Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-10-29
For the vermont FApHER
Beecher and the Wolves.

| was glad TO see IA Minister'S Dauph.
ter" IN the last FARMER put in word for
the great and good man who has come ia
for such an amount Of abuse and injustice at
the hands Of the press all over the country.
| say great, because he is acknowledged on
all hands TO be so; and good, because we
ought 10 Christian charity at least to con.
slider a man innocent until proved guilty,
and Beecher had, before the scandal. been
always regarded by the general public as
good man. And 10 this trial he has been
confronted with merely circumstantal evil
dence.
But leaving out Of the question the scan.
dal, and claim that until something is
proved against him It ought TO be so left
out, The is a man who, by his very great.
ness, has been conspicuous mark for all
those whose ambition made them jealous OF
his power; all those whose fanaticism and
austerity we're shocked at his generoIs, lib
eral doctrines Of Christianity, and all those
who delight in scofing at religion and reli.
gious things generally.
II has become fashionable for every news.
paper writer who considers himself "smart"
to have his fling at Beecher, and the thing
has been carried to such an extent that II is
becoming more disgusting than was the con.
fession Of Beecher on the witness stand that
he had kissed not onIy Mrs Mouton and
Mrs Tilton, but-Tilton himself, long hair,
sentimentality and ALL Now, this was very
silly in Mr. Beecher, but it was no crime.
Aud supposing that he is not innocent Of the
crime which u six-months trial has failed to
fasten upon him, has he not suffered enough
in being hauled up aud down through the
papers all these months If he can do any
good by preaching, why not give him rest
from this storm OF abuse2 There are thou.
sands who can testify that his preaching
does do good-who have received light when
they felt themselves cropping in darkness
who have had their faith and strength re-
newed when they seemed failing; who have
had warmth and light and love kindled ia
their hearts when they felt weary aud dis.
beartened in the struggle with life, by the
earnest, eloquent, heart-reaching words OIL
this greatest Of American preachers. con
fess I belong among those thousands.
thank God that he ever sent Beecher int
the world, aud that Beecher has the mora
courage to stand steadfsstly at his post, cou
Tossing his failings, but needing not tn,
contumely heaped upon him by press anC
pulpit.
Why don't somebody raise a howl abou
the dissertation Of the Lords day, in running
trains to the Methodist camp.meeting a
Lyndonvile, and other places, every year
Why don't the New York Sun, the Spring
field Republican, the Argus, the Caledoniah
and the FARMER expend little Of thei
spare pity upon the poor railroad men VIII
run those trains rs well as upon those VIII
run trains to the White Mountains?
remember few years ago when | wa
living at Newport, that advertisements wer
circulated over the village to the effect tina
on certain Sunday the boat lady Of III
Lake" would make trip through LAX
Memphremagog and the Bishop or Ne,
Hampshire would hold Episcopal servic
on board. A good many of that class {
, devout Sunday Christians who are so shocke
, because Mr. Beecher preached at the Noun
, tains on Sunday went on board. and | presum
, had very refreshing season (ior it was
beautiful day., but when Capt Fogg took o
board cargo Of $50 lambs on his way bacl
il looked to me as though in projecting thI
excursion n different kind Of Christianity ha
been employed from that preached and prAC
ticed by Mr. Beecher; yet | saw no con
plants about the over.worked boatmen, Q
the dissertation of the sabbath, from tn
moral and religious journals Of that vicinity
l think little Of that charity whic
"thiuketh no evil" little application Of til
u injunction "Let him that is without sin ca
the first stone," aud little casting out
beams before notes would furnish occupatiC
enough to keep at least part Of the peop
who take such delight in following Beech'
y about and picking flaws at his every tut
busy for some time to come.
ZoLuKoFFER.