Lamed, Sylvester

Lamed, Sylvester an American Presbyterian minister, born in Pittsfield, Massachussets, August 31, 1796, was educated at Lenox Academy and Middlebury College, studied theology in Princeton Seminary, and was ordained in July, 1817. His earliest efforts at preaching showed rare gifts of eloquence, and his first sermons, delivered in New York city, attracted large crowds, and melted whole audiences to tears. President Davis, of Middlebury College, remarked of him that in his composition and eloquence he was not surpassed by any youth whom he had ever known; and John Quincy Adams declared that he had never heard his equal in the pulpit. To his wonderful gift of oratory Larned added the strength of a dignified and commanding presence, a voice full of melody and pathos, thorough and sympathetic appreciation of his theme, and an unyielding devotion to his calling. He had the unusual power of winning his audience with the utterance of almost his first sentence. His very look was eloquent. Larned was solicited to take the first stations, with the largest salaries; but, desiring to give his energies to build up the Church where it was weak, he went to New Orleans, and soon organized a church, the First Presbyterian, over which he became pastor. He labored there with the greatest success, creating deep impressions upon the popular mind until his death, August 20, 1820. Seldom, if ever, has the death of one so young caused such widespread sorrow. His Life and Sermons were published by Reverend R.R. Gurley (New York, 1844, 12mo). — Alibone, Dict of Brit. and Amer. Authors, 2:1060; Waterbury, Sketches of Eloquent Preachers, page 33 sq.; New Englander, 5:70 sq.