Charles Timothy Brooks
Charles Timothy Brooks was an influential Unitarian minister, born in 1813 in Salem, Massachusetts, and a descendant of Puritan lineage. He graduated from Harvard University in 1832 and pursued divinity studies, earning his degree from Harvard Divinity School in 1835. Brooks began his ministry in Massachusetts and later served in various states, including Maine and Vermont, ultimately settling in Newport, Rhode Island. In 1837, he married Harriet Lyman Hazard, with whom he had five children.
Throughout his life, Brooks struggled with health issues, prompting a trip to India in 1853, where he wrote for Harper's Monthly. He also traveled to Europe in the mid-1860s, during which he met the prominent author Thomas Carlyle. Brooks retired from ministry in 1871 and became known for translating significant works of German literature, especially those of Friedrich Schiller. His literary contributions include various theological articles and the biography of fellow Unitarian minister William Ellery Channing. His notable work, "The Simplicity of Christ's Teachings," consists of sermons addressing the challenges faced by Unitarians in a rapidly changing scientific landscape. Brooks passed away in 1883, just days shy of his seventieth birthday, in Newport, where he had dedicated much of his life and service.
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Charles Timothy Brooks
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- Born: June 20, 1813
- Birthplace: Salem, Massachusetts
- Died: June 14, 1883
- Place of death: Newport, Rhode Island
Biography
Charles Timothy Brooks was born in 1813 in Salem, Massachusetts, a descendent of the Puritans. He graduated from Harvard University in 1832, and earned his degree in divinity in 1835 from the Harvard Divinity School. He began his ministry in the Unitarian church in Massachusetts, making his way to Maine, Vermont, and eventually Newport, Rhode Island. In 1837, he wed Harriet Lyman Hazard, the daughter of the Newport legislator Benjamin Hazard, and had five children with her. Plagued by poor health, Brooks traveled to India in 1853 in the hope of improving his condition and wrote several articles for Harper’s Monthly during his stay. In the mid 1860’s he traveled to Europe and met author Thomas Carlyle. He retired from the ministry in 1871.
Brooks translated several important works of German literature into the English language, particularly those of Friedrich Schiller, including William Tell: A Drama in Five Acts from the German of Schiller, and Schiller’s Homage of the Arts, with Miscellaneous Pieces from Rückert, Freiligrath, and Other German Poets. A poet and writer, Brooks published numerous theological articles and authored a biography of a fellow Unitarian minister, William Ellery Channing: A Centennial Memory, published in 1880. His most important work was The Simplicity of Christ’s Teachings: Set Forth in Sermons, a collection of his sermons addressing the problems facing Unitarians in an age of scientific advances and uncertainty about the role of religion in their daily life. Brooks died in 1883, six days before his seventieth birthday, in Newport, where he had served the majority of his ministry.