The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-02-04
Mr.. Beecher ON Lying.

In the last number of the Ledger Henry
Ward Beecher has an amusing article. in
which he discusses the question whether
men can remember what never happened
He shows that such stretch of memory is
possible by one or two instances. We extract
part of the article, the whole of which is in
Mr.. Beechers happiest vein:
Some eighteen or nineteen years ago. soon
after coming to Brooklyn, heard the follow
ing story told ofthe now venerable Dr. Samuel
Cox; the father of many brilliant savings. az
well as OF Bishop Cox, Of western New York.
The story ran thus: "On Sunday morn
ing IN August, DIR. Cox, rising to the sermon
without warning or prefix, began, 1T is id
hot. Looking around in a calm and pious
way, h. wiped his forehead and again said,
1t is ID hot, Waiting till he thought the
words had burnt in, he proceeded. sThese
words, my brethren, heard from the lips of
profane young man as 1 entered the doors
OF the church. Thereupon, the story GOES.
ne proceeded TO give an editying discourse on
the sin and folly of profane swearing
When first heard it, recognised the sto-
ry. 1t was an old acquaintance. 1t had been
doing service in England. 1t was told OF Rev.
Rowland Hill, only in his case the topic was
not the weather, but the theatre on which
But stock stories, like couriers, like to change
horses. Before knew it the saddle was shift
ed to my back, nor have 1 ever been able TO
shake 1t OIL. L have denied it, twice in print.
many times by letter. and a hundred Times
in conversation, all in vain. The saddle
sticks, and every month we find a new fool
riding in it.
Denying one of these stories is like fighting
canada thlstles. If you cut them up ten
more VIII spront from each root, and If you
leS them alone million will spring from the
seed. The only way to extermInate the Can
ada thistle is to plant it for crop and pre-
pose to make money out of il. Then worms
will gnaw it, bugs will bite it, beetles will
bore 1t, aphides will suck it, birds will peck
it, heat will scorch it, rains will drown it.
niildew and blight will ride it. All nature
helps weeds and runs down crops. We are
afraid to deny it. 1t would start off a walk
ing like Weston. new batch of letters
would come moaning and inquiring at our
door. Fresh vigor would be given to its
withered limbs, and like the wandering Jew,
IL would go tramping up and down creation
till the last day. No, for safety's sake, we do
not propose to deny it any more! Ii would
be the rum of innocent souls, as this nara
tive which now shall give will prove.
And the narration of the incident brings
me back to the question whether one can re-
member what never happened. 1t will be
seen that he can.
Sitting at a friends table. one evening. 7
was telling an incident that befel me-in This
wise: aL III '''''
: young man from Buffalo called to see
me to-day. He said that he had heard a
young lady, in large company, relating the
story OF my beginning a sermon with the
phrase: Its id hot He at once contra
o,cted It. She affirmed it positively. He re-
Diipd Il haVQ Iafolu
CT the story from Mr.. Beecher HIMSELF She
answered: Why, | was present myself at his
church and heard it with my own ears OF
course, he could not say what he thought. Int
replied, l am going to New York, and / will
myself call and ask Mr.. Baecher.'"
The c-se seemed so fragrant that said to
MN; When you go back, 1 wish you would
take occasion, before witnesses, to say to this
lady, nom me, that she lies. and that she
knows that she lies, and that she knogs that
know that she hes" rif
This was very improper language. but T was
angry, and, besides, had been reading the
Tribune. WIG
When got thus far a sweet Young girl who
at opposite me, brought up under my eve al
most from the cradle, and as incapable
hhoWln9ly telling falsehood as a rosebud
would De of committing burglary, this inno-
cent and charming child of fifteen looked
over at me, and sad:
But you did say so, didn't you, Mr.. Beechere
| heard your'
For moment there was silence. Then
came crash of laughter from the whole
company. Confused and blushing scarlet, she
said: s...a .s.l..i1.I = - > WV
Why, always thought that 1 had heard
you say itw
For the first time then believed that a
person might distinctly remember what never
LOOK place; take back the message to the
buiialo lady, and humbiy apologize for sup
posing that one could not recall thing
which never happened.