trills of pathos. No imaginative excitement prevailed in the audience as under Maffitt's eloquence, no tumul- tuous wonder as under Bascom's, none of Cookman's impetuous passion, or Olin's overwhelming power, but a subduing, almost tranquil spell of genial feeling, ex- pressed often liy tears or half-suppressed ejaculations; something of the kindly effect of Summerfield com- bined with a higher intellectual impression. Fisk lived for many years in the faith and cxeni] lification of Paul's sublime doctrine of Christian perfection. He prized that great tenet as one of the most important distinctions of Christianity. His own experience re- specting it was marked by signal circumstances, and from the day he practically adopted it till he triumphed over death, its impress was radiant on his daily life. With John Wesle}', he deemed this important truth — promulgated, in any very express form, almost solely by Methodism in these days — to be one of the most solemn responsibilities of his Church, the most potent element in the experimental divinity of the Scriptures" {Methodist Quarterly Review, Julv, 1852, p. 446). See Holdich, Life of Wilbur Fisk (N." Y. 1840, 8vo) ; Meth- odist Quarterly, 1842, p. 579; Sherman, New-England Divines, p. 238; M'Clintock, Lires of Methodist Minis- ters (N. Y. 8vo ; sketch of Fisk by the Rev. O. H. Tif- fanj', D.D.) ; Sprague, Annals, vii, 576 ; Stevens, His- tory of the Methodist Episcopal Church ; Christian Re- rieiv, Julj' 9, 1868 ; Zion's Herald, vii, 400 sq. See also New England Theology.
Fiske, John, D.D., a Congregational minister, was born Oct. 26, 1770, in Warwick, IMass. He grad- uated at Dartmouth College, 1791 ; entered the minis- try IMay 6, 1794 ; and was ordained pastor in New Braintree Oct. 26, 1796, where he remained until his death. Mar. 15, 1855. Dr. Fiske assisted largelj' in the founding of Amherst College. He published a Spell- ing-hook (1807), and two sermons. — Sprague, Anhul., ii, 367.
Fiske, Nathan Welby, an eminent Congrega- tional minister, was born April 17, 1798, at Weston, Mass. He graduated at Dartmouth College 1817; was chosen tutor 1818, in which position he remained two years, and then entered the Theological Seminaiy at Andover. In Nov. 1823, he went to Savannah, and preached among the seamen and others not belonging to any church. He was chosen professor of languages in Amherst Collegiate Institution (afterwards Amherst College), 1824. A few years after, he was transferred to the chair of intellectual and moral philosophy, which he held until his death. In 1846, on account of ill health, he sailed (Nov. 5) for Palestine, and died in Jerusalem May 27, 1847. Mr. Fiske published a trans- lation of Escbenburg's Manual of Classical Literature (18S6), which went through three editions, and was stereotj'ped for the fourth ed. (18-13). A volume of his Sermons was pulilished in 1850, and also Memoirs of N. W. Fiske, iiith Selections from his Sermons and other Writings, by Heman Humphrey, D.D. (Amherst, 1850). The Neio Englandtr (Feb. 1850, p. 70) speaks of his ser- mons as follows: "They are eminently suggestive. Some of them, like that on ' the analysis of conscience,' are fine specimens of philosophical analysis. Some, like that on ' the wonderfulness of man's mental con- stitution,' and that on 'the fearfulness of man's men- tal constitution,' lead the reader over a track almost untrodden by sermonizers, and yet presenting grounds for most powerful appeals. No thinking mind can fail to be enriched by the attentive reading of these dis- courses. They belong in many respects to the class of bishop Butler's sermons ; j'et with the bishop's strong reasoning and clear analysis of principles, they have much more of the direct and powerful application of the trutli to the conscience, and are more imbued with the very essence of the doctrines of the cross."
Fiske, Samuel, a Congregational minister, was born in Shelburne, Slass., July 23, 1828, and was edu-
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cated at Amherst College, where he graduated in 1848. xVfter two years spent in teaching, he studied theology at Andover until 1852, when he became tutor at Am- herst, where he remained until 1855, when he sailed for Europe and the East. His letters describing this journey were collected under the title of Mr. Dunn Browne's Experiences in furevjn Parts (Boston, 1857, 12mo), and abound with wit, humor, and graphic pow- er. In 1857 he was ordained pastor of the Congrega- tional church at Madison, Conn., where he was re- markabl}' useful and successful. During the Civil \V*ar his patriotism led him to join the army ; and failing to secure a chaplaincy, he entered the service as private, but soon rose to be captain. While in service he wrote Mr. Dunn Brown's Experiences in the Army (Boston, 1866, 12mo). Made prisoner at Chancellorsville, he spent some time in Libby prison, Richmond. He fell in the first battle of the Wilderness, May 6, 1864. His Christian life in the armj' was kept up as at home, and he was more than a chaplain could be to his men. •' He was a Christian officer, illustrating in camp, and on the march, and in battle the noblest Christian char- acter. He decidedly rebuked all the vices of the army ; he gently soothed the sick and wounded, prayed with the dj'ing and over the dead. Touching memories of him have been recalled in our hospitals at the mention of his name. ' Oh, ' said one in Washington, ' he is the man who put his arm around me so kindly, and begged me to promise him that I would never utter another oath, and I never have.' Said another : 'Captain Fiske — oh yes ; he helped me off the field after that dreadful battle, gave me his blanket, and spoke kind words of cheer that helped to keep me alive.' Multitudes could testify of his fidelity to them. It was his daily duty to care both for the bodies and the souls of all about him." — Neio Englander., January, 1866, art. iv ; Congre- gational Quarterly, 1866, art. i.