Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1854-01-06
Deacons and Ministers Children,

AT the New England Dinner IN New ork,
over which Moses H. Grinnel, Esq, presided,
and which was enjoyed at the Astor House.
the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, responded
most humorously to one of the Toasts The
following is specimen of his oratcry upon
that occasion:
I have observed, sometimes, that noun
tans We're exceedingly rugged when we were
on them, but, when viewed at a little distance,
blue in the light of the Autumnal sun, there
was no ruggedness; and thus it Is that we
look back upon Old New England's customs.
Her Sabbaths-we shall never have them
again cannot but think of those Sabbaths,
where the clear sunlight illuminated the day,
SO quiet and still when thesound ofthe church
bell was the only sound that could be heard.
They were pleasant days, though catechized
boys may have painful "reminiscences con-
nected with the subject. | have had myself
some painful remembrances upon that point;
and yet after all, if were asked what of all
things had made the deepest impression on
my memory, l should say New England
Sabbath morning lido not say that | should
relish these old ideas of church-going, and
sitting for two mortal hours of Winters
morning without fire in the room-for a
stove in a church, in those days, was under
stood to be dissertation, even if such thing
as stove was then conceived of. But they
had what they called Sabbathday house.
| recollect that they had one in Salisbury,
Conn, though it has since been put to other
uses. There, after church, the members of
the flock would repair and eat their ginger
bread and doughnut, preparatory to taking
second meal of a sermon.
When it was first proposed to introduce
stoves in the church of my native place, Itch
field, Connecticut, there was violent oppo-
sition made to it. A man said to one good
old deacon-Trow bridge, | call him: Dea-
con Trowbridge, why do you object to astove"
Cause it's dissertation" said the deacon.
Well" said the man, but does not Aunt
Polly (that was the Deacon's wife, bring
foot stove with herr" Well never thought
of that" said the Deacon,-the question was
settled, and it was agreed that if it was right
to have foot stove it was right to have
stove all over lean give it as my belief that
the descendants of the New England clergy
the company excepted-are worthy of their
ancestors, Applause and laughter. Lest
it may be thought that | have taken little
this evening" | call upon all to bear witness
that have drunk nothing stronger this eve
mini than cold water and hot coffee, renewed
laughter, though it is my own fault
1t has been maxim that ministers and
deacons' children are worse than any others.
The Greeks express similar opinion. | was
informed by my Greek teacher (who, | may
say, earned his money for the services rendered)
that it is said in Greece, that ministers chill
dren are the devil grandchildren" don't
believe a word of it. know who my grand
father was, and | am bound to say that min
isters' children are the best sort of children
that is, if thew are children of good ministers.
Applause and laughter. | have in my
| hand letter that was sent to me sometime
since, and which contains some facts bearing
upon this matter. In Connecticut, of 937
| children over 8 years of age, of POI minis
ters' and deacons', only 20 turned out badly;
suppose because they were not much in the
habit of attending public dinners. Renewed
laughter In Massachusetts,, out of 433 fam
lilies, of ministers and deacons, there were
1893 children over Is years of age, and on
" 20 ever became dssipated. Hero we have
40 out of 1855 children, and some of my
friends, who are used to figures, say that this
is just q per cent in the whole number.
Laughter. Now, gentlemen, 1 would ask
You If any grazier who was breeding cattle
would not be glad to lose only q per cent
of his stockl Laughter.l | will ask any
business man if he would not be glad, often
times, if his losses were not greater than 2 !
per cent? | undertake to say that no bust
ness has ever been so safe one as that of
raising deacons' and ministers children in
| New England Laughter. There is but
one thing more that wish to mention be-
fore close, and it is that while ministers are
generally, exceedingly talkative, ministers
children are both modest and taciturn 1t
is on that account that am unable to extend
my remarks any further at this time. Ire
mendous applause and loud laughter
i PoTosI pays taxes for all purposes TO the