Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-10-08
4 NEW CHU ,rCN FOR HENRY
WARD BEE(llER.
Interesting Meeting Of the P!yn,-
Owth COsagreyaiiOn-R Rem ars<> Of
MT. Bcecher-llDW he II Rrgarl-
ell by his III carers Resolutions.

Four or FIVE hundred Of the mnn of sub
stance belonging to Rev. H,nry Ward B,osh
er'sc,nyre- ,tioa crowd Il the lecture room Of
Plymouth Church last evening, having as
snmbled for the purposc Of considering the
subject of providing incr ascl accommoda-
tons for the congregation, by enlarging the
present church, or building new one.
Mr.. B,ccher called the meeting t, order.
and offered a prayer. II race Z. Caflin was
chosen Chairman, and Mr.. Howard, Ozark
of the Socipty.) was appointed $ 'cr t,ry.
Mr.. B,cchcr then spoke rs follows
REMARKS OF HENRY WARD BEECHER.
Mr.. Chairman: 1t has been suggested to
M that, from reasons of inodesty, hal bet
ter not be present tonight. s, far agree
that not only am present, but have called
the mcetin. to order. and purpose now to
make some of the first remarks in the meet
ing.
1t seems to me- that the first question which
We have ISIS it worth while to do any
thing? Is it worth our while to disturb our
present post on, and either alter the build
ins which we now lave, or erect another
one? That is the first question N. 1t may BE-
stat ID in another way Is it our duty tn
make provision for the thoas snds-l snppase
we nav sly-tlmt dosir, toattsnl worship,
either stately or occasionally, h-r,? In re-
gard to that, my own Impression is ths-that
there are very great multitude of families,
| know not how many, that live in Brooklyn,
and would be glad to attend worship in this
connection, if they could secure pews at a
reasonable rate, and after securing them
could have them. There are many families
who do not attend worship here now, because
it is SO extremely inconvcnient, and many
persons residing neither in New York nor
Brooklyn. but who are in the eitva portion
Of the wear, that desire to attend when they
are in the city, but are deferred from like
reasons. One gentleman, within my own
knowledge, travelled over here from Union
square three different times, but could not
get in, and went back again, the last time
saying he would never try it again. Such
instances, of course, are familiar to all of
you.
The first question then is, are we bound
to make ample provision for those who wish
to hear the gospel preached here? Ifthat be
decided in the affirmative, then the next ques-
ton comes up, What is the mode in which
this is to be done? There are four plans
which wish merely to mention, in oder to
give the meeting some points to speak upon.
The first plan is t, alter AMI enlarge the
present building. My own juis n,nt about
it Is SO adverse that SHOULD vote rather u
stay as We are than to expsnl Il penny i'll
changing this building. l think we should
spoil very god small church for the sake of
making very wretched large one, and We
should be very badly of indeed. l say free
ly that desire no further change, if it is to
be in the old building.
The second plan would he to sell the prop.
crty and select a location somewhere else
To this there seems to be two objections
first, that there is nobody to buy it, and Sec
ond, that our peculiar relations will make
the matter very entanglng and difficult one
to cxtingush the present scrip. We could
not transfer it. To sell the property and
transfer all the scrip would be a complicated
matter. So that selling the propcrtyan go
ing elsewhere-I merely state my own views
= L. l,,J n Ill
The third plan is to remove this building
entirely, taking the materia! to reconstruct
on this ground another building. in which
the lower story shall be assigned for all the
lecture room purposes, and the church shall
go far enough up in the air to accommodate
the congregaticn in that way. If this third
plan should be thought feasible and advisa-
bic, then we have on the ground q large
amount of material in the present structure.
There are some objections. which shall not
now mention.
There is a fourth plan. which is to procure
lots on the two adjoining sides of this church,
if they can Ike procured at reasonable rates.
Then we shall have about 1870 to $50 feet
front, and about 10 or lis feet deep, on
which to locate new church, and leave this
lecture room where it is. That last plan
seems to me the most feasible, SO far as am
ut present advised.
There is another question. dropping this
part of the subject, and that is one which is
personal to myself. 1t is repeatedly asked of
me-"Can you speak in a building large
enough to accommodate FIVE, six or seven
thousand people? Would it not wear You
out?'' My reply to that is that have nc
doubt / could speak to six thousand people
il the house were properly constructed, just
as easily us now can speak to three thons
and In badly constructed house, certain
ly, it would be difficult -, but IN Il house prop
erly constructed, as properly as We should
hope to le able to build if called upon to dc
it, there would be no difficulty on that score
A second question which has been pro
pounded to me several times is this Wha
will you do with the house if you should di'
or 60 away? J am forty-fyc years of ag'
now, and am sound in body, whatever
may he in mind laughter, and, reckoning
the chances of life, according to assurance Ia
bles, have very fair chance to be fiity-ilvc
or sixty years old. There are at least as
many chances in favor of that as you have
for n financial oneration in which YOU would