Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-07-13
BY TELEGRAPH.
BeecIler.

New YORK, July l3.-Last night number
of citizens OF Peekski and Beccher's imne.
diate neighbors, numbering in all about eight
hundred. and headed by band, proceeded to
the summer residence of the Plymouth pastor.
those present had broken iu upon his retire
ment tor the purpose Of giving expression to
their confidence 10 him as man and as chris
tan minister. B,echer, responding, said =
When began my lite had no intention of
being great and eloquent and wise man, but
| did mean to be good man aud an honest
man. did mean to spend all the strength
God gave me in making my tellowmen better.
Applause. This has been my ambition This
[ have doue by the help of God. make this
assertion more emphatic because not q few
newspapers seem 10 think that | have done it
by the help and permission OF newspapers; but
| have done it In spite of them. | don't ask
that they should care for my future. My future
is 10 the keeping OF the Lord God, to whom
my mother directed me; and | should like to
know who Is gong to stop my mouth with a
| muzzlr: my hand that | cannot write, if it is
given to me to say things which men want to
hear and to write things which make men bet
ter. Every man that ls man that has help
and courage and patience and that is right at
heart aud head has his future in his own hands.
Applause. | ask no buttressing. | ask no
advantages, simply let me alone, and | will
take care of the rest You have attended, sir,
the trial through which have gone. Well, |
left that behind me so long ago that feel as
the l>raelites would have telt when, after going
over JOrdaG, some one had talked oil the misery
of the Red Sea passage went through the
Red Sea but it was long time ago. The fact
| is, geutlemeu, that about 1870 and II, and for
three or four years, had to 90 through pretty
| deep waters at times, but | kept it to myself.
Revelation OF it to mankind came within year,
but had got through it. am receiving
| scores and hundreds of letters couched in the
most earnest and affectonate coincidence for
the fiery trials through which am going, but
bless you the ashes Of that fire were scattered
| long ago. | am gaining 10 strength and elast.
| city OF body. | au all right. Applause. The
| letters | have received FROM Baptist clergymen,
from clergymen in the ministry of the Episco-
| pal Church, and especially letters and messages
| from Roman Catholic priests, have been among
| the most Christian expressions rendered me. |
| prize these letters. | have received such tokens
| from every denomination of the christian
church, aud from individual christian min
| listers of every sect. More than that,
think / have been the subject of more prayer
| than any man on the face of the Globe. Now
as to the future [ have 10 new course to take
| am too old to change my position. The ex-
pcnscs OF the trial have been enormous; enough
! to bankrupt country ministry (glaucing at the
| three or four ministers in the crowd) five times
over, and would have destroyed me but for
Plymouth Church, and even with their help
| shall barely get through for tie expenses of
the trial to NE have been over SIS, 900. On
the other side they have been very large, but
they have got no money to pay them with.
Laughter