The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-04-20
A Pencil Sketch of a Great Preacher,

"A CAVA 0AVeVA Va q 0AV0t AC0VACAs
The New York correspondent Of the Bos
ton Jou rnal describes the manner and effect
of Mr.. Beecher's sermonizing, and some of
the everyday habits of that distinguished
preacher:
Henry Ward Beecher breaches in his
church on each Wednesday night The
house is crowded, large us it is. have
written about nearly every public man in
New York for the Journal except Mr..
Beecher l feel just now like penning a
paragraph on his own account Mr.. Beech.
er is q peculiar man. Liked or disliked, he
is the most popular in the State who occu-
pies pulpit. He has marked talent. He
is bold, energetic, enthusiastic. His SER
mons are all marked ones. He has the
same aim that processes to guide all that
preach. He is not at all particular how he
hits the mark, provided the blow finds its
way home Some parts of his sermon, if
delivered by any one but himself, would be
found tame. But the audience don't get
away without some touch Of his quality
Now broad smile, like flash of sunshine
CLOVIS on each face-now something like
unto loud laugh shakes the vast auditory
like the winds Of autumn among the dry
leaves-then hit like thunderbolt makes
the conscience culver, like ship struck
with lightning-then an illustration holds
the people in suspense as the beauty, the
fervor, the aptness Of the simile become ap.
parent-then touch of pathos melts all
to tsars-and an appeal comes home for the
sinner to turn to God and live, that at times
is irresistible.
The manner of Mr.. Beecher is the man.
ner of the Short Boys. l speak this in no
offensive sense. He locks like pu.ilist-
He sees his antagonist-he measures him
he has no idea OF being Aoored He stands
squarely-he hits cautiously, but squarely
! and boldly-till the hot contest comes on,
and then all is fight And as the audience
sympathizes with the speaker, the time
passes-an hour, an hour and an half, and
three quarters-for Mr. Beecher holds out
often as long as this-and no one is weary
The plan of the sermon is after the order of
Henry Ward Beecher He is his own mod
ell Like Napoleon, when the Emperor of
Austria called him an upstart because he
did not fight according to rule, he points to
the results of his ministry. They furnish
| no mean testimony to the wisdom of his
! course.
Probably the best things that Mr.. Beech
er says are written-otten they are read
| from the manuscript then he repeats them
when he plcases, and as often as be pleases
the next time with extamporancous invec
| tive or assault, and their power is heard and
felt. Mr. b. studies in the streets, and by
the way fla new machine is invented and
oil exhibition, you will find him present
If a trial trip is to be made, you may not
only look for Mr.. Beecher but you will find
him down among the machinery, end he
will know all that is worth knowing before
he leaves. On the next Sunday the people
will know all about it and its religious uses.
The next literary address will be rich in
Illustrations, drawn from that sail down the
bay; and when the merchants assemble on a
festive OCCASION and MIR. Beecher speaks, he
will clcctrify them by figures drawn from
their own business and calling, and they
will be delighted and surprised that q par
son can know SO much of the world; and
this will be given with sonorous voice, o
clear enunciation, a vehement delivery, in
which the sweat will stand on the brow, the
face be red with exertion and excitement,
and the whole man carried away with the
earnestness and sincerity Of the commission
he bears to the sons OF men, Sncl1i y man
must succeed.