The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-12-31
Henry Ward Beecher.

NJ hIhuth huAAAu AShhlfl
After an Introductory hymn by the
choir, Mr.. Beecher says q short prayer,
usually not more than half Q minute long,
Then he reads q "lesson, and tells the
choir what hymn 10 sing: He does not
"gtYe out" the hymn; he'simply reads
the number Of the hymn, and takes his
seat. When the hymn Is done with, Mr.,
Beecher rises and breaches msgnifcently.
The only elegant thing In the room 10 the
speakers stand; a small platform, oil
about q foot elevation, with q sofa at the
back part ofit, and q small table In front
On the speakers left Is another low table
on which, every Sunday morning, l.
placed q very large, fresh, and tastefully'
arranged bouquet Of flowers. Whan1 say
"very large" I mean as big a. d table
On Mr.. Beecher's right is tall; slender
vase with flowers; the vase looks like q
stalk from which spring many kinds Of
rich and varied leaves and blossoms
The only awkward figure about the stage
Is Mr.. Beecher himself. Mr.. Reecher Il
large and decidedly lubberly. His legs
push out behind. I think he Is too weak
In the knees. You are constantly afraid
the knees are going to give way and leave
him In position that you have seen clowns
In sometimes, and which people who are
broken are sometimes said to occupy,
theoretically. Mr.. Beechers clothes
never fit him, and he always seems to be
bungled In an overcOat. Mr.. Beecher, as
one or two Of the readers OF the Herald
may know, has hair only shade darker
than blonde, and he wears 1t long and
thin. Mr. Beecher has q noble head, and
q bright sunny face, full OF sympathy and
electricity. 1t Is face TO remind you Of
light wines, only there Is certain quirk
about the corner OF one eye that gives It
q small dash Of giDger.pop. ! think MIR.
Beecher lives well-eats great deal.
How else could he get to be so large and
so fat, with SO much good red blood In
his veins? But then, there are his
weak knees, that must be accounted for
somehow. The audience OF Plymouth
Church does not applaud the speaker
when he says q good thing, as has ire
quently been said that Is, there ID no
stamping or clapping Of hands. o.
course, when Mr.. Beecher says a good
thing-and he does very often, and in 3
capital way,-there is murmur Of ap-
plause which Is felt all through the
audience. After the sermon comes
hymn by the choir, and then Mr. Beecher
prays about a quarter Of minute.
Mr.. Beecher, although very liberal in his
views and large in his sympathy, Is still
more than half an orthodox d0ctr1ndiTe.
Mr.. Beecher Is the highest and completest
intellectual and moral representative of
American orthodoxy IN It's tendency to-
ward free religion. And being thus the
representative Of transition, Of course, he
Is rather negative than positive In his
ideas. This Is not 80 apparent in his
preaching as In his writing, especially In
his "Life Of Jesus, the Christ" Beechers
social influence is immense. There Is
probably not man in America who
could have stood up under the enormous
pressure OF the late scandals" Beecher,
without having made any effort that the
public knows OF, comes out unscathed.
Beecher has much oil the demagogue In
him. Had he not been pastor Of Plymouth
Church he might have been President OF
the United States. Nay, he may yet be
anyhow; who can telf He will not IN
dertake anything unless he Is well assured
of success. Some time ago committee
Of workiDgmen tried to get him TO make
a speech at one of their mass meetings.
He assured the committee, in effect, that
he would go, and advocate their measures
provided, he could be convinced before.
hand that the thing would be success.