site by the present beautiful stone structure. It had gone through various removals and improvements down to that time. It had been cut in two in the middle and lengthened to meet the demands of the growing population. But it still retained its original substance and form — the proportions only being slightly changed. It was always the same old rigid New England “meeting-house;” the preacher was still obliged to climb to his perch, half way between the floor and ceiling, and Noah’s dove with the olive branch in his beak still hovered over his head. Such was the church that in the year 1869 was taken down, transported at the expense of Mr. James S. Seymour to this lot on which it now stands, also his cjift, and here rebuilt with the same identical materials. This is the same church, therefore we may truly say, in which the series of noble pastors, and great evangel- ists whose services the First congregation enjoyed during a period of sixty years, held forth the word of life. It was within these walls that the saintly and venerable Orton pleaded with sinners to be reconciled to God. It was here that Finney with his awful logic, broke down and shattered to pieces every bulwark that unbelief and impenitence built In raeraoriam. Dirick C . (1785-1857) Auburn, NY, KnaDD,Peck 1883 Lansing, D. D. & T homson. up the truth, and lorccd the stoutest hearted reljels to fall on thc'ir knees, and ask what they must do to he s.ived, and to our present purpos(‘, it was these; timlx-rs thathe.ird the coiuinandinj^^ awe-inspirinj^ and pathetic eloeiueiuu', of one who in all tiu' (pialiti(;s of a faithful niin- isUM', and in all the' attrihuU's of a ereat pulpit orator was scarcely s(;c- ond to any man of his oencratioa, the* I\cv. I)irck C. Lansinj^. If th(;sc walls coulil have ahsorhed like a perf(;ctc;d [)h()n()(^raph the discourses to which they echoeil between 1.S17 and 1829, and often afterwards, and couhl eive them out to us now, what a storm of im[)etuous argumen- tation, of tender [ileading, of direct pungent ai)[)eal to the conscience, would reverberate like thunder peals along these aisles. Hut to the [)honograph, would have also to be added some curiously [)erfected [)hotograph to set the man before us — the tall, slender, erect figure : the swarthy complexion and coal black hair (afterward whitened by age,) the keen glance of the dark eye — the whole inspired with an air of lofty courage and self confidence, that made him dominate every congregation like a king of men — if all this could be r(;produced, we should get some idea of what Dirck C. Lansing was in his prime. Men shrunk before the glance of that eye as if it were the lightning — before the pointing of his finger as If it were a bare sword. The memory of his eloquence still lingers In the hearts of some of the aged people in this and the adjoining counties, as of something that belonged to the age of the giants ; for I myself never enjoyed the opportunity of hear- ing him till he was considerably passed the time of his traditionary renown. It was therefore eminently fit that if family affection guiding Chris- tian liberality should contemplate such a gift to the church as a sacra- 8 iiKMital allar for a nieniorial of him, this house should witness the cere- mony and this congregation — the successors of those he preached to — should enjoy the benefit. Let it serve to fix in our minds and hearts the memory of a [)rince and a great man among the preachers of the gos|)el, of one who had a passion for preaching — who had a burning en- thusiasm for the salvation of men, and whose labors “ God was pleased to crown (I here quote the language of another) with sixty revivals of religion.” What Dr. Lansing was to the Theological Seminary, of which he was one of the originators and warmest friends and in which, while pastor of the First Presbyterian church, he gave gratuitous instruction in sa- cred rhetoric for fivc^ years — what he was to the church at large, and to the nascent presbyterianism of western New York, it is not pertinent or possible for me here to mention. But as it will help you to under- stand and remember what Dr. Lansing was himself — how tender and con- scientious as well as strong and commanding, you will allow me to men- tion a circumstance recorded by Mr. Finney as among his experiences in this place, and I will give it in Mr. Finney’s own words : “ Soon after my arrival at Auburn,” he observes, “ a circumstance occurred of so striking a character, that I must give a brief relation of it. My wife and myself were guests of Dr. Lansing, the pastor of the church. The church were much conformed to the world ; and were accused by the unconverted of being leaders in dress and fashion and worldliness. As usual I directed my preaching to secure the reformation of the church, and to get them into a revival state. One Sabbath I had preached as searchingly as I was able, to the church in regard to their attitude be- fore the world, d'he word took deep hold of the people. At the close of \u\' .uKlrcss I ('allcil upon the I’aslor as usual to pray, 1 lo was miicli im- prc;s.siHl with thr sunnon, and instead ol inunediately enjra^in^ in prayer, he nuule a sliort I)ut eery earnest address to the churcli, confirminj^ what 1 liail said. At this moment, a man arose in tlie j^.allery, and said in a vei')' dcdiheraU' and distinct manner, “ Mr. Lansing, I do not Ixdieve tliat such ri'inarks from you can do any good while you W(;ar a ruffled shirt aiul a gold ring, and while your wife; and the ladies of your family sit as they do, before the cotigregation, dressed as leaders in the fashions of the day.” It seemed as if this would kill Dr. Lansing outright. lie made no reply ; but cast himself across the side of the pul[)it and wept like a child. I'he congregation was almost as much shocked and affected as himself. They almost universally dropped their heads upon the seat in front of them, and many were weeping on every side. With the excej)- tion of the sobs and sighs, the house was profoundly silent. I waited a few moments ; and as Dr. Lansing did not move, I rose and offered a short prayer and dismissed the congregation. I went home with the dear wounded Pastor, and when all the family were returned from church, he took off the ring — it was a slender gold ring that could hardly attract notice, and said his first wife when upon her dying bed, took it from her finger and placed it upon his, with the request that he should wear it for her sake, fie had done so without a thought of its being a stumbling block to any soul. Of his ruffies, he had worn them from his childhood, and did not think of them as any- thing improper. But, he added, “ if these things are an occasion of of- fense to any, I will not wear them.” “ He was a precious Christian man (adds IMr. Finney ) and an excellent Pastor.” lO I do not ([note this story as l)y any means sympathizing with that narrow and illiberal judging of others, which on this occasion caused such pain to Dr. Lansing, and yet not without a feeling that it may sug- gest some reflections [jrofitable to all of us. A gold ring and a ruffle may be among the most innocent and suitable ornanients of the person (d a minister, or any one else, and yet it may also be true that excessive worldliness and devotion to fashion among Christians, may justly scan- dalize unbelievers, and have something to do towards neutralizing the preaching of the Gospel. We all, of course, feel that in this matter Dr. Lansing was most innocent of any wrong doing ; and that the interrup- tion was probably nothing more than the coarse insult of a fanatical or a Pharisaical zealot. It will add to the sympathy and kindness with which you will receive this gift from the daughter of Dr. Lansing, to reflect that these walls witnessed that pathetic scene ; that these timbers heard, so to say, the sobs of that tender-hearted conscientious Pastor, and his grieved con- gregation : and that they resounded afterwards with the thanksgivings and praises of the multitudes who, in the revival that followed, had a “new song put into their mouths, even praise to our God.” At the conclusion of Prof. Hopkins’s address, the pastor proceeded to consecrate the table to its holy use His words were substantially as follows : I'here are two inscriptions carved on this beautiful table. On the upper part, just under the top moulding, are the words, “This do in re- membrance of me,” and on the lower cross-bar, “ In memoriam.” Pheir meaning is the same, but their reference is different. The first indi- cates the use to which the table is to be put, the latter denotes the inoti\ (‘ ()l tlu‘ ( )lir Messed Loi il (lesleiied lo |)er|)el iiale his lUem- ory, .iiul SC) on the ni^hl in which he siillei'ed he insliliiled with bread and wine, the sacranuMit of the Lord's Supper. As he l)lessed the- sim- ple' ('h'nu'iits and ea\(' them to Ids disciples, he said, “ d'his do in rc- nu'inhrancc' of me. lor as oftc'ii as yc' eat this bread and drink this enp yc; do show llu' Lord's death till he; come.” 1 I is enemies, who a little after pic'rced those; hands ;ind she'd that blood, little; thought that that death 1))' which the)’ hoped to de.stroy him and his memory was to be the very means b)- which his memory was to be [)cr|)etnated. In the future as we sit around this table and [)artake of the emblems of Christ’s love, we will be showing his death and keeping fresh the memory of his atone- ment. It is fitting that this table as it stands before us from week to week should keej) in memor)’ the life and work of one of Christ’s faithful dis- ciple.s. He wrought well and lived nobly in this community, and his name ought to be reverently cherished. While it must remain forever and blessedly true that wdiatever of life the church has, whatever of power, whatever of usefulness, is due to Jesus, our crucified and risen Lord ; yet it is also true that the church of Christ in Auburn owes much to the faithful, and successful labors of Dr. Lansinsf. OurTheo- logical Seminary with whose early history he was so closely identified, which was known at one time as ‘ Lansing’s folly,’ now stands as a worthy and perpetual monument to his wisdom. The First church, the mother of all the churches of the place, whose first pastor he was in her first home, still gives in her vigorous strength and abounding good works testimony to the strong and substantial foundations which he laid here for the church of Christ. Under this dove, which spread -- 12 — its winj^s al)()vc him during the twelve years of his ministry in this house, this table will stand to tell us and our successors of his devotion to his Master and his zeal in his service. In the name of this church I acce|)t with expressions of thankfulness this beautiful gift from the daughter of the departed saint, and in the name of the Idessed d'rinity, the h'ather and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, the one God, I do now set ajjart and consecrate it to be used in his holy service. May God grant the memory of the just to continue until that Just One come, who has j:)romised his waiting church, to come (]uickly. The services were concluded with the following hymn ; Rise, O my soul ! pursue the path, By ancient worthies trod ; A.sptring, view those holy men. Who lived and walked with God. Though dead, they speak in reason’s ear, ■Vnd in example live ; Their faith, and hope, and mighty deeds, Still fresh instruction give. ’T was through the Lamb’s most precious blood. They conquered every foe ; And, to his power and matchless grace. Their crowns and honors owe. Lord ! may I ever keep in view The patterns thou hast given And ne’er forsake the blessed path Which led them safe to heaven. MMMiNDIX. Jix tracts from Obituary Notices at the time of Pr. Lansiiifs death. The venerable Dr. Lansing was called to his rest on Saturday last, the 19th, after a protracted and painful illness. He died at Walnut Hills, Cincinnati, where he had lately taken up his residence, and where, with his wonted fervor and activity, he was engaged in preaching the Gospel, and in abundant labors for the kingdom of Christ. His funeral was attended yesterday, at Troy, in the vicinity of which city he spent his youth upon his father’s manor. Lansingburgh derived its name from his paternal grandfather, who was Patroon over a large tract of land in that neighborhood. In that village Dr. Lansing was born, in 1785. He entered Yale College at the age of fifteen, and graduated in 1804, and pursued his theological studies under Rev. Dr. Blachford, of his native town, using as text-books the then recent works of Hopkins, Bellamy and Edwards. It was this early and studious contact with the great thinkers of New England, that gave to him such clear and consistent views in theology ; while the fervor of their spirit, so congenial to his own, animated that rare gift of popular eloquence with which he was endowed. '4 — 1 Ic cntei'cxl upon his ministry in Onondaga, which was then a settle- ment of log-cal>ins in tlie wilderness. After eight years of successful labor, he removed to .Stillwater, Saratoga County. In 1817, he was settled in Auburn, and for twenty years was a leading mind in the re- ligious and (nlucational movements of western New York. He was prominent as a preacher in the great revival period from 1825 to 1835, and was a chief agent in founding Auburn Seminary. In this city, (N. Y.,) Dr. Lansing preached with great power and suc- cess in Masonic 1 fall, in Broadway, (lately demolished) where he gathered the church which worshiped, till recently, in Houston-st., and which gave birth to the Thirteenth-st. Presbyterian Church. He had also a brief but memorable ministry in Utica. Ill health drove him to Illinois; but he resumed his labors in this city, some ten years ago, in a small church in Chrystie street, and presently removed to Clinton avenue, in Brooklyn, where, with a father’s care, he nursed an infant church to maturity and strength, d'he project of building the elegant and spacious edifice now occupied by that church originated with him ; and it was urged on by him with a zeal and an enthusiasm worthy of his best days. The suc- cess of this undertaking he regarded as the crowning act and glory of his life. He left his sick chamber to lay its corner-stone, and on De- cember 1 6th, 1855, he ja'eached the sermon at the dedication of the house. He called this his “Coronation Day.” It is impossible, in these narrow limits, to do justice to his pure and noble character. His mental constitution exhibited a rare combination of the logical faculty, capable of severe analysis, and the imaginative, capable of lofty and even sublime reaches of spiritual vision. Hence he was at once clear and discriminating in his treatment of doctrine, and L^lowiiio in his appeals lo tlie heail and ('oiiseience, A child like swet-t- n(‘ss ol laith, and a most heavenly ( hai il )• inai'ked his life as a ( hristian. 1 I is heart ne\ (M‘