The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-07-13

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Theodore Tilton In Regard 4
Henry Ward Beecher.
(Ftom . communication in the Northwestern
ChfiStiAn AdVoeRte.)
= y During. thosC
years the writer, on one occasion, by .
chance question turned the conversation
upon Beecher, who was then among tht
daily visitors at Mr.. Tllton's house. III
Mr.. Beecher's inward lie that which Il
seems TO those who hear himH have
been at losS.to conceive how one whose
conscience Is 80 sensitive as Mr.. Beecher' q
seems should boast himself to be the hap,
piest man living. Deep moral sensitive.
ness more often make men sad" r
Mr. Tilton answered, greatly 10 the
writer's surprise: "Mr. Beecher has q
keen intellectual discrimination on moral
questions, but he Is personally an eplcure,
q voluptuary, though ol the most refined
sort, who does nOthing-not even his
preaching and praying-irom sense Of
duty, but only for the pleasure 1t affords
him. 1thappens TO make him happier TO
preach than 10 race horses; but II ii ma do
him happier TO follow any other form Of
amusement, he would pursue Il. Doubt.
less Rt the moment when you hear him
declare himself the happiest man living,
he feels 80, but scores ol times has he
come to this house as 10 q den OF refuge,
thrown himself down upon that sofa and
groaned In misery. You would have
thought him the veriest wretch aliVe.p
"lndeed; what was the cause OF his
trouble ?"
ut is chiefly domestic His wife has
no sympathy with his plans. She Is a
commonplace, matter. of,fact woman who
ought to have wed merchant-not the
great Beecher.' ! have had my own dill
ticulties with her, but these do not color
my judgment She has even followed me
to the front door and ordered me out oil
her house, while Beecher stood at the top
Of the stairs and said, Theodore, what
ever Mrs. Beecher says TO you, remember
that | am always your devoted friend"
but am surprised that you speak Of
Beecher as voluptusry. had thought
him too unselfish and lsborious Tor that"
"No; Beecher has no unselfshness.
His tastes are @sthetic and cultivated,
and he is busy man because his capaci.
ties for Joyous activity are various. He
enjoys preaching, editing, art, society,
labor OF certain kinds, and SO
on: But he is q voluptuary; he does every.
thing that he enjoys, and only because be
enjoys It. Greeley Is selLsacfifcing. I'll
need an article for the Independent,
Greeley will sacrifice his own ease to |
write II; not because it is anything he
wants TO say, but because l, his friend,
need his help. Beecher never writes on |
hat principle. He would promise the
article, and If he found nothing else more
agreeable to do, he would write it, not
otherWlse."
"But Beecher is certainly industrious" |
"Nol He Is lazy. He accomplshes q
Vast amount OF what from many would re.
luire work. But he does 1t because in |
bis case 1t only requires the vigorous play |
d his versatile powers. He prepares for |
ais sermons on Sunday morning and after.
noon. 1t is not work to muse Ior an hour
over what one shall say for the next
hour"
"But is he not charitable and genef.
ous?"
"All in the epicurean sense. He enjoys
doing good, and gives as giving yields |
him pleasure |" .7
Mr.. Tilton was then the warm and en-
thusiastic friend Of the great preacher
whom he thus criticized. We believe he |
had never formed the acquaintance OF
the weird sister whose utterances are
inspired by Demosthenes." He had
but the single error of adopt. |
Ing the theory that the reciprocal reia-
tions ot men and women can be adjusted |
on the basis Of equality and right, whereas
nature intended them 10 rest on basis
Of mutual inequality, independence and |
affection. In the very act Of attempting
TO prove that boiling pitch is q very clean |
substance, snowy white and pure, he fell |
Into the cauldron. II his catastrophe |
shall enable any to see in time that there |
Is no "spotless whiteness" in those who
would emancipate man or woman from |
that just subjection which is implied in |
Christian marriage as distinguished from |
Fourieristic intdelity, that inter.sexual
love, 10 be chaste, must be exclusive, that
its 30 called freedom is Its desolation and
ruin, his martyrdom will not have been
In vain." .r. . ...r