Monday, January 18, 2010

The profane Mr. Brooks...

Charles Timothy Brooks (June 20, 1813 – June 14, 1883) was born in Salem MA, educated at the Harvard Divinity School and served for many years the Unitarian Church in Newport, RI.  He was a writer, poet and important translator (especially of German literature.)  I came across this "anecdote" this morning and was quite taken with it. It comes from an 1883 "Unity" article (Unity's masthead declared itself for "Freedom, Fellowship and Character in Religion." Based in Chicago, it was founded by Jenkin Lloyd Jones and William Channing Gannett as a "organ of western radicalism.)  More in the next couple of days from the profane Mr.  Brooks: 

"Is Profanity Ever Justifiable?—The death of the Rev. Charles T. Brooks, of Newport, R. I., recalls a little anecdote about him. At a tea-party, given by a member of the Rev. Dr. Thayer's church a few years ago, a lady playfully remonstrated with Dr. Thayer for his intimacy with the Unitarian divine. " It is true," said Dr. Thayer," that Mr. Brooks and I are very good friends and that I am really very fond of him. He is a most delightful companion, and we often go fishing together. To-day, however, while we were on the fishing-ground, he shocked me by a little exhibition of profanity." "Profanity!" exclaimed the orthodox sister, " you don't really mean that Mr. Brooks is profane ?" " I must confess that he was somewhat so to-day," said good Dr. Thayer. " You see, it happened thus: we were at anchor with our lines out, Brother Brooks, the skipper, and I, when, after some tedious waiting, the skipper cried out: 'I had a d -n good bite then'; whereupon my Brother Brooks quickly responded: 'So did I!"—"

Blessings

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Excellent! Like the queen drinking from her fingerbowl.