Senatorial Character

Speaking from the pulpit of West Church in Boston after Charles Sumner's death, C. A. Bartol turns a sermon into an assessment of public character. Delivered in March 1874, the address asks what made the senator's influence reach beyond Massachusetts and the United States. Bartol credits Sumner with moral courage, integrity and sympathy for the oppressed, while openly questioning the originality of his thought and the distinction of his speaking style.

This combination of tribute and criticism gives the sermon its particular interest. Biblical examples sit beside comparisons with political leaders, writers and artists as Bartol considers the value of a public figure who holds firmly to principle. The later passage defends Sumner's demanding ideals even when colleagues found him impractical, and recalls his commitment to civil rights. Readers interested in American political memory or the relationship between religion and civic duty will find a contemporary voice weighing conscience against practical achievement.