Muhlenberg.] t)lb [March IG, 



Baker, of Winchester, Va. The degree of D.D. was conferred upon him, 

 by Pennsylvania College, in 185G ; and that of LL.D., by the same Institu- 

 tion in 1874. He spent the summer vacation, in the year 1880, in Germany ; 

 gathering information, and visiting places, for a Life of Luther, which he 

 had been requested, by the Church to which he belonged, to prepare ; but 

 which we deeply regret he did not live to complete ; the same period in 

 the summer of 1881, he was visiting Canada, for the benefit of his health, 

 during which time he wrote his, " Cosmos," the last one of 1882 he was 

 at Mt. Desert Island, on the coast of Maine ; and his death occurred, 

 January 2d, 1883. 



It will be seen, from the preceding particulars of his life, that his labors 

 were divided between two professions, often either permanentl}', or tem- 

 porarily conjoined, in aim and usefulness closely allied with each other, 

 that of the ministry and professor in institutions of learning and religion. 

 Whilst our friend had qualities of mind and heart to make him useful, in 

 either of these professions, he frequently informed me, that he much pre- 

 ferred the chair of the professor to the pulpit. Nor was this owing to the 

 fact, that his pastoral labors and pulpit efforts had not met with the 

 approval of the people, or had been wanting in success ; but because he 

 believed, that the sphere of influence for good was wider in the former, 

 than in the latter. 



We know, from the best evidence, that both in the countrj^ as well as in 

 the city, in the congregations he served, he was highly honored for his 

 ability in the pulpit ; and greatly esteemed and beloved for his personal 

 character. With increase of years and experience, he gave increasing 

 satisfaction, and acquired additional fame. A few, it is true, found fault 

 with the peculiar tones of his voice, and peculiarities of attitude, in his 

 early ministry ; and some, at a later period, with the labored character of 

 many of his written discourses, but his greatness was generally recog- 

 nized. 



These slight defectsof manner disappeared with increase of years, so that 

 the tones of voice and mode of delivery became agreeable, and little open 

 to censure. He preached both with, and without a manuscript. His writ- 

 ten discourses displayed more fully his imaginative power, beauty of ex- 

 pression, and the depth and extent of his learning ; but his unwritten 

 ones, the pathos and force of the eloquent orator. When he spoke with- 

 out notes, his words were, like those of his excellent father, who always 

 used this method of preaching, for the pleasure and edification of the 

 people. It was then, that " the common people heard him gladly,'.' whilst 

 his written discourses were better adapted to a higher grade of hearers. 

 The latter class of auditors were carried away with admiration for his 

 learning and great ability ; whilst the former were instructed and deeply 

 moved, by the glowing words which welled forth spontaneously from his 

 loving heart. The writer recalls to mind four separate occasions, espe- 

 cially, when he had the pleasure of listening to his preaching. The earliest 

 one was in the year 1804, during a rebellion of the students in Penusyl- 



