M. D. Babcock

Rev. Maltbie Davenport Babcock was a resident of New York less than two years, and a member of The Century but a few months, but his untimely death brought sincere sorrow to many hearts among us. He was called to succeed Dr. Henry Van Dyke in the Brick Presbyterian Church in November, 1899, and his ministry in that exacting post was in the highest sense successful. His energy, sincerity, sweetness of heart, and unselfish fidelity to the severest demands of his calling kindled affection and confidence as well as interest and admiration. He was but a little over forty when he came to New York from a peculiarly distinguished service in Baltimore. He was gifted in many ways, a writer of verse of no mean order, an accomplished musician, of great personal attractiveness and manly beauty, an impressive and inspiriting orator, and a scholar of fine culture. His death was sudden and tragic, the swift shaft in mid flight for one whose flight was lofty; but of the end, however it might come, he had written years before:

“This is the death of Death, to breathe away a breath,

And know the end of strife, and taste the endless life,

And joy without a fear, and smile without a tear,

And work, nor care to rest, and find the last the best.”

Edward Cary
1902 Century Association Yearbook