Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-03-03
I. K BEECHER.

T. K BEECHER.
WRITTEN FOR the OHIO FARuER, BY MRS. +. D. GAGE.
1t was my good fortune, a few weeks ago, to
attend church and listen to the preaching of this
brother of the "Great Thuuderer" las Henry
Wcrd is now called, and believe the youngest of
this liIustricus family. lie is a slender young
man, perhaps five feet eieven inches in highth,
With a fair com pie xion, hair of redish brown, and
%whiskers of brighter shade; deep, earnest, light
blue eyes, and altogether a perfect contrast in per-
son, as in character, to bis brother, iu BROOKLYN
| had heard he was odd, ''the queerest fellow that
ever you saw" said a friend. As he rose in the
pull pit, | was almost tempted to smile at his IN
CLERICAL appearance. There was not, in coat or
pants. vest or neck tie, in the combing of his hair,
or cut Of his beard, the slightest s. mbol of the
priest. lie read his chapter from the Bible in the
same tone and in the same manner that be would
the came fate. The chorister announced tha; the
tune should be Coronation" and with one accord,
each member Of his audience that had the voice of
song, struck up that old air Of exultstion, and
poured forth a melody that touched even my cold
heart, (colG only to fashionable choir music and
filled and thrilled mo, til l bent forward, and laid
my head on the seat before me, and wept like an
infant; for the music and tune carried me back to
my childhood, and brought the friends of nv
youth, and the loved ones of my early years, aye,
even the old fashioned log church. and its humble
congregation Of w0rshippers so wildly before me.
that | felt as a chill, and the long years since the
now and then were swept away.
Oh how form and ceremony have sealed up the
| hOlv fOOntaina nf inuo ond bor,,oc, :, A. Lo..t,
of the children Of men. TIE Beechers are to be
thanked, indeed, for %reViving, or rather returning
to this custom of congregational singing.
Thomas X. then took his text, and a. it was COM
muuion day, preached his sermon upon sacra.
ments; and oh what a sermon was that There
was no clerical stentation-no OVERCOMING of
saintliness. He talked to his people face to face,
in tones and with a manner as unconstrained az
if be were at the breakfast table. / cannot fol-
fow him. and dare only attempt an abstract of his
discourse. Its Leading idea was charity to all
men; and that as We would ask the charity of 9th
ers for ourselves, so should we extend Il to them.
Nothing was sacred in and Of itself. The Koran
Of the Turk was to him as sacred as our Bible,
which we had chriStened "holy," was to us-the
sacramental offerings of the heather, if they come
iIINul VIZ hVSIli tx hCceptdOle u OOu. lO6 OlnQlnS
of our Bibles, the paper upon which printed, the
type on the gliding, were no better than those
composing other books; and it was only holy as a
book, as the heart received it as an answer to its
greatest needs, and as it led the receiver up to
higher and truer life. We had more sacrements
than we knew Of; he wished we had more still
one for every day ia the year. Our homes, our
mothers, our minister, our church. &C., were all,
according to our love and veneratiOn, saeraments
binding US more firmly to love and duty. He
lswayed the minds of his audience to and fro, as
the winds bends the waving grass in the meadow.
As he spoke of the mother, and tae love that every
man and woman should have for her who bore
that sacred name to them, the tears rolled down
J his manly cheeks, and called forth answering
e tears throughout the audience. When a pleasant or
witty thought flashed into his brain. it was given
forth. A smile, almost a laugh, answered to his
8 own pleasant smile or laugh. He chained the
attention Of his hearers from first to last. vet there
was no constraint. no loud talk, no rostrum eo
s quence. 1t was plain. common, c~hild-like, beauti.
fol; and when be had ended, and sat before them
= the bread and wine." he called all to partake
$ who desired to be kept in remembrance of Chris
d his pure life-his love for humanity. and hi.
crueiixiOn for truths sake.
s No creed is exacted Of his members: even those
: openly discarding a belief in the common confes
e ion of faith, we're by a vote Of his %pecoale, accepted
Il as members of the Brotherhood. / have seldom
II if ever, heard so much of what | feel is God,
truth. preached from any pulpit, as by this youna
n branch OF that great tree, which has made 8,
marked an impress upon the age. If he lives, h
will do a mighty work for humanity. I hay,
heard Henry Ward Beecher many times. bat al
II his sermons have not so lifted me up. and mad,
a me feel SO much my duty to God and humanity
h as this one, Of his gentle-spirited brother. Mr.
and Mrs. Beecher are boarders at the "Wate,
Cure" Of DR.. Gleason and his wife, on the hillsid,
= above Elmira. They have rooms furnished In tn,
a city, where they receive their Pensioners, VIII
cali daily, and as friends meet each other for 80
cial intercourse.
Books, papers, pictures, statuary, playthings fol
children, a steroscope, a sewing machine, and 9th
er means Of instruction and amusemen
II are here grouped together; and thes,
rooms are seldom empty. Here, / am told, Mr.
ID Beecher and his excellent wife, on week davs NEE
their pensioners, and answer to their needs il
a the most pleasant conversation; give and receiv,
a instruction, and help each ether 10 times of need
Their minister makes himself useful in man,
ways. He cracks jokes; laughs them out o
the vaporsi harmoniEcs their difficulties, by takinI
sides with neither; sews their garments, ftitehe
their shirt collars on his sewing machine; auc
makes party once a week for their children
and plays with them, and gives them one day il
the week so full Of active exercise and Cheerful
loving life. that il spreads It's glow orar The res