The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-01-08
sELLISe BEECHER's PEws.
A Decrease or More Than $4,000
From Last Years Sales.

From Last Years Sales.
New York Sun, 9Th. .r.
Plymouth Church was an auction
room last night for the sale of pews, ant
the attending throng was large, many at
tending to see what effect the restless
scandal would have on the income of thu
church. Mr.. Beecher, stepping out from
the coterie of the deacons and trustee:
on the platform, said:
1--WE come together, my friends, thi:
yoar under ordinary circumstances
laughter for / have from year to year
for a good many years, been accustomed
to feel as though this year was peculiar
and at last, as every year Is peculiar, l
consider it as an ordinary year. l took
occasion two Sabbaths ago to express the
hope that the great multitude OF persons
might be able tonight to obtain slttlngs
in this house at prices which should in
some degree represent more nearly than
hitherto tho ability of the purchaser.
Nor have anything to retract on that
side; and yet, on the otheE side, take
the liberty to express my most sincere
hope that whatever deficiencies may oc-
cur on account OF the low prices Of pews
that are rented at the moderate prices,
whatever deficiencies may occur at that
end, | trust may be made up at the other
end by gentlemen who occupy the high
priced pews. Applause.
awe all know the strlngency OF the
times; we all know that whether one be
rich or poor or in moderate circumstan-
ces, he has use for all the money ne has
got. But l esteem that the institution
and consolation and Indictment OF the
house Of God, according to your own ex-
perience, to which appeal, have been
such as that, even in business point OF
view, it is worth your while to pay some
thing for the privilege of being here. For
YOU have not been fed upon theology,
dry, unattractive, hard to take and hard
to carry, but rather on those truths that
pertain to the life of the soul and to man
illness in thel Struggle OF life.
do know that scores and hundreds OF
you-it is part of my pride and my re-
ward rs a minister to say it--have been
carried through great trials, in tho house.
hold and in business, by the stimulus OF
the moral truths which they have re-
ceived here; SO when you come back, 1t
is not simply for sentiment you pay.
but this house has been to hundreds OF
you the gate of consolation, and the
truth here has been stall and 6uckier
to YOU, and has been made part and par
Gel to your daily business, and has en-
abled you to stand when you were vehe-
mently pressed upon.
"Of course l can not say on some things
what think, nor do suppose need to
say what every generous man Will thlnk
in such an emergency in my life and IN
yours, as members OF this flock; all that
| leave to God and to you. 1t is, l think,
the thirty.seventh or thirty eighth time
in nv life in which have stood before
you us your pastor, and have been SUBJ
iected to an ordeal which must be con-
sidered very severe, but which, neverthe-
less, by the good providence of God and
your great kindness, l have been able to
stand in the years gone by, and by the
help of God expect to stand the same
ordeal in the years to come" Great
applause
MIR. Halliday-Make those numbers
9th or 18th; that is what you mean?
Mr.. Beecher-That makes me ten
wears younger, and don't object to that.
Mr.. Beecher introduced Mr.. Edward
Z. Hoyt, who, for $50, annually auctions
the pews.
The terms OF the sale were read. The
seats were sold without reservation TO
previous occupants; payments of rent
were required semi.annually IN advance
and the premium was payable on the
presentation oflhe first bill. Those in
arrears were not allowed to bid. The
sittincs were let on the understanding
that If they were not occupied at least
ten minutes before the beginning of the
services, they might be assigned to
strangers. The sums bid were premium
on the seats, which had besides q fixed
rental to be added to the premium.
The highest bid of 1875 was 5000, by
Charles Dennis, who paid, including his
rental, 1912. The frs: calls last night
eclipsed this, and halt dozen voices
were calling $3.50, 5000, 1925, but II. b.
Clailn bid 500 and took pew SO, which
has n rental of Sl20, making its price
$40. II. w. Sage bid 1925 for pew 80,
lust in front Of Mr.. Clahin's, with h
rental of $40. J. b. Hutchinson
bid $225 for pew 100, with sl2O
rental. IL. T. Hatch, 1915; j. G. South
wich, $3.50; S. V. White, 1925; X. &.
White, 500: A. Storrs, 1925; A. Heally,
500; K. Benedict, S505; James Freeland,
800; Moses ). Beach, $500; 5. Is. Dur
Yea, $50; Morris Reynolds, $780, ii.
Collins. $3.50; j. b. Murray, usher, 500;
Charles Dennis, the highest bidder of
1873, S42j; Joseph Howard, jun, S4l0;
a. W. Sheppard S5O5; George {. Rob
inson. $3.50, and L. q. Sherman, 1919.
As the bids passed below $500 Henry
G. Bowcu's name was looked for. The
bidding went on. and the still, small
voice that bid $ij5 in 1875, $3.50 in 1874
and some sum in every year since Fly
mouth Church WAS founded. was not
heard, and there was no opportunity for
the unchrrstlan to hiss rs they did the
wear before. One of the members, said
that Mr.. Bowen did not pay last year :
rental until January /, and it was
thought when he wiped out his arreara-
ges that he meant to bid again.
The bidding went through the three
hundred-dollsr bids rapidly, fingered
long in the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. bids, and
at nine o'clock fell into the one. hundred
dollar bids, decreasing slowly until near
ten clock. when the PARKWAY and the
corner seats began TO sell orS3o, $40 and
$50. One pew was reserved for pastoral
helper Halliday. Mr.. Beecher bought
one for his wlfe's brother, o Bal
lard. Tor $3.50. The sales ut half
past ten had dwindled dcw1
TO little more than the rentals. The last
pew was sold at 1890 to Moses Beach
for Some dollar less than the rental
IL WAS back of the choir, and from 1t the
white locks of the Plym Juth pastor could
be seen, but nothing else. The total sale
of pews amounted to $40, 7O2, which with
the rentals, amounts to SGS,6S, abou'
S74S5 less than the aggregate sales OF
1875, and about $500 more than the
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