The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-10
Mr.: BEECHER'S TOUR.
His Lecture to the Locomotive En-
gineers at Port Jervis
EDUCATION AND RELIGION.
Sensible Words to Workingmen
About Trades Unions.

PoRr JERvIs, N. Y, May 9, ls7d
Rev. Henry Ward Bescher lectursd in the biupesA
church edifce in this town last night 20 large
audience OF the best people OF the place. under tho
auspices Of the Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers
Mr. Beccher has always expressed great affection for
this class and has frequently in his travels ridden upon
the engine IN preference sitting in palace He
processes feoI obligations to them for the
that forty years OF travelling every direction no
has received scratch been present AZ dis
1t for TINT he consented TO deliver
free lecture their benefit and this selected
as the OF delivery account Of its central 10
cation The brotherhood is probably the most powen
iul and important trade association in the United
States. 1t comprises about 1900
beers and Includes seven -eghths OF the en-
tire craft in this country and Canada LII
executive power centred board Of trustees and
in three salared officers who are located At Cleveland
which will continue to be the seat Of governments till
1885, The purpose Of the organization il ITO combine
the interests locomotive engineers to elevate their
standing as such aud their character men" No per-
son is admitted to membership unless he Is white
man, twenty one years old, Of good moral character
and has beop least year engineer Of good stand
ing To be accepted candidate must be proposed by
three engineers Of the division he wshes to join aud
they must certify 10 his character
The constitution OF tho Brotherhood explicitly for
bids It's influence or sympathy being used In Of
any political or religious organization whatever and
political religious discussion Is permitted At any
meeting A member renders himself liable TO expui-
sion by getting intoxicated by engaging in the traffic
ofintoxcating liquors. The organization Is secret
one, with ritual, and II supports monthly journsi
in which suspensions and explosions OF members. with
other matters OF interest to the craft, noted.
Connected with the organization is cooperative
Mutual life insurance association, which makes col
lection upon the death Of any member, and pays his
family or heirs the Of 5000. This feature has
been in operation eight years, and has during
that time collected and disburscd about 81, 900 J00
Delegations Of the Brotherhood present at the
lecture last night from Philadelphia, New York, Jersey
City and other places equally distant M
The subject OF Mr. Beocher's lecture education
and religion. 1t is nc said, mistake % suppose
because so much is said and much more 10 ielt in
our day about education that Is modern invention
Since tho first days OF civilization education had pre-
vailed. Education was the art Of giving wholly
to himself IL had always been deemed desirable, bub
in oIden times 1t was prerogatvc accorded only u
the favored classes. The education OF the common
people was condemned and even s.iema a
ton grew with IT, but still the thought Of edu-
eating the whole people was modern. After Napoleon
l. had almost ground the lilo out OF Germany, Stein
other statesmen felt that 1t was necessary 10 build
up the nation by beginning At the very Foundations BY
enlightcnng the masses; and tho education Of the
whole people in u practical form dated from that
period The dynastes that formerly opposed the cdu-
cation OF the common people are ANXIOUS pro-
easier manage, make better producers In the indus
trial and better soldiers for their armies than
ignorant Strange 10 say, now for the urst time
in the history Of the world the men who most need
education tho most IT, because they soc,
centuries OF vain Instructions that brain aud MOI
muscle must rule by mmutablc Divine law. 1t was
the schools Of Germany that uvcrcAme France
white faced clerks from New York stood moro hard.
ships and bore up moro bravoy under disease
sn0 nan co years
Beechcr SAID bad prophcsed that war among Chris
tian nations would be seen no more. Since that time
the greatest and bloodiest in the history oil
the human family had occurred. Ac spoke Of The
immense standing armies waiting now ike tgen
ready spring upon each other, and dwelt upon the
enormous loss occasioned by their withdrawal from
industry we'll tho terrible burden their support
entails upon the productive class. One-ourtn Of
society he said earned just enough TO subsist upon
another fourth earned nothing and the remaining one
half supported themselves and the second class and
had surplusagc Tho speaker referred to the in.
dusrous character OF the people among whom hts boy
hood passed. where even the child Of six was
obliged perform labor, and while he would not
bring back the spinning wheel abolish the refined
employmcnts OF modern bellies he would have
them also iearn something useful. and 50 would place
every family above want BY It's own productive in
dustry The falacy that the price OF an article de.
ppon and was clearly sh,wp that the price Of thing
depends upon the quantity and quality OF brain that
enters its manufacture Mr. Beecher said
that being laborer himself, and having come OF
a laboring family, he wanted to working
men elevated; but It . mistake for them to sups
pose that they could better their condition by artificial
combinations The law Of God that when man
was morally and intellectually developed no power
could keep hun down. II a man was not developed he
could RISE and monkey ut the top OF tree was
just much monkey ono al the root Tho highest
OF all why tho meanest should Oc educated 10
because he is child OF God aud his vallc Is 10 be
measured BY what he IS through Christ Speaking OF
the ballot the lecturer said that New York Is, rs IL
were, the delta Of Europe All the defritus Of the
nations across and Is deposited on on. shores
But although It Is sometimes maarious At FIRST II
afterward makes tho best soil in the country. He
would have suffrage universal because the ballot Is
educator and u Is safer TO permit its abuse Tor short
time by small portion of the community than TO
have a large body OF ignorant and irresponsible
midst The speaker made . strong argument
In favor or woman suffrage. and proohesicd that II
would be established fact Speaking Of the
Bible In the schools, he SAID he opposed 70
its being read where there opposition,
although he thought IL not lifted for aud waa
all be read and the teacher must make selections,
which were not always most judcious. II would be
better 10 reading book Of Sc cctons made from
the Bible by some wise and good man. Mr.. Beecher
urged In conclusion the elevation In public esteem VI
the calling Of the teacher Thc latter should make the
profession his lie work, and not mnkesht I'LL
something else turned up. Tho teacher should be
living embodiment OF the teachings Of Scripture for
goodness in a man cxerts tar more powerful inhu-
than goodness in book.
All the ministers the place were In attendance
and warmly congratulated Mr. Beccher q the close OF
his remarks.