Litchfield enquirer., 1829-02-12
LYMAN REECHER


 vines in our country-LYMAN BEEcHER and WILLIAM ELLERY CLAIMING. The for mcr is the great champion of orthodoxy !; the latter is the acknowledged leader of the Unitarian party. In almost every quali- fcation, they differ as much as their crceds. Charming is perhaps the better scholar i; Beccher the greater disputant. The style of the latter is abrupt, inclegant, and simple, but wonderfully vigorous and stirring; that of the former is smooth, beautiful, and ela- boratc to fault. The pen of the one is of iron, made to write upon marble tablets; that of the other is plucked from the wing of a bird of paradise, which can be used on- ly upon gilt-edged paper. Channing's popularity as writer is more extensive Beecher's will be more durable. Cham ming plays upon the surface of the stream, and throws tiny ray of colored light up- on thousand airy bubbles Beecher plun- ges to its very depths, and brings up mag ni6cent spoil. Charming handles his beautiful polished steel with the skill of a master, and dextrously avoids close com bat; Beecher puts on gloves of iron,. en. cumbers his frame with massive armor, and yields battle-axe. The former is quail flied to criticise, to embettish, to remodel; the latter despises the petty artifices and golden tissues of language, and as if con- scious of the ovcrpowering weight of his reasoning, makes his sentences resemble the links of an iron chain.-The former gathers ingots on the sea shore, thrown up by generous wave, and which require but a quick apprehension to detect the latter shivers mountains into atoms, aud embow- els the earth fer treasures. In fine, the mind of Channing is uncommonly fertile and chaste, but lacks robustness and vigor; the mind of Beecher is not less creative, and its profIndity more than counterbal- ances the absence of refinement.
 As divine, Lyman Beecher has no e. qual. But what gives hin, this overwhel.
 ming superiority 2 His person 2 That is of pygmean dimensions. His voice !? It is not mellifluent or pleasant. His eloquence 2 Tn the popular sense ofthe word he is com- pletely barren. thing is sagainst him at the first interview. .Tr1th-TRUTH--l delivered in childlike simplicity and affec- is the secret of his power. He 5 not one of those who
 4f "Piay round the head,
 But come not near the henrt''--
 ut he grapples at once with the undestand. ng, and illun,ines it with spiritual light.--- No speaker has less to dO with the passions ,f his audience. He does not aim tolaise ! mon,entary excitement, that may dic with Ihe sound of his voice but he delivers his message us one whO means that 1t shall new sr be forgotten. His style of reasoning is lucid almost beyond example. His prem. ises are given with so much clearness, that the dullest nearer does not fail to anticipate the conclusions. In his exposition of the doctrines of the bible, there is nothing dark, or doubtful, or repplsive. The decrees of God---his jns.ice---his nercy---the reason- ableness ofhis requirements---a all ex. hibited ina manner 50 harmonious and ra- tional, aud such blaze of evidence is thrown around them, that the plan of re- demp,ion, though stupendous as heaven, is understood and appreciated at glance.
 We witnessed. during the last spring, a tremendous display ofthe Doctors strength, in his attack upQn the doctrine of universal salvation. Every Sabbath evening the in- terior of Hanover-street Church was filled to overAowing with anxious listeners; and to many it seemed blessed privilege # they could obtain spot whereon to stand.
 Illogical as the doctrine aforesaid always
 appeared to us, we were amazed at it's ab- surdi,y, depravity and folly, us portrayed
 in this controversy. The arguments oi
 it's advocates were ground to powder.-- The Doctor was not satis6ed with com
 mon rciatation but he pileaup mountains
 of proof, and anticipated every objection
 and vanquished every cavil. Over the
 immense assemblago seemed t0 hang the
 solemni,ies of another world and It re-
 quired no exercise of the fancy to believe
 that hundreds were present who felt us il
 their last hope had departed forever.
 Jour. oftke Times. True politsness. s.-Sir William Goocl
 being engaged in conversation wiih gen,
 ilenan in stree, in the city of Williams.
 burgh, returned the salute Of . negro, whs
 was passing by about his masters business
 -" Sir William," said the gentleman. ~di
 you descend % far as 10 salute a slave Y
 Why, yes." replied the Governor q
 cannot auiier man in his condition to ex' coed me in manners"