Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-01-03
MR.. BEECHRR EXPLAINS.
A Retrospect at the Weekly Prayer.
MeetlHg---A Pslnted AflusIon to
the TiltOR Scandal.

A New York paper Of the 18th ult.
says
What Mr.. Beeoher had to say last
night at the usual Friday evening
prayer-meeting to Plymouth Church
was much in the nature Of a personal
explanation. After the opening prayer
and the singing Of hymn $40, Mr..
Beeeher said Brethren, | need not
remind you that it is our last prayer
meeting during the year. It is a good
time to look over the books and take
an account Of stock a good time to
think over the merciSB Of God, and
give thanks for them. For my own
part-and / shall have to take you
into my confidence a little at this time
Il have to thank God that He has
mereifully spared me, mentally and
physically. | have Travelled during
the last year between $4,000 and
$1,000 miles, and have not even seen
an accident BY Wbish man or woman
was hurt. Oeessionally an engine was
broken down; but I have never haa
to witness q catastrophe suck a. has
frequently bSea recorded, Indeed, I
may say that during nv vhOle life
and | have travelled, I suppose, from
100000 10 10000 miles, hy rail,
steamboat, Gtags aAd other convey
anoe, in Europe and AMorioa, in CITY
and town. have never seen an acoi.
dent that threatened human life.
God has besA very mSreifal to me.
Another thing | must speak Of. but I
need not recall painful r~eeollSotiops
by specifying very particularly. You
all know The stern l have passed
through and it Sftsh happens when
there has been q storm that the sky
will not clear Immediately. II keeps
lowering after the tempest has spent
its force. | must say in reference 10
that matter, however, that during all
my travels in the year that is
past-and | have been in nearly every
Northern and Western State--I
have met with nothing but kindness
and consideration. Indeed, I have
been everywhere received with more
kindness and tenderness than | ever
was before. IL is very little to you I
know but the opinion Of my fellow
men is a great deal TO me; and I feel
grateful that God hiss sustained me
through such great trials and brought
me at last into a haven Of peace. For
although | am Of that build, | think
that | could be happy and pursue my
work pleasantly, with the bad opinion
Of all about me, ifmy conscience was
only right; yet the good report Of men
about me is very precious. You who
have been with me in the wilderness
and in the Red Sea will be glad with
me 10 know and feel that the sky
has thoroughly cleared once more for
though Pharaoh amt dead yet, | i'm
agine that most of his horses have
been overturned, hishost overwhelmed
by the waters, and his munitions Of
war destroyed.
Il must talk TO you about another
thing. IL has been in years past =
very rare thing with me TO come into
this prayer-meeting and see many Of
the seats %unoccupied until s o'clock.
| know that many are so engaged in
variOusg good works outside that they
cannot well find time TO come here on
Friday night. But that don't account
for it all-nor the greater part Of it.
You have all heard the proverb, that
when tho cat Is awsy
The mice will plhy;'
but | 6nd that when the cat is away
the mice don't play, and ] propose to
stay at home hearsfter and attend to
ny business. I don't Reah to say /