CHAPTER XXI.TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS.
One of the leading characteristics that may be mentioned in speaking of Dr. Walker’s traits is this: He is accustomed to bear injuries and insults with great patience and forbearance. All the great men of earth from the time of Christ to the present day have been subjected to calumny, abuse, contumely, and misrepresentation in some form or other. George Washington, during his second administration, was called a traitor, because he would not go to war with England. Epithets were applied to him which would hardly have been applied to a Nero, a notorious defaulter, or a common pickpocket. Abraham Lincoln was called a poltroon, a hypocrite, because he was deliberate, painstaking and cautious about issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. Horace Greeley, who, with his paper, the New York Tribune, did more than any other individual in America to bring about the abolition of slavery, was most bitterly denounced by the American people, because he dared to go on the bond of Jefferson Davis, the animosity and vituperation having reached their climax in his campaign against Grant for the presidency. Henry Ward Beecher, who was without a peer in the American pulpit, was hounded down by the venomous tongue of slander and dragged into court on an infamous charge. Dwight L. Moody had his bitter with his sweet. On his first evangelistic campaign in Europe the papers boldly asserted that he was in the employ of P. T. Barnum, the great show man, and that he was making thousands for his own use out of a credulous public. His issuing of the “Moody and Sankey Hymn Book” was declared to be a huge money-making venture, and people were advised not to purchase it. The great and good William McKinley, the patient, praying President, was most bitterly assailed, his motives most bitterly impugned, and he was called “the puppet president,” “the tool,” “the manakin.” President Roosevelt has said that the man who has not made mistakes is the man who has not done anything. It might be said with equal truth that the man who has not been assailed and opposed is the man who has not done anything. How could Dr. Walker escape? A man’s character is not evinced by the manner in which he is slandered and abused and traduced, nevertheless; but a man’s character is shown by the manner in which he accepts misrepresentation and abuse and slander. Dr. Walker has the courage which faces difficulties, braves rebuke and contumely, is not afraid of harsh names and ugly epithets; the courage that can look danger and persecution in the face and not shrink before them, brave before ridicule not less than before threatening; the rare courage which in the discharge of duty is not afraid of what men shall say. Though he likes popularity—and who does not?—yet no consideration of public favor can frighten him from speaking his mind, from saying what he believes to be true, from saying what he believes that the people ought to hear. Such courage is of a higher order than an animal instinct, more difficult to maintain, and more trying to a sensitive soul. The bravery that bears misunderstanding is more radical than the bravery that returns blows or fights battles. He has repeatedly said that he has tried to make these words the motto of his life: “I am determined never to be guilty of ingratitude; never to desert a friend; never to strike back at an enemy.” I have known Dr. Walker intimately for more than twenty years. I have eaten with him, slept with him, traveled with him, prayed with him, worked with him, played with him; I have known some of the indignities, which have been heaped upon him, and some of the hard things, which he has been called upon to bear; and I truly believe that, in his dealings with those who have wronged him, as well as in his dealings with humanity in general, he is the most Christlike man I ever knew. He comes nearer fulfilling in his own life and person the divine injunction, “Love your enemies; do good to them that despitefully use you,” than any man of my extended acquaintance. Perhaps the following admonition and advice sent to me by him in a letter at a time of great trial in my own life, will better show his character on this point than anything I could say. Here is what he said: “You must expect that some will misrepresent both your conduct and your motives. You must expect that your best efforts will be thwarted by the folly or wickedness of those whom you propose to serve. Be it so. Spend no time or strength in unavailing regrets. Spend no time or strength in repelling the attempted injury. Go forward in the way of duty. Let your uniform good conduct be your defence. Time is the great corrector. Your conduct will one day be seen in its true light. If not, God always sees it in its true light, and will reward every man according to his works.” These were noble words from a noble soul. God does not call his ministers to seats of ease, nor yet to the enjoyment of undisturbed comforts. Their duties are of such a nature and their environment is so peculiar that such a call in this life is impossible. Indeed, it often happens that the more faithful a minister is to his divine vocation, the more bitter will be the cup he is called upon to drain. Had it been otherwise, the name of many a noble man of God, enshrined in the hearts of millions of the race, would never have been heard beyond his parish boundaries. In every church, even those conducted on sound principles, there are a few polyphagous members whom no gospel preacher can supply. They are ever restive, ever seeking after novelties, ever grumbling, ever finding fault. Dr. Walker has met people of this class in his pastoral work, and he has won them by love and kindness. He has proved in this way that the word of the Master is true, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.”
Humility is also a distinguishing trait in the character of Dr. Walker. The beauty of humility is delightfully displayed in him, and its influence is extensively felt and acknowledged. Hence, arise the love and respect so generally entertained for him. It has been remarked that scarcely any person could be in his presence for an hour without loving him. There has always been about him a beautiful unmindfulness of himself while engaged in his life-work. In this respect he is different from many, for self-consciousness and solicitous guardianship over their own rights and honors characterize mankind in general. At the recent meeting in Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, held to protest against his returning to labor with his old church at Augusta, one of the most prominent young men of the church spoke in substance as follows: “I want to confess something here that I have never before told anybody, not even Dr. Walker. Dr. Walker has done more to take false pride out of me than any man living. The other day I was going down Broadway, and I passed Dr. Walker. I stopped and shook his hand, and being somewhat in a hurry, kept on down the street. Shortly after I had passed him I met a young man whom I knew well, but he wasn’t well dressed—in fact, he was dressed very shabbily—and I didn’t want to speak to him. I turned my head away from him, so as to keep from speaking. I looked back to see if Dr. Walker would speak to him. Dr. Walker stopped and shook that young man’s hand and stood up in Broadway, with all the people going by, to talk with him, and Dr. Walker seemed just as glad to see him as he had been to see me. I learned a lesson from that scene that I will never forget.”
Dr. Walker, also, has a responsive feeling of gratitude for mercies and favors received. This spirit is always associated with true humility; for in proportion to the Christian’s sense of his own unworthiness, is his thankfulness for those supplies which he forfeited by his rebellion. Dr. Walker views every blessing, both temporal and spiritual, as coming to him immediately from the hand of God through the mediation of Jesus Christ.
Christian charity pre-eminently adorns the character of Dr. Walker. The love which glows in Dr. Walker’s heart was evidently enkindled by the Holy Ghost and has produced a cordial feeling of good-will toward all men, of whatever grade or country, of whatever party or sect. While he is an ardent and uncompromising Baptist, his treatment of other Christian denominations is fraternal and appreciative; his spirit is broad and catholic; there is nothing ultra-sectarian in his make-up. Those who love him because of this are found in the Methodist church, the Congregational church, the Presbyterian church, the Episcopalian church, the Baptist church, and in all churches and in no churches. He has a tender fellow-feeling for the poor and afflicted, and has many times denied himself lawful gratifications for their sake. He has cheerfully submitted to any service, and thought nothing too low or too mean, in which to engage, if thereby he could benefit either the souls or bodies of men.
There are other features which ought to be mentioned. Clearness of vision, capacity for hard work and quick decisions, executive force, the ability to guide the thoughts and energies of other men into the same channel as his own, and thus unite their force with his, and his mastery of details, are conspicuous elements in his character.
Charles T. Walker has his faults, like other men. These are not to be overlooked, and I mention this fact, in closing this chapter, in order to say that Charles T. Walker is not a perfect man. A perfect man has not trod this planet since Christ left it. It is said of Charles Lamb, that he liked his friends, not in spite of their faults, but faults and all. And Charles Lamb was no less right than kind. The errors of a true man are not discreditable to him, for his errors spring from the same source as his excellencies. Moreover, it is very difficult to judge character. Generally speaking, those who are familiar with a man are blind to his faults, and those who are not intimate are blind to his virtues. Still, in summing up the traits and characteristics of Dr. Walker, it may be truthfully said that he is no ordinary man, and that one would be compelled to search among sinful mortals many and many a day before he would find one man who, in all respects, possesses more of the traits of genuine honor, manhood and sterling worth than does the present pastor of the Mount Olivet Baptist Church, New York City.