The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-07-16
Beecher.


New N0RH, July I3.--Thc people and
temporary Residents of peekshil and
ncighbornood. pTecc,:c led bv band OF
music and Il colnpaHy of militia, march
ed 70 Rest Hill last evening and scrcn-
adel Rev. Henry Ward Bcechcr
After an address by Judge Wells, Civ
ing an expression of their c0lidence in
him aS man and as Il Christian minis
ter of the gospel, Mir. Becchcr spoke for
nearly IN hour. Among other things he
said: "WhGn began my life had no
intention OF being Il great and eloquent
and wise man, but | did mean to be Il
good man and an honest man; | did
mean to spend ali the strength God had
given me in making my tcllOW-nr2 bet
ter; this has been my ambition; this |
have done by the help OF God. I make
this assertion more emphatic because
not q few newspapers seem to think |
have done this by the help and permis-
sion of newspapers, but | have done it
in spite of them, and do not think shat
they should care for my future. My fu
turc is in The keeping OF God, to whom
MY mo5her directed me. should like
10 know who is going to stop my mouth
'Iith . nuzZic or my hand that cant
WrItc. # it is given to me to say things
which men want to hear and to writ"
things which make them bettCt. ! went
through the Red Sea, but It waj Il long
time ago, and the tact is, gentlemen,
that about 1870 and 1871, and for three
or four years, had 10 go through deep
waters, ut times, but kept it to myself.
The revelation ui it - mankind came
within u year, but | had cot through it.
| am receiving hundreds OF letters,
coUchcd III most earnest and election
ate coincidence fOr the fiery trials
through which | an going; but, bless
Won, the ashes Of that fire were scatter
ed lOn@ ago. am growing i'll strength
and elasticity OF body. lam al right.
The letters have received from Baptist
clcroymcn: from clergymcn in the min
istry Of the Episcopal church, and espec-
ially from Roman Catholic priests, have
been among the most Christian express
sions rendered he. prize these letters.
The churches have prayed torme ;house-
holds have prayed for ne; mothers.
Kneeling iii .hc midst of their little chill
dren, have rraycd for me, and | will SLY
that these prayers have been more t. ne
than the play,tits OF people on the street.
1t has been this that mas made ne hap
py. | hav5 40 new course to take; am
too old to change my position. | shall
go on trusting men. have pursued
that ioc'-;ne all my life, and onlv once
Iii forty ycarS have made mi .alle: |
shall love men; | shall not stop 20 think
of thcir f;.ultS before love them; | pro-
pose 70 &c on with my work, confident
in men, not preaching merely the differ
enC1 h2sween right and wrong, but this
| si.aii preach, that there is no Justice no
severity. no punishment that are good
unless they are administered in the spin
it;ot love.
The expenses Of the trial have been
enormous enough to bankrupt n country
.ninister five times over and would haze
destroyed me but for Plymouth Church,
and even with their help shall barely
get through, for the expenses of the tri-
al to me have been over $4,000. On
the other side they have been very large
but they have no money TO pay them
with"
MIR. Beecher elected much laughter
and applause throughout his somewhat
lengthy address.