New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-06-11
WHAT HENRY WARD BEECHER THINKS OF
CHARLES DICKENS.

AT the usual Friday evening services In
Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, last evening member OF
the congregation and said that no man had ever
written In the English language and gained as much
popularity as Charles Dickens But what troubled MN
was the question, was Dickens Christian man no
could not make answer. He was sorry to thnk that
man who went into every household and every family
exercising beneicent influence, had passedaway Ihey
thought of him with great pleasure and with gratitude
and vet they could not think OF the future with any GER
tainty. He would not judge him Far from thal, nc
would rather rejoice and he would hope that he Is III inc
better country. , -, ~
Mr. Beecher said that he supposed that the loss they
had sustained would produce more feeling OF peIsDIai
loss than any that had occurred since the death Vi waiter
Scott. =, -
Dickens was the man Of the household. He was man
with gentle sympathetic, and human feehngrnoIIS SO
than almost any tm5 h nse Taa tS class of feeling in
the human mind. Whether he was Christian man IN
the experimental term God only knew lie coulu sstk
about his personal private life. He thought the other
question difficult matter to decide When man was
institutions from their own they would he apt 10 appar
emily differ, and they would be hardly Recognized from
very difficult TO apprase or classify say whether they
were little nearer that or this sde or whether tty
father had great doubts at time to the Christian
life of Bishop Hebe in Germany and eX-
ton would entertain these doubts for a moment
Nj Dickens was IN our G rnndcpeS b ony t the
many advantages which they p0ss ssed, ana ne once
wrote him letter in which Inc said Don't buid another
church. you will get anOhcr like it, He meant
Of course the peculiar acoustic properties and convent
ences here TO be found.
MFR Dickens has accomplished moro than any man In
his life-worl-so TO speak-withOut any distinctive
Christian bias His labOrs, and the results attendant
thereon, far different from those of Bnwer and
Byron. His writings did not teach pride, ana certainly
had tendencies toward license and designations Dut
the generic influences Of his writings were to make man
pure and humane, aud to render the h0usehold
more happy and cOntented. lie dld not Deete lneis
was a line TO be found in his writings that would
tend to produce RIGHTEOUSNESS or dissipation: On
the single account of drink L would make an
excption He stood upon that ground upon which God
in His providence is already operating He belonged 10
the old school who did not advocate Temperance primer
pies; and glad that the old school was passing
away. Dickens was great benefactor oil nus race,
though not engaged in higher sphere such as
spiritual element. God has given him success IN MS
that seldom yOuchsaed 10 others
similarly engaged. He devoted his life 10 the ameor
ton OF the human race and he accomplished good IN TINS
respect. We be grateful Ia God for what he has
done What lie did he did well, and he has passed on
the stage in moment in the full enjoyment OF
his faculties Charles Dickens Is man who IL entitled
to highest and nobest honor, and Is entitled To DO
reckOned among the best Of men,