The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-08-31
PENALTY OF 1N ID i d d

FENALTY OF INDEPENDENCE. ~
Everybody knows that Ward Beecher is en-
phatieally an independent man-an independ-
ant preacher; that he says just what he thinks
and thinks what he says, with very little re-
gard to what Mrs. Grundy viii say, or how the
creeds will stand affected. But everybody dee
not know that, with all his popularity with the
multitude-the Common people" who hear
| him as they did his Master eighteen centu1ie
AGO. "gladly,"-he is generally by the sects held
at arms length, not regarded with fraternal
love. but ignored as "a speckled .devilp i'm the
! fold Of relgion; yet such seems to be the tact
according to Mr.. Beecher's own showing. In
one of his recent Lecture Room Talks. y as
published in the Boston TraueIler, he said to
his people in Breozlyn: aAq slsoas sEasa,s
/ came here, you know, under peculiar cir
cumstances. 4 came just at the critical period
of the anti-slavery movement = and i came
without such Endorsement as Is usually CON
sidered necessary in city churches in the East.
Owing to those independent personal habits
that belonged to me, and that i acquired from
my Western training, never consulted breth-
rem in the ministry as to what course | should
SNo OiA AAJ NOi y DIS IrtSL SlIlu
far as could according to the enlightenment
OF my conscience. For years, as you will re-
collect, it excited remark, and various states of
feeling. And so felt always as, though was
not particularly acceptable to Christians be-
yond my own flock, with the exception of sin
gle individuals here and there in other church.
es. But have felt not resentfnl, and hardly
regrettui s. for Il have always had "a sort OF
minor undertaking, that when was at home
was strong and all right though was con-
scious that outside OF my own alfectionate con-
gregation I was looked upon as some speckled
devil This, acting upon nature proud
enough, and sensitive enough, has wrought a
kind Of feeling that never would intrude upon
anybody, and never would ask any favor Of
anybody-as / never had occasion to do; and
| stood very much by myself But never fell
any bitterness towards those who regarded me
with ill-fayor On the other hand, have had
positively, and springing from my sense of the
wonderful love with which r. am loved. and
with which the whole church is loved, the feel
ing that these very men who did not accert
me or my work were beloved of Christ, and
were brethren to me; and have said to them.
Il am your brother. You do not acknowledge
it; but am. And though you do not own
me, own you. All that is good in you is
mine, and 1 am in sympathy with 1t. And
you cannot keep me out of your church, i
belong TO the PreSby terrain Church. belong
to the Methodist Church. 1 belong to the
Baptist Church. / belong to the Episcopal
Church. l belong to any church that has
Christ in it. rejoice In every thing that is
good in all these denominations; and sorrow
for everything that is bad, or hinders the work
Of Christ in their hands. And I look, and
wait, and long for that day when all Christians
shall recognize each other. isiaaan.5e hsnfss1
| think that people IN the church are like
persons riding in stage atlnight. Fer hours
they sit side by side, and shoulder to shoulder,
not being able, in the darkness, to distinguish
one another; but at last, when day breaks,
and they look at each other, behold, they dis
cover they are friends, and, itmay be; near re-
lationsl
So we are riding, think, in the chariot of
salvation, and do not know that we are breth =
rem, though we sit shoulder to shoulder; but
as the millennial dawn comes ON, 1--WE shall find
ii ont. -.-i.---E -.l-n--.L 1917 N q 50.