The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-01-01
BeeciseS arG Ch9.tstn. s.s,

The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher has not
very high opinion of Christmas day. II.
seems TO think that it is a holiday that is
not at all harmful, and ought to be toiora>
| ted. For one of the Puritan school, who
thinks that the 20th Of November is a
particularly sacred day-sacred to german
dizing and hard cider drinking in New
Engiand-this is very liberal. Also his
doctrine that sit is OF no consequence
about tho birth of Christi Speaking for
himself Mr. Beecher is no doubt correct
and the birth ef the Saw our is not much
more of an event to him than the birth of
Ananias or Brigham Young. In fact the
natal day of the latter is no doubt sub
ject of interest to the pastor of Plymouth
church. In his '1ectars" on Christmas
nr. Beecher says:
"To me Christmas is foreign day, and
/ shall die so. When / was hoy | won
dered what Christmas was. | knew there
was such a tiTas, because had an Esis-
copal church in our town, and l saw them
dressing 1t witk eveFgreeus, and wondered
what they were taking the woods in church
for but I got no satisfactory explanation
A li.tle later / understood it was a Ronish
institution, kept mp by the Romish Church
Brought up in the strictest State of New
England, brought up to the most literal stvie
OF worship, brought up where they would
not read the Bible in church because the
Episcopsljaas read it SO Iauch, I passed all
my yoEth without any knowledge OF Christ
mas, and es i bavs no associations with tSo
day. Where the Christmas revsl ought 70
he, I have nothing. 1t is Christmas day,
that is all
At the New England dinner at the As
tor House, ON the evening previous, Mr.
Beecher, in similar strain, spoke of Pu-
ritan toleratien and said that it was the
''old Puritan doctrine that no man should
suffer for his views This moves the
Io%II to that tbiS 30
calculated to amaze historical students,
and even mildly to startle the New Eng
land dinners. Crom~elps Protcctorate
has boon considerably praised in our gen
GRAFTON, but never, that we remember, as
an example OF tolerance. The World goes
on further to say
Zone ia inclined to wish that Mr.. Beechsr
could be transported for few days to the
condition Of an English High Churchms N
OF that epoch, OF q Scottish Roman Catholic
or Massachusetts Quaker. After under
going that experience, he weuld doubtless
| be able to say many things in praise of his
prosecutors, but ne would net helikely TO
attend Eew England, dinners ard talk neE-
son,e about the old Puritan doctrine that
DO alsn shall suffer for his religious vi,ws
any more than be would be likely TO sttri-
butte shat old Puritan doctrine 10 the chiefs
ofthe Spanish 1nquisition. The cid Puritan
doctrine, in point OF notoricns histcri.a
fact, vas that the Puritan .hould assert for
himself entire religious freedom, and n:orce
upon every body else entire religious cor
fornlity, which he did Whenever he had the
power. 1t is rather hard him 10 be
praised for n doctrine which he never either
praetised or professed. These things must
be knows to the ante erapdial Mr.. Beecher'
Ii they arc not, he can find theFa in any
history OF the period VIXEN "the old Psritau
soctrins' was put into practice that hs likes
to consult. II Is a pity the imagination
of the post prandial Mr.. Beesker should be
so qUiekened hJ communion with syrpa-
thetic New Eng lander. as not enly 80 forget
theTn, but to construct historical rornn ces
altogether uEfounded in historical fact
it was hardly necessary for Mr.. Beecher
| to say that he was brought up as dishe-
| lever in Christmas, and to regard it as an
| institution OF the Catholic and Episcopal
| churches. He leaves traces of an indePen-
| dent disbelief in most Of the central doe
| trines implied by the coming of Christ
! and His E,ission. Had he been brought
| up a believer i. Christmas and the lessons
it teaches. it would have been better for
| him, and the Brooklyn scandal might have
| been escaped. iustoad OF being so~n bTosd-
! cast, to the injury OF the Christian world
Of all denominations.-PiR. Post.