Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-08-23
Thomas X. Beecher and the
Other Beechers.
BY GEORGE W. BUNeAY.

BY GEORGE w. BUNGAY
In Elmira one can find all the cures that
flesh is heir to. / prefer the water-cure,
because it is a Bethesda where human
angels trouble the waters; and those who
have ills and those who have not can step
in all times. From the front door of the
celebrated Cure I command view of the
yillage,-G beg pardon, the city),-with
It's rows of brick stores, its comfortable cot
tages, and church spires. 1t is Sunday,
and Sabbath stiffness and silence prevails.
Last night the wind blew away the gray
feathers of smoke that plumed the tall
chimneys, and they stand up to-day, prim
and stiff, without a breath of life from
their black lips Like cold, formal Phari-
sees, who devote every working day to the
common routine of business, they are sol
emn and silent; and hollow and dark with
in Pecksniffs of masonry that would rival
the steeples If they look upwards they
make no progress towards heaven. The
great factories are untenanted, and the
tnrob of their trip-hammer hearts is not
heard to-day. The fire which yesterday
looked like grand blossom on the top of
the forge has ceased to burn; and the mu-
sic of labor is lost in the holy calm of the
Sabbath. Now the bells are ringing, and
the shaded streets are thronged with q
church-going people. Girls in their snow
white and crimson dresses-sweet flowers,
with souls in them; boys in their rounda-
bouts and shiny hats-men in miniature,
who will soon own these grand old hills
and picturesque glens and valleys, with
their mills and shops and banks and ware
houses are Fastening to church and Sun
day school 1 will follow the crowd of
children and men and women to Beechers
church. There is more than one Beecher
followed by crowds. There is Henry Ward
he is THE Beecher; there is EdaoGrd-he
is THAT Beecher there is J0naes-he is
the OTHER Beecher; there is Ch0qIes-he
is ANOTHER Beecher there is William
still ANOTHER Beecher there is Thomas
K-he is OUR Beecher-and everybody
calls him "Tom." 1 found the church
building hid among the trees, in the public
park It is modest structure, whose
doors open with q walk -and-welcOme
air. 1t will seat about eight hundred per-
sons; and it is well ventilated. A plain
platform and simple stand are flanked by
a choice choir of singers, and Well-toned
organ lifts it's golden pipes in front of the
audience. Thanks to my host, DR.. Glea-
son, have good seat in the the front of
the preacher. Where IS the preacher
There he sits, in his shirt sleeves? No, he
wears gown; and you can only see the
white muslin sleeves? He rises, and | see
| my mistake He wears white linen coat,
instead of black one In the place of
the white, unwrinkled neckerchief, he
wears paper collar. There is nothing
ministerial in his dress. He certainly does
not hide the man in the minister's ward
robe. There is nothing about his garments,
saying, am holier than thou He is lit
| tie past forty, yet he looks like a young
man of twenty five. His recent trip to
Brazil has rejuvenated him and his doc
tor informs me that, although he is a mod
est man, he is " too big for his cloth" and
that he, like Uncle Sam, has had tailor
reconstructing the brooches that were made
some time ago. Mr.. Thomas K Beecher
is man of medium height, of good build,
| and of the nervous sanguine temperament.
He has very large head, and it is large in
| the right place. 1t is so symmetrical it
does not appear so unusually large. His
hair is of light brown color, fine as gossam-
er. 1t is abundant and worn long. His
forehead is broad and lofty. Phrenolo-
| gists-Q am not one)-would say that he
has large ideality, large comparison, large
causality, and large perceptive faculties
He has large blue eyes, that are full OF
lightning and rain; and the full beard he
wears becomes him as feathers do an eagle
| His face shows plainly that he is brave
sensitive, generous man, whose magnani
NOUS heart is sure to beat good thoughts
into his heart. He was born to lead, and
| he must be active. He joins in the sing
ing, and keeps time with his hands, direct
ing the congregation as the chorister does
the choir. shall not attempt to repor
his sermon. 1t was one of series he il
delivering to his peple. He intimated t.
his auditors that he was indebted to vari
Gus authors for some of the ideas in hi
discourse; but he would not break its con
tinuity by stopping to make verbal quota
ton marks. His sermons are like the irol
broken and fused and rolled in the mill
terial was taken from, when it is prepare,
mine he dug his ore, after it had passe,
through the mint of his mind 1t is sur
to bear the eagle stamp of genius. He /
an earnest man, and daring one; and b
has an original way of saying what b
thinks. With great command of Ian
guage, "drawn from the well of Englisl
undefled," he "pours out all as plain" a
the famous theologians whose opinion
have moved the world His touches O
humor and pathos keep the eyes moist, ant
the heart constantly fluttering like cap
tured bird. He is philosophical, and rea
sons well; but he is given to parenthesis
and some of his side sayings, like jewel
F picked up in t-ofthe-way places, ar
among the brightest adornments of his SCI
mon. Now and then he is eloquent, an
his voice rings out like the notes of
trumpet among the mountains. His voic
and face accord with the sentiment he III
tiers; and when his words are like crysta
lied tears, there are tears in his eyes
When he tells his hearers he will read
story in the Bible more interesting tina
any story in the Ledger there is a sly twir
kle in the corner of his eyes, and mirthfu
, ness peeps out from d1mples on his fact
He often leaves his notes to fling lance q
, the chronic sentiments of men who lik
the Bourbons, never learn any thing an
never forget anything. At such time
,, his flushed cheeks and flashing eyes shov
. that he would be dangerous man
throw speech at. He would not play bas,
E ball with words, but he would roll canno
| shot through the wicket, and win the gam
by sheer force. He gave his most after
+ tive audience fine sketch of Abraham
!. (not Lincoln)-but the patriarch. a
eyes could see the faithful and heroic ma
standing up grandly on the lofty range
q duty which runs through the level cent
4 ries of the past. Statuesque in beauty an
fidelity-in his sketch he looms up high,
!, in history than when he climbed the mOu