Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-04-14
nEECHEK,s ~EAsGED EDGE LET
TER
New York Tribune, April s.

New York Tribune, Aprila 3.
THE LETTER. to be shielded in ST.
But the roots OF this .lence. 1 could not IN
prejudice are long. The dertake to do some
cafastrOphe which pre-Ithings without bringing
cipitated him from his up the whole matter in
place only disclOsedlsuch q way that that
feelings which had ex-IWOuld be disclosed. /
listed long. Neither he could not undertake to
/ nor YOU can be aware Offclear lis character in
the feelings Of classes inlregSrd to hiss sentiments
| society, on OtherIon s0cialstic questions;
grounds than late ru- that 1 could not DO. But
mOrs. / mention thisim, in regard TO the oln-
to explain why 1 k~a0lBler, If IN regard to his
9gith absolute certaintyIh0usehOid, IN regaEQI %
| that no mere statement Elizabeth and the chill
] letter, testimony or af-I0reD-m ne wished ul&b
frmatlOn viii reach the.Om my part, 70 be bragg
root Of affairs and rein-ted ont ana 70 De madea
state them. TINE ~andisubiect of investigation,
| WORK WILL. But chron-lmy opinion then was,
ic evils require chronic aud was through the
remedies. If nv e-iwhOl Of the years, that
strucuon would placelthat could never come
him right, that shall into the church without
not stand In the way. destroying that church,
/ am willing 10 stePiRnd / would ~"stepdOwn
| down aud OUT No Oneiand OUT before any
can offer more than that. thing should ever de-
That 1 do offer. Sacri-lstr0y Plymouth Church.
fee me without hesita- had an exaggerated
ton If YOU can cleaTlylldea, but it was a real
see your way 10 his safe idea that anything Of
ty and happiness there that kind-I would suf-
by. / do not think thatifer anything, but that
anything would belchurch should stand.
gained by 1t. 1 should And then, as for him
be destroyed, but heiand her and the chill
would not be saved. T.. .dren-this is not exact
and the children WOuldHy the language Of a lit
have their future cloud-eral and logical state
ed. Iment, butt Is language,
EXPLANATION. las when Paul said: II
@ Now, sir, what didIc0uld wish myself &C
YOU refer TO in regardicursed from Christ for
to any step or conduct my brothers. sake!' as
Of your own inIDaYid for AbsalOm:
these clauses Of your "WOuld TO God l had
letter? A. undertook died fer thee!" If my
70 clear him Of every going cut of the church
imputati0n that affect and out of the ministry,
ed his character, opt and so, the destruction
those that belonged UOfOf my professional life,
his later associations would restore things as
with socialistic ideaslthey had been before, 1
and with the Wood had the feeling when 1
hulls. 1t was a cOm-IWrOte this letter that L
mon ground between Us would give them all up
that Elizabeth and the ~Willingly to put things
domestic troubles Werelback as they were.
Then followed the passage containing
the familiar allusion to "the ragged edge"
which Mr.. Evarts read with great deliber-
alton and solemnity, aid Mr.. Beecher
spoke in most feeling tones.
THE LETTER. THE EXPLANATION.
In one point of view Q. Was that clause
/ could desire the saCri- an expression Of your
fee on my part. NOth-iviews, your feelings, in
ing can possibly be so.view Of the situation as
bad as the horror Of'yOu have narrated il
great darkness in Which.A. Yes Fsir. Feeble
I spend much Of myIwords ! If there had
time. L look upon death been any stronger in
es sWeeter-faCed thanithe English language,
any friend have in the|I would not have put
world. Life would be.them in.
pleasant, if I could Eeei O. What horror Of
that rebuilt which Is great darkness did YOU
shattered. But TO live spend much of your
on the sharp and rag-ltime in? A. 1 don't
ged edge of anxiety, re Know: I can not define
morse, fear, despair, il, nor describe it. / only
and yet to put on all know that 1 am subject
the appearance Of se-itO very profound dark
renity and happiness, ness by times, and re-
can not be endured actions, just as, at the
much longer. other extreme, l am
Nothing can possibly subject TO very great
be so bad as the horror 'exaltatiOns. MrlEvarts,
OF great darkness in.I did not do right when
which I spend much OIL said, the most Of my
my time. time. with great emo
ltiOnl 1 lived very near
TO God then. and the
most my time I had
peace. Most Of nv time
I was above it; but
Itherehwere days in which
midnight came at mid
day, and a horror Of
darkness