New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-11
"THE BRINK OF A MORAL NIAGARA"


the expression and descriptive of the sense OF utter
misery and desolaton expressed by Mr. Beecher, and
felt by him. the time Of the interview in which the ex
preston used says that he distinctly remembers MI
Reecher exclaming in substance, IL stand upon the
brink Of q moral Niagara" and TO dscred Mr.. Mouton,
convince this jury and the public that his history OF
that interview O simple and bald invention, my
friend upon part of Mr. Beecher dsclams the posi-
Bile use Of an expression Of that character He says,
quoting the phrase:
al stand on the brink Of moral Niagara" Now that Is
Theodore TiltOn; ii Is not Mr. Beecher.
Turning to Mr.. Morris Was it not Moulton who used
that
Mr.. Morris-Yes.
Mr. Beach-He attributes it to Mr. Tilton Well, it was
phrase testified to by Mr.. Mouon, and net by Mr. I'll
ton.
Now. that ia Theodore Tlton; 1t is not Henry Ward
Boecher DO you think Henry Ward Beechcr would talk
about moral Niagara any more than he would about
With him words have meaning they are aiye there is
thought In them; there Is significance III thei tere 10
Conference them; but with Mr. Tilton the brink OF
moral Niagara brings him ncongruous ideas, which to
him have rhetorical charm ana they are pt so nt
the language OF Theodore Tiiton.
Well, Mr.. Tton used the language In the first
place. and my friend fell into that error In his zeal to
mpute IL TO Mr. Tton have not the same idea OF that
expression as Is entertained by my friend great
preacher, a man distinguished for his learning, and
holding, they claim the highest position among the
Ietists and the eocutonss OF the detected in the
commission Of an infamous moral ofense The victim OF
his mpety and sin is said to have charged him with IT,
He IL brought face TO face with the accusation and he
sees all the consequences to himself to society to religion
He is overcome with anguish and remorse; and with
flow Of passionate language, which strs the heart OF
every reader and listener be uers his repentance and
grief and in connection with that utterance, to the
ready and sympathetic friend who has stepped forward
aid him In his peril and exigency. he exclaimed II
stand on the brink Of q moral Niagara" Aud what
expression In the English language, what comparison
or silitude could forcibly represent the position,
assuming the accusation to be true, in which Henry
Ward Deecher stood at that moment and the cearness
and the iustncss Of the which he entertained
of that position conveys your mind bears to
mind most intense descriptive force, and 1t presents
the real the actual attitude in which the author OF 1t
stood then and in which lie stands to-day, before the
Judgment seat Of this jury and the world lie does stand
upon the brink Of moral Niagara 1t Is possible that
your hands may rescue him; but assuming the truth
which he then attached, and which we attach, to his
positions assuming the outlines OF Henry Ward Bcccher
in the English language there ia expressive de-
scrption than that Now it is important for U.S. in deter
mining whether there is that ncongruity between the
usual language and common rhetoric Of Mr.. Henry
Ward Beecher, and this phrase-it Is important
for us to know how this gentleman ordinarily uses
and applies language. expressly with reference
to moral conditions and moral expressions
II Mr. Beecher had sald :" stand on the brink OF
moral precipce " If he had said. stand and am hover
ing over the brink Of moral abyss, into which to fall is
and nfamy and destruction forever would
you have thought inappropriate to his imputed cond
toni Ny friends upon the other side have referred to
the sacred poets and you remember Mr. Watts in one OF
his most expressive and touching hymns the phrase
Plunged m gulf OF dark despair ? andno one has ever
yet imputed 10 that phrase any want OF proper rhetoric
or OF expressive force. Well in looking at the Lie
Thoughts" OF Nj Beccher find that he uses the term
"philosophc anguish" and he speaks OF man to whom
pumpkins were apothcosizcdw Well pretty extraya
CANT phrase. The who will use that phrase as ap
plicabe TO pumpkins" apotheo zed"OughtnOt to be
condemned for using the term 81 moral Niagara" "A
moral ieyesght,"I moral astronomy" moral anato
mist" and even "moral crippes'-all found In the
works Of Mr.. Henry Ward Beecher. But in his Life
Thoughts" he this expression
No doctrine Ia good enough for anything that does
not leave behind II an ethical furrow ior me ango Vi
seeds ch shall spring and bear abundant har'ess
Now we all understand what an ethical furrow is
and the seizure OF that Illustration by Mr. Beecher does
not seem to either unapprOvcd or unrhetorca IL
expressve-an ethical furrow in which the seeds of
truth and Of piety to planted. And an ethical FUR
il seems to would justify the useof the term
OF nv learned friend moral haystack." LaughterI
Well with that humor which is distinguishing and
happy faculty Of Mr.. Henry Ward Beecher ana when Is
one OF his chief attractions among his other great recon-
endatlons he uses, in his work entitled, Eyes and
Ears this phrase The CHASTITY corpse OF an apple
pie" And yet my friend thinks gentleman who can
use this illustrative language an extravagant phrase OF
this character could have been guilty OF using the
words stand on the brink OF a moral Niagara WE'LL
IL happencd unfortunately to Mr. Bcccher, upon one
OCCASION that the plumbing arrangements OF his house
we're out of order, and one OF his chambers pecahe
little diluted. In describing IL, he says:
One Of the pipes was stopped up. and the chamber tc
overlooked The plumber was sent Tor we had pocAe'
ocean upstairs.
toh no diccpc "a
condemned This is the style OF Henry Ward Beecher
Read his sermons and works where you may you VIII
find these original these coined these expressive phrases
standing out all over through his works nave many
more quotations; will not trouble you with them But
have deemed this question Of sufficient importance be-
cause although may to you yet has been
used by my learned friends constantly throughout their
address to this Jury and the public to impress upon oil
minds the idea that in the relation by MI Tion and
Mr. Moulton OF interviews with Mr. Beecher, and In the
documents and instruments which were imputed 10 hn
there extravaganza and Improperly OF expression
as compared with the cultivation and the ordinary haos
of expression Of Mr. Beecher to produce the conviction
that Mr. Beecher misrepresented by this evidence
In the Royal Truths" work published by Mr. Beecher,
] find this expression:
! may be broken mp, disntegrated. comminuted rem
dered puyeruent and thus be IN state 10 promote Oct
ter growth
Well when my friends mpute to Mr. Theodore Tilton
straning after rhetorical effect the coming OF vain and
superficial phrases commend them TO the study OF the
works Of their client. without mpung to Mr. Beecher
any improperly any awkwardness any rudeness OF ex
presson yet there is not author in this land who as
smes more liberties with the English language, and
coins more extravagant and Notwithstanding the Illus
traton Of Mr. Evarts I may say, transcendenta cx-
prsssions, than Mr. Henry Ward Bcccher.
experience Of that have most despaired
OF among those who 10 me for spiritual help have
been persons nevinely sick. They must come
10 him under the Of some apology or beneath some
umbrei excuse lest the clouds should break &c.
Well the idea Of an being protected by an uin
brela-an umbresed excused" Well, this AWKWARD
phrsse. "a wrinkled foreheadcd man." business