Phillips Brooks & America’s Soul
The name Phillips Brooks does not ring a bell for most Americans, but many of us know at least a few of his words by heart. During the Christmas season, his poetry rings in our ears and rises from our voices, for Brooks wrote the lyrics to “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”
Though little remembered today, he achieved transatlantic fame in the 19th century for his wisdom and eloquence. Born on December 13, 1835, Brooks became one of the leading Christian intellectuals of his time. His homilies— reprinted in newspapers and books — reached a wide audience. Late in life, he mentored Helen Keller.
Brooks first gained widespread notice for his eulogy of Abraham Lincoln in April 1865. After the president’s assassination, his funeral train carried his coffin from Washington, D.C. to Springfield, Illinois — making stops in several cities along the way, including Philadelphia. There, Lincoln’s body lay in Independence Hall, the cradle of our country, where the Founders signed the Declaration and the Framers drafted the U.S. Constitution.
Given the plethora of politicians and clergymen who hoped to eulogize the fallen president during his coffin’s brief visit to the City of Brotherly…
