The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-21
The Two Champions.
A REMINIsCENCE OF DRs. LYMAN BEECHER AND
NATHANIEL W. TAYLOR.

especially his last touching request, Lay me
by the side of Brother Taylor brings before
me SO wildly an incident connected with these
two noble New England divines, which occur
red nearly forty years ago, that cannot well
forbear to relate it.
The scene was laid in old Connecticut, where
a small Congregational church in rural dis
trict had become involved in bitter and i'm
placable quarrel. The parties in controversy
were nearly equally divided, fierce animosity
was fast taking the place Of brotherly love,
and Christ was being cruelty wounded in the
house OF his professed friends. A majority in
the church had communicated the minority ;
the latter had established separate place Of
worship, and it was hard to tell where the
mischief would stop.
At length, one Of the excluded members, a
sister, who was deeply grieved at the reprOach
which this quarrel was bringing upon the
Christian name, proposed an appeal to the
Consolation. The step was taken, and day
appointed for the hearing of the case. Mean
while, the appellants were advised by neigh
boring minister to secure the services Of DR..
Taylor in presenting and defending their cause,
The Doctor had some personal friends in the
aggrieved party, and consented to undertake
for them.
There was and had been no settled minister
IN the parish for several years, so the respond
ents felt that they too must have an advocate
before the Consolation. Whom should they
f seek DR.. Taylor was a man of pre-eminent
ability. Where should they find champion
f able to contend with him A divinity student
from the Seminary at Yale, who supplied their
pulpit, was told of their perplexity. oh /!
= said the young theologue, there is but one
man for you-get DR.. Lyman Beecher OF
j Litchfeld. He is fully the equal of DR.. Tay.
b lor, and your cause is sound, you may be
r sure of success. 1t will be worth something
to see the tive pitted against each other he
added ;; and you must have the pleadings in
the meeting house, so that we can all come
and hear them
When DR.. Beecher was invited to defend
the church against the appeal of its aggrieved
and excluded members, he strongly objected to
the proposal No inducements seemed likely
to win his consent until he was told that the
, other party had secured the services of DR..
Taylor. All" said he, in bis quick abrupt
$ way, is it Brother Taylor you want me to
: fight Well, should certainly have foe,
man worthy OF my steel. | II come-I'l come
On the appointed day the Consolation met.
. The two champions who had come to the vii.
/ lage from opposite points of the compass-the
place being nearly midway between Litchfield
e and New Haven-wero each to be entertained
e by leader In their respective parties, and
after dinner to meet the church and council
at the meeting house. The two families where
3 the Doctors were'to dine lived about half
mile apart. While the hospitaities were in
preparation, each Of the reverend gentlemen
was fully posted by his party upon the merits
: OF the case, so as to be ready for the contest.
But when the dinner was fairly on the ta-
ble, neither Of the distinguished guests could
be found. Members from each household
were despatched in search and meeting each
, other In the street, stared strangely at their
, mutual perplexity. At length a little girl
whom an errand had led to an orchard in the
rear of DR.. Taylors stopping.place, found the
two missing ones together They were seated
upon low fence, beneath spreading apple
tree and, to the child's surprise, who supposed
they must necessarily share the hostility of
their respective parties, DR.. Beecher's arm
was thrown around DR.. Tayor's neck. Both
the dinners were cold ere the two gentlemen
could be persuaded to eat, and at last then
dined together.
This significant fact foreshadowed the issue.
More intent upon healing the wounded cause
OF Christ and the divisions among brethren
than Of winning suit in the ecclesiastical