The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1860-04-19
Rrechcr on Courage.

On late Sunday, Rev. Henry Ward Beocher
talke to his congregation. Tor refusing the use
ct the Plymouth Church to Wendell Phillips, as
follows:
When | was away from home. recently, |
turned ruby red with shame to hnd IN II newspaper
what supposed was an ignomlnlous slander,
but which proved to be an ignominlous truth
namely, that this church had been refused To
Wendell Phillips, for the delivery of his address
on The Dissolution of the Union Ii the
church had not been accustomed to be let freely
to" concerts, ouu lectures, unu lhe like, pending
the construction Of a new church, the case wonld
have been different aud 1t might have been
prudent not to let on the occasion in question ;
but when it was in the market to let to all
respectable causes and persons for $500 night
which is the tee-to deny 1t to hun because
he was advocating an mp. .pular doctrine, and
because it was feared that his using 1t would
| have AN injurious effect on the raising of money
| for the new church, was shameful in the extreme.
| When rca it, | colured till | felt my blusEes in
my boots! | was ashamed through and
through said to myself: Thirteen years o
minIslration among people, resulting, i'll the
| thirteenth year, only in Il Cowardice that makes
them afraid to let man stand in my place aud
speak what they do not believe, what they feat
will have an unfavorable effect on the church, ,or
| There is not more moral or upright man ,or
more perfect gentleman and scholar, in the
Unoa Though do not accept his philoso.
! ply, nor the application OF it, | am proud to
own that Wendell Phillips is my personal
friend. have the greatest admiration for the
man. He has that which is brighter than any
gem ever worn in kingly crown, namely NOR
al courage to proclaim, and perseverance to ad
vocate, what he thinks to be true, no matter
what opposition he may encounter.
| And will tell you one thing. If you expect
by any such prudent course as that to gel
money to build a church. do not want it, | dc
not want church that is built at the price o.
making men hold their tongues.
! see it IS reported that of late | have heer
| growing moderate; but the old feeling is i'll m,
! yet! am as warmly in favor OF free speech al
| ever was. | will have it myself | will con
tend for it for Others and | will rebuke tina
cowar rdice which is afraid to let a man speal
freely. Manliness requires that you should al
low open speech Ilyou want to meet it, NEE
it by counter speech.
Now, you know very well, that while spea
with great severity and emphasis do not speN
with hatred or ang'r but because | abhor COW
ardice-and most, of 4 ose that | love. | ii
not suppose had brought up church or con
gregaton to sin in that way.
One thing am perfectly certain about an
that is anythln4 to do with me shall be free, an
! every one who has anything to do with me sha
be free also, If can help him to be So And il
in the augmentation OF our church. you meal
that there shall be circumscription of the librr
ty Of speech, you will not have my cooperation
in the putting up of single brick
You may say that this will stand in the wa
of building. Then let it! i do not care for
building that goes up on that foundation. |
would be like an old temple Of Egypt--grear an
grand in outward form but full of dead dust in
side. No; nothing is of any worth that doe
not carry with it the vitality of the liberty O
the sons of God in the expression of honest con
viction. SO much for that