Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-02-13
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

RIhemsn Beecher.-A few days since we
lad an account of another antic of Henry
Ward Beecher, in some of the daily papers,
in which that individual appears as being far
better acquainted with the nature and effect
of rifles than of the doctrine and spirit of the
New Testament. We felt, on reading the first
notice of his sayings and doings in regard to
the business Of the rifles, that the moral sense
Of the Christian community had been out
ragged; and when we read his defence in the
New York Tribune, we saw that he added to
the former insult perversion of the opinions
Of our fathers, and actually travestied the
Providence of God. How it looks-a pugilist
IN the pulpit. Judging from many of his
productions, we might have inferred that he
knows more of rowdyism and vuIgarity than
Of the preaching Of Christ. There is no way
to deal with such man but to descend to his
own level, and turn upon him his own wea-
pons. Yet his pretensions to the clerical char
acter are the only inducements that could
draw US dewn to notice him. The public
should know that he does not represent in his
nghting propensties the ministry Of the Cos
pei, and that there arc some of his cloth who
will raise their protest against the insane
raVing Of bewildered fanatic being taken
as fair sample of the Christian religion.
Fancy, then, this reverend riHeman, having
just come from di.gracefuI riot in the Bowe
~, mounting the rOstrum with clothes tat
tered, face bedabbled with blood and mire,
hair disheveled, eye bunged, and teeth knocked
out, proclaiming this text to the astounded
audience . Ye have heard that it hath been
said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a
tooth; but say unto you resist not evil"
Hear him discoursing substantially thus Nv
brethren, such are the words of Christ but
Christ had no pluck-hi5 feeling, were pusil-
Luminous in the extreme. Besides, he did not
understand human nature, nor the relatiye
moral force Of rifes. He was, in fact, an old
fogy. lie thought men could be reformed by
moral suasion, and 80 he foolishIy inverted
this divine philosophy. / wish now to put
you right, and the rest Of mankind. In those
glorious old days of darkness and barbarism
they understood the true secret they knew
that an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth
"ae Ino uuc eyotem, anu tuat evil must be
resisted. But Christ, who was always imprac-
ticaole, always so sentimental and beyond the
ordinary course of things, foolishly thought
that the world was to be transformed by that
romantic love Of his. Besides, he lived before
the time Of sharpe's rifles. He had not the
dement, and blessing Of those wonderful moral
ins'rumentaiities. All hail to the power Of
rhes! Down with the Scriptures, IA voice
IN the crowd cries out" That's right, a. :.
Beecher you re the minister for meroI a,a
my brethren, is ii not right for man To f oh,
for bis own defence, and fight with a rife. too
if he has one? And if it is right, WHY, then,
is it not right for me as a minister Of the
Gospel to iDculcate that sort Of thing a.
one OF the cardinal virtues, and to dwell
upon 1t with peculiar pleasure Ought VIC
not 70 Initiate the example of the grea,
ROBERT Hall, and Of tho old people in Nor.
wien VINO stacked their gans outside the CD urch
and fought against the savages9 lam of opin.
ION that an appropriation should he made N
found another srmory. Why not, NV bretb.
rem, turn this building to that use, BibIe,
are OF no account nowadays, but rifles ara all
the go. You see my present condition, bu, Il
rss0i" from my not having rife. I VA